73. Editorial Note
In a telephone conversation with Senator Abraham Ribicoff that began at 4:25 p.m. on February 14, 1966, President Johnson stated the following regarding negotiations with North Vietnam:
“They are under three illusions, our judgment is: first, they think they can win it in Washington like they did in Paris (we think they think that); two, we think that up until the last ninety days they think they have been winning; three, we think they have the illusions that we may go a year, may go two years, but we wonʼt go the distance; four, they think that we canʼt go the distance if we wanted to because we are spread thin in the world and we have malaria and we have root rot and we have long supply lines and we have shipping problems that they read about—at least are talking about—and just general things; and we think that they are indulging themselves [in] these illusions just like Hitler indulged himself. Now we may be wrong but thatʼs what our best men think. Now we think until we get over that hump of illusion that they are not going to talk.” (Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of Telephone Conversation between Johnson and Ribicoff, Tape F66.05, Side B, PNO 1)