1. Charmer in Paris
The French, who perfected protocol and politesse, faced a delicate situation. How should they welcome Soviet Party Boss Leonid Brezhnev, arriving in Paris last week for a six-day visit? Since the bulky, heavy-browed Brezhnev, 64, holds neither state nor governmental station, technically he was not entitled to official honors. But he made it plain that he wanted full red-carpet treatment, and he knew that the French saw his first trip to Western Europe since succeeding Nikita Khrushchev in 1964 as an opportunity to improve relations.
Eventually Brezhnev had his way. President Georges Pompidou smashed protocol by ordering him treated...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
