CRISIS IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000500320025-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 29, 2003
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: March 22, 1965
• Content Type: OPEN

MARCH 22, 1965
even withdrawal that would seem weak, cow-
CRISIS IN VIETNAM ardiy, degrading, and unpopular to most
? t I ,sJ", Americans but almost anything is better in
,~
id
hes
Mr. MORSE. Mr. .
en , ?' the long run than a remote jungle war that I
a war that
unanimous consent that a letter from could only be won by the most Inhuman-MaBS
Dr. Milnor Alexander, legislative 5ec1'C- slaughter of civilians in history.
tary of the Women's International Mainly, I wanted to say that, although I
League for PeaCe and Freedom, written realize that it must be lonely for you to be a ~'
under date of March 19, 1965, addressed voice crying in the wilderness, some of us propaganda nature of the white paper.
to me, be printed at this point in the thank you nevertheless for your courage and, In my opinion, it makes it perfectly clear
be-
RECORD. The letter contains a resolution clear thinking. that It was a very unfortunate paper cordially, cause of the chain of inaccuracies to
Passed by the organization, policies lfor a
In FRANK M. WHITING,
cessation of our walmarmaki aking which this administration has attached
South Vietnam and seeking to work, Mr. MORSE. Mr. President, I ask its name.
through international tribunals for a set unanimous consent that an editorial There being no objection, the editorial
tlement of the disputes in accordance published in the San Francisco Chronicle' was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
with the procedures of international law. of March 3, 1965, entitled, "Where the as follows:
There being no' objection,, the letter White Paper Is Silent" be printed at this TIME MR DIPLOMACY
was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,. point in the RECORD. The American escalation of the war in
as follows: There being no objection, the editorial Vietnam has so far produced a number of
MARCH 19, 1986. was ordered to be printed in the, RECORD, favorable political consequences. It has ex.
Senator ERNEST GRUENING, as follows: , . acerbated the Slno-Soviet conflict. It has
Senator WAYNE MORSE, From the San Francisco (Calif.) Chronicle, produced the first dint signals of concession
i from. North Vietnam. It has forced some
Senate Office B Washington, D.C. .iding, Met 3, 19051 I of the Buddhist leaders in south Vietnam
.WHERE THE WHITE PAPER IE SILENT ' off the fence and more openly Into the in-.
DEAR SENATons
aa SENATORS: The Women's Interna- The U.S. white paper on Vietnam solemnly tornational political arena. Several of the
Vietnam observes in its introductory paragraphs that Buddhist leaders have told the Americans
bon ea t League for statement on the and crisis in received
the last Clarence E. Pickett, , executive secrs it is concerned with a new kind of war "as that they would support the bombing of
Issued a ituo of the AAmerican Friends see Seen- yet poorly understood In most parts of the North Vietnam and a continuation of the
tart' cmmute , the March 3. March 3. The t sworld," war if the North did not soon agree to nego-
waas Committee,
dated tet March h 1 and our statement t national office To that truism, it might well have tacked 'tiations on reasonable terms.
w on the phrase "Including the United States." We are thus approaching a point where
It In released k t'stdeat . nwson his with response ns For here at home, the events In Vietnam are both the International situation and the
once A wire sent to Nobel Thia was a swathed In Inscrutable mystery, as evidenced Internal situation in Vietnam are such that
a sent to Nobel Peace Prize laureates,; by the confusing differences of opinion our- the United States could go to the negotiating
Viet-
and d oworld leaders for a statement on
other t
gently being expressed In the Halls of Con- table with Impressive assets. North
Vietnam:-
"The struggle In Vietnam is futile. It will greys, and even more markedly by the be- is very fearful of continued American nam rican
not really defeat the appeal of communism; wilderment of the American public. bombings which could eventually destroy her
also it jeopardizes the good name of the This widespread puzzlement is in part the industrial plant. The North Is probably 1
United States and sacrifices good American outcome of the persistent silence emanating fearful that it could not count either on
and Asian lives. Statesmanship by America from the White House, It has been dispelled Russia or China in a showdown with the
calls for a commanding gesture for negotla? but little if any by the white paper itself. United States. And even if It could count
Lion and a facing of the real problem of That document labors hard to prove that the on China, it is not anxious to mortgage its
long and substantial U.S. commitment in Independence to Peiping as the price for such
u ty, insecurity, and defeat. I Soth Vietnam is in simple opposition to support.
urge ge a n prompt turn in in the direction of flagrant aggression mounted and sustained Russia is anxious to get negotiations going
peWo.' by a Communst regime In the North against because P. continued American escalation will
Would you please Insert this Indication the Coxf of :'an independent people who want to make one day face her with a horrible choice. EI-
thEeconceL Rn this country another tUi.. policy their own way in peace and freedom." - ther Moscow will have to support North Vlet-
ine concern in
Thank you very bout U.S. pol It Speaks in plaintive detail about infiltra. nam and risk a confrontation with the United
In Vltnnm you you vermuch. tion by guerrilla fighters, technicians, props- States or also the Russians will have to stand
Sincerely y yours, gandlsts, political organizers, and secret by while a Communist state is being deci-
Dr. MILNOR ALEXANDER agents, lavishly armed and equipped. But mated. In either case the Russians will lose.
Legislative ve Secretary, it shies completely away from the clrcum Meanwhile, In South Vietnam Itself, the
Mr. MORSE. Mr. President, I ask stances that are confounding the speakers Communists are repenting the same mistake
unanimous consent to have printed at in Congress and the people at home. they made in Laos. They are driving the true
this point in the RECORD a letter from ' How strongly, one would like to know, do neutralist forces into the arms of the United
Prof. Frank M. Whiting, of the Univer-the South Vietnamese in general actually States. Just as the Pathet Lao drove Sou-our ' under' yearn to make their own way In peace and Bo n now Phoumn
the Vietong Kong Is o busy p
slty of Minnesota, addressed to me freedom. For that matter, how independent y attacking
date of February 16, 1965. The letter are they? Are they, or are they not, being Buddhist monks whose only crime is to want
expresses his disapproval of the country's' dragooned Into an army and forced to fight a genuinely neutralist Vietnam.
policies in South Vietnam. a battle for which they have little heart and These favorable circumstances, constituting
There being no objection, the letter no Stomach? Are they hopelessly split and an they do a certain vindication of the firm
was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, divided along religious and political and so- policy which the administration has pursued,
as follows: cial lines? Do they distrust and even despise 'problems confront the timing. .S Government
opportunity nice
UNIVERSITY Or MINNESOTA, the leaders who, by their incessant toppling The
Minneapolis, Minn., February 16,1966. and rebuilding of rickety governments, ap- useful dialog with Hanoi, may be approaching.
7 pear more concerned with self-aggrandize- The chance of a productive negotiation, In
Senator WAYNE L. MORSE, i. meet than with national Interest and demo- which the United States would not be pro-
U.S. Senate, cratic principles? reeding from weakness, may be coming more
Washington, D.C. Also unanswered is the big question that swiftly than anticipated only a few weeks ago.'
DEAR SENATOR MORSE: On this frightening', leaps up
with every new Vietcong success To detect when that precise moment has err
di may
eve of what
well become a let major m and deep inside the territory of South Vietnam: rived is the, essence of the matter.
probably y appreciation war and rain let me ex- Are the Vietnamese, by and large, too war The President has made an appropriate
foe press
having clearly laRan gratitude to you weary or too much Intimidated to fight off response to the faint North Vietnam intima-
ing seen and having had the '.' the invaders, or, Be a matter of distressing tions of a greeter readiness to consider rea-
.,courage to warn the Nation of the dangers fact, are they actually in sympathy with the sonable solutions. He used his press confer-
long ago. Communists? ence Saturday to point out that the United
Frank M. Rarlg used to ray, "A good theater . Here are some of the matters on which ' States does not threaten the North Vietnam
man ehould be an export at placing himself the American people need and ardently do- regime, that It has no desire to occupy or
why, a thous fetey are a Maybe this Is sire full and reliable information. It is not conquer the country, that it seeks only the
can way, t still uode td are why Making the oing a mistake, r mistake, f to be found In the white paper. The dogged end of aggression against South Vietnam.
hank of southeast nd rather avoidance of these matters Is indeed dis- Events are a long way from a solution In
tto us. Even Asia hhey more turn to China
than E alarming, I hs think quieting at a time when there ago signs of South Vietnam, but they may not be no far
can see what I would do if i were in control , greatly intensified American activity In Viet, as we feared from a situation in which a solu-
of Red China. I fear that I would launch - nam, both North and South. tion could be profitably discussed. A climate
an all-out war with conventional weapons, Is not the hour at hand for an end to favorable to such a beginning has been cra-
thus placing America in the horrible dilemma'. President Johnson's studied silence? A aced- a situation in which each side to un
A rsrla fedlfsairf~leaeasel~O~ iGII$6 .,f?Ln-pnpZ~_On1A QO Q &o}pfotseluni f. with the predicament In which It'
rt the bombing of cities, an act which `M1': y1MleJitd `A'BT `6HQr Itself. At eons point of mutual dlewm+
would win us the inflamed hatred of almost Unanimous consent. that an editorial fort, the opportunity for a ceasefire, an arnlis-
everyone in the world and might easily lead published in the Washington Post on tics, or a pause may arrive. When It dose,
to the final atomic holocaust, I March 22, 1065, entitled "Time for Di- we should embrace It.
I realise that the alternative - is probably piolnacy," peprinted pt this point In the Whersne our agreement to a cessation of
a miserable mile.. A negotiated Ibttl9MSrlt or R*OOkD; '1'litj eaiteiiat I$ fht$ tits H1b *J Shits ' ittibn p. hlbnth ago Might have