December 12

This Day in History

Also on This Day

Lead Story
Da Vinci notebook sells for over 5 million, 1980
American Revolution
Pennsylvania ratifies the Constitution, 1787
Automotive
GM announces phase-out of Oldsmobile, 2000
Civil War
Cherokee leader and Confederate General Stand Watie is born, 1806
Cold War
Shultz calls on European allies to increase defense spending, 1987
Crime
The Queen of Mean is sentenced to the slammer, 1989
A young murderer is indicted, 1997
Disaster
French soldiers killed in train accident, 1917
General Interest
Marconi sends first Atlantic wireless transmission, 1901
Mona Lisa recovered in Florence, 1913
Father Flanagan establishes Boys Town, 1917
USS Panay sunk by Japanese, 1937
Hollywood
Hepburn, Tracy and Poitier star in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, 1967
Literary
Flaubert is born, 1821
Music
"Tears Of A Clown" gives Smokey Robinson & The Miracles their first #1 pop hit, finally, 1970
Old West
Cattle pioneer Charles Goodnight dies, 1929
Presidential
JFK memorial album sets record for sales, 1963
Sports
NFL rookie Gale Sayers ties single-game TD record, 1965
Vietnam War
Procedural questions cause difficulty at the peace talks, 1968
Philippine soldiers depart South Vietnam, 1969
World War I
Stocks tank as NYSE trading resumes, 1914
World War II
United States seizes French liner Normandie, 1941

Vietnam War

Dec 12, 1968:

Procedural questions cause difficulty at the peace talks

Previous Day December 12 Calendar Next Day

The Paris Peace talks, which opened on May 10, continue to be plagued by procedural questions that impeded any meaningful progress. South Vietnamese Premier Nguyen Cao Ky refused to consent to any permanent seating plan that would place the National Liberation Front (NLF) on an equal footing with Saigon. North Vietnam and the NLF likewise balked at any arrangement that would effectively recognize the Saigon as the legitimate government of South Vietnam. Prolonged discussions over the shape of the negotiating table was finally resolved by the placement of two square tables separated by a round table. Chief U.S. negotiator Averell Harriman proposed this arrangement so that NLF representatives could join the North Vietnamese team without having to be acknowledged by Saigon's delegates; similarly, South Vietnamese negotiators could sit with their American allies without having to be acknowledged by the North Vietnamese and the NLF representatives. Such seemingly insignificant matters became fodder for many arguments between the delegations at the negotiations.

Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

Previous Day December 12 Calendar Next Day

This Week in History, Dec 12 - Dec 18

Dec 12, 1968
Procedural questions cause difficulty at the peace talks
Dec 12, 1969
Philippine soldiers depart South Vietnam
Dec 13, 1972
Peace negotiations in Paris deadlocked
Dec 13, 1974
North Vietnamese commence attack on Phuoc Long Province
Dec 14, 1961
Kennedy announces intent to increase aid to South Vietnam
Dec 14, 1964
Operation Barrel Roll begins
Dec 15, 1965
U.S. bombers strike industrial targets in North Vietnam
Dec 15, 1969
Nixon announces additional U.S. troop withdrawals
Dec 16, 1965
Westmoreland asks for more troops
Dec 16, 1972
Kissinger announces that North Vietnamese left negotiations
Dec 17, 1971
Cambodian forces under heavy pressure
Dec 18, 1972
Nixon orders the initiation of Operation Linebacker II

Related Topics

What Happened on Your Birthday?

Pick a Date

Editor’s Picks

Bio.com

  • On This Day

    On This Day

    Read about notable birthdays and celebrity deaths at On This Day.

Shop HISTORY

See More