University of Virginia Library

'Incentives At Work'

In the short-run, there are
incentives at work to keep the
conflict at a sub-conventional
level heightened by efforts by
all parties to mobilize and
control the South Vietnamese
population. From the
perspective of Communist
elements, the cease-fire gets
American troops out of
Vietnam, why risk their
re-entry by enlarging the war
again, or doing so
precipitously? The
forth-coming international
convention, if it is convened,
could contribute further to
discouraging the re-expansion
of the war. The Big Powers will
legitimatize the terms of the
regional accord and the limits
within which the struggle may
continue. The Soviet Union
and China will be openly held
to respect the accord by
limiting their military aid to
Hanol and the Viet Cog
Progress on detente with the
United States is hostage to that
respect China, too might well
prefer a divided Vietnam to a
unified one under Soviet
influence.