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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-06710 to 363-06714.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-06710 to 363-06714
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Title
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Article about looting following the Battle of Huế
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Description
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Original title: "loot", Keever's title: "Looting in Hue Increase Battle Damage", Article draft about the looting following the Battle of Huế and documenting its extent, for the Christian Science Monitor
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AI Usage Disclosure
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Draft transcripts were automatically generated via Google Document AI and are currently under review. Please report significant errors to Archives & Special Collections at archives@unl.edu.
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Transcript
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2020 sag
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loot 1 (normass/deepe)
HUB,
SOUTH VIETNAM, February 29-Looting, vandalism and
souvenir-hunting by Vietnamese government x troops and American Marines
during the the week Hue campaign has increased the battle-damage of this
rieg ravaged, once-royal capital,
ре
"What the fighting did not destroy in the city, the deeters
did," one informed source explained.
banks of the Perfume River has been looted,
times,
Virtually evey every house on both the southern and northern
some times as many as three or four
informed sources report.
"Looting has now stopped on the south side,"
explained, "because there's nothing left to grab." But,
27, when the firing hebattles had virtually stopped,
one reliable source
as of br February 2
looting continued
on the No northern bank, of or the citadel area, these sources reported.
==more reuter
2020 sag
Jy 1jp
loot 2 (normass/deepe)
The south side of the river, around the Al American military
compound stronghold, includes the so-called European section with Frenchified
city layouts of grandiose government offices, the university section and
villas rented mostly to foreigners. The first phases of the battle erupted
in this area as American Marines rushed to the resoue of the stronghold and
then fanned out, fighting so hectically that sometimes only one city block of
buildings was cleared in a day. the north side of the river includes the
old imperial citadel area, resembling the Walled City complex oxing of
ancient China in Peking, plus individual homes and shops sprk sprinkled throughout
the area.
more reuter
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2020 sag
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loot 3 (normass/deepe)
There
"The looting was bad," one reliable source explained.
I wouldn't
"Even the American hour houses were stripped bare.
point my finger at who did it, but I'd certainly like to know.
was guilt on alot of sides. The enemy was driven back from the
American houses on the south side, and then all the clothes were
It was just
taken and things like shaving material, razors.
incredible.
"I can understand if the troops were coled a cold-and
in the damp, drizzly weather, they'd take some booze from the cupboard,
no. Just amazing
or a blanket-but tv sets, cameras, typewriters,
things disappeared. It was bad. There's nothing else to loot
on the south side of the river and on the north side,
looting going on and no damage assessments have been made."
there's still
more reuter
2030 986
vy 1jp
loot 4 (normass/deepe)
On the south side of the Perfume River, during the
an American Marine
early days of fighting beginning January 31,
told this correspondent:
"The ARVN (Army, Republic of Vietnam) would follow
area southcx and would ask if a
the Marines as they cleared the
house had been or building had been secured.
in a take everything they could carry.
If it was they'd go
If it wasn't--they'd sit down
and wait for us to clear out the NVS NVA (North Vietnamese ry Army)
and then they'd go in and loot it."
==more reuter
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loot 5 (normass/deepe)
The Hue battlefield was filled with some of the most
pog-poignant, if not bewildering, paradoxes of the war. since the
North Vietnamese units had set up command posts, foxholes and bunkers
in government buildings, and in the substantially built middle and
upper class homes of stucco and concrete, many of gh, them owned by
government civil servants and Vietnamese army officers and top brass.
During the first days, Vietnamese Army command was
reluctant to use artillery against their own properties--but later,
when Vietnamese troops were suffering high casualties, the Army
officers called in the heavy firepower on their own homes and offices.
Later, Vietnamese troopers, even in the pressons of presence of N.
officers, weto meander around looting and plundering the homes
of their own top brass, and senior government employees.
more reuter
2020 sag
yy 1jp.
loot 6 (normass/deepe)
Even in front of television cameras and their own
officers, ARVN troopers dorve drove up two ethalf ton trucks and
began loading them full of their war booty, including refrigerators,
tables and chairs, sofas, television sets and great bundles of
clothes, kitchenware. Even before the ol former Imperial Palace
had been swept clean of North Vietnamese troops, ARVN soldiers,
ten blocks away, began breaking down the huge steel grill doors
of the shops along the mainstreet of the north side only ten blooks
Goods from camera shops, the city's main movie ce house,
small grocery stores, toy tailor shops and stationery shops weare
were heaped onto Vietnamese Army trucks, or the backs of a bicycles,
and Tandee
commandeared by the soldiers.
One Western
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loot 7 (normass/deepe)
fiuit
Much of the mant in of the Marines, which was seemed
less blatant and widespread b than that of Vietnamese government troopers,
revolved around making xx immediate use bedding, mtr mattresses, water
food and liquore, kitchenware-and then leaving the home looking
"like a pigpen," as one source explained. But, there were isolated
cases of theft of valuables tucked into their packs-such as portable
typewriters--or of inexpensive, but useful items, and of our sourv
souvenir objects, such as Budh bronze Buddhist statues from family
altars, or girls neekerso necere o neckerchiefs.
==more reuter
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loot 8 (normass/deepe)
"I won't tell you what the Marines were doing on the 3 south
side," one informed source explained. "It was incredible. They were
going through mattresses and cupp cupboards looking for this gold leaf
that is negotiable currency. Finally, the Marine officers atorgado but th
the
started on
one of
too late. Even the mound of military desistance command,
the only strongpoing except the Vietnamese Army headquarters in the citadel,
which held out against the Communist throughout the B campaign,
the il small that wooden "huts" had been rented to the Australian
The ranch-type
government for its dozen advisors in the area.
building x was taken over by a dozen Marines during the battle, "and
when they left the place was a mess all of our Australian clothes were
stolen as were our Communist weapons we had captured in previous battles,"
one of the Australians said.
amore reuter
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2020 886
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loot 9 (normass/deepe)
"Don't get me wrong," he said.
"I'm not anti-Marine.
When those Marines first came into the city, I loved everyone of them.
I'm just against those dozen Marines who left this hoooh a mess and stole
our stuff. It's not professional."
"Look, at this," he said, "They even
one of their blodd bloody Playboy pin-ups." He ripped
a double-page, colored portrait of Miss November angrily.
taped up
down ambilys
#more reuter
2020 sag
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loot 10 (normass/deepe)
Vietnamese soldiers also readily pas gave or sold to
the Marines beer from the shops, soho scotch and whisky taken from
private homes and aspecial home-made brew of rice potent rice wine.
Other Vietnamese troops attempted to sellcaptured Communist
Paranphanech as flags and ensignia, to the Marines, as well
as American 45 calibre pistols, asking for payment in American
currency. "You souvin soury souvenir me," became a by-word during
these transactions, as haggling over whether the item was a gift
to the nos or for sale teak place ensued.
And, after the battle, and then after the plunder,
which goed coated the debris with
a chilling, continuous drizzle,
a muouous-like layer of mud and
moisture.
end reuter
came
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Date
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1968, Feb. 29
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Hue, Battle of, Huế, Vietnam, 1968; Kinh thành Huế (Huế, Vietnam); Pillage
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Location
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Huế, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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16.4498; 107.5623
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Size
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20 x 26 cm
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Container
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B9, F25
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Format
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dispatches
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Collection Number
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MS 363
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Collection Title
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Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
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Creator
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Collector
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Copyright Information
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These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
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Publisher
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Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
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Language
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English
