THE WAR: Shadowboxing

Psychological warfare, like the shooting kind, runs the risk of retaliation. For weeks, South Viet Nam's President Nguyen Van Thieu hinted at a possible invasion of the north, and even President Nixon refused to rule out the notion entirely. The purpose of this talk was to keep North Vietnamese troops pinned down defending the home front, rather than harassing South Vietnamese troops in Laos.

Last week, during a surprise visit to Hanoi, China's Premier Chou En-lai retaliated by indulging in a little psychological warfare himself. North Viet Nam and China, he said, are "the front line" and "the rear area"...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!