Abstract

November in Hanoi

Some weeks ago, the author received an invitation from the Jurists' Association of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to visit their country, a trip that was for him a logical extension of an activity started a long time ago. Back in 1964, the author knew little about the country that in 1969 he was preparing to visit. During the fall of that year, he had worked diligently for the election of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. It is hard to believe today that he knew so little about the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which had occurred three months before that election, according to him. Except for a two-day trip to the province of Thanh Hoa, about 100 miles to the south of Hanoi, Vietnam, the author spent most of his time in the capital, where he met many government officials.