Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume VII, Vietnam, July 1970–January 1972

187. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon¹

Washington, Undated.

SUBJECT

• Resignation of Lon Nol

Ambassador Swank has reported conversations with Chief of State Cheng Heng, Acting Prime Minister Sirik Matak and Foreign Minister Koun Wick concerning the resignation of Lon Nol on April 20.² The main points of our information follow:

• —Public announcement of Lon Nol’s resignation was made on April 20th and it is expected that he will be elevated to an honorific post such as “Marshal of the Cambodian Army.”
• —Acting Prime Minister Sirik Matak is expected to replace him with the consent of the National Assembly although an adjustment in cabinet positions will be required.
• —Lon Nol’s physical and related emotional incapability of bearing the burdens of office have become clear to the Cambodians since his return to Phnom Penh. The Cambodian leadership has decided, apparently with Lon Nol’s consent, that responsibility should become definitely fixed at the top for important decisions, which is not possible with Sirik Matak in an “acting” status.
• —Cheng Heng will remain as Chief of State as Sihanouk’s constitutional successor, thus providing legitimacy for the government.

Comment: Ambassador Swank believes that over the next few weeks during the change of government much will depend on the finesse of the Ministry of Information in handling the public relations aspect of the matter and on the speed of the National Assembly in taking responsible action on a successor. Swank has made it clear to Cheng Heng that prolonged instability of the Cambodian Government could have disastrous implications for the U.S. assistance programs and he will make the same point to others. Swank observers that competition among potential candidates for the office of Prime Minister could still be a problem.

We understand that the future handling of Lon Nol’s sometimes over-ambitious younger brother Lon Non has been the specific subject of a conversation between Lon Nol and Sirik Matak. Though Lon Non’s ability to advance himself has derived largely from his relationship to his elder brother, his troublemaking potential will continue to bear close watching by both the Cambodian leadership and ourselves.³

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 512, Country Files, Far East, Cambodia, Vol. XII. Secret. Sent for information. According to the attached NSC correspondence profile, Kissinger sent it on April 21. A stamped notation on the memorandum reads, “The President has seen.”
2. Swank reported the conversations in telegrams 1826 and 1840 from Phnom Penh, both April 19. (Ibid.)
3. In backchannel message 1563 to Haig, April 21, Ladd confirmed that Lon Nol intended to resign. Ladd commented that while the mechanisms for governmental changes might seem to be unnecessarily complex, “the Orientals have some strange political procedures that seem to make sense to them and often in the long run work rather well.” Kissinger forwarded the message to Nixon under an April 21 covering memorandum, writing that the situation appeared under control and that Lon Nol would probably manage things behind the scenes and re-enter politics later. (Ibid.) On May 7, a new Cambodian Government was formed with Lon Nol as titular Prime Minister, Sirik Matak as his delegate, and three Deputy Prime Ministers still to be named. (Ibid.)