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troops. Whether troop withdrawal had to be prior to talks or a result of talks was left vague by Gromyko.

HO CHI MINH said Johnson's offer of unconditional talks was insincere and "absolutely unacceptable." Ho ridiculed charges of North Vietnamese aggression and denied that pressure from Peking prevented Hanoi from holding peace talks. (24 November TV interview (in English) with British Journalist Felix Greene, made public 7 December)

Mr. Rusk ruled out compromise with the Viet Cong saying there could be no political or territorial gain for them as part of a peace settlement.

The UK proposed a 12-nation appeal be made to North Vietnam to stop fighting and negotiate a peace. Britain separately called on the Soviet. Union to sign and circulate such a message among nations represented at the 1954 Geneva Conference as well as those on the International Control Commission. (New York Times, 9 December)

Hanoi Radio announced, "The DRV Government categorically rejects all British plans and proposals made under the pretense of peace. Once again the DRV Ministry of Foreign Affairs solemnly reaffirms that the four-point stand of the DRV Government is the only basis for a correct settlement of the Vietnamese problem; any solution contrary to this stand is null and void and unable to bring about genuine peace in Vietnam." (VNA, 17 December)

A one-day Christmas truce in ground and air action was observed on 25 December. The next day, fighting in South Vietnam resumed, but the halt in bombing continued.

POPE PAUL VI had appealed publicly for a Christmas holiday truce and efforts by all sides were made to move toward negotiations. On 19 December, a private appeal was sent to Hanoi. Ho Chi Minh's reply of 28 December charged U.S. leaders "want war and not peace." He said talk about "unconditional negotiations" is a "maneuver to cover up" plans for further "war intensification and extension." The Pope's message of 1 January 1966 to Moscow, Peking, Hanoi and Saigon, asking for an end to conflict met with similarly unsuccessful results.

The concentrated U.S. peace drive began on 29 December. Air action over North Vietnam, halted at Christmas, was suspended until 31 January (36 days, 15 hours). Governors HARRIMAN and WILLIAMS, Ambassador GOLDBERG and three other representatives were dispatched to 34 capitals; the U.S. position was discussed with some 115 governments. Hanoi was contacted indirectly. The far-flung public effort failed.