January 4, 1965

Mr. Helmut Sonnenfeldt
Bureau of Intelligence
and Research
Department of State
Washington 25, D.C.

Dear Hal:

It was good to see you the other day. I look forward to
seeing you on January 11th.

After returning here I have thought about the problem of
your leave and I have also discussed it with Tom Schelling and
Mort Halperin. It seems to us that if you go through with your
plans to take off next year that you might then prefer to write
your book some other place than Washington. I think Washington
will present constant temptations of the kind you succumbed to
this year and it may not give you the change that a year off should
supply. At the same time all of us would be delighted to have you
spend a year at the Center.

I am, therefore, writing you this preliminary inquiry to
spend a year with us. We would pay you your regular salary and
probably could make some contribution to moving expenses.

I need not add that it would be a great personal joy to have
you here.

Warm regards.

ADDRESS OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS TO
THE SECRETARY OF STATE
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE
WASHINGTON

January 27, 1965

Dear Henry:

After talking with you briefly two weeks ago I delayed replying
to your letter of January 4 in hopes of getting some further clarification
of my probable situation next fall. This unfortunately hasn't
happened so far.

I do want to tell you though how very much I appreciate your
proposal; in fact I am quite touched by it -- as I tried to convey to
Tom Schelling last week when he telephoned. The problem is twofold:
first, there is no way at the moment for me to make a decision concerning
the 1965-66 academic year and second I feel some obligation to Arnold
Wolfers and the Washington Center should I be able to get away again.
Wolfers took me on because he expected to get a book from me and he
paid me very generously for the month I spent with him even though
the expected product was not forthcoming. I have no idea at present
what his plans are for next year but I do feel that if there is
any chance of my getting away I should give him an option to renew
our original arrangement.

Having said all that, I find at the same time much that is
attractive in the possibility of a year with you and I am most reluctant
to let the opportunity pass lightly. As I told Tom, I would understand
completely if you wanted a decision one way or the other from me so
that you can button up the Center's plans. But if, as Tom indicated,
you still have some flexibility I would/most grateful if you could
let me have some more time to try and clarify my further situation.
Do, however, please let me know when and if time begins to press.

I have been reading with interest about your recent doings in Munich
and hope there will be a chance to talk again soon. Margie and I are
off to Antigua for ten days in a couple of weeks but I hope early in
March to spend a day or so in Cambridge. I will let you know.

With warmest regards,

Professor Henry A. Kissinger
Center for International Affairs
Harvard University
6 Divinity Avenue
Cambridge 38, Mass.

PERSONAL

Henry:

I want to raise separately and for your eyes only one further problem I have in contemplating the possibility of a year at the Center. I have some difficulty visualizing myself happy and contented -- and creative -- in the presence for a year of your Director. While I have always had the most agreeable personal relations with him I am nevertheless distinctly uncomfortable in his company and find it virtually impossible to maintain a fruitful intellectual association with him. This could of course change in the course of x more sustained contact than I have had with him over the past ten years; but I fear the change might be for the worse rather than the other way.

You may be the wrong person to put this to; but it is a factor that would weigh heavily in my decision. Have you any feelings one way or the other on this score?

H.S.

April 1, 1965

Dear Henry:

As I anticipated when we last talked, I have been
reshuffled upward a notch in the bureaucracy here and
therefore cannot properly think about taking off in the
fall. In line with our conversation I wonder though
whether we might work out an arrangement whereby I could
attend perhaps 3-5 of the Center's seminars or other
activities in the course of the next academic year. I
would, of course, be happy to give a talk or lead a
discussion on some Soviet or Communist matter at one of
these.

You mentioned that the Center might be able to help
out on travel expenses for an arrangement like the above.
I have meanwhile looked into the possibility of having
the Department chip in but that prospect doesn't look
bright. I should add that regardless of whether some-
thing can be worked out on this, I would still like to
have the chance of occasionally sitting in at functions
of the Center along the lines we discussed.

I'm off to Paris for a couple of weeks.

With best regards and again my thanks for your
interest.

Professor Henry A. Kissinger,
Center for International Affairs,
Harvard University,
6 Divinity Avenue,
Cambridge 38, Massachusetts.

Henry V. Kissinguer

Sincerely yours,

Best regards.

of them yourself.
would agree to conduct one or two
meetings. We would hope that you
pay your expenses for three to five
on the basis you suggest. We will
you associated with the Center
We would be happy to have

your proposal.
to talk to my colleagues about
I have now had a chance

Dear Hal:

Washington, D. C.
Department of State
Mr. Helmut Sommerfeldt

April 13, 1962