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pr of Mai. Gen. lEci,Mn L nsdaie , the origina "Ugly Arnerican"

By Stanley Karnow

As he walks his poodle along suggest that he has lost much of U.S. official who believed that he occurred to me as I scanned the the shaded street near his split- his verve since his wife's death could mobilize Vietnamese peas- picture how many careers had level Alexandria home, Maj. Gen. last spring, and he himself con- ants to resist the Communists by been ruined by the war. But as Edward Geary Lansdale resembles cedes that her passing has left instilling them with the precepts Lansdale discussed the war, talk- any number of retired officers him lonely and dispirited. Except of Town Hall democracy. ing softly and modestly, his atti- pasturing in the Washington sub- for occasional evenings with old Although the old soldier has tudes eluded sharp definition. urbs. He is still lean and erect de- cronies, many of them Asia veter- faded away, the debate lingers Indeed, it seemed to me, his spite his 64 years, and, like so ans like himself, he leads a rather on. Just as Lederer and Burdick views might fit almost anywhere many military pensioners, he secluded existence. approvingly quote their hero as in the spectrum of opinion on finds life somewhat tame after his Other friends point out that he saying that "if you use the right Vietnam. His denunciations of the adventurous career. is weary after years of battling key, you can maneuver any per- U.S. bombings of North Vietnam But in contrast to the superan- bureaucrats who oppose his un- son or nation any way you want," would please radicals, and his nuated colonels who reconstruct conventional ideas, and Lansdale so Lansdale's disciples still con- expressions of hatred for the battles at the dinner table, Lans- himself substantiates that view tend that the United States could Communists would delight con- dale's experiences were of a high with bitter humor when he says have attained its objectives in Vi- servatives. I had no quarrel with order. For he was in times past a that "the knives going in don't etnam by developing psychologi- his forecast that "after a horrible dynamic, influential and often seem to hurt anymore." Yet, as he cal warfare methods more effica- casualty list and destruction, we'll controversial figure who single- speaks, it is clear that he still cious than those employed by the end up with the compromise so- handedly managed foreign gov- burns with a hard flame that is Communists. This view, which lution we could have had ten ernments and whose behind- nearly religious in fervor. His reli- became popular during the Ken- years ago." The compromise in the-scenes counsel helped to gion, he explains, is not formal. It nedy Administration, is best artic- Saigon, he predicted, would take shape U.S. policy and practice at is his faith that the United States ulated in the articles of Lansdale's the form of a coalition govern- critical junctures in recent his- could have successfully played close friend, Robert Shaplen, the ment whose Vietcong members tory. world policeman by propagating New Yorker correspondent in Sai- would eventually gain the upper In the Philippines during the its political philosophy-- -gon, who has long asserted"'that hand and turn the country into a early 1950s, for example, Lansdale At the core of Lansdale's doc- the United States and its South Vi- 'Communist state. But as we dis- virtually directed the campaign trine is the conviction that Com- etnamese proteges could have cussed what-might-have-been, I against the Communist-led Huks munist guerrillas can be defeated beat the Communists by doubted the plausibility of his be- in his capacity as special adviser in brushfire wars by "winning the preempting the revolution. And lief that the outcome could have to Ramon Magsaysay, then that hearts and minds" of people. In just as Graham Greene indirectly been different. "We should have country's defense secretary. In Vietnam, according to this thesis, reproved Lansdale by declaring constructed a political base for Saigon not long after, be effec- the United States should have that Vietnamese "don't want our South Vietnam," he said,empha- tively kept South Vietnamese exported American democratic white skins around telling them sizing as he has consistently over President Ngo Dinh Diem in of- principles along with guns, mon- what they want," so his present- the years, that "we could have fice by conspiring to crush his do- ey, machinery and food. "We day critics claim that he never ac- helped the Vietnamese to find mestic foes while persuading couldn't afford to be just against tually understood Asians. Frances something worth defending, Washington to support him. the Communists," Lansdale has FitzGerald, author of the current something that gave meaning to Later, as the Vietnam war esca- written. "We had to be for some- bestseller on Vietnam, Fire in the their struggle." lated,Lansdale was instrumental in thing." Lake, describes Lansdale as a man It is no coincidence that Lans- convincing President Eisenhower Lansdale's proposals often pro- of "artless sincerity . . . who dale often sounds like a mission- and Kennedy that the United voked the fury of Establishment never thought in terms of systems ary. He began his professional life States and its Vietnamese clients strategists, some powerful or larger social forces" at work in as a San Francisco advertising could defeat the Vietcong by rely- enough to block his advance- contemporary Asia. He was, in man determined to convert the ing on counterinsurgency techni- ment. He has also been derided Miss FitzGerald's analysis, an en- local citizenry into buying such ques. Some of these techniques, as a dreamer whose perception of thusiast rather than a theorist merchandise as Nescafe and Ital- as disclosed in the secret Penta- reality was, at best, blurred. At "who believed that Communism ian Swiss Colony wine. Born and gon Papers, have revealed him to the same time, though, he in- in Asia would crumble before raised in Detroit, where his father be considerably less savory than spired a coterie of disciples who men of goodwill with some con- had been an automobile company the public image of him as an ide- regarded him as nearly infallible. cern for 'the little guy' and the executive, he had migrated to the alist. The debate over him polarized proper counterinsurgency skills." West Coast to attend the Univer- Little of the exotic drama that several years ago in two cele- sity of California at Los Angeles, characterized Lansdale's career is brated novels that, whatever the and there he remained. When apparent in his present manner. He validity of their arguments, at I spent a recent morning chat- World War II broke out, Lansdale is a gray, unassuming man whose least endowed him with a meas- ting with Lansdale. We sipped was commissioned as an officer in subdued style borders on self- ure of literary immortality. Wil- coffee and chain-smoked in his the Office of Strategic Services, a effacement. Some of his friends liam J. Lederer and Eugene Bur- study, a large room cluttered with precursor of the Central Intelli- dick portrayed him in The Ugly books on Asian affairs, its walls gence Agency. But, oddly enough American as Col. Edwin Barnum adorned with photographs of him in the light of his later career, he Hillendale, whose sweet harmon- in the Philippines, Vietnain and was not sent overseas to handle Stanley Karnow is the former ica purportedly stimulated rural other faraway places. One of the the kind of daring jobs assigned Washington Post Asian corre- Filipinos to oppose Communism. photographs featured Lansdale to OSS operatives. spondent and the author of Mao Graham Greene, on the other and a Vietnamese who once held Instead, he sat out most of the and China: From Revolution to hand, depicted him in The Quiet a high rank in Saigon and now war in California performing be- Revolution. American as Alden Pyle, the naive runs a restaurant in Paris, and it nign tasks like gathering maps The Washington Post/Potomac/December 10, 1972 31 and coordinating intelligence. derpinnings but focused almost Only after the fighting had ended exclusively on the military situa- was he transferred to the Philip- tion. Still using the imagery of an pines, the archipelago that had advertising man two decades aft- once been America's proud Pa- erward, Lansdale would remem- cific. possession. There, in the ber that they were like storekeep- years that followed, he would ers "counting the goods on make his name almost a house- shelves instead of pondering ways hold word. to get the customers coming in Rather than return to the adver- again." tising business when peace came, What the crisis required, in his Lansdale chose to join the newly- estimation, was a supersalesman. created U.S. Air Force as a cap- He found him in the Philippine tain. He also elected to stay in the defense secretary, Ramon Mag- Philippines as an intelligence offi- saysay. An energetic, disorgan- cer. During that period, the ized iconoclast who spent more Communist-led Huk insurgency time charging around the country was beginning, and Lansdale was than at his desk, Magsaysay was a designated to report to the U.S. character in need of an author. government on rebel activities. Lansdale was ready to write his He traveled through the barrios of script. central Luzon, where the Huks Calling him by his nickname, were particularly strong, talking "Monching," Lansdale invited with peasants and trying to dis- Magsaysay to share his house in- suade them from supporting the side the American military com- insurgents. He also listened to pound. They would talk late into their problems, learning from the the night, with Magsaysay airing experience that bureaucratic cor- his views in haphazard fashion so ruption, rural tenancy and other that Lansdale could, as he recalls, social injustices provided fertile "sort them out" in order to select ground for the Communists. This or discard courses of action. Ac- ingrained in him the conviction, cording to Lansdale, they also which he still holds, that Commu- revealed their "innermost nism must be fought mainly as a thoughts" to each other in their political virus. quest to bring "peace and justice His early years among the amia- to the Philippine people." They ble Filipinos left him as well with agreed on the necessity to reform the conviction that personal ties the corrupt, lethargic Philippine with people were primordial. "My army, and they worked on plans work had taken me among thou- for social reform. Lansdale per- sands of Filipinos," he later suaded Magsaysay as well to cre- wrote. "I cared about them as in- ate a psychological warfare divi- dividuals and they responded sion innocuously named the Civil with friendship. It was that natural Affairs Office, and he introduced and that simple." an assortment of gimmicks de- Out of that initial brush with signed to discourage the Huks. the Philippines, Lansdale slowly One psywar operation played evolved what would eventually on the superstitious dread in the become his lifetime theme—the Philippine countryside of the as- need for psychological warfare as uang, a mythical vampire. A psy- the antidote to Communist revo- war squad entered an area, and lution. He studied Mao Tse-tung's planted rumors that an asuang. theories and, back in Washington lived on a hill where the Commu- in 1950, he lectured at the Penta- nists were based. Two nights lat- gon on unconventional methods er, after giving the rumors time to of waging war. Soon afterward, circulate among Huk sympathiz- he was given the chance to put his ers, the psywar squad laid an principles into practice. He was ambush for the rebels. When a ordered to go back to the Philip- Huk patrol passed, the ambush- pines as a member of the U.S. ers silently snatched the last man, Military Advisory Group detailed punctured his neck vampire- to help the Philippine govern- fashion with two holes, hung his ment to cope with its growing body until the blood drained out, Huk insurgency. Lansdale recalls and put the corpse back on the that he was immersed in remodel- trail. As superstitious as any other ing his Washington house when Filipinos, the insurgents fled from his orders arrived. He dropped the region. everything and departed, feeling, With Lansdale's help, Magsay- as he puts it now, that it was like say also promoted land reform "playing hooky to go to war." programs that, although short- Back in the Philippines, Lans- lived, appealed to peasants and dale was struck by the fact that prompted many of them to deny American and Philippine officials support for the Huks. The Huks who briefed him on the extent of themselves, meanwhile, were the Huk rebellion barely men- suffering from inept leadership. tioned its political and social un- They split into factions and, be- 32 The Washington Post/Potomac/December 10, 1972 trayed by one of their chiefs, al- cluded Lucien Conein, a tough ported that "it had taken a tre- no need whatsoever to dis- lowed part of their Politburo to be former soldier in the French For- mendous amount of hard work to cuss them. Did I- under- captured. By 1952, their move- eign Legion who had parachuted beat the Geneva deadline, to lo- stand? I stood up and said, ment had largely evaporated. A into Vietnam as an OSS operative cate, select, exfiltrate, train, infil- "Yes sir, I understand. I year later, Magsaysay was elected during World War Il..He was also trate, equip the men ... and have guess there's nobody here president of the Philippines— assisted by the U.S. Information them in place, ready for action as personal representative of again with Lansdale's assistance. Agency director. And, in addition required against the enemy." It the people of the United In the semi-fictitious account to other military subordinates would have been a hard task to States. The American people by Lederer and Burdick, Lansdale disguised as civilians, he was complete openly, the report add- would want us to discuss alias Hillendale drove around the helped by two groups of Filipinos ed, but "this had to be kept secret these priorities. So, I hereby Philippine boondocks on a red subsidized by CIA funds. One, from the Vietminh, the Interna- appoint myself as their rep- motorcycle, playing his harmon- called "Operation Brotherhood," tional Commission with its suspi- resentative — and we're ica and exhorting the citizens to comprised doctors and nurses. cious French and Poles and Indi- walking out on you." I vote for Magsaysay. In his own The other, known as Freedom ans, and even friendly Vietnam- walked out of the meeting. memoirs, Lansdale says only that Company, was composed of Fili- ese." The fate of the guerrillas in- he concentrated on writing a plan pinos who had sought against the filtrated into the North has never In any other episode of this to safeguard the "integrity" of the Huks and could counsel anti- been publicly disclosed. In all kind, the junior officer would elections and, before the ballot- Communist Vietnamese in their probability they were captured by have been on the next airplane ing itself, advised civic groups on struggle. The activities of Lans- the Communists. home to await reassignment to how to get out the vote. Although dale's team were kept secret until In Saigon, meanwhile, Lansdale Greenland. But not Lansdale. Lansdale denies it, some sources their disclosure in the Pentagon undertook to prop up Ngo Dinh He went to Collins' home while claim that he also served as a fun- Papers two years ago. Diem, who was then under fire the ambassador was having his nel for U.S. money passed on to Functioning under Conein's from diverse local sects, the postprandial siesta, pulled up a Magsaysay. Whatever the truth, command, several members of Communists, remnant French chair next to the bed, and talked his role in the election was impor- the Mission were sent into North and some members of the Ameri- steadily about the vital problem of tant. After Magsaysay's victory, the Vietnam before the Communist can Mission. Diem was a strange, saving Vietnam from the Commu- Indian ambassador in Manila sug- takeover to handle an assortment ascetic bachelor who either irri- nists. Significantly, Collins chided gested that he change his name of undercover jobs. They spread tated or captivated people. Lans- him for describing Vietnam as "vi- to "Lanslide." Characteristically, rumors calculated to trigger re- dale,though he could manage him tal," explaining that such other Lansdale cherishes the inscription sentment against the Communists as he had Magsaysay, and he problems as the nuclear confron- on a gift given him by Philippine and, among other things, they started out on the job the day tation between the United States friends. It reads: "To the sales- paralyzed transportation in Hanoi Diem arrived in Saigon. Observ- and the Soviet Union were far man extraordinary of by contaminating the local bus ing that Diem had whizzed from more important. Later discussions democracy." company's oil supply. the airport to his palace behind a. convinced Lansdale, as he puts it According to informed sources, motorcycle escort, Lansdale im- now, that. he and Collins lived in they were also instrumental in mediately sent him a memo point- "two wholly separate worlds." encouraging thousands of Catho- ing out that he should have driven Looking back, it may be that Col- Following Magsaysay's installa- lic Vietnamese to flee from the slowly or even walked in order to lins' view was more realistic. For tion in office, Lansdale's job in the North into South Vietnam. One "provide a focus for the affection Lansdale could have been suffer- Philippines was done, and he was former U.S. official who has that the people so obviously had ing from what Gen. George C. ready for a new assignment. No served in Vietnam has indignantly been waiting to bestow on him." Marshall once diagnosed as "lo- less a figure than Secretary of described this operation as "im- Diem was impressed with the ad- calitis." State John Foster Dulles told him moral" because, he contends, it vice and, even though they had to The major threat to Diem at that personally that his job in Vietnam brought into the South nearly a speak through an interpreter, time came from assorted factions would be to assist the Vietnamese million Northern refugees who Lansdale recollects that "our as- seeking to grab his power. These in "counterguerrilla training." were to become the fiercest advo- sociation gradually developed factions included the Binh Xuyen, But by the time Lansdale arrived cates of the war that later ex- into a friendship of considerable which controlled prostitution and in Saigon in the spring of 1954, panded. Lansdale, in contrast, depth, trust and candor." Lans- narcotics in Saigon, and religious the situation had changed. The believes that the refugees were dale was soon spending nearly all groups like the Cao Dai and the Communist Vietminh had de- saved from Communism—and his time in the palace, counseling Hoa Hao. Each had a private army. feated the French, and the Geneva that the operation was therefore Diem on the smallest details. Collins advised Diem to compro- Conference was about to partition justified. Lansdale's intimacy with Diem mise, but Lansdale urged him to the country. Lansdale conse- In further violation of the Ge- troubled Gen. J. Lawton "Light- fight. Lansdale's counsel won out. quently inherited two somewhat neva Agreements, the Lansdale ning Joe" Collins, who had ar- Diem fought and defeated his different tasks—one covert and team smuggled weapons into rived in Saigon as U.S. ambassa- foes—and the covert Saigon Mili- the other simply shady. The cov- Vietnam for use' by paramilitary dor in November 1954. Collins tary Mission commanded by Lans- ert job was to head a team known groups, some of which were dele- made it clear from the beginning dale helped in his effort. as the Saigon Military Mission, gated to stay in the North to har- that he would be the boss. But Earlier, the Lansdale Mission which specialized in what secret ass the Communists. In January Lansdale made it equally clear had cleverly saved Diem from agents call "dirty tricks." The less 1955, according to a classified that he considered Collins unin- being ousted by Gen. Nguyen secret assignment was to advise report among the Pentagon Pap- formed, and they immediately col- Van Hinh, the flamboyant chief of Ngo Dinh Diem, who had just ar- ers, Lansdale agents hid two and a lided at the first meeting of the the Vietnamese armed forces. For rived in Saigon from retirement in half tons of carbines, pistols, American mission. As Lansdale motives that are still fuzzy, Hinh a New Jersey seminary, as chief of ammunition and radios along the tells the story, he spoke up at the had disclosed to Lansdale the the wobbly South Vietnamese Red River in the northern region meeting to offer a couple of rec- exact date of his planned move to government. of Tonkin for use by Hao guerril- ommendations, whereupon Col- overthrow Diem. Acting quickly, American military activities in las who were staged in the Philip- lins cut him short.Lansdale writes: Lansdale arranged for Hinh's staff Vietnam were restricted under pines and sent ashore from U.S. to be invited to Manila on what the terms of the Geneva Agree- Navy vessels near Haiphong. was depicted in advance as a gay ment. Lansdale's Saigon Military Many of the ships employed to Collins told me firmly that tour of the Philippine capital's Mission was therefore illegal an carry refugees south carried ille- I was out of order, that he notorious nightclubs. Lansdale for that reason, clandestine. Lans- gal weapons on their trips north. was the personal represent- kept the would-be dissidents in dale himself posed as Assistant Reflecting on its operation after ative of the President of the Manila for a week, thereby de- Air Attache at the U.S. Embassy, the Communists officially in- United States, that as repre- priving Hinh of his principal adju- communicating with Washington stalled their regime in Hanoi in sentative he had set the tants for the coup. Hinh has since through the CIA. His staff in- May 1955, the Lansdale team re- priorities, and that there was Continued on page 70

The Washington Post/Potomac/December 10, 1972 33 PFARpir from page 33 sideline -for Lansdale. His real in- advice on his brother Nhu, an more weapons and money. But to ecome a senior officer in the terest was still counterinsurgency, egotistical psuedo-intellectual. Lansdale recommended that the French military establishment, and, like an evangelist, he wan- Diem was hardly on speaking U.S. team be staffed with "a hard and Lansdale still wonders dered around Washington trying terms with the U.S. ambassador, core of experienced Americans whether his project to topple to convert the brass to his views. El bridge Durbrow, and Durbrow who know and really like Asians, Diem was serious-. Few listened. "Those were the barely spoke to the chief of the dedicated people who are willing Until the fall of 1955, Diem was days of massive retaliation and the U.S. military advisory group, Gen . to risk their lives for the ideals of theoretically prime minister to the nuclear menace," Lansdale re- "Hanging Sam" Williams, who freedom, and who will try to in- dissolute Emperor Bao Dai. But calls, "and here I was talking had earned his nickname as fluence and guide the Vietnamese on October 6, Diem announced a about nickel and dime stuff." commandant of the Nuremberg toward U.S. policy objectives with referendum to choose between But toward the close of the Ei- jail in which the Nazi war crimi- the warm friendship and affection himself and Bao Dai as chief of senhower administration, in late nals were executed. which our close alliance de- state. Ever the psywar expert, 1960, Lansdale went back to Viet- Returning to Washington two serves." in other words, as Davie" Lansdale advised Diem to take out nam on a temporary mission that days before President Kennedy's Halberstam would later note, some "subliminal insurance" by would afterward prove fateful for inauguration in January 1961, Lansdale was recommending having the ballots colored in ways the United States. Now a briga- Lansdale delivered a long and Lansdale. that would influence the vote. dier general, he was assigned to gloomy report on Vietnam. De- The .Lansdale report somehow Diem's ballots were printed in sum up the Vietnam situation at spite his friendship for Diem, he reached Walt Rostow, one of cheerful red, the color Asians in- the end of Ike's tenure. Anyone candidly criticized the Vietnam- Kennedy's aides, and he urged terpret to mean good luck, while else would have produced a rou- ese leader, arguing prophetically the President to read it. Kennedy Bao Dai's ballots were a bilious tine report. Lansdale, however, that his Saigon government reluctantly complied. When I shade of green, which snifies a displayed his characteristic ear- would tumble unless its base had finished, he said to Rost cuckold to Vietnamese. i ne coior nestness. He toured the Vietnam- could be "broadened" to include "Walt, this is going to be the insurance "✓ass reinforced by a ese countryside by helicopter, anti-Communist nationalists. worst one yet." substantial amount of military paying surprise visits to remote nsdale also derided the U.S. Soon afterward, a call from the muscle, and Diem ended up with areas, and he spent a good deal of mission in Saigon, contending White House awakened Lansdale 98 per cent of the votes. Lans- time catching up on political de- among other things-that its civil- on a Sunday morning. It was a dale's assignment was finished, as velopments in Saigon. He was ian diplomats were unequipped hasty summons to a special it had been with Magsaysay's alarmed by what he saw. to deal with the problem, and that breakfast session with the Presi- election, and he returned to a Diem, who had just survived an its military men, concentrated in dent. Lansdale rushed over, and, desk j b in Washington. abortive coup d'etat staged by the capital, knew little about the as he entered the room, Kennedy some of his best officers, was countryside. Under this setup, welcomed him, pointing to Secre- almost completely isolated from he warned, the growing Vietcong tary of State Dean Rusk and say- The Pentagon job, which con- his people. Distrustful of nearly force could not be stopped. ing: "Has the Secretary here sisted of supervising the collec- everyone, especially since the His prescription was typically mentioned that 1 wanted wm to tion of intelligence for the De- attempted coup against him, he Lansdale. Other U.S. officials, like be ambassador to Vietnam?" fense Department, was only a had grown increasingly reliant for Maxwell Taylor, would propose Lansdale's astonishment at the

French efforts in Algeria. He was was He Algeria. in efforts French

bureaucrats he had ruffled, and and ruffled, had he bureaucrats he was barred from inspecting inspecting from barred was he

but only on condition that he he that condition on only but

vented him from accepting an in- an accepting from him vented with revolutionary warfare. But But warfare. revolutionary with

counterinsurgency program, and and program, counterinsurgency

was shunted aside by the many many the by aside shunted was

other Special Forces units to cope cope to units Forces Special other vitation to study the Israeli army's army's Israeli the study to vitation

Lansdale scarcely profited from from profited scarcely Lansdale permitted to go to Latin America, America, Latin to go to permitted

Kennedy, who rapidly began began rapidly who Kennedy,

even his travel was restricted. restricted. was travel his even

the new fad. On the contrary, he he contrary, the On fad. new the

were used for covert operations. operations. covert for used were

wan-based commercial airline airline commercial wan-based sponsoring the Green Berets and and Berets Green the sponsoring

Maxwell Taylor, Kennedy's mili- Kennedy's Taylor, Maxwell

CIA-financed Philippine cohorts cohorts Philippine CIA-financed

Vietnam but for Thailand and Laos Laos and Thailand for but Vietnam as well. He also recommended recommended also He well. as

terinsurgency force not only for for only not force terinsurgency tary adviser. In it he reiterated in in reiterated he it In adviser. tary

and of Civil Air Transport, a Tai- a Transport, Air Civil of and by the fact that he never heard an- heard never he that fact the by

detail proposals for a larger coun- larger a for proposals detail

owned by the CIA, whose aircraft aircraft whose CIA, the by owned that greater use be made of his his of made be use greater that

sources say that his appointment appointment his that say sources

other word on the matter. Some Some matter. the on word other produce another report for for report another produce the Pentagon. But he was asked to to asked was he But Pentagon. the was blocked by Rusk, others by by others Rusk, by blocked was

moment was later compounded compounded later was moment

The State Department pre- Department State The

Lansdale's ideas impressed impressed ideas Lansdale's

ment in late 1963. The best he he best The 1963. late in ment

much fun." fun." much

"They figured I was having too too having was I figured "They

man in town" following his retire- his following town" in man

Lansdale was "the most miserable miserable most "the was Lansdale

crats" finally got him, he says: says: he him, got finally crats"

wounded not long afterward afterward long not wounded

from the Air Force. The "bureau- The Force. Air the from

Latin America, he received word word received he America, Latin that he was about to be retired retired be to about was he that

when, traveling elsewhere in in elsewhere traveling when,

ade into the building. Lansdale Lansdale building. the into ade was unharmed, but his pride was was pride his but unharmed, was

Caracas when four Venezuelan Venezuelan four when Caracas student terrorists tossed a gren- a tossed terrorists student

one evening in an officers' club in in club officers' an in evening one

ently spread, for he was dining dining was he for spread, ently

minds." His reputation appar- reputation His minds."

areas in order to win "hearts and and "hearts win to order in areas

transport fresh water to rural rural to water fresh transport

build schools in villages and and villages in schools build

example, he taught the army to to army the taught he example, ernments, to consult on insur- on consult to ernments,

gency problems. In Bolivia, for for Bolivia, In problems. gency

Lansdale repeatedly visited there, there, visited repeatedly Lansdale usually as the guest of local gov- local of guest the as usually

some scope, however narrow. narrow. however scope, some with the bureaucrats." bureaucrats." the with

sourly: "Kennedy went along along went "Kennedy sourly:

these limitations, Lansdale replied replied Lansdale limitations, these

why the President did not overrule overrule not did President the why

any one country. When I asked him him asked I When country. one any

spend no more than five days in in days five than more no spend

But Latin America did offer him him offer did America Latin But

As one of his friends recalls, recalls, friends his of one As

tions Committee unless Lansdale Lansdale unless Committee tions

threatened to block his confirma- his block to threatened

tion by the Senate Foreign Rela- Foreign Senate the by tion

Tom Dodd, who blamed Lodge Lodge blamed who Dodd, Tom

for the assassination of Diem, Diem, of assassination the for

There was also some suggestion suggestion some also was There

at the time that the late Senator Senator late the that time the at

Lodge to take Lansdale along. along. Lansdale take to Lodge

Vice President Humphrey urged urged Humphrey President Vice

Henry Cabot Lodge to a new tour tour new a to Lodge Cabot Henry as ambassador in Saigon. Advised Advised Saigon. in ambassador as by a former CIA man on his staff, staff, his on man CIA former a by

President Johnson had appointed appointed had Johnson President

fresh chance to perform in Asia. Asia. in perform to chance fresh

years, Lansdale was offered a a offered was Lansdale years,

we don't know how to strengthen strengthen to how know don't we

our political principles." principles." political our

gooders in giving away food, but but food, away giving in gooders

not enough with their minds," he he minds," their with enough not

told McGovern. "We're do- "We're McGovern. told

concerned with men's bellies and and bellies men's with concerned

headed food for Peace under the the under Peace for food headed

ployed strategically. "We're too too "We're strategically. ployed that U.S. wheat ought to be de- be to ought wheat U.S. that Kennedy administration, arguing arguing administration, Kennedy

George McGovern, who had had who McGovern, George

distance. He remembers sitting sitting remembers He distance.

up late one night with Sen. Sen. with night one late up

thetic to American policy. He was was He policy. American to thetic

abroad distributed selectively to to selectively distributed abroad

unions and other groups sympa- groups other and unions

still waging psywar, even from a a from even psywar, waging still

foreign political parties, trade trade parties, political foreign

have surplus U.S. grain sent sent grain U.S. surplus have

for Peace, where he lobbied to to lobbied he where Peace, for

could do was work for Food Food for work was do could

Finally, after two sedentary sedentary two after Finally,

the U.S. cause in Asia. And And Asia. in cause U.S. the

Miller, a veteran propagandist for for propagandist veteran a Miller,

North Vietnam in 1954, and Hank Hank and 1954, in Vietnam North

commanded the saboteurs in in saboteurs the commanded

cluded Lucien Conein, who had had who Conein, Lucien cluded

of "dedicated" Americans he had had he Americans "dedicated" of

urged Kennedy to enlist. It in- It enlist. to Kennedy urged

dozen men, comprised the kind kind the comprised men, dozen

signal the enemy presence. presence. enemy the signal

Vietcong in their villages. One One villages. their in Vietcong

their laundry in a certain way to to way certain a in laundry their

notion was to have peasants hang hang peasants have to was notion

ods by which peasants could alert alert could peasants which by ods

friendly troops to the presence of of presence the to troops friendly

namese folk songs to contain se- contain to songs folk namese

cret messages or devising meth- devising or messages cret

schemes, such as revising Viet- revising as such schemes,

contriving somewhat "silly" "silly" somewhat contriving recalls, they were involved in in involved were they recalls,

Hill mob, sent over from Central Central from over sent mob, Hill

Casting." Moreover, the official official the Moreover, Casting."

meeting with them recollects that that recollects them with meeting

"they looked like the Lavender Lavender the like looked "they cial who attended a Washington Washington a attended who cial

achronistic. One former U.S. offi- U.S. former One achronistic.

recruited somehow seemed an- seemed somehow recruited

Lansdale and the band of coun- of band the and Lansdale

terinsurgent specialists he had had he specialists terinsurgent

huge U.S. military machine was was machine military U.S. huge beginning to roll into Vietnam, Vietnam, into roll to beginning

he was overjoyed. overjoyed. was he

dale was named Lodge's special special Lodge's named was dale

assistant and, from all accounts, accounts, all from and, assistant

could join the team. Thus Lans- Thus team. the join could

The Lansdale group, about a a about group, Lansdale The

But in the middle of 1965, as the the as 1965, of middle the in But

Continued on page page on Continued 77 77

would attract casual visits by Viet- by visits casual attract would

1960s, Lansdale tried to serve as a a as serve to tried Lansdale 1960s,

channel to the Vietnamese politi- Vietnamese the to channel

villa into a sort of clubroom that that clubroom of sort a into villa officials. By design, he turned his his turned he design, By officials.

cal and military figures who were were who figures military and cal accidentally last spring at the fu- the at spring last accidentally

the Vietnamese pacification pro- pacification Vietnamese the

these days but but days these

guest was Nguyen Cao Ky, then then Ky, Cao Nguyen was guest

he was successful. A frequent frequent A successful. was he ity for absorbing things." Ellsberg Ellsberg things." absorbing for ity

namese, and to a certain extent extent certain a to and namese,

prime minister. Another was Gen. Gen. was Another minister. prime

hesitant to speak frankly to U.S. U.S. to frankly speak to hesitant

consulted Lansdale on his marital marital his on Lansdale consulted neral of a mutual friend. friend. mutual a of neral

gram and who, on one occasion, occasion, one on who, and gram

he still likes him too. The two met met two The too. him likes still he

Nguyen Duc Thang, who headed headed who Thang, Duc Nguyen

dale deplores his later theft of of theft later his deplores dale

problems. But if these and other other and these if But problems. his "brash candor" and his "facil- his and candor" "brash his

secet documents, he now re- now he documents, secet is reluctant to talk about Lansdale Lansdale about talk to reluctant is

Lansdale, Lansdale, surgency buff, and although Lans- although and buff, surgency

young man who would afterward afterward would who man young members him with affection for for affection with him members

among its other members was was members other its among purloin the Pentagon Papers. Papers. Pentagon the purloin

Daniel Ellsberg, the studious studious the Ellsberg, Daniel

Back in Saigon in the mid- the in Saigon in Back

Ellsberg was then a counterin- a then was Ellsberg

from page 71 71 page from

he he

concedes that that concedes

songs that, it was believed, would would believed, was it that, songs

of course, there were the folk folk the were there course, of

to counter the Communists. And, And, Communists. the counter to your AID people." people." AID your

cial told me in 1966, "but when when "but 1966, in me told cial

trayed his ideal aides,were out of of out aides,were ideal his trayed

frequently employed by the the by employed frequently

our ministry needs money we see see we money needs ministry our

as a "social revolution" in order order in revolution" "social a as

this all too well."Mr. Lansdale is a a is Lansdale well."Mr. too all this

"dedicated people who know and and know who people "dedicated

wonderful man," one Saigon offi- Saigon one man," wonderful

yond the guerrilla stage, and was was and stage, guerrilla the yond

fashion. The Vietnamese knew knew Vietnamese The fashion. suaded the South Vietnamese Vietnamese South the suaded Communists. Lanklale himself himself Lanklale Communists.

was credited with having per- having with credited was ceived that he had been overtaken overtaken been had he that ceived

Saigon regime could decently decently could regime Saigon

leaders to refer to their objective objective their to refer to leaders

Vietnamese government issue a a issue government Vietnamese

admired Lansdale, they also per- also they Lansdale, admired

of the different nations contribut- nations different the of nist and the other American. The The American. other the and nist

by events. The war had gone be- gone had war The events. by

large organizations, one Commu- one organizations, large

now a confrontation between two two between confrontation a now like Asians," as Lansdale had por- had Lansdale as Asians," like

postage stamp displaying the flags flags the displaying stamp postage

duced to playing a minor role. role. minor a playing to duced

Among its projects, for example, example, for projects, its Among

also deliberated on whether the the whether on deliberated also

was a proposal to have the South South the have to proposal a was

ing to the war effort. Its members members Its effort. war the to ing

refer to the "fatherland," a term term a "fatherland," the to refer

Vietnamese officials genuinely genuinely officials Vietnamese

So the Lansdale group was re- was group Lansdale the So

lectures and writes articles, and and articles, writes and lectures

for everything I was against," against," was I everything for

against everything I was for, and and for, was I everything against dale's role as a channel. "He was was "He channel. a as role dale's

Saigon and the South Vietnamese Vietnamese South the and Saigon

effectively undermined Lans- undermined effectively was Philip Habib, then Lodge's Lodge's then Habib, Philip was

sought to keep the U.S. link to to link U.S. the keep to sought the Vietnamese government, government, Vietnamese the

sador to South Korea. Habib, who who Habib, Korea. South to sador

deputy and now American ambas- American now and deputy

he recently published an auto- auto- an published recently he

nam four years ago, Lansdale has has Lansdale ago, years four nam

tary bureaucracy that pervaded pervaded that bureaucracy tary

the American diplomatic and mili- and diplomatic American the

own lack of accomplishment to to accomplishment of lack own

mostly mostly

"stifling Vietnamese initiative" by by initiative" Vietnamese "stifling

Lansdale now recalls bitterly. bitterly. recalls now Lansdale

the war. He also attributes his his attributes also He war. the

taking over the management of of management the over taking

hinterlands. His prime enemy in in enemy prime His hinterlands.

the bureaucracy, Lansdale says, says, Lansdale bureaucracy, the blames the U.S. ju&gernaut for for ju&gernaut U.S. the blames

claims, and he might have in time time in have might he and claims,

country's political structure. He He structure. political country's significantly. He was constantly in in constantly was He significantly.

assisted them to reconstruct their their reconstruct to them assisted

contact with the Vietnamese, he he Vietnamese, the with contact Vietnam tour, Lansdale now be- now Lansdale tour, Vietnam

lieves that he could have helped helped have could he that lieves

the Saigon government. One of of One government. Saigon the

cruits was a celebrated guitarist. guitarist. celebrated a was cruits

sway the peasants into supporting supporting into peasants the sway

Lansdale's major Vietnamese re- Vietnamese major Lansdale's

Since his departure from Viet- from departure his Since

Looking back on his second second his on back Looking

rusticated. He occasionally occasionally He rusticated.

And Ed Lansdale is far from Viet- from far is Lansdale Ed And

shaded Alexandria street, he con- con- he street, Alexandria shaded templates his lost crusade. crusade. lost his templates

come to the conflict, however. however. conflict, the to come

to The Washington Post in May May in Post Washington The to

nam as, walking his dog along the the along dog his walking as, nam

The exchange, as it turned out, out, turned it as exchange, The gle. The newspaper headlines are are headlines newspaper The gle.

for Vietnam. It could have all all have could It Vietnam. for proclaiming another kind of out- of kind another proclaiming

foundation for the South Viet- South the for foundation

constructing a viable political political viable a constructing

buildup and instead focused on on focused instead and buildup and, of course, won all the votes. votes. the all won course, of and, infuse a meaning into their strug- their into meaning a infuse ward ran as the only candidate candidate only the as ran ward

namese while helping them to to them helping while namese was academic, since Thieu after- Thieu since academic, was

The The

1971, for example, he repeated repeated he example, for 1971,

to abandon his original concept concept original his abandon to

South Vietnamese politics . . . in- . . . politics Vietnamese South

been different, he insists, had the the had insists, he different, been

teresting, not to say touching". touching". say to not teresting,

involvement avoided a big big a avoided involvement

of American manipulation of of manipulation American of

States had a responsibility to aid aid to responsibility a had States

to newspapers that show that he he that show that newspapers to

United States at the outset of its its of outset the at States United

tion they were then preparing. preparing. then were they tion

the South Vietnamese in an elec- an in Vietnamese South the torial sarcastically calling his his calling sarcastically torial

can still be provocative. In a letter letter a In provocative. be still can

biography. He also sends letters letters sends also He biography.

"faith in the efficacy and wisdom wisdom and efficacy the in "faith his lifelong thesis that the United United the that thesis lifelong his

Yet Lansdale stubbornly refuses refuses stubbornly Lansdale Yet

Post Post

responded with an edi- an with responded

• •