https://mediacommons.unl.edu/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/MISC/UNL~139~139/1629/363-04745+to+363-04746.pdf

Media

Part of A Native Critic on U.S. Role article draft, page 6-7

extracted text

BOMB I NG DILEMMA
IT rs CLEAR THAT THE UNITED STATES CANNOT WIN THIS WAR
WITHOUT BOMBING, BUT IT IS ALSO CLEAR THAT IT IS NOT LI KELY TO WI N
BY BOMBING ALONE.
ITEM

X- 4 (SAIGON)
FYI, FOLLOWI NG ARE EXCERPTS FROM A BYLINER BY BEVE RLY DEEPE
FROM NEWYORKHERALDTRIBUNE, SEPT .S g { f ~,S'
A NATIVE CRITIC ON U.S . ROLE
SAIG0N --" Y0U AMERICANS SHOULD NO T BE UNE FLECHE DE PAILLE- A STRAW
ARROW, " THE YOUNG VIETNAMESE PROVINCE CHIEF EXPLAINED, CAREFULLY
LIGHTING A FILT ER CIGC'\RETTEo " YOU CA\1NOT BE H/:;UGHTY AND ARROGANT LIKE
A TURKEYo YOU MUST HELP US TO INCREASE THE PRESTIGE OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AND YOU MUST RESPE~T VIETNAMESE SOVER EIGNTY . "
"YOU AMERICANS MUST WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE VIETNAMESE
GOVERNMENT PEOP-LE--BUT THE VIETNA MESE MUST ALWAYS B£ IN TH£
FOREFRO NT , LEADING THE PROJECTS 9 " HE EXP~ AINED . " THIS
IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN THE VIL LAGES AND HAMLETS WHERE THE PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED BY VIET CONG (COMMUNIST) PROPAGANDA
ABOUT THE EVILS OF THE AMERICANS o THIS IS YOUR OFFICI AL GOVERNMENT
POLICY--THAT THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT DOES NO T WANT TO TAKE OVER
SOUTH VIETNAM 9 BUT ONLY ~ANTS TO FREE I T FROM THE COMMUNISTS .
"BUT WHAT HAPPENS? IN MY PR0VHJCE, P. LL sorns OF AMER ICANS G.O
DIRECTLY TO THE HAMLETS AND VILLAGES--T0 PASS OUT BOOKS OR TO
INSPEC T A PROJECT--WITHOUT EVE N CO NSU LTI NG ME , OR CHECKING IN WITH
LOCAL AUTHORITIES. ONE DAY I WENT TO VISIT A VERY POOR ORPHANAGE IN
MY

PROVINCE . I SPOTTED AN AMEICAN WHOM I HAD MET BEFORE .

HE WAS SITTING IN HIS CAR - - AND DION T EVEN BOTHER TO GE T OUT TO
SAY HELLO . I ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS DOING THERE - - WITHOUT
MY PERMISSIO

I

AND WITHOUT NOT IF Y! lG THE PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES

HE WAS OUT THERE. I TOLD HIM

GET 0UT/EXCLAMAT./ GET OU T/EXCLAMAT . /

/EXCL./ YOU HAVE NO RIGH T TO BE HERE/EXCL/

AND HE LEFT.

INNocn~TS
"EVERY ONE KNOWS THE AMERICANS HAVE A BIG HEART AND HAVE THE
VERY BEST I 0iTENTIONS 9

" _

HE EXPLA INED o "BUT YOU A}~E SO INNOCEN T.

YOU LI KE TO BE FLATTERED- -AND YOU MUS T KNOW THE VIETNAMESE AR E THE
NO .

1

FLATTERERS IN

THE

WORLD .

"YOUR AMERICAN (MILITARY) ADVISORS ARE VERY GOOD MI LIT ARY TECHNIC1ANS9 BUT WE NEED SOME ONE WITH GOO) PO LITIC AL BRAINS , BECAUSE WE
ARE FIGHTING THE MOST INSIDIOUS, THE MOST PO~ITICALLY CONSCIOUS
ENEMY OF ALL--THE CLMMUNISTSo BU T TH E AMERICANS COME TO VIET NAM
WITH A NEW YORK MIND , OR AN ATLANTA MI ND9 BU T NOT AN OR IENTAL
MIND.
HE THEN BEGAN TO DISCUSS TH E STRATEG IC HOP TAC PROGRAM--THE
AMERICAN-BACKED PROGRAM TO SECURE AND PACIFY THE PROV INCES AROUND
SAIGON.
"THE VIETNAMESE BUDGET RUNS FRQtli J Af\HJ/\RY TO DECEMBEr< 9 " THE
-

.

PROVINCE CHIEF EXPLAINED. "BUT THE AMERICAN BUDGET RUNS FROM JUNE TO
JULY. SO IN THE PROVINCES LAST YEAR, WE DIDN T GET ANY MONEY UNTIL
SEPTEMBER-- WHEN THE UNITED STATES APP?OPRIATIONS CAME THROUGH. THAT
LEFT ME FROM SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER-- THREE MON THS--TO PACIFY lQO
HAMLETS--WHAT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN ME
"N0 1-1 9

IT IS P,PRIL,

,::iND I

A

YEA R. ITS IM POSSIB LE TO DO.

VE SUBMITTED

---

~1Y 1965

PACIFICATION

PROGRAM FO R THE PRO\! INCE. BUT IT ST ILL HP,S NOT BEEN APPROVED. I .M
SUPPOSED TO HAVE TWO REGU LAR

.A~MY

BATTALIOt\1S IN MY PROVINC E FOR THE

PACIFICATION WO?K--TO CHASE OUT THE VI ET CONG BATTALIONS o BUT ST ILL
I DON T HAVE THEM."
"THE N THERES THE QUESTION OF JUS TICE . YOU KNOW AN OLD BEGGAR MAN
ON

SOCIAL WELF !\RE GET TWO PIASTRES A DAY FROM THE GOVERNMENT--

THATS LESS THAN
PIASTRES

A

$1

A

MONTH . BUT I N THE PROVINCES 9 WE SPEND

11

DAY TO FEED THE VIET CO NG PR ISONERS ~ OF CO URSE,

WE HAVE THE NATIONAL POLICY TO RE- EDUCATE THE VIET CONG- - BUT I S TH AT
JUSTICE?
ITEM

w