UNITED STATES OF AMERICA d PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 92 CONGRESS SECOND SESSION
VOLUME lIS-PART 11
APRIL 19, 1972 TO APRIL 26, 1972 (PAGES 13301 TO 14556)
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, 1972 April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13305 The bill was read the third time, and position of funds to pay a judgment in The nomination on the Executive Calen passed. favor of the Yankton Sioux Tribe in dar, under "New Reports" will be stated. Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Mr. President, Indian Claims Commission Document I ask unanimous consent to have printed No. 332-A, and for other purposes, which in the RECORD an excerpt from the report had been reported from the Committee NATIONAL COMMISSION ON Japan. An ing from watching the television that the other 20 F-105 Thunderchief fighter 197 feet. Yet what can all of this accomplish? great emphasis that is being placed on bombers have been sent from the United the bombing of Haiphong and Hanoi is States. The Air Force's 20th Tactical Air According to the Pentagon papers a CIA bombing stUdy dryly concluded ~ early that it is done in .order to protect our Support Squadron, comprised of spot troops and, for that reason, is fully and ter and attack planes, will not be leaVing as May 1967 that "27 months of Ameri can bombing have had little effect." thoroughly justifiable because it is pro Vietnam as planned. The total number tecting American lives. of attack planes is now about 600. There is no historical evidence that massive bombing has ever succeeded in I, of course, have observed the map of Elsewhere, thousands more Ameri breaking the morale of troops flghting Vietnam a number of times. In fact, I cans still form part of the war effort in elsewhere. A careful and scholarly study visited Vietnam about 4 years ago and addition to those inside Vietnam. Some of the social impact of bomb destruction observed the Tet offensive ..vhen it was 45,000 air personnel fly bombing missions reports that- raging at its height. However, in miles, over Vietnam from bases outside Viet how far away would Haiphong and Hanoi namese borders. studies made of troop morale atter news had reached them of casualties and other air be from the nearest American troops? In the coastal waters, the American raid looses durIng World War II disclosed no Does the Senator have any idea of that armada is swelling toward 47,000 men evIdence that the efficiency of troops had distance? on almost 50 ships. Naval strength in been substantially reduced or that desertions Mr. CRANSTON. The distance is over cludes two cruisers, at least a dozen de- had Increased. 250 miles. Aptil 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13307 Mr. MOSS. So, we can assume that the was to seek to keep this on a strictly non it is that with the populations of South American troops and American person partisan basis. It seems as if Lyndon Vietnam and North Vietnam being about nel that are involved are at least 250 Johnson, a Democrat, were back in the equal that the South cannot hold its own. miles away from where these northern White House, because certainly we are Richard Nixon's public relations name bombs have been dropped, that were under those policies with Richard Nixon, for the war, "Vietnamization," has failed; aimed, as Secretary Laird said, at Hai a Republican, in the White House. with it our policy of the last 18 years is phong and Hanoi. Mr. MOSS. U that is the case, the plan as near bankrupt as our domestic econ Mr. CRANSTON. The Senator is cor to end the "..ar that candidate Nixon an omy. rect. Most American troops are closer to nounced before he came to the presidency Nixon's present course is a countdown Saigon, which is more than 500 miles turn~ out to be the policy that was fol to disaster. Surely, by now, the irration from the site of the bombings. lowed by his predecessor. Is that correct? ality of clinging to the military pursuit Mr. MOSS. So, it does strain one's Mr. CRANSTON. If this is his plan to as a way of life in Southeast Asia is evi credulity to say that in some way, by end the war, I do not understand the dent to all who want to see. bombing civilian installations 250 to 500 meaning of the words "end the war." We With each effort we claim to have made miles away it in a manner does protect see a greater number of American bomb to relieve our situation, we have simply our own troops down in South Vietnam. ers and American naval personnel than aggravated our peril. As a result, we are Mr. CRANSTON. I believe that reason have been there since Lyndon Johnson speeding to the day when even the best which is being advanced is a totally legal left the White House. of our brains may be unable to save us reason and not in one iota a strategic or Mr. MOSS. As a matter of fact, I guess from the consequences of our acts, under military reason. it is the first time we have ever bombed one, two, three, four, or five Presidents- Mr. MOSS. And consequently the Haiphong. Is that correct? you can choose your own number-we bombing of those locations in Hanoi and Mr. CRANSTON. I believe some bombs have sought to stave off the possibility Haiphong would indicate really that it were dropped there at one time, but never of disaster by actions which threaten is an attempt to destroy the warmaking with B-52's, where you cannot tell pre even greater disaster. powers, as we used to call it in World cisely where the bombs are going to hit. Escalation breeds escalation-and in War II, in North Vietnam which is a Mr. MOSS. I do appreciate this collo evitably the whole House of cards called very long range and strategic thing. quy with the Senator from California "earth" may fall. Patience can run out Mr. CRANSTON. The Senator is cor and I wish to express my appreciation to and so too can humanity. rect. I base that on consultations with him for leading off in this discussion, The American people are tired of the people who have far greater military ex which I hope can proceed through the war. They do not want it to continue. pertise than I lay claim to possessing. It morning until we can examine the var They do not want to discuss it. They do can only be for that purpose. It has ious facets of the occurrence that is now not want to read about it in the news nothing to do with defending our men going on in Vietnam. papers or hear about it on television. who are presentlY in South Vietnam. It seems to me we have stepped back Since I went to Paris last April and Mr. MOSS. Even if the bombing of the deeply into this war, and rather than returned with a specific proposal for end far North were fully successful and we having a withdrawal and a winding down, ing the war, the caskets carrying our were able to destroy the supplies there, which has calmed our people somewhat, American dead have numbered over 2 the reaction from that success would not we are stepping back in with vengeance thousand. More than one-third of all be transmitted down into South Viet in escalating the war. American deaths in Vietnam have oc nam, where the ground fighting is going Mr. CRANSTON. I thank the Senator cured since Nixon became President. His on, for a considerable period of time be for his very fine contribution to this secret plan to end the war is no longer a cause there are supplies and troops there dialog. secret-he intends a military solution and supplies in the pipeline. So, it has I yield to the distinguished Senator and the number of prisoners of war con to be a very long range type of assault from Indiana. tinues to grow with each new bombing that is being made when we bomb that Mr. HARTKE. Mr. President, I would mission. far north. like to join with the distinguished secre Yet, with it all, the only end in sight Mr. CRANSTON. The effect, of course, tary of the majority, the Senator from is a sweeping military victory for our will not be felt in South Vietnam, where Utah (Mr. Moss), in complimenting the opponents or world holocaust. Both the bulk of our troops are, for many Senator from California for bringing to catastrophes move closer in upon us each months from now. This can only lead to the attention of the Nation the situation day. the question of whether the President's in Vietnam. As recently as last September we could intention is to leave many American I think we can come now to one con have settled for a political and military troops on the ground in South Vietnam clusion: Vietnamization has failed. This standoff. That is the essence of the pro many months hence, into the indefinite administration now knows it, the people posal I brought back with me from Paris future, and to prolong the t·otal commit of the United States know it, and the and which subsequently was confirmed ment of our men in South Vietnam people of the world know it. by former Secretary of Defense Clark under that interpretation. Vietnamization has failed, and the Clifford. Mr. MOSS. Would not a reasonable United states finds itself reeling from re Today, there is no assurance that any interpretation of this bombing be that it verse to reverse on the world propaganda option for a negotiated end is possible. i~ really an attempt to so-called "win front. We have lost our options in Vietnam. the war" by causing a surrender of some The Chi.nese and Russians lead our This is a towering political fact of the kind by North Vietnam so that we could President to summit meeting&-leaving 20th century. emerge from that civil war saying we the world with the picture that America Unless we understand why it happened won the war? is a Nation without a goal and without a we may soon witness that decline of the Mr. CRANSTON. I believe that is a soul. The senselessness of this nonpolicy West which Oswald Spengler foretold so very logical interpretation of the present is made more urgent by the mess our darkly. If we are unable to profit from course of events under our policy. economy is in. We have over 5 million our nearly fatal errors, there may in Mr. MOSS. This seems to me, in read unemployed-a breadline as long as the deed be no way to halt that decline. ing it, and I assume it seems to the Sen total population of my own State of The starting point should be a full ator, that this is the wheel turned back Indiana. recognition that this trend is not due to about 4 years; this is the policy we Now we see the plain and terrible any mysterious potency in the virus of once talked of in this country under an meaning of the events of the past 2 weeks communism. other administration as a sort of punish in Vietnam. Our client regime inSai Its impetus has come, instead, from ment of the North Vietnamese so that gon cannot defend itself without the the missing of our own opportunities to they would come to the conference table massive savagery of American air sup be the world leader for peace and lJnd bargain with us, and surrender so port. Against an enemy greatly inferior prosperity. that we could claim we had settled the in numbers and arms and almost totally In 1954, we could have taken the lead war and won the war. Is that correct? lacking in air pOwer, the South Viet in fashioning a peace settlement in Indo· Mr. CRANSTON. That is correct. One namese can barely manage to hold their china. In 1956 we could have stood be· of my purpOSes in organizing this debate own. Never has it been explained why hind genuinely free elections for a cxvnI-84o-Part 11 13808 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -.SENATE April 19, 1972 united Vietnam instead of sabotaging lingness to accept political risk for the is going on in South Vietnam. This in them. In 1958 we could have joined with transcendent goal of peace which exists vasion, contrary to the impression cre the Soviet Union in bringing both North in the administration only in its self-con ated by some administration critics, is and South Vietnam into the United Na gratulatory rhetoric. not something cooked up by freedom tions. In 1961 our new President, John Not alone peace, but the lives of count loving peasants in an effort to overthrow F. Kennedy, could have taken us out of less millions of human beings and the an oppressive dictatorship. This invasion the colony business. In 1963 President very survival of America as a free society was created out of the most modern kinds Johnson could have reversed our grow rest upon our determination to man of equipment-8S percent of which is ing inv'Jlvement in the Vietnamese civil date an end to the war before it engulfs supplied by the Soviet Union-in an ef war. In 1965 President Johnson could still other continents. fort to take over all of Southeast Asia have acted on his mandate for peace of It may already be too late. But in the and radically alter the balance of power 1964 by refusing to escalate the war. name of all that is sacred to us, let us try. in the world. It is the kind of an all-out I see the distinguished Senator from The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem military thrust that not only threatens Arizona (Mr. GOLDWATER) here, who was pore. The Senator from Arizona (Mr. the lives of remaining U.S. troops in the opponent of President Johnson in GOLDWATER) . Vietnam, but is seriously interfering with 1964. I call attention to the simple fact Mr. GOLDWATER. Mr. President, a our attempt to withdraw our military that the issue in that campaign was the parliamentary inquiry. personnel in an orderly fashion. What decision between what he said he stood The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem is more, if this invasion succeeds, it is for and what President Johnson said he pore. The Senator will state it. likely to result in the mass liquidation of stood for. Mr. GOLDWATER. How much time South Vietnamese people in a bloodbath In 1969, President Nixon could have am I assigned to have? of staggering proportions. kept his promise to end the war within The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem Mr. President, I urge all Members of 6 months. And so the dreary record of pore. Ten minutes. the Senate, regardless of their politics, missed opportunities goes on and on. IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED STATES to join me in this bipartisan show of con Because of that record, we are rapidly Mr. GOLDWATER. Mr. President, fidence in our own country and support losing our world leadership. And what is later this morning, at the proper time, I for freedom in Indochina. worse, we have lost our self-respect. We will offer a resolution for myself and Again, I think we have come to a ter have thrashed about in Indochina like a others of my colleagues which will go a rible state in this country of ours when maddened giant, slaughtering the inno long way toward clarifying the position a Senator has to rise and ask the sup cent by the tens of thousands and creat of the U.S. Senate in the present difficul port of his Government in the conduct of ing refugees by the millions, and accom a war that we have been in for the last plishing nothing more for our own mis ties in Indochina. It is a simple resolution which does 10 years-a war not started by Repub taken interest than delaying the ap licans, I will remind you, but a war proach of a stable settlement in south three things: First, condemns the all-out invasion of South Vietnam by the Gov started, as every other war in my life has east Asia. been started, by Democrats. Today, the very survival of mankind ernment of North Vietnam; second, calls on the Government of North Vietnam to I do not say that to talk down the hangs on the answer to a single ques Democratic Party. It just may be coin tion: Can the present administration end its aggression against the people of South Vietnam; and third, declares the cidence. But the Republican President, accept the logic of events by leaving President Nixon, is trying to end this Vietnam to the Vietnamese, or will it Senate's support of the Government of the United States in its intentions to pro war. I hear the question raised on the instead take that final step to disaster by floor this morning, "Why haven't we invoking the Kissinger strategy of lim vide an honorable peace in South Vietnam. won?" I can tell YOu why we have not ited nuclear war? Let us not forget that won. Every man in this body who has Mr. Nixon's principal foreign policy ad Mr. President, as astounding as it ever been in a war can tell you why we visor is that same Dr. Kissinger, who has seems, this resolution is sorely needed. From what I hear from my constituents have not won. We have not tried to win. long argued that the judicious use of nu It is that simple. It would be like me clear weapons should never be ruled out and other people throughout the country, going to fight Mohammed Ali with both by the United States in any situation in the impression has been created that the of my arms tied behind my back. That which conventional weapons seem unable Senate of the United States is openly might be the sensible way to do it, I to gain the objectives we seek. Certainly opposing President Nixon, because they do not mind saying. But in this case we that is the situation today in Indochina. believe he deliberatelY, and without prov have been in South Vietnam 10 years, And the terror bombing by B-52's of ocation, escalated the war for some dark, in a war that was instigated in some North Vietnam's population centers mysterious purpose of his own. The im ways by President Eisenhower, you may may well be the carefully orchestrated pression seems to be that the United say, a war that was started by President prelude to even greater savagery. Brink States is unleashing the full weight of its Kennedy when he wrongfully sent manship is too dangerous a policy for airpower against an innocent civilian ground troops there, an action he should the nuclear age. population in Hanoi and Haiphong. not have taken, or no President should The choice is clear. Either Mr. Nixon The whole question of the invasion of have taken. I know. I have been there. accepts what he has sworn he will never South Vietnam by 11 divisions of Com Mr. HARTKE. Mr. President, will the accept-a new leadership in Saigon-or munist troops, equipped with the latest, Senator yield? he escalates to some new level of horror. most sophisticated weapons the Russians Mr. GOLDWATER. No, I am speaking The choice before the Senate is equally could produce, seems to have been ob on very limited time. scured. This is partiCUlarly true of the clear. Either we continue to go along Mr. President, we have made mis supinely with whatever new catastrophe remarks of some members of the Senate takes, mistakes, mistakes in this war. the administration fashions for us, or we Foreign Relations Committee and of I think it will go down in history for seize the constitutional instruments at some Democrat Senators who are run future generations to read about as the hand to require a total and speedy end to ning for their party's presidential nomi worst conducted war in the history of American military involvement in Indo nation. man. I emphasize, not by the military but china. Wittingly or otherwise, they seem bent by the civilians in Washington who have Unless we soon get started, it will surely on regarding the invasion of South Viet constrained them. Our men have fought be too late to salvage anything for our nam as just another minor episode in a valiantly with their hands tied behind civil war. It would not surprise me to hear selves or our posterity. Time is running them. against us with the speed of the moon the troops of North Vietnam referred to ship. Those whose hands are on the levers as "agrarian reformers" by some of If we had not wanted to win this war, or war are themselves in the grip of President Nixon's more outspoken President Kennedy made a dreadful events which they are utterly unable to critics. mistake by sending nearly 17,000 troops control. We dare not trust a sudden onset Mr. President, the tragedy of this situ into Southeast Asia years ago, with or of rationality in men who have acted with ation is that a resolution this simple and ders to shoot back if they were shot at. such brutal irrationality for so long. We this obvious is needed at all. But it is, if That, Mr. President, is plain and simple must find in ourselves-here in the U.S. for no other reason than to awaken the war. The very basic rules of war that all Senat~~the courage and resolve, the wil- American people to the realities of what of us know say that when you go to war, April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13309 you go to war to win-not in 10 years, do not care. I would rather blow the I believe, and I believe the American peo but in 10 minutes. And if we had not living daylights out of Haiphong than ple believe, that we should do whatever fought a limited war, as advocated by lose one more American life. I would is necessary to convince aggressor na Robert McNamara-who I claim has rather destroy every target in North tions not tQ commit aggressicn, and that done more to downgrade the power of Vietnam than run the risk of one more we should do whatever is necessary to the United states than any other man American boy being killed. convince the aggressors in Hanoi that we who has ever served in any capacity in Mr. HARTKE. Mr. President, will the will not allow our withdrawing troops this country-if we had not yielded to his Senator yield? to be endangered. ideas of limited war, we would have won Mr. GOLDWATER. I will not yield. I There are those who say that we should this war long ago. have 10 minutes, and that is all I have. not bomb the supply depots at the cru Mr. President, there is no limited war. Mr. President, I repeat, I think it has cial port cf Haiphong, through which When we rise to debate each other on come to a pretty bad pass in our Na Hanoi's war materials pass. But Hanoi's this floor, it is not limited. We go all out. I tion's history when we are divided in the policies will not permit such American want to win my debates.- I do not want Senate about the actions of a country in restraint. God knows how long itis going to half win them; I want to win them all war. We can disagree with the Presi to take us to learn that. I believe, and the way. There is no such thing as limited dent. I disagreed with President Ken I am sure most Americans believe, that war. nedy about the ,vay he conducted the we should use our airpower and that we Now the United states is being criti war. I disagreed with President John always should have uSCommander in Chief, for tIns bombing of Haiphong and the tar in shame from here on out. An irresolute fear of offending either Peking or Mos gets in the North would hasten peace. I United States will have special trouble cow. These people underestimated the may be alone in that thought, but I securing its men. That is the principal President of the United States. The Pres have held it for many, many years. It reason why I support the President's ident will not be intimidated or con was a theme of mine when I ran for resolute actions. strained by any diplomatic schedule. If the presidency, and I have a strong There are those who say that we should the men in the Kremlin or in Peking or suspicion it helped to defeat me, but I not bomb sensitive targets near Hanoi. Hanoi think our President will endanger 13310 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 the real-life flesh-and-blood of American The central lesson of the current in puzzled as I am about just what the soldiers to preserve the gossamer prom vasion is that the National Liberation President's critics are objecting to. They ise of negotiations, then these men are Front-the Vietcong-does not exist any cannot be objecting to American par badly, sadly mistaken. more. For years the Vietcong's friends ticipation in the war: they supported the Second, the Soviet Union obviously is around the world have marched through escalation that President Nixon has free to choose to cancel the President·s the streets chanting "Ho Ho Ho Chi been undoing for 3 years. trip. But if the Soviet Union does so, it Minh, the NLF is going to win." Well, I They cannot be objecting to the will would only be demonstrating that the have news for these chanters. They ingness of the South Vietnamese to flght negotiations would have been fruitless backed a losing horse. Ho Chi Minh has for their own country. Although it is anyway. It will be demonstrating that it long since gone to such reward as he had. true that the policy of the last admin is more interested in causing war in In Vietcong has not won; it has been istration seemed especially designed to dochina than it is in curtailing the global destroyed. insure that Americans did the fighting arms race. No other conclusion can be Now, when North Vietnam wants to for the South Vietnamese. dravv"Il. inflict misery on its neighbors, it must They cannot be objecting to the will There are those who say that we should send forth its regular army lmits. The ingness of America to give material aid not do anything-anything at all: not fact that North Vietnam still denies that to a small and embattled nation that is even something designed to protect our it has any soldiers in South Vietnam is resisting a nation heavily supplied by the withdravving troops-that would endan evidence of nothing except Hanoi's cyni Soviet Union. Or, at least, if they are ger the Paris "peace talks." cal-and conect-estimate of the gulli objecting to tIlis, it shOUld be interest This is dreadful, fearful nonsense- bility of its Western sympathizers. ing news to Israel. sheer nonsense. The Paris peace talks The truth is that North Vietnamese All I can imagine is that these peo are about as productive as the Soviet regular army soldiers are now the only ple are objecting to the very existence farm program. The peace talks were effective instruments of Communist ag of this recent invasion, which has torn founded on an illusion and have existed gression in Indochina. The Vietcong were to shreds the elaborate tissue of self on vain hope. and we paid a terrible never anything other than a subservient deception on which so much criticism price in American lives-, my friends, just arm of the Hanoi government, nor was of American policy rests. to get those North Vietnamese at Paris the National Liberation Front, known as No more can these people inflict upon to stall and stall and stall. the NLF. But now the Vietcong have been us the irrational theories about "peas Let us cast our minds back to election destroyed, root and branch, by the com ant revolts" and Hanoi "restraint" and eve, 1968, to the closing days of the ad bined efforts of American flghting men, the possibility of fruitful negotiations ministration supported by most of the and the later implementation of the Viet with a Hanoi regime that does not re current critics of President Nixon's pol namization program. spect American will. icy. At that time, in an attempt to get Of course, if one were to judge from Finally, Mr. President, some thoughts the Paris peace talks off dead center, the some of the press reports, one might con on the connection between our domestic bombing of North Vietnam was halted. clude that Vietnamization cannot stop politics and the current invasion. At that time there were--perish the the current invasion. But, then, if one be It is interesting to note that the in thought-some skeptics who thought lieved the press reports during the vasion has done what the more mundane they detected domestic political consid Ardennes offensive in December 1944- business of our time has not been able erations in this American move. the Battle of the Bulge--one would have to do. It has reminded some Senators To dispel such unpleasant thoughts. concluded that Hitler was going to be in that they are Senators. It has awakened the Johnson administration asserted that England in time to hear the May Day their dormant interest in the business of the American restraint would be matched singing from Magdalen Tower. In fact, of government. It has reminded them of by Hanoi restraint. The Johnson admin course, on May Day Hitler was dead and something they were much in need of istration encouraged us all to believe his "thousand-year Reich" was issuing being reminded of: American men are that the North Vietnamese had agreed death rattles. still endangered by the aggressive ac not to shell South Vietnamese cities; Now, I do not expect the Hanoi regime tions of North Vietnam. that they had agreed to respect the de to collapse. But I do think we are now Mr. President, it is sad to disturb the militarized zone; that they had agreed witnessing the full deployment of its ag political reveries of these wandering to negotiate seriously at Paris. gressive capacity. Hanoi has committed Senators. It is a shame to remind them Well, Mr. President, perhaps the North 12 of its 13 combat divisions, and there that they were elected to do things other Vietnamese did agree to all these things. are signs that the 13th is being com than lust after delegates to their na If so, they were lying-and lying in their mitted south of the DMZ. Obviously, an tional party convention. It is tiresome teeth-- attacker has certain advantages. Obvi to have to request that they have a care Mr. GRAVEL. Mr. President, will the ously, the full might of Hanoi can cause for the Nation at a time of difficulty. Senator yield on that point? initial disruptions and setbacks, partic But, Mr. President, the senior Sena Mr. ALLOTT. I will not yield. The ularly in the northern part of South tor from Colorado will not mince words. Senator well knows there is no use in Vietnam, near the demilitarized zones, I request that the various Senators staging theatrics here, because he knows and where Hanoi's lines of supply and who are running for President pause. that my time is limited, as is the time communication are most defensible. But I request that they raise their sights of other Senators. Please do not interrupt let us not fall Victim to the "Ardennes from their Gallup polls and their dele me again. illusion." The initial successes that come gate lists long enough to consider if their Mr. GRAVEL. I would be happy to give to a fully extended aggressor shOUld not politicking is serving the Nation well. the Senator some of my time. generate despair about the ultimate out I do not intend to speculate on the Mr. ALLOTI'. Mr. President, perhaps come of the battle. conjunction-yet again-of primary the North Vietnamese did agree to all And above all, let us not be distracted season in the United States and invasion these things. If so, they were lying, and by the predictable outburst of pro season in Vietnam. But I must insist on the American Government was foolish to gramed moralizing from those whose a few things. expect anything. And today there is one capacity for indignation is infinite when Those who now urge us to meet arro safe conclusion to be drawn from that South Vietnam defends itself, but gant aggression with unprecedented ac dismal episode: It makes no sense to whose indignation is negligible-indeed, quiescence should explain how this ac make major policy decisions hinge on invisible--when North Vietnam launches quiescence is designed to protect the hopes for the Paris peace talks. an invasion. safety of withdrawing Americans, and Our realistic hopes for an honorable I should think that those clitics whose secure the release of POW's, and how it settlement rest on Vietnamization. To late-blooming consciences became pub is designed to serve world peace. day there are persons, some who can lic adornments after January 20, 1969, Those who hawk their compassion barely disguise their unattractive glee, should pause between primaries long about in public places, clamoring for and others who do not deign to disguise enough to remember that there are us-for the United States--to "stop the it, who claim that the current invasion nearly half a million fewer Americans killing," These people should explain demonstrates that Vietnamization has in Vietnam than there were on Janu how it is that the killing in Indochina failed. Nothing could be further from the ary 20, 1969. had been going on for more than a dec truth. I think the American people are as ade before the first American died there. April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13311 Mr. President, they should explain was that we would show weakness if we to continue as much as President Nixon how we can "stop the killing" by asking did not support our President. would like the detente to continue, so the South Vietnamese soldiers to face Let me say right now, with respect to that they can make the agricultural Soviet tanks without material help from what our President is doing, that I am deal, make the energy deal, and make the United Stat-es. deeply ashamed-ashamed as an Ameri the commercial deals. Mr. Brezhnev is in And they should explain whether they can, ashamed to the very depths of my a difficult situation. In fact, it has been want all killing stopped, or whether they being. said, and accurately so, that the situa would be satisfied to see an end to the We have heard arguments-what little tion that exists in Moscow today is not killing of North Vietnamese invaders. In argument we have heard-that when we unlike the situation that existed prior to short, do they shed any tears for the come down to it, we have our boys there the political demise of Nikita Khru blood being shed by the South Viet and we have to protect them. shchev. So they have every reason to namese who are defending their country The fundamental question is: What are want an accommodation, a fruitful and against invasion. our boys doing there? a fine meeting with our Chief Executive. One more thing, Mr. President. We will not have any boys there if we But again, I think that our Chief Ex I ask that all Senators examine their take them out. We will not have any ecutive is making a classic error. He looks conduct over recent months and ask prisoners of war there if we take them upon communism as a monolithic orga themselves: Have I done anything to out. nization and assumes that Moscow can encourage the belief in Hanoi that a Thus, we have to ask the simple ques dictate to the nth degree what will hap major invasion of South Vietnam would tion: Why are we there? pen in Indochina. That is not the case. be a low-risk operation? To use the rationale that we are there There is no question that North Viet The President is acting effectively and because we have prisoners of war, and nam had two courses of action to fol prudently to dispel that illusion from that we will have to stay there until low. Both courses of action were aimed the minds of the men in Hanoi. Let us all there are no more prisoners, means that not at victory in the field in Indochina, hope that American political leaders will we will never get out. Because as long as but at victory in the United States with not soon foster a rebirth of that illusion. we are there, there will always be addi the American people. That victory, I am The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. tional prisoners. We have got some very constrained to say, will be difficult if HARRY F. BYRD, JR.). Under the previous seriously faulty logic. not impossible to attain. The psychology order, the distinguished Senator from The other point which I think merits of this Nation with respect to our in Alaska (Mr. GRAVEL) is now recognized analysis, because the consequences go far volvement abroad has not been suffi for 10 minutes. beyond what is happening in Vietnam ciently altered to permit the North Viet Mr. GRAVEL. Mr. President, my col today, is the view held by President namese to persuade this Nation to get league from California (Mr. CRANSTON) is Nixon today in the White House, that out lock, stock, and barrel. one of my closest friends in the Senate. what is happening is part of a diabolical Really, what Richard Nixon wants in Apparently I have been misled, because plan by Mr. Brezhnev'to pressure him Indochina is a continuation of the policy he approached me yesterday to say that into going to Moscow in a much more exercised in Europe and Korea for many we might come into this Chamber, aware humble fashion than he would be prone years. We have had troops in Europe for that this is the greatest debating body in to. 30 years and we have had troops in the history of man, and a debate on Viet The reason why President Nixon holds Korea for 20 years. nam would be held. So I came to the fioor that view is that he presumes this offen President Nixon said that he would prepared not with any written speech, not sive could not have been initiated with wind down the war. He meant that he planning to parrot some phrases the out the permission of the Soviets. would wind down the ground war until staff may J:.ave written for me, but I came First, I want to digress for 1 minute we had 50,000 troops in Indochina for to try to assess the insanity in Indochina and talk about the word "offensive," be 20 years or longer. today. cause there has been a great Orwellian The North Vietnamese know this. Our I find that those who take the other lie put out-and I confess that my goal has never been to get out of Viet side do not partiCUlarly want to engage friends in the fourth estate have gob nam. This is where the promises of Rich in any give-and-take in any true sense of bled up the lie without any real exami ard Nixon in 1968 have proven to be debating-no; they dump their speeches nation. As I recall the events of the past totally fraudulent. He said then that he on the fioor and leave. I do not think that 4 months, all we have heard is the possi had a plan to end the war. However, the will serve any purpose other than to en bility of an offensive. The word "offen moment he was elected, he said that he tertain th~ galleries. But so far as devel sive" was used over and over again had a plan to wind down the war. There oping what is going on, it will serve no that the troops were ready, that we were is a substantial difference between end purpose. ready. The President tried to condition ing the war and winding down the war. Let me say that if any of my colleagues the country, I am sure, that this offen His theory was to wind down the war to here are moved by the spirit to interrupt sive would come. f a more palatable level, and then con me in what I may have to say, I shall be All of a sudden, the offensive started, tinue our presence there as our presence happy to yield for questions. I shall be and the administration--someone had a has been continued in Europe and Korea. happy to yield for any colloquy on this stroke of genius-now characterizes the The reason why Richard Nixon is able subject, offensive as an invasion, There is a to do what he is doing today is because Mr. President, I have numerous docu slightly different connotation to the he has the approbation of the American ments before me. In the event that I can word "invasion." The President tries to people, However, that approbation may not finish my presentation in the required mislead the American people by saying not last long. Right now they are taking time, I ask unanimous consent that they there is something new happening here, daily polls out of the White House. They be printed in the RECORD at the conclu that there is a new invasion taking place, are like a child walking into cold water. sion of my remarks. something totally unrelated to the facts As long as the temperature is tolerable, The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. as they existed prior to this time. And they will keep walking. HARRY F. BYRD, JRJ. Without objection, now we Americans, in our great courage, The only chance we have is to react to it is so ordered. are going to the aid of South Vietnam the immoral activity of this Nation. (See exhibit U Mr. President, I yield 2 minutes to the because of this "invasion" that has now distinguished Senator from Rhode Island. :Mr. GRAVEL. Thank you, Mr. Presi been foisted on them. That is another The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen dent. instance of faulty logic. ator from Rhode Island is recognized for Mr. MONDALE. Mr. President-- It is not an invasion. It is an offensive 2 minutes. Mr. GRAVEL. I am not finished-in that President Nixon has told us over Mr. PELL. Mr. President, I thank the fact, I am just getting started. [Laugh the past 4 months would occur. It has Senator from Alaska very much. I asked ter.J occurred. the Senator to yield to me at this time Mr. MONDALE. I am sorry-l yield Why has it occurred? because I have to preside over an Educa my time-- Not because Mr. Brezhnev and his col tion Subcommittee hearing at this time. Mr. GRAVEL. Mr. President, we have leagues want to pressure Richard Nixon, I appreciate his courtesy. heard some interesting statements here. because certaintly their interests are Mr. President, I strongly oPpOse the I think the most interesting one I heard not that. They would like the detente current escalation of U.S. military in- 13312 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE April 19, 1972 volvement in the war in Southeast Asia. appears to be a rapid buildup of U.S. air not substantiate an "invasion" fO'I' they do and naval forces in Southeast Asia. not recognize a frontier. When the U.S. in I am particularly opposed to the resump vaded cambodia (a true frontier), it was tion of heavy bombing of targets in North Secretary Laird testified before the downplayed as an "incursion." Vietnam, and the continuing buildup of Foreign Relations Committee yesterday 2. Claim: North Vietnam has violated the U.S. naval forces off the coast of Viet that shipboard naval manpower in 1968 "Understandings." nam. Southeast Asia has increased since Fact: Maxwell Taylor, In his memoirs Let us remember, too, that while this March 30 from 20,000 men to 33,000 men Sword$ and Plowsharli$, says, the 1968 "Un administration has done a far better job and the buildup is continuing. It appears derstandings" on the bombing halt were than the previous one in reducing the to be only a matter of time until our "unilateral understandings on our part" and naval forces in Southeast Asia reach or that the North Vietnamese never gave "any number of our casualties and our troops Indication of accepting those understand in South Vietnam, the numbers of those exceed the previous high point of 40,000 Ings." killed have remained constant. The dif men. 3. Claim: The Soviet Union must accept ference is that the corpses are not those, Mr. President, it was nearly 7 years much of the responsibillty for U.S. bombing thank God, of young Americans, but just ago that I first characterized as "counter of the North because It supplies 80% of the as morally wrong, they are those of Viet productive," questioned, and criticized, North's military aid and refused to restrict namese, North and South, Cambodians, under a Democratic President, the bomb Its use to North Vietnam. and Laotians, young and old, men and ing of North Vietnam. Fact: The U.S. has itself been bombing in Obviously, I do not support the cur North Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and South women. Now those numbers of Indo Vietnam for years, and not merely by supply chinese being killed is being sharply es rent offensive by North Vietnamese ing aid. The U.S. has had massive ground calated. forces in South Vietnam, and certainly troops in South Vietnam and In Cambodia The only acceptable justification, in the North Vietnamese Government must and CIA irregular troops in Laos. bear a heavy burden of responsibility for my view, for the renewed bombing of Soviet aid to north North Vietnam would be for the protec the increased death and violence and tion of the American ground forces re human misery caused by the current of (In millions) fensive. But let us remember that this is Military Economic maining in South Vietnam. But there is 1967 505 200 no evidence that our forces in South essentially a civil war of one half country 1970 --__ 70 1971 100 345 Vietnam are now directly threatened, against another. And I do not want the 315 much less any evidence that the bomb Government of the United States, or its ing of North Vietnam reduces at this time people, to bear the responsibility for President Nixon's FY 1973 request for mlU adding further to the violence, the tary-economic aid for Indochina is $2.8 bil such a threat. lion, and the U.S. Is expected to spend about Mr. President, I think there is no ques death, and the misery. I am saddened $9 billion this year on the Vietnam war. TIle tion that what the American people' want and sick at heart that I must say again, U.S. probably spent $250 million in Vietnam is an end, as quickly as possible, to our as I did 7 years ago, let us stop the In just the first two weeks of the new oJfen military involvement in Southeast Asia. bombing. sive (based on a dally operating cost of $15 Indeed, that goal is the established na Mr. President, this is not our war. Let million, plus plane losses.) tional policy of the Government of the us return the conduct of this war to the 4. Claim: The bombing is to protect re United states, enacted into law by the Vietnamese, on the ground, in the air, maining American troops. and on the sea. Fact: American troops for the moot part Congress of the United States in the are not Involved in the fighting. The Amer Mansfield declaration. Unfortunately, the Mr. GRAVEL. Mr. President, would the Ican casualties are now almost entirely the President of the United States has an Senator from California yield to me at result of U.S. alr operations. nounced that he will not be bound by this this time? On May 1 there w1ll be only 53,000 U.S. declaration of national policy by the Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, I yield ground troops In South Vietnam, but there Congress. 1 minute to the Senator from Alaska will be a. total of from 63-78,000 Air Force I do not see how the new wave of from the time of the Senator from Ar and Navy personnel conducting the alr war, kansas (Mr. FULBRIGHT). I have that au primarily from Thaila.nd and the South bombings will lead to an earlier end to China. Sea. this war or to our participation in it. thority. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen CASUALTIES And certainly, it is hard to see how this 1. AID officials estimate 150,000 to 200,000 new bombing policy will lead to an early ator from Alaska is. recognized for 1 min new refugees since the oJfenslve began. release or return of those hundreds of ute. 2. U.S. casualties have Included at least: American men held prisoner by the Gov Mr. GRAVEL. Mr. President, I char 11 dead. ernment of North Vietnam. acterized the word "invasion" as a great 24 MIA In air crashes. When President Nixon announced his Orwellian lie. Let me characterize the 56 wounded. policy of "Vietnamization," it was pre situation existing in Southeast Asia as 19 helicopters and planes down. the most Orwellian situation that has 3. A U.S. commander predicts the civilian sented as a path out of the jWlgles of and military casualties will exceed the 81,736 Southeast Asia for the United States. ever existed. • kllled In the 1968 Tet offensive. But Vietnamization has since become, We have more men in Indochina to 4. Based on a March 1972 GAO stUdy it Is not the way out, but the excuse and ra protect the withdrawal of the men there estimated there were more than 100,000 tionalization for continued U.S. partici than the actual number of men there. clv1llan casualties in 1971 In South Vietnam pation in the air and at sea as we con The reasOn that we r.re there is to pro alone. tinue to underwrite the inept, corrupt, tect the withdrawal of Americans, it is 5. For the week ending March 23, 1972 said. However, we have more men pro (before the offensive began) AP reported: and Wlrepresentative Thieu regime. 357 ARVN troops killed. When the Cambodian operation was tecting the withdrawal of Americans 943 ARVN troops wounded. undertaken 2 years ago, it was to guar than there are men to withdraw. 20 ARVN troops MIA. antee the success of Vietnamization I can think of no more idiotIc situa 1.713 enemy killed. by eliminating the enemies' sanctuaries. tion than that. If we are to get out, we 6. Reports of bombed vlllages persist, and But that was not SUfficient, and another should just get out. . recently the U.S. bombed with B-52s within operation subsequently was undertaken EXHIBIT 1 one mUe of Aulae (popUlation 40,000). in Laos, again in the name of assuring ADMINISTRATION JUSTIFICATION OF MASSIVE BOMBING OF HAIPHONG the success of the Vietnamization pro BOMBING OF NORTH 1. Johnson bombed Haiphong, but never gram. Both were proclaimed to be huge 1. Claim: North Vietnam has not abided with B-52s. The bombers he used have a rel successes that fulfilled their objectives. by the 1954 Geneva accords. atively limited radiUS of destruction. B-52s But here we are in April of 1972, and we Fact: The Geneva accords established the leave a. swath of destruction, creating craters are told that we must resume heavy 17th parallel as a "provisional miUtary de 35 feet deep and 45 feet In diameter. bombardment of North Vietnam. And marcation line" which should not In any way 2. Haiphong is Inhabited by 400,000 people, once again it is to guarantee the success be interpreted as constituting "a political or and heavy clvl1lan casualties are a certainty. territorial boundary." This provisional sep The Pentagon papers make clear that the of the Vietnanlization program. aration was to be erased by free elections to expectation of heavy civilian casualties Is Vietnamization is intended to turn the be held in July 1956, to reunify the coun the reason Johnson did not bomb Haiphong fighting and conduct of the war over try. The U.S.-supported Diem government with B-52s. to the South Vietnamese. But here we Violated these agreements by refusing to 3. Bombing of Haiphong Is militarily In are in April of 1972 engaged in what hold the elections. The Geneva accords do effective. A 1967 CIA stUdy stated: "The ApTil 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13313 combined interdiction of land and water Chiefs of Staff memo noted, "The prohibited But although the Joint Chiefs of Staff did routes, including the mIning of the water areas were created in December, 1966. Nu not dispute the heavy damage to clvllians, approaches to the major ports and the bomb merous strikes, however, have been per they did not stop pushing for bombing ing of ports and train shipment fac1l1ties .•• mitted In these areas over the past two and Haiphong In any event. As the Pentagon would ... not be able to cut off the flow of one-half years, e.g. dispersed POL, SAM and Papers reported in October, 1967, "In addi essential supplies...." The only reasons for AAA sites .•." (Source: Pentagon Papers, tion to mining the harbors, the chiefs re the attacks were to terrorize the people and Gravel Ed., IV, p. 255) quested that the comprehensive prohibition achieve political ends. These past raids, however, were carried in the Hanol/Halphong areas be removed 4. Bombing Haiphong wlll not break the out by jet bembers with a relatively limited with the expected increase In civlllan cas wlll of the North Vietnamese, but wlll only radius of bombing destruction. April 15, ualties to be accepted as mllltarlly justified prolong the war, cause more deaths, and In 1972 was not only the first time that B52s and necessary." crease the numbers of paws and MIAs. were sent over Haiphong, the use of dozens The attitUde of the mUltary was put some Bombing Hanoi and Haiphong even risks hit of these giant bombers ensured that satura what more pungently by Marine Com ting our own paws. tion bombing occurred for the first time In mandant Gen. Wallace Greene In testimony the Haiphong area. ESCALATION before the Senate Preparedness Investigating B52s are huge 8-engined aircraft with a Subcommittee, October 23, 1967: We are at 1. Escalation occurred before the new of crew of 6 and two 2,500 gallon wing tanks. war with North VIetnam right now, today, fensive: Each sorties carries 25-30 tons of bombs, and we shouldn't be so much Interested in A. In February there was a 20% Increase either as 180 five hundred pound bombs or 66 their anger as we are In bringing the war over previous monthly averages in the ton seven hundred fifty pound bombs or some home to everyone of them up there." Army nage dropped on Indochina. combination thereof. Bombing from 30-35,000 Chief of Staff Harold Johnson, testifying at B. The number of protective reaction feet, B52s leave craters 35 feet deep by 45 the same hearIng, was even more explicit: strikes increased 600% in 1971 over 1970 (121 fee,t in diameter with their 500 pounders. A "I put 'Innocent' civllians in quotation vs.20). typical B52 strike involves 6 B52s saturating marks," he stated. C. There was a 500% Increase in protective a selected grid square, leaving a swath of The B52 bombing of Haiphong clearly il reaction strikes In the first 3 months of destruction half a mile wide by 3 miles long. lustrates that the mllltary has succeeded be 1972 as compared with the first 3 months of On April 14, the New York Times reported yond its wlldest dreams. Even at the height 1971 (102 vs. 20). that about 150 B52s were in the Indochina of the air war in 1968. there was no talk of 2. Since the offensive began the number theater, 50% more than were present at the loosing B52s on the Hanoi/Haiphong area. of aircraft carriers has been increased from very peak of the air war in 1968. There is no need to wait several months for 2 to 5, the largest number ever. It may not be unrea.sonable to assume that the inevitable reports by American visitors 3. In January there were approximately at least 100 of these, along with dozens of to Haiphong of heavy civilian caSUalties 445 planes In Indochina. Now there are prob assorted jet aircraft, were looSed on Haiphong from the April 14th raIds. The official report ably 1000 counting those in logistical sup on the night of April 14th. of widespread use of B52s Inthe most heavily port areas such as Guam. The fact that these raids were carried out popUlated area of Indochina is evidence 4. Reports IndIcate there have been 34 at night ensured that saturation and indis enough. new ships sent to Indochina. criminate bombing of this heavily populated 3. The B52ing of Haiphong serves no use 5. The number of men in the Indochina area was carried out. For at night, even the fUL military end; its primary goal is to ter theater has Increased by pNbably 15,000. 11ght spotter planes which sometimes guide rorize the Vietnamese into SUbmission. B52 raids in the daytime for greater precisIon Preliminary reports on the Haiphong bomb THE BOMBING OF HANOI AND HAIPHONG: were unavailable. Neither, of course, were the ing indicate that the harbor Itself was hit: BEYOND THE BRINK ground spotters who made more precise B52 however, it would be of limited mllitary sig (A paper prepared by Project Air War) bombing possible during the siege of Khe nificance and have 11ttle effect on the fight Project Air War, 1322 18th st. N.W. Wash Sanh. ing In the South. Ington, D.C. is one of the major Information 2. The use Of B52s over Haiphong has nec An October 1967 CIA stUdy clearly stated centers in the country studying and analyz essarily led to the large-scale slaughter of that a bombing campaign against 11nes of Ing the ongoIng war, a contUct which has ciVilians. communication (LOCs)--such as roads and escalated in the air even as U.S. footsoldlers Even when the air war against North VIet railroads-leading out of Haiphong would be have been withdrawn. Project Director is nam was carried out only by jets, the bomb useless. "Prospects are dim that an air In Fred Branfman, who spent four years In Laos ing caused heavy civilian casualties. As the terd1ction campaign against LaC's leading and interviewed several thousand refugees Cornell Air War Study notes, "Targets ..• out of Haiphong alone could cut off the fiow from the bombs as well as dozens of Ameri in a strategic bombing campaign are situ of seaborne imports and isolate Haiphong." can pilots and air war officials. ated near predominately clvillan areas ... The same report went on to conclude that The Nixon Administration's decision to the bombing infiicted severe civi11an damage even mining Haiphong Harbor would be mili carry out surprise B52 raids In and around on the civilian society as a whole ... In 1967 tarily ineffective: " ... the combined inter Haiphong Is one of the most reckless and the noncombatant casualty rate was quoted diction of land and water routes, including serious escalations of the war In the last 25 at 1,000 per week (Robert McNamara) ... the mining of the water approaches to the years. It is not only that the sudden, high and the equivalent casua.lty rate In the U.S. major ports and the bombing of ports and level, night-time, carpet bombing of an area would be more than 600,000 per year." trans shipment faclllties ... would .•• inhabited by 400,000 people is an act of un The official population of Halpong and its not be able to cut off the fiow of essential common savagery, necessarlly bringing death SUburbs in 1960 was 369,248. Although many supplies and, by itself, would not be the determining factor in shaping Hanoi's out and Injury to thousands. It is that until children and others were removed from the look to the war" now Haiphong has stood as a symbol of ulti city during the mid-60s, many returned after mate American restraint In the face of in the November, 1968 bombing halt. Given the The reason Is simple. Most of North Viet tense domestic and worldwide crIticism of popUlation growth and surprise of the April nam's military supplies do not come through. the U.S. aIr war against Vietnam. By bomb 14th bombing attack, there may have been Haiphong, but through China. As a study ing Haiphong, the Nixon AdIplnistration Is well over 300,000 people in the area hit by carried out under Defense Secretary Clifford serving clear notice that it wlll stop at noth the B52s. noted in March, 1968, "The remaining Issue ing in its attempt to maintaIn its position The Pentagon Papers make clear, moreover, on Interdiction of supplies had to do with In Indochina. that the heavy clvman casualties expected the clOSing of the port of Haiphong. Al Until now conventional wisdom has held to occur from bombing Haiphong-and the though this is the route by which some 80% that the Administration would keep to a worldwide protest they would entail-were of NVN imports come Into the country, it is low profile in Vietnam In this crucial Presi the main reasons that Johnson did not agree not the point of entry for most of the mili dential election year. The bombing of Hai to level it. As a memo of the ISA, prepared in tary supplies and ammunition. These mate phong, however, makes it clear that Nixon Under Secretary of Defense Warnke's office rIals predominately enter via the rail routes places a far greater priority on victory in reported: "Experience has indicated that from China.... The closing of Haiphong systematic operations particularly against port would not prevent the continued sup Vietnam. It is no longer unrealistic to sug ply of SUfficient materials to maintain North gest that only massive domestio and Inter road and rail routes (in the Hanoi-Haiphong national protest and resistance may halt the area) adds simply and slightlY to repair bur Vietnamese mllltary operations in the South." total destruction of Hanoi and Haiphong, dens, while at the same time Involving sub Indeed, the Clifford group concluded that the mining of Haiphong harbor, devastation stantial civlllan casualties in the many sub an attack on Haiphong would actually be of the North's dike system, or even more urban civilian areas located along these counter-productive: "Apprehensions about blatant acts of mass murder. routes." bombing attacks that would destroy Hanoi The following facts must be noted: Clvi11an casualties from the bombing, more and Haiphong may at some time help move 1. The 852 bombing of Haiphong was mas over, are by far the greatest portion. As a them toward productive negotiations. ActUal sive, indiscriminate and unprecedented. summary of the bombing of North Vietnam destruction of these areas would eliminate a The Johnson Administration bombed Hai noted In 1966, "Estimated civilian and mili threat that could influence them to seek a phong regularly from 1966 through 1968. But tary casualties in NVN also went up from political settlement on terms acceptable to these strikes were limited in the "Pro 13,000 to 23-24,000. (About 80% civilians.)" us." hibited Areas" of 4 nautical miles around (Emphasis added, Pentagon Papers, Gravel Why then was Haiphong attacked by B52s Haiphong center. As a March 1968 Joint Edition, IV, p. 136) on April 14th? 13314 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -.'SENATE April 19, 1972 The answer was put rather delicately by a illustrated than by Its effect on the sensitive been collecting information on the U.s. New York Times article of April 14.1972: "in issue ot captured.American pilots. large-scale mllltary buildup in Indochina a comment on the report of B52s going To begin With. such bombing drastically since April 8, 1972. Information on the north: 'Administration offlcials disclosed to increased the number of American pUots movement ot men and materials to the war day that .•. the objectives were diplomatic who are shot down and captured. Over 350 zone and the placement of other men and and political as weli as military.' " men who were alive and well when Richard material on alert for possible movement has Since the evidence is overwhelming that Nixon took offlce are now llsted as captured been gathered through telephone contact the attacks against Hanoi serve Uttle useful or mlssing in action. The great escalation in with G.I. organizing projects (coffee houses, military purpose. the only conclusion ls that bombing over Hanoi and Haiphong-a heavily bookstores. and the like near military bases they are primarily "diplomatic" and "polit defended area-greatly enlarges their num Where active duty men and women, antiwar ical". ber. On April 15 alone Hanoi radio reported veterans. and civlllans get together) around In fact. John McNaughton put it more shooting down 4 jets and one B52, for a total the United States and overseas. Contact was clearly in a January 18, 1966 memo: "To avo!d of 14 men. In the week ending April 11, 19 made with the statfs of these projects, who the allegation that we are practlsing 'pure men were listed as missing in action, most contacted active duty men on the bases near blackmail' the targets should be mIl1tary tar of them airmen. them for word of any alerts or movements, gets and the declaratory policy ... should be In addition, an escalation of the bombing and then in turn reported these back to the that our objective ls only to destroy mil1tnry like this ensures the prolongation of intern ad hoc committee. We required two ditferent targets." (Pentagon Papers, Gravel Edition. ment of those men already captured, men G.I. sources or personal knowledge of the who could be brought home were the Nixon informant by a member of. the committee Volume IV, p. 45). to consider a story confirmed. Below is our The B52ing of Haiphong and the later at Adminlstration to negotiate an end to Amer ican involvement In Indochina. summary of our findings to date. Included tacks against Hanoi are clearly little more in the packet are summaries by service, a than....pure blackmaU". And, most seriOUSly, attacks against Hanol/Halphong greatly endanger the llves copy of an Associated Press Feature article Faced with a deteriorating mUltary situa of those pUots now in captivity. As the study on the Ad Hoc Committee, and the actual tion in South Vietnam. the NiXon Admin prepared under Clark. Clifford reported in base by base stories we received with their istration has responded by launching sneak March 1968 states: "Although the NVN do sources, arranged by service and in a logical terror attacks against Haiphong and Hanoi in not mark the camps where American prison order Within services. The Navy report in an attempt to terrorize the Vietnamese into ers are kept ... heavy and Indlscrlminate cludes a breakdown of ship locations around submission. attacks In the Hanoi area would jeopardize the world that may have relevance to the 4. There ls no eVidence Whatsoever that the lives of these prisoners and alarm their current buildup. these attacks can succeed; On the contrary. wives and parents into vocal opposition." Overall summary, all services, military they prolong the war. bring more POWS. and (Pentagon Papers. Gravel Ed., IV, P. 251-252) bulldup. open up the prospect of far greater escala The NiXon Administration's wlllingness to Left for Indochina: tion. even risk dramatically inflaming the dellcate 650 planes (390 on Air Craft Carriers); 37 The notion that bombing Hanoi and Hai POW issue in thls Presidential election year ships (including 5 air craft carriers), 33.900 phong will break the will of the Vietnamese ominously suggests that it has abandoned men. ls patently absurd. In October 1967, after reason. On alert. standby, or freeze for possible the United States had already dropped nearly In thls situation, anything ls possible. transfer to Indochina: 10 planes, 1 cruiser. 300.000 tons of bombs on North Vietnam, a The most frightening but real prospect at 27.770 men. top-level Jason stUdy of the bombing con this point ls that it may go as far as to bomb Transferred to/arrived at logistical support cluded: "The expectation that bombing North Vietnam's dike system. areas for Indochina: 138 planes; 1060 men. would erode the determination of Hanoi and Grand totals, involvement in Indochina its people clearly overestimated the persua Within a few weeks, the waters of the Red River Delta will be swollen by rains, and the mllltary buUd up, all services: 788 planes. sive and disruptive effects of the bombing 37 ships, 62.730+ men. and, correspondingly, underestimate the danger of fiooding wil! be at Its greatest. tenacity and recuperative capabllities of the North Vietnam's greatest vulnerabllity has al In short, the United States has dispatched North Vietnamese. That the bombing has not ways been the ease with which the U.S. a large-scale air and naval armada to Indo achieved anticipated goals reflects a general bombing could fiood the country's rice-grow china. Furthermore. she has substantial failure to appreciate the fact well-docu ing area and cause massive famine which numbers of ground troops, mainly marines. mented in the hlstorical and social scientific could kill millions of people. High Air Force prepared to move if needed. There are also literature that a direct. frontal attack on a omcers pressed hard for the bombing of the indications that the United States is making society tends to strengthen the social fabric dike systems' n the North during the John at least contingency preparations to pOSSibly of the nation, to increase popular support of son Adminlstration, and although bombing bomb very sensitive targets in North Viet the eXlsting goverilment, to improve the de polley never went so far as an all-out effort nam, and to possibly mine Haiphong harbor termination of both the leadership and the against the system, the dikes were often hit from the air. The committee is no longer populace to tight back, to induce a variety as part of the effort to raise the cost for the actively canvassing for information, but is ot protective measures that reduce the so civll1an population. In May and July. 1966. continuing to accept calls which come in and ciety's vulnerabUity to future attack and de for example. authorities of Nam Dinh city to follow up Important stories. velop an increased capacity for quick repairs told New York Times correspondent Harrison AIR FORCE and restoration of essential functions. The Sallsbury that U.S. planes had dropped 6 bombs on 2 kilometer dikes Which protected Left for Indochina: great variety of physical and social counter Tankers (RC135) (Westover) 4 measures that North Vietnam has taken in the city against floods, causing damage to many sections. Asked to comment later, the Fighter-bomber (F4, A3, F105) (Yo- response to the bombing is now well docu ko,ta, McConnell. Johnson) 160 mented but tile potential effectiveness of Defense Department did not deny the charge. According to Christopher Beal of the mod Bombers (B52) (March. Westover) 11 these countermeasures has not been ade Transport (C130, C14l) (Johnson) 5 quately considered in previous planning or erate Republlcan Ripon Society, some "puni tive bombing" of Red River delta dikes was assessment stUdies. (Pentagon Papers, Gravel Total Ed. IV. pp. 223, 224.) reported to him by "reputable non-Com 180 It must be understood that Nixon has left munlst sources" in the summer of 1967, when Men (Hickam. Yokota. March, Beale, the Vietnamese no choice but to continue the waters were at their seasonal high. McConnell, Johnson, Westover) 1,400 Whether or not this happens, however. their present offensive. He has already Total 1,400 dropped over 3.2 mUlion tons of bombs on present realHies are ugly enough. A dramatic Indochina, more than any other leader in escalation has taken place, With American B52s and jets carrying out no-holds-barred Transferred to/arrived at logistical support history; he has invaded Cambodia, doubled areas for Indochina: ' the bombing of Laos whlle invading it with bombing against the North. 10.000 Thai soldiers in the North and 20,000 Much of what Will happen wlll be blacked Transportkuni) (C141. C5A) (Travis. Iwa- 138 ARVN in the south. and had already hit out. On April 12, the Pentagon announced North Vietnam on 328 admitted occasions that from now on it would "probably not" Total 138 give Informaticn to the public on U.S. bomb before the March 30th offensive began; clearly Men (Hiclram, Travis. Westover) 1,060 he had no intention of negotiating an end ing raids on any "regUlar" baals. to American involvement in Indochina, and But unless public pressure is raised, when Total 1,060 had instead settled into a stable war which we do find out it may well tear thls country extended indefinitely into the future. The apart. On alert/standby/llmited crew rest/freeze: Vietnamese have clearly concluded that they Tankers (KC 135) (Mather) 4 have no alternative to a milltary cffensive to OVERALL SUMMARY: AD Hoc MILITARY BUILDUP Bombers (B52) (Mather) 6 see the United States leave Indochina. To COMMITTEE, APRIL 25, 1972 Total 10 suggest that they wlll halt their offensive now The Ad Hoc Mllltary BUildup Committee that it has begun under the threat of bomb is a group of IndiViduals· from various anti Men (Hickam, Iwakuni, Hamilton. Ing strains the imagination. war organizations including G.I. organiZing Mather, Hanscom Field) 7,770 The desperate and reckless quality of the projects, the Viet Nam Veterans Against the bombing is, moreover, no more dramatically War, and the peace movement, which has Total 7,770 April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13315 (Units at) bases on above status: Iwakuni, unusual activities on Hickam Air Force and many B-52's have been coming in and Hickam, Clark, Travis, Hamilton, Norton, Base, Hawaii, particularly concerning the leaVing, possibly enroute from the conti Mather, OlIut, Shaw, Dover, Plattsberg. 548th Reconnaissance Group, one of the nental U.S. to the Far East. McGuire. major units which have been plottIng the Wet\nesday, April 12, 6:00 A.M. JIm Walkly Unusual traffic: targets for bombing over North Vietnam of the "Liberated Barracks", reports that his Tanker (R0135), Hickam, Loring. throughout the war. old unit, the 548th Reconnaissance Group, Fighter-bomber (F4, A7), Mountain Home. Colonel Fitzgerald, the Commander of the has been drawing up target selection charts Bomber (B52) , Hickam. 548th Reconnaissance Group. called a spe for Hanoi and Haiphong since last Thurs Transport, McGuire. cial meeting of the entire sqUadron today in day, April 6. 150 men from the 548th are on the hangar next door to their offices, to of 6 hours alert for possibly temporary duty AircraftGrand total for Air Force: 323 Men 10,230 fer no reprisals to any individuals who might (TDY) to Thailand. wish to transfer out of the squadron in or 8 men from the 6l9th Support Group have der to avoid handling classified Information. already left for Thailand on TDY. From this NOTES: 1. The grand total for aircraft is He announced 5 men in the unit have al unit an additional 300 men are on alert. lower than earHer estimates. This reflects ready transferred out for this reason. The Source: Steve Dilts, Gene Parker, and Jim news that planes leaving Travis arrived at men report the Commander appeared ner Walkly of the "Liberated Barracks". 808 Iwakuni, which was not- known earlier. vous at the meeting. 839-4855. 2. Alerts, etc, may be 01I now; Time period The unit has been working under great Iwakuni MCAS, Japan covered is 4/5-4/12. pressure since Thursday, April 3, drawing Tuesday, April 11, 2:30 A.M. Over 100 C 3. Orew estimates I, A8; I, F105; 2, F4; up extra large targeting charts for Hanoi and 6, CIA; 6, KC135; 8, B52; 5, C124; 5,0141. HI's have landed at Iwakuni from bases Haiphong and major military targets in In the U.s. (probably Travis AFB). It is sus Third Marine Alr Wing, El Toro Marine Air North Vietnam. Targets have included fac Station-80 Aircraft. (One squadron definite pected that they wlll be used to handle the tories. storage depots. and at least two Increased fiow of supplies and/or men to ly left, the other squadrons, composed of schools, as well as normal military targets. fighter bombers and due to leave Monday, Indochina. The entire base of roughly 5000 Men report rush orders for immediate work men Is on stand-by alert. AprU 10, 1972, presumed left. from generals (the 548th Reconnaissance On alert to Vietnam or Indochina: Source: Ruth of Pacific Coullsellng Serv Group is directly under Headquarters. Pa Ice, Tokyo, 269-5082. 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa ciflc Air Forces, which is based at Hickam.) (men) 15,000 The targeting is unusual because the men Yokota AFB, Japan 7th Marine Regiment, Camp Pendle- ton (men) 4,000 have not been plotting these targets before. Tuesday, April 11, 2:30 A.M. Many men The unit has also been plotting charts for have been transferred to Iwakuni to han Elements,Lejeune 2nd Marine Dlv., Camp_ and planning the mining of Haiphong Har dle the large number of extra C-14l's land bor from the air, also not routine actiVity. ing. Two squadrons of 36 fighter planes have Units of cooks, medics, security pollee, definitely left for Viet-Nam. 20 to 26 of these Total (19,OOO-plUS men) 19,000 transportation personnel, air craft mainte were F-4 Phantoms and the rest A-6's. 250 Total Marine Oorps involvement in buUd nance personnel, intel11gerice _personnel, as crew members and maintenance personnel up: 80 aircraft, 19,000+ men. well as 150 members of the 548th Recoll are going also. Army summary: naissance Group are all on 10-minute stand Unless planes leaVing Japan stop at some Though some suspicious maneuvers and by alert for temporary duty. This means that Intermediate air field before landing in Viet exercises have been noted in the Army, we do they must be Within 10 minutes of a tele Nam, they violate the U.S.-Japanese secu not report large scale Army alerts or move phone. and must be prepared to leave on 4 rity treaty. Normally planes on such flights ments to this time. hour notice. OUr sources report their orders touch down at the Philippines. wlll be cut on the flight !lne as they leave. Source: Ruth, PCS, Tokyo, 269-5082. NAVY SUMMARY, APRIL 15, 1972 One active duty source says the men have Clark A.F.B., Philippines Left for Vietnam: been told that they w11l be leaVing anytime Air Cralt Carriers: 3 en route (Saratoga, after midnight, Friday. April 14. 1972. Tuesday, April 11, 1:00 A.M. The entire Midway, Oriskany); 2 already arrived (Kitty According to Steve Dilte of the "Liberated lUght line Is on alert, including support Hawk and Constellation). These are added to Barracks," between Tuesday and Wednes maintenance crews. Since Nixon's visit to the Ranger, the Coral Sea and the Hancock day, April 11 & 12, 3 men in the unit who China in February. qUite a few men have which were already there, which wlll make have specifically volunteered for temporary been sent to Taiwan on TDY. a total of 8 carriers when they all arrive, plus duty to a tropical cllmate (presumed to be Source: Dale, Angeles City. Ph1l1ppines, one Helicopter carrier which is already oft' Thalland) have "disappeared" according to phone 2888. Vietnam. Each has 4,500-4,700 men; 75-80 the active duty men in the unit who are our Travis A.F.B., Fairfield. Cal. planes. contacts. Cruisers: 3 (the Albany, the Newport News, Monday, April 10, 3 :00 P.M. Four squad Sources include Jim Walkly, an Air Force rons of C-14l's, totaling 130 planes, have and an unidentified cruiser from San Diego.) Veteran who served in the 548th. Jim says, These join the Oklahoma Oity, already olf left for unknown destination. Since these "The 548th has been one of the major units departures began on April 6, the number Vietnam. Cruisers carry 1000 men. plotting bombing attacks over North Viet Destroyers: 14 (Sarsfield, Stanley Mullen of C-14l's has been reduced to only 10 left nam throughout the war. I myself have on the base. The C-141 transport can !lft nix, Glennon, Wolfen, McCain, Summers, En plotted charts for bombing over Laos that gerthal. Brooke, Buckley, Hull, Davidson, 100 men or carry supplies. were cerrJed out. The plotting of targets for One clue to the unusual nature of flight Richard S. Edwards, unldentifled last from Hanoi and Haiphong that has been taking Pearl Harbor) joining a large fieet of destroy activity on the base was the sudden recall place since Thursday. AprU 3, is most ex of 2 planes loaded With ammunition thM ers already there. Each destroyer carries traordinary, because this has not been done, about 250 men. were all ready to take alI. The cargo was re to my knowledge, since President Johnson's moved from the planes, and they were sent Destroyer Escorts: 13* (·12 "Probably bombing halt." bound for S.E. Asia" from Pearl Harbor; plus oft' empty, presumably to pick up more im According to the Tuesday, April 11 Hick portant cargo elsewhere. the Roark from Subic Bay, PhUippines.) am Air Force Base Dally Bulletin. Col. Auxiliarte~: 1 (AE0-4 "Detroit" from One lleutenant commented, "Last Thurs Ernest Pate the commander of Hickam Air day evening this fiight line was full of planes Norfolk). Force Base left the base on temporary duty Total ships en route in current buildup: and by Friday they were all leaving." He assignment. Ray Langelier, of the "Liberated called this highly unusual. This break in 36 (counts Constellation & Kitty Hawk, al Barracks" says there was a meeting in the ready & 12 "probable" destroyer-arrived.) base theatre of 400 men going on temporary routine was confirmed by filght mechanics escorts from Pearl Harbor arrived. duty assignment to Thailand in the last few who said they were working 12 hour shUts Total planes on ships en route: 390. days. last week. Total men on ships en rQute: 32,500. Source: "Liberated Barracks" (809) 839 In addition, 20 C-5A's have left TraVis. On standby alert: 4855 Honolulu, Hawal!. This includes everyone on base that is op 1 crulEer, the Columbus, on alert in Nor- erable. The local maintenance squadron was folk, Va.-1,OOO men on it. AIR FORCE on alert for four days untll the planes had Naval totals involved in mUltary bulldup: Hickam A.FB., Hawaii all left. 37 ships, 390 planes, 33,500 men. Monday, April 10, 1:00 P.M. Although the Source: Katherine Robert, 707-437-3636 NaVal power oIT the coast of Vietnam base went off red alert several days ago, men and Nancy Hause 707-425-4955 or 422-0128. when all ships arrive: are st1ll working 12 hours at a time. A vigil Statistics 150 cargo planes left for un 8 carriers, 1 hellcopter carrier. 4 cruisers, of several airmen watching the runway has known destination numerous destroyers, at least 13 destroyer es detected unusually large numbers of KC Hamilton A.F.B., Novato, Cal. corts, at least one auxUlary. and an ammuni l35's taking off and landing. These four en tion ship (Mount Katanl). gine tankers are capable of refueling three Monday, April 10, 2:00 P.M. From several Hickam Alr Force Base, Hawaii, 4:00 a.m. jet fighters sImultaneously. Obviously a lot men en base it was learned that there have Est., Thursday. April 12, 1972, 9:00 p.m. Est.. of refue!lng is going on over this part of the been several unusual alerts. This small base FrIday, AprU 14, 1972. Pacific. of only 2000 men is located near San Fran The "Liberated Barracks" reports highly 300 men have been transferred to Japan. cisco. Airmen on emergency leave have sud- 13316 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE April 19, 1972 denly found it Impossible to get extensions The two squadrons, the 334th and 336th HawaUan Chain. These Marines have been of leave. normally have 24 aircraft. On Wednesday on notice since Wednesday, Aprll 5. Source: Alan MUler, Pacific Counseling the 335th squadron Is scheduleld to send out Statistics: 1,200 men on suspicious exer Servlce,415-479-5467 additional planes. No destination has been cises. lIfarch A.F.B., Cal. determined. 500 men have been deployed Source: Steve Dllts, "Liberated Barracks" with the 2 squadrons. Thursday airmen (808) 839-4855. This has been reliably con Sunday, Aprll 9, Saturday 200 men were boarded C-130's and G-141's with their firmed. suddenly shipped to Vlet-Nam. equipment. 50 of the 60 men in the avionics Monday, Aprll 10, 3:00 P.M. An undeter Camp Pendleton, Calil. section have been sent. The 7th Marine Regiment, stationed at mined number of B-52's and personnel have Source: Buddy Tiger, attorney, 919-485 departed for undisclosed destination. How Camp Pendleton, Is on alert for possible 5725 transfer to Indochina. Several units at Camp ever, at least three airmen who left last Statistics: 36 F-4 Phantoms (18 from each Wednesday have got word out that they are Pendleton are reported to have been brought of 2 squadrons) have left for unknown to full strength for the alert, which Is not in Thailand on TDY. These three men are destination, 1 additional squadron Is sched 1llght line mechanics, attached to the 33rd usually done during a practice alert. uled to leave Wednesday. 500 crewmen and Source: Terry Chrlstian, Los Angeles "Sup Communications Squadron. support personnel have departed. Source: Robert Ratford, "Shelter Half Cof port Our Soldiers" (213) 399-8697. From a re feehouse", 206-272-5227 Dover A.F.B., Del. port from an active duty Marine. Statistics: 200 airmen shipped to Indo Saturday, April 8. Last Thursday, April 6 Okinawa china, some of them to Thalland there was an unusual practice alert at which Monday, Aprll 10th, 5:00 I'M. The 3rd Norton A.F.B., Cal. the base commander made a rare appear Marine Division on Okinawa has been on ance. A group at the N.C.O. club were in Monday, Aprll 10 The 63rd M1l1tary Air alert since early Sunday for shlpment to formed that they could be sent to Viet-Nam. Vietnam. ThIS In!formation was received from Command Airlltt Unit Is the back-up alert Source: Fred Breukblman, 302~58-0597 force for Travis A.F.B. the mother of a man In the 3rd Marine Divi Source: Terry Christian, Los Angeles S.O.S., McGuire A.F.B., New Jersey sion, who talked With her son Sunday night. former member U.S. Special Forces, 213-399 Tuesday, April 11, 12:30 A.M., All flying Her son had called her because he was up 8697 squadrons (mostly transport) are on "lim set about being placed on standby for Viet Beale A.F.B., Marysville, Cal. ited crew rest" today, and must sign In and nam. The man is a member of H&S Co., H&S BN., Regiment COmmunications Center, 3rd Monday, Aprll 10, 9:30 P.M. 7 tactical re out of the base. Up untll recently, most of FSa-FMF PAC at Camp Butler. Okinawa. connaissance photography specialists have the filghts from this base have been to Eur ope. Now, however, 90 % of the tratllc has been Source: Mike Roache, Ad-Hoc Military been sent to Guam Friday night. Their job Buildup Committee, 67 Winthrop st., Cam Is to analyze photos of ground movements. to S.E. Asia with supplies and ammunition. Source: Lisa SchUler 609-723-4470 bridge, Mass. (617) 492-5570 Source: active duty personnel, does not Congressman Paul McCloskey (REP., Calif) want to be Identified. Plattsburgh A.F.B., New York has been contacted by at least three men Mather A.F.B., Cal. Aprll 10, 9:15 P.M. Crews for refueling from Okinawan Marine bases regarding this Monday, Aprll 10 This SAC balle Is on alert. KC-135's have been placed on alerts to be alert. There are 18 B-52 bombers, and 16 KG-135 ready to go to work at a moment's notice. It Statistics: One division (approx. 15,000 tankers, of which 6 B-52's and 4 KC-135's of Is felt that some of these men may be trans men) on alert for Vietnam. the 320th Bomb Wing are on alert. The unit ferred. Source: Lenny Splegle, Pacific Counseling Is manned by 120 men. Source: Chuck Harrison, Potsdam, N.Y. Service, Calif (415) 322-4664 Source: Tim McAfee, 707-425-4950, 422 315-265-8571,518-561-6842 Thursday, Aprll 13th, 6:00 PM. New Infor 0128, 437-3636 Westover A.F.B., Chicopee, Mass. mation on the story printed earlier: The man (a Marine) who contacted his mother Mountain Home A.F.B., Idaho Sunday, April 9, 10 B-52 crews and 11 KG and his Congressman regarding his pending Tuesday, April 11 There has been unusual 135 crews were sent to Guam, Okinawa, and Thailand on Thursday along With 310 per shipment to Vietnam has been Identified as cross-country fighter plane tratllc in the last Lance Corporal Edward Edewra. His mother, few days. Planes Include many F-4 Phantoms sonnel. Another 100 airmen, mostly plane Mrs. Barbara Allen of MountMnview, Calif. eqUipped for long distance travel. Three or crews, were being processed for shipment Saturday night and Sunday morning. An es (415) 964-1797 stated that her son said he four A-7 fighter bombers were sighted Sun "did not want to go to Vietnam" and this day landing, refueling and taking off. timated -10 to 15 B-52's and KC-135's left the base Sunday. feeling Is shared With many other Marines. For the past two months many airmen This In!formation has been confirmed after here have been getting orders to Vlet-Nam Wednesday, April 12, 4:00 P.M. Of the talking with his parents. and Thalland. A large proportion of these planes that left the base over the week-end, It has now been learned that 10 were B-52's Source: Mike Oliver, San Francisco Viet men work In radio, maintenance, and photo nam Veterans Against The War. (415) 861 Interpretation. and 4 were KG-135's. Only a skeleton force of the 99th Bomber Wing remains for Strategic 7700 Mike Roache, Ad-Hoc Military BUildup Source: Stan Richardson, "The Covered Committee, Cambridge, Mass. (617) 492 Wagon", 208-587-7474 Air Command defense of the U.S. ApprOXimately 400 to 500 personnel have 5570 McConnell A.F.B., Kansas left for Guam, Okinawa, and Thalland. These Confirmed Frlda.y, April 14.1:00 a.m. Up to Monday, Aprll 10, 70 to 90 F-I05 all men were aircraft crews and filght mainte 15,000 Marines of the 3d Marine Division on weather fighter bombers are scheduled to nance crews who make up "filght moblllty Okinawa are on alert. leave for Vlet-Nam In the next week. One teams". Unconfirmed reports Indicate some Source: Bill Marshall, 48 Davidson St., Viet squadron has left already. People on "mobil of these men were shipped via commercial nam Veterans Against the War, Detroit, Ity" are restricted to base. planes and "Air America" types. Mich. Source: "The Covered Wagon", 208-587 Source: Fred Miller, Westover Action Proj El Toro Marine Corps Air Station 7474 ect, 413-732-5880 Oflut A.F.B., Omaha, Nebr. Santa Ana, Calif., Tuesday, April 11, 2:00 Hanscom Field, Bedford, Mass. a.m. The Third Marine Air Wing has orders to Sunday, Aprll 9, all "mobility teams" 75% of personnel have been put on a Vietnam. This air wing has apprOXimately 80 (mechanics, aircraft maintenance personnel) "freeze list" indicating possible overseas aircraft. One squadron of photo reconnais have been on alert since saturday A.M. This transfer. This kind of freeze has not hap sance left this morning (Monday, April 10); base Is the headquarters of the Strategic AIr pened within the memory of either source, the remaining squadrons, all composed of Command. one of whom has been at the base 2 years. fighter bombers, were due to leave Monday Source: "The Covered Wagon", 208-587 Saturday, April 8, Toni Fl'ank Nelsser WSP afternoon. 7474 (617) 492-5670 Source: Kent Hudson, Center for Servlce Monday, Aprll 10, 6:00 P.M. The 55th Loring A.F.B., Caribou, Me. mens Rights, San Diego, Calif. (714) 263-4142 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing is the major or 239-2119. unit stlll on alert. Saturday, April 8, airmen have been noti Source: "The Covered 'Vagon." fied of possible transfer to Thalland on TDY. Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Shaw A.F.B., South Carolina The men InclUde B-52 support and main Confirmed Tuesday, April 11, 2:00 a.m. Ele tenance personnel. KC-135 tankers have been ments of the 2d Marine Division at Ca.mp Sunday, April 9. Since Saturday the entire landing, refueling, and departing In large Lejeune are on alert. These elements are com photo reconnaissance unit has been on alert numbers with little or no time on the posed of ground combat troops. The brass for overseas duty. ground. Active duty contacts on base have claim that this is normal. On this particular Monday, April 10, 6:00 P.M. The 62nd been reluctant to give any more details alert, members Involved had participated in Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, the since Sunday. one just the week before. major unit of the base, Is stlll on alert. MARINE CORPS Source: Matt Renauldl, USSF (212 934 Source: Tom SpaUlding, "The Covered 8032. Wagon", 208-587-7474 Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Air Station, Hawaii ARMY Seymour Johnson A.F.B., Goldsboro, N.C. Monday, April 10, 6:00 PM. Twelve hun Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 82d Airborne Tuesday, April 11, 12: 15 A.M. 18 F-4 dred (1,200) Marines are leaving on an am Division Phantom jets from each of 2 squadrons phibious exercise, reportedly to be under Monday, Aprl110, 5:00 p.m. Through Infor deployed for S.E. Asia earlier this week, taken on one of the other islands in the mation obtained from an enlISted man at Fort April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 13317 Bragg, 82d Aviation Battalion, 82d Airborne Source: Kent HUdson, Center for service from a notice posted on the flight line on Division, it was learned that they had been men's Rights. San Diego, 7H-263-4142. Feb. 7, 1972, and is stlll in elIect... , "Ev called back to the base by 5:00 p.m. Sunday, Pearl Harbor, Hawail-A squadron of 3 eryone is on alert. This includes the Phase, Aprll 9, to go to the field with Special Forces destroyers inciuding the USS Richard S. Ed Flight Line, Recovery teams and Supervisors. elements for field exercises. wards, the USS Davidson. and a third, left Supervisors will accompany all filghts and This is unusual, due to the fact that they've Pearl Harbor on Monday, April 10, to join tcam.s. Everyone should make arrangements recently returned from the field and weren't the carrier Midway on its route to Vietnam. for their dependents before going TDY." due to go back. 12 destroyers escorts also left With the de A letter was received by our source from During the maneuver exercises artlllery stroyers, and these are "probably bound for a man on board the carrier "Coral Sea", stat elements went into heavy drllls and all South East Asia" to quote the Associated ing that the ship is schedUled to arrive in battlefield gear was thoroughly examined. It Press. Sublc Bay on or about April 18, 1972. It is has been indicated that the men in this unit Source: Steve Diltxs, the "Liberated Bar suspected that the Coral sea may have been expect transfer to Southeast Asia. racks," Honolulu, 808-839-4855. hit, along with several other ships. More Source: Mike Buckley, 67 Winthrop St., Subic Bay, Philippines-On Easter Sunday, information on this w1I1 follow. Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Cam the attack carrier "Kitty Hawk" cut short Several C-130's at Clark A.F.B. were sup bridge, Mass. (617) 492-5570. her normal port call at Subic Bay, Phlllp pOSed to be returning to the U.S. from a tour Paul eoursetti, reporter for Record Amer pines in such haste that 300 men were left in Vietnam, but their orders were canceled ican, confirmed this report, stating that a behind. The ship was supposed to stay at about 2 weeks ago and they are being sent friend of his, a captain in the Army at Fort port In SUbic Bay for three to four days. back to Nam. At least 15 of these planes have Bragg, N.C., is on standby. but received urgent orders to return to sta returned to Nam in the last 2 weeks. (these Yokusuka, Japan-Approximately on tion of the Vietnam cost. Also at Subic Bay, planes have computerized guns on them, so Easter Sunday the attack carrier Constella the destroyer escort USS Roard (DEI053) they are capable of finding and destroying tion was in Yokusuka harbor. It had just was given emergency orders to leave for anti-aircraft art111ery, etc.) come from Vietnam and was due to come Vietnam, and left. There have been several C-5A's fiylng from back to the U.S. However, on approximately Sources: Kent Hudson Center for Service Subic Bay to Indochina. This is unusual Aprll 2 or 3 the Constellation left Japan to men's Rights, San Diego (714) 263-4142; because the planes are Air Force, and Subia return to Vietnam. Dale, Angeles City, Ph1l1ppines, phone: 2888 Bay is Navy. It is suspected that these planes Source: Dale, Angeles City, Ph1l1ppines. (Ph111ppines) . are carrying ammunition to Vietnam. Phone: 2888 (Ph1l1ppines). Navy statistics, 6 p.m. EST, Friday, April 14. Korea has been sending several F-4's to USS Midway, update 2 AM Friday. 1972 Indochina via Clark A.F.B. At least 2 squad USS Midway left without Its full crew. rons (about 40 planes) have come through It is reported that men are being fiown to CVA Ranger, CVA Coral Sea #, CVA Con stellation, CVA Hancock, CVA Kitty Hawk, so far. Korea has been supplying numerous the Midway. South China Sea. fighter bombers to Indochina, in the last few John Powers took sanctuary in Berkele~', weeks. Calli. He was greeted by the mayor and CVA Midwest #, CVA Oriskany, West Coast, CVA Saratoga, East Coast, heading for South Clark A.F.B. has been sending numerous promised support. maintenance men to Vietnam in the past few He then turned himself in with a CO Sea and Tonkin Gulf. CVA Ticonderoga, in Hawall waiting for weeks. application and was fiown to the Midway. SUBIC BAY-CUBI POINT Source: PCS, Oakland Calif. (TOM) (415) the Apollo shot Sunday. CVA JFK, CVA FDR #, both in Mediter The Naval Magazine, who's function is to 836-1039. ranean. Mayport and Jacksonville, Fla.-The U.S.S. make and store ammunition, has become ex saratoga (aircraft carrier) left Tuesday CVA America, ending refit in Norfolk. tremely busy in the last few weeks. (It is morning, Aprll 11, 1972 for an unexpected 8 CVA Enterprise, drydock in San Francisco, suspected, but not yet confirmed that they nuclear carrier. month deployment 01I the Vietnam coast. specialIze in ground ammunition.) Two squadrons of jet fighters from Cecll Field CVA Forrestal, drydock in Norfolk. Clark A.F.B. has sent at least 200 Air Po (Jacksonv11le, Fla.) joined the ship. The CVS Independence *, CVS Intrepid *, anti lice to Da Nang. Saratoga had formerly been schedUled to submarine carriers, whereabouts unknown. It has been reported that most or all of leave for the Mediterranean Sea May 1. 4700 IPH Guam, IPM Iwo Jima, total. heUcopter the ground troops presently in Vietnam have sailors, 80 planes involved, including 50 at carriers, each with marine landing battalion had homecoming orders either canceled or tack jets. aboard, one 01I Nam. extended. The Aircraft carrier was accompanied by Classes of carriers, Forrestal class (fairly Source: Dale Hobbitt, Pacific Counc11lng the USS Albany, a Guided Missile cruiser. new) carries 80 planes, 4,700 men, including Service, PhiUppines, Angeles City. Tele: 2888. Constellation, Ranger, Saratoga, TIconderoga, Lieutenant David Eisenhower is aboard the Forrestal. Communications Department of the "Al QUONSET POINT, R.I., bany". Also With the Saratoga from Jackson Essex class, carries 75 planes-4,500 men, April 17, 1972. v1l1e, Fla., are the destroyers .USS Sarsfield inclUding Oriskany, Hancock, Independence, The USS Nitro, an ammunition ship docked and USS Stanley. The cruiser carries 1,000 Intrepid. at Quonset Point, R.I., w1Il sail Wednesday, men; the destroyers carry 250 men each. Coral Sea class, carries aircraft-4,500 men, April 19th, to Earl Ammunition Depot in Norfolk Naval Base, Va.-The USS Mullen including FDR, Midway, Coral Sea. New Jersey to load munitions before salllng nix and the USS Glennon, both destroyers, Cruisers CA (1,000 men). to an "unknown destination". crew members left Norfolk on Tuesday, April 11, 1972, to join Oklahoma Clty-off Nam, has been long believe ship Is headed for waters olI Vietnam. the Saratoga on the way to the coasts of Viet time. A long schedUled crUise to the Mediterranean Nam. The Newport News, a second fieet fiag Albany-With Saratoga on way to Nam has been cancelled. ship-heavy cruiser with 8 Inch guns, the from Mayport, Fla. 55 out of 120 men of the crew have com most powerful shore bombardment cruIser Newport News-Heavy cruiser (8" guns) plained to Congo Hastings Keith (Mass.) of the Navy has, is also on its way to Viet Nam on way to Nam from Norfolk, Va. excessive dr11l during past three months at this week, from Norfolk. Also en route for Unidentified cruiser-From San Diego on tributed to the new Captains desire to make Viet Nam is the Aux11lary ship AE0-4 way to Nam. rank, according to reliable sources. "Detroit" from Norfolk. The aux11lary ship Columbus-on alert in Norfolk. Sources report that gripe letters from crew carries 300 men. Stlll on alert at Norfolk Destroyers DD (250 men). have been sUpped under the cabin doors of is the Guided Mlsslle Cruiser Columbus. Wolfen, McCain, Summers, Engerthal, the captain and the Executive Officer. The Source: David Jones, G.I. Office, Norfolk, Brooke, Buckley, HUll, from San Diego to news of departure has inflamed feelings Va. (703) 625-0802 (212) 924-8032 Vietnam. among the members of the crew. Alameda, aali/.-The USB Midway (aIrcraft Mullennlx, Glennon, from Norfolk to Nam. 20 of the crew members reported that they carrier) left Alameda Calif. Monday Morn Sarsfield, Stanley, from Mayport to Nam, are considering jumping ship and yet an ing, April 10, 1972, for Vietnam, at least a Davidson, Richard S. Edwards, Unidenti- other member has contacted the Legal-In month ahead of schedUle. It carried 4,500 fied 3rd, from Pearl Harbor to Nam. Service Project in Cambridge indicating in sailors, 75 planes (these were armed with Page, Rush, Cecil, Fox, whereabouts un- tentions of "committing SUicide", according nuclear weapons, as is standard on this ship), known. to rellable sources. and 200 marines, some 50 to guard the bombs. Destroyer escorts (200 men) DE: The USS Nitro normally is associated With Source: Kent Hudson, Center for Service Roark from Subic Bay to Nam. the USS Saratoga which also has recently men's Rights, San Diego, Calif; (714) 263 12 DE's from Pearl Harbor to quote AP cancelled it's cruise to the Mediterranean 4142 or 239-2119 "probably bound for S.E, Asia." in order to report to the waters olI Vietnam. San Diego-Long Beach, aali/.-The Air Aux111aries: Source of Information: George Stein ad Craft Carrier Oriskany left San Diego on AE0-4 "Detroit" from Norfolk to Nam. hoc m11ltary bUild-Up committee. Monday, and Reuters reported it is going to "Ammunition ship "Mount Ra.taai"-now the Tonkin Gulf. Also leaving San Diego and olINam. stopping at Long Beach presumably en route Clark A.F.B.• Philippines 7:30 P.M. (EST) INTERVIEW WrrH JIM WALKLEY, PHOTO INTEL- for the Tonkln Gulf are the guided misslle Sun., April, 16. The folloWing is an excerpt LIGENCE ANALYST, HONOLULU. HAWAII, destroyers, Wol!en, McCain, Summers, Enger MARCH 19, 1972 thal, Brooke, Buckley, and Hull, and an un *01d Carriers Essex Cla.ss # also old Mid (NoTE.-Jim Walkley served in the United identified cruiser. way class. States Air Force from 1967 through 1971. 13318 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 After lnitial training, he was sent to Udorn Q. Does this go for southern Laos also, Q. In terms of ll.Ccuracy-- Air Force base as a photo interpretor for that you saw bombed-out vUlages? A. That's What we were told. The reports most of 1968. WhUe there, he analyzed phOtos A. Yes, most of the ones I saw whUe I was were too bad. So we did not know many prtmarlly from the Steel Tiger bombing cam in ThaUand were in southern lAws. North yards from the target they missed, that type paign in southern Laos. From nearly 1969 Vietnam at that time was pretty well devoid of thing. until his discharge in early 1971 he served of any vU!ages that might have existed at Q. Did you ever actually see any people? as a photo intelllgence analyst at Hickham one time. A. No, with the stU! photography, I really AIr Force Base in Hawaii. Working out of the Q. Of the 50 or 60 vlllages that you saw couldn't see anything. Well, I saw a couple central command for the Pacific Air Forces bombed out, what percentage would be dead water buffalo. I remember that. And I (PACAF), Walkley prepared written sum southern Laos and what percentage would think I did see one body but I COUldn't iden maries of dally bombing activities in Barrel be northern lAws? t1!y it positively, it looked like it to me- Roll In northern Laos, for General Nazzara, A. We didn't fly that much over northern but I really don't know. Most of your body the head of PACAF, and Admiral McCain of Laos, at least the planes that I reconned, count was from the FACs who reported back CINCPAC. This was done by comparlng but I'd say about 70% that I saw while I was immediately after the strike. They'd report photography with reports written by pUots in Thailand was southern Laos. things llke secondary fire explOSiOns, damage of light observation planes, bombers, and Q. And 30% in northern Laos? assessment. Ea.sy stUff to do. command and control ships. A. Yes, about. Q. Were you aware of any rules of engage (His testimony is the most complete to Q. Have you ever flown out over Laos ment at that time? yet emerge on the nature of the bombing yourself? A. At that time, no, I wasn't. in Laos.) A. No, I haven't. Q. Did you ever seen any evidence to be Q. So basically you were there for all of Q. How many of these 50 or 60 vlllages Ueve that pUots were forbidden to strike '69 and all of '70 at Hlckham; and then did you see before when they were in good within 500 yards of a vUlage that was in one year before that at Udorn-that was your shape and then after when they were habited? combat experience. bombed out? A. At that time, I didn't, no. Later on, A. Yes, more or less. A. We had pre-strike photos about a third but not then. Q. You were in exactly four years. How of the time, that's all, then they'd pull a Q. You did later on. old are you now? strike. It's kind of hard cause the pilots had A. Well, I read some correspondence from A. 24. 111 be 25 next month. to hang around, that kind of thing. The Vientlene when I was at Hickam in '70 Q. SO you've been out a year. What did Airborne Command Post was --- us up sometime, it may have been after those in you do at Udorn? all the time when they were there. So the vestigations you referred to forbidding to A. I was a photo interpretor for the 11th planes would get delayed, tha.t type of thing. strike Within 500 yards without previous ap tactical reconnaissance squadron. Q. Did you get any insights into the proval of the Ambassador. Q. And the 432nd also? targeting process?-Like who would target Q. But you say that only came in later. A. And the 432nd. Well, the 432nd was spilt them? A. I hadn't seen it before that. Everybody between the ltlh and the 14th and became A. At that time I had very llttle knowledge passed it around-so I guess that it must a separate unit later on. of how they were targeted while I was at have been new. But I'm not sure. I couldn't Q. So you were really with the 11th then. Udorn. I knew basically that the 42nd did. say. A. Right, most of the time. Well, I rewrote immediate reports and we Q. If you would testify and you would Q. When you were photo interpreting that sent them out 4 days after-they wrote sup say well, I took BDA on 60 separate vUlages, year did you Just do Barrel Roll or Steel plementary reports. I wrote IPIRs, basically. then they might ask how do you know the Tiger also? [Note: IPIR=Immediate Photo Intelllgence people didn't just leave and there were N. A. We did both of them. Most of the re ReportI and they wrote SUPIRs. Then Vietnamese Hving In them at the time they connaissance we did there that year was they'd send the film all over. Of course, they were bombed. , Steel Tiger. But later on that year I did had a command center at Udom. And I used A. Well basically because the North Viet the last mission ever over North Vietnam, to run messages down there all the time like namese didn't llve in Laos, Laotians llved in over the Hanoi area, and then did some immediate reports. in particular-where we Laos-the ones that were left after the refu reconnalssance of the southern part of had to fl~h down when we found a bull gees came out. I saw a couple of vUlages North Vietnam below the 18th parallel but dozer, a truck or road construction crew. bombed by B52s but most of them were by then most of it was Steel Tiger with some Road construction crews they were heavy F4s. Barrell Roll. Like over the Plain of Jars onto. They'd send somebody to see 1! it was Q. You've seen villages hit by B52s? area. It was mostly route searches, that stlll there, which, of course, it usually A. Yes, a couple. In Steel Tiger. type of thing-as a rule. But some times wasn't. It was gone by the time we got Q. Not in Barrel Roll? there was Bomb Damage Assessment--type there. A. One time. When they flrst started using photography. Q. What percentage of the strikes were B52s in Barrel Roll they did hit a vlllage, I Q. What first-hand knowledge for that based on FAC hItell, what percentage were remember. It was either in '69 or '70 when year have you bombed-out vlllages? based on phOto interpretation intelllgence, they first started using B52s. They hit a vil A. Several times they came back with what percentage were based on sensors and lage near Xieng Khouangv1lle. But basically bomb damage-With BDA phOtos of vlllages stuff like that? they used the B52s against the routes, you that were bombed or burning, usually burn A. At that time? Well, I found out that know off route 7-south, southwest. That's ing. In the Plain of Jars, they had an old most of it's controlled by ABCCC. I think the only place I knew at that time that they derellct truck park, I remember, they FAC intell accounts for maybe 40-45% of it, used B52s. It was a very sneaky type thing bombed out a vlllage near Ban Ban, Just maybe more. Like 1! a Tiger FAC was flying because they were too close to Vinh airfield, below one of the trails on route 7 that they around North Vietnam and sees something, and they were afraid of MIGs. And it would Wiped out, during the-I can't remember he can call in. I don't really know. But I'd be a big psychological blow if the MIGs shot the seasons nOW-but just the beginning of say the Tiger FAC reports which I saw every down a B52. They always had all sorts of the dry season when they started sup day were pretty fUll, so they'd account for a escort support, you know. pUes in, this type of thing-that they hit large amount of them. Q. Let's switch to Hickam-so how did the vlllage, as they usually hit vlllages as Q. The Tiger FACs were only for North your life change when you went to Hickam suspected enemy locations, or suspected Vietnam? in terms of your work? truck parks or suspected storage areas, that A. At that time. There were also Raven A. I was n.sslgned to the target informa type of thing. FACs elsewhere. To develop new targets, tion branch in the directorate of targets. Q. How many vlllages or structures would usually stationary or long-term targets like These are people who are supposedly held re you say you've seen burning or destroyed? villages or supply depots, that type of thing, sponsible for developing new targets and A. That's very hard to say. Whlle I was they could wait to bomb, but things like contingency planning. Everything goes on in in Thailand, I estimate 50 or 60 vlllages, trucks, are basically what the FACs took that little bUilding. After about 6 months anyhow. care of-vehicles, troop locations-that type they told me I was a Barrel Roll expert. I was Q. Really? of thing-but I don't know any percentages. supposed to know everything that was hap A. Yes. But a lot of them were repeated Q. Well, these IPffis that you would do pening in Barrel Roll. I wrote monthly re attacks on the same vlllage. that wouldn't be BDA, they'd be before the ports on activity in Barrel Roll: BDA, number Q. Do you have any way of knowing bombing strlkeor would It be after the of bodies, number of secondary explosions, whether these vlllages were inhabited at the bombing strike? secondary fires, which went out to all the the time they were struck? A. It could be both. Usually, on the same different subordinate commands. And I did A. A lot of times you could tell-like If mission, we'd have pre-strike and post work ana Southeast Asia air operations they were in good repair-this type of thing. strike everyday and you'd write an IPIR on briefing for Admiral McCain twice a month. Right after rainy season then you would the BDA. Just an immediate report--where And I did a dally briefing for General Naz have to assume that they were inhabited. A something might be added later on. Also we zaro. who was at that time PACAF Comman lot of them were-by this evidence. I could were supposed to judge the accuracy-at der. not say for a fact. I was in TllaUand and I first-then after, we'd cut that out (judging Q. A daily briefing? didn't have the background data on these accuracy) because the reports were looking A. Yes, I didn't do the entire thing, I just vlllages. pretty bad. worked on portions of It. Barrel Roll por- April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 13319 tlons. Wrote up reports the night before of photos of bombed vlllages for the briefings. beavily bombed places. Since our basic job the day's explosions. They never picked any pictures tbat actUally was preparing briefings, they'd make com Q. Have you ever talked to any of these showed a missed target. parisons between tbls date and tbat date and men? Q. During your two years at Hickam-bow the condition of It. And also, for example, A. No, they were always written. The ofll many bombed-out vlllages did you see? just after Muon Soui was overrun they had cers did the oral briefings. A. I saw about 100, I guess. One of the photos of bloWing up their own supplIes, Q. Seems to me they'd have a pretty hard reasons I knew it was a bombed out vlllage that type of tbing. time to shake your testimony if your brief a lot of the time was that it always came in Q. Can you name the vlllages tbat you ings ·were good enough for General Nazzara. on the Op. Rep. 4. The majority of tbe time know have been bombed? A. I was complimented several times for my as a suspected enemy location or suspected A. I wisb I could, but I can't. I don't know. good write-ups. It's a report that goes out to storage area. At tbat time tbey had just They weren't ever named in any report as all thf' different commands. It's called the started route 19,-tbat's nortbern, up to vlllages. Except the bombing of Ban Ban. PACAF Air Summary [Note: Pacific Air wards the China border-they had just And I don't think Ban Ban was occupied. Not Force) or something like that. I can't re started bombing pretty beavy, knocked out tbat I know of, anyway. member now. But I should mention that I a couple of road construction teams, which Q. I'm sure It was at the time-'67, '68 was kicked out of my ofllce later on as a are made up of clvlllans-I don't know If anyway. When was It bombed? security risk. It was In June of '70 because that's relevant or not. Tbere is also a river, A. First time I saw it bombed was In '69. they felt that :uy views on the Vietnam war wblcb I can't remember the name of, my Tbe only area I knew they couldn't bomb were contrary to the best Interest of the Air memory Is getting pretty 'Jad, every once in was around Sam Neua. Tbey only bombed Force. awhile tbey'd spot a sampan on It and blow that to my knowledge one time. I wasn't Q. You said you were E4. Is that equiva It out of the water. And tbere were vlllages looking specifically, tbough. They may bave lent to a sergeant? along the river also, of wb1cb several were bombed it more. A. Yes. I also went through a court-mar destroyed. I've only Leen 3 vlllages targeted Q. Well, all these people who visited It and tial for uttering statements disloyal to the as enemy vlllages or enemy location, and most took pictures and everything say it was com United States, for promotln!; disaffection and of them were like suspected storage areas, pletely destroyed. When was the last time disloyalty, and so on. And I was acquitted. that type of thIng. I saw one hospital bombed, you looked at pictures of Sam Neua? The reason I was removed from the ofllce that's all. A. '69, I guess. was part of the InvestLgation. So that [ac Q. Did tbey admit it was a hospItal on the Q. At that time there wasn't that much cusations against the charge) could be wiped thing? bombed? out, because I was acquitted of the charge. A. Yes. But they had command post/bos A. Well, we never had the town Itself. We I read reports--secret reports--statements pital. I believe tbat was near Xleng Kbouang usually had tbe outskirts, looking for things made by captured prisoners. ville. It was In a cave. They used Rockeye lIke POL drums, that kind of stulr. Q. Really, in which tbey said their vil missiles and tben CBUs. Q. SO you didn't see the town Itself? lages had been bombed? Q. This was at Hickam. Do you remember A. I never saw tbe town. I read a report A. I read two where they said their vil when tbat was? wbere It was bombed one time. I tblnk the lages were l'ombed. The U.S. made an official A. I think it was April, '70. I'm not com basic reason It was bombed was because it apology, they sald. pletely sure. was supposed to be a P.O.W. camp. At least Q. These must have been friendly vlllages Q. Let's get back for a second on what ex tbat's tbe reason I beard tbat it was sup that were bvmbed. actly you would do. D!d you read PAC posed to be bombed. A. Yes, usually It was Vang Pao who found reports? Q. What kind of reports bave you read out about it first--guerrilla Vang Pao. A. Yes. tbat allude to tbe bombing of vIllages? Q. What did you do for the first six months Q. All the Op. Rep. 4s? A. Op Rep. 4s. Some ground reports from at Hickam? A. Yes. POWs. A. My first six months at Hickam were Q. And wbat else? Q. Wbat would tbey say exactly? spent in trainlng-I just worked along With A. ABCCC reports. A. Like a guy would say tbey were most other people. They shifted the ofllce around Q. Wbat are Op. Rep. 4s? scared of the B52s--thls was In southern several times. There was one group of people A. Pilots. Or the debriefing officer at times. Laos-because wben they came over they that used to keep track of sensors, then there Depends. wouldn't hear anytbing. All tbey'd hear Is was a group of people wbo would keep all Q. The FAC would write it or the actual F4 explosions around tbelr vlllage. That type the Information. That's what I did. Read all pilot? of thing. A lot of times It was captured pris the FAC reports, all ABCCC reports, read all A. The F4 phantom pilot. oners. But prisoners were usually Laotians the Op. Rep. 45 (Note: Operational Reports) Q. How could they write It? Wbat would who bad been captured or who bad been that came in. CorrE-late photography with they know? hired as porters or wbatever. reports, that type of thIng. I should tell you A. Secondary fire explosions, body counts Q. You say there weren't tbat many N. about the brIefing procedures--that's really and put down what munitions tbey used, put Vietnamese. How do you know tbat? interesting. Particularly on the'SE. OPs brief down the target, what It was and directed by A. I don't. That's just an assumption. Ing, as It was called. Whicb was the one going FAC or directed by ABCCC, or target oppor Q. You wouldn't be able to say then that to McCain from there It went hlgber up. I tunity, or type of target It was. We would Sarvaune had been wiped out. usually wrote exactly what was happening, as also do Op. Rep. 4s for Navy and MarIne A. Oh, I know it has. They had just started mucb as I COUld. Like, "the Chinese road con planes. CBUs were used against vl1lages, by bombing Sarvaune just wben I got kicked structIon has gone this far." "the Pathet Lao tbe way. out of tbe ofllce. F4s basically. This Is when now hold thls much areau-ThIs type of Q. You're sure of tbat? Sarvaune was under siege. thing-and body count. Well It tben went to A. Yes. Q. Did you see them bomb Sarvaune it another ofllcer in another ofllce and he'd Q. SO if some:ne, say a conGressman, could self, or just outside. change It to make It sound just a llttle bit get a hold of the Op. Rep. 4 reports, be could A. I read of It bombed once. It was a FAC better and then after that It went straight read where CBUs were used agaInst a sus report. They concentrated an awful lot of to the head of the Director of Targets wbo pected enemy location, or something? planes in tbere one day. changed It to make it sound a little bit bet A. Most likely, but It would be very hard Q. So you didn't bave the actual target ter and then went to tbe zero who really to correlate that With a photograpb tbougb, folders In your ofllce. You just got the FAC didn't llke to hear anything unfavorable at which Is tbe only way you could prove It was reports, Op Rep 45, and ABCCC reports? all, so he either threw it out completely or a Village. A. We bad some target folders, but most have us rewrite the entire thing. It covers all Q. Wby, don't tbey have target folders of them were like targets that were bombed of N. Vietnam, all of southern Laos, all of with photograpbs of all the vlllages? all the time. Like the big truck parks and northern Laos--operations In all the areas. A. Yes. The FAC would relay tbe Info to the big pass areas--the river routes. Routes He usually modified the Barrel Roll most- the ABCCC and tell tbem to send two planes 6 and "! seem to be wbere most of the bomb or maybe because I was more directly In to bomb tbls village. ABCCC would give tbem Ing was concentrated-In Barrel Roll. And volved in it. It seemed llke he modified tbat tbe coordinates of it and hit it. It probably also It was pretty concentrated on the Plaln more than anytblng else. But anyway, then would be in tbe target folder because it of Jars during tbe part of tbe year when the usually McCain, before It went any hlgber, seems tbat they targeted every square Inch Pathet Lao and North VIetnamese were would cbange It someWhat toe. So at tbe end of all the country. around, go In and use the route. you have a briefing that says nothing ex Q. You say they targeted every square Inch Q. The people say we bombed It all the cept that we're WinnIng the war, which Is of Laos? time-day and night. usually a fallacy. A. It seems llke it, yes. They bad three A. Oh yeab. After they put the sensors in Q. You don't have ay documentary proof booklets, computer-run type tbings, about so Barrel Roll, they started hitting it more like photograpbB, old reports ...? thick-of dIlrerent targets. So that's a lot. often. A. No. I bad some good stulr in my desk Q. I understoed they had files With sepa Q. When did they put sensors in Barrel just before I got kicked out of tbe ofllce but rate folders for eacb separate target: before, Roll? tbey contiscated It all. Tbls stulr Is very bard during and after. A. I'm not really sure, I thInk it was early to get ahold of. The photos they picked were A. They have that type of thing but they '70 that they put the sensors in Barrel Roll. always of destroyed trucks, burning supplles, didn't have that in our ofllce. I had spec11lc Q. You say put ••. this kind of thing. They didn't pick any targets like Mu Gia pass, Bon Korial pass, tbe A. -- prevent civilian casu Mr. MARLEY. I don't beHeve it Is, your to see if the witness was aware of any decep alties, It will not be struck."-Asst. Secy. of Honor, In that he referred to the strife tion on our side as well. Defense Doolin, Kennedy subcommittee, May, reports In his cross examination and was The COURT. You may ask the question, but 1970. trying to insinuate that they were only Hrn1t yourself to what was asked on cross 4. "The air strikes have been carefully hearsay. subject matter of the cross. controlled ... we ef;tabllshed ... very clear The COURT. I'll permit the question, other (By Mr. WITECK). Is it also true that rules that put villages or any Inhabited place wise, you may be repeating something that's from your knOWledge that, perhaps our forces out of bounds to U.S. air actlvltles."-Sul already been answered. I'm not certain- or our government's been guilty of deception lIvan, Kennedy SUbcommittee, May 1970. Mr. MARLEY. I'm just re-establishing. or ruse? 5. "The policy of the U.S. is deliberately to A. They carne from the pilots themselves A. Yes. avoid hitting inhabited villages.... I know the ones who saw what they were attacking. Mr. WEIGHT. I object to the nature of the of no village that has been destroyed [to Q. (By Mr. Marley) And after you came question, your Honor. He's suggesting an deprive the enemy of food and helpj." into contact with them, did you work only swers to the witness. Sulllvan, Kennedy subcommittee, April. 1971 where did they go through? The COURT. The answer was In before the 6. "While I was in Laos from Sept. 6, 1968 A. The reports went next-they went to objection. to Feb, 19, 1971, I do not know of a single CINCPAC, which is the Commander In Chief Mr. WEIGHT. I move to strike. incident of indiscriminate bombing of any of the Pacific. After that it went to Wash The COURT. Well, I can't strike because vl11ages."-Bomblng Officer Archer, Congres ington, D.C. at the Pentagon. the question was leading, Mr. Weight. But sional Record, July 12, 1971. Q. And were you In any-did you have any avoid leading questions. Leading questions 7. "I am prepared to state under oath that involvement in writing the actual reports are questions where you suggest the answer ever since I have been In Laos (JUly, 1969), that went to CINCPAC? and all the witness has to say is yes or this mission and U.S. All' Force have done A. I wrote briefings, yes, and reports. no. everything possible to avoid any bombing of Q. So whatever you saw was the same in Q. (By Mr. WITECK). Tl,1e Prosecutor sug Inhabited villages or even isolated dwellings formation that the President of the United gested that, or has asked why-how effec in Laos."-Present Ambassador Godley, Con States saw. tlve--what would you do for an effective gressional Record, July 12, 1971. A. Yes, it was. action at Honeywell, or something to this 8. "I know I didn't indiscriminately bomb Mr. MARLEY. No further questions. effect. Why do you think staying at Honey civilians, I know my pilots dldn't-I stake Mr. WEIGHT. Your Honor, I'd kind of Hke well past the closing hours could bean my professional reputation on it. I remem to move to strike that. I don't think that effective step, or why was it? . ber the village of Sam Naus ... which we conclusion can be drawn from what the A. Well, we had a legal right to remaln in were forbidden to hit In 1965. We were for witness said. Honeywell. bidden from hitting It even when we re The COURT. Ladles and gentlemen of the Mr. WEIGHT. Objection to that conclusion, ceived fire from the village...."-Brlg. Gen. jury, you w111 disregard the last question and your Honor. That is a question for the jury. Daniel James, Congressional Record, JUly' 12, answer. Mr. WITECK. This is a statement of the 1971. Mr. MARLEY. Are we allowed-- state of mind. 9. "We have continued to conduct all' The COURT. You may argue If you wish to, The COURT. Let me instruct the jury. The operations. Our first priority ... Is the but you can't tell Whether the President witness may testify as to his understanding Ho Chi Minh Trail. ... In addition we reads something. of the law. so that the jury may have the have continued to carry out reconnaissance Mr. MARLEY. He can see from the channels proper criteria of jUdging the witness' state fiights in northern Laos and to fiy combat where it was going. He said it went- of mind at the time of the action. But the support missions for Laotian forces. " The COURT. I think he made his point. law wlll be given to you by the Court at Richard Nixon, March 6, 1970. It went through channels. I just sustained the conclusion of this case. But you may YES the objection and struck the one about the consider what the defendant thought the law President. was, whether or not he had any Intent re 1. "By 1968 the Intensity of the bombing Mrs. JOHNSON. I think this is a perfectly qUired by the law to do something wrong. was such that no organized life was possible reasonable question and answer. Q. (By Mr. WITECK). In your mind what In the villages ... in 1969 ... the jet planes The COURT. I have already made up my was this lawful right? came daily and destroyed all stationary mind. We could argue, you know, some of A. It was under our Constitutional Law structures ... the villagers lived in trenches these points of law, but that one was pretty Article 6 of the Constitution, which says, and holes or In caves ... bombings were basically, that treaties are the supreme law aimed at the systematic destruction of the firm to me. material basis of the clvlllan society."-U.N, FURTHER REDIRECT EXAMINATION of the land and all states and all judges in all states are bound to uphold them. The advisor Georges Chapalier, "Plain of Jars By Mr. WITECK: Nuremberg decision, the Geneva Convention, Social Changes Under Five Years of Pathet Q. Many of your superiors you reported the Hague Convention, which I'm not fa Lao Administration." to, did they aiso fiy missions in Laos? miliar with the definite articles, I believe, 2. "The bombing is clearly the most com A. Yes, some did. give the private citizen a right when he pelling reason for moving-95 percent of the Q. Some did and-- sees war crimes being committed to attempt respondents indicated their v11lage had been A. Some were just administrative officers. to stop them. bombed, 49 percent could not count the Q. number of times; 68 percent had seen some Speaking of ruses-this particular hos- Q. And so your remaining at Honeywell pital you said was struck-how was it tar was an attempt to do this? one Injured and 61 percent had seen a per geted? A. Yes, it was. son k1l1ed."-Unlted States InformatIon A. It was targeted as a hospital. Mr. WITECK. No further questions. Survey of 200 villages from Plain of Jars. Q. And after it was struck? The COURT. Any further redirect exam- 3. "The United States has undertaken •.. A. As a hospital. ination? Any recross, Mr. Weight? a. large-scale air war over Laos to destroy Q. There was no change. even after the Mr. WEIGHT. None, your Honor. the physical and social infrastructure of strike was reported and analyzed, it was st111 The COURT. You may step down. Pathet Lao areas ... throughout all this reported as a strike on a hospital. Is that (Whereupon witness excused at 3:25 p.m.) there has been a policy of secrecy.... The correct? bombing has taken and Is taking a heavy A. Originally, yes. Now that I remember, I HAVE VILLAGES BEEN BOMBED IN LAos? toll among civllians."-8taff report, Kennedy had forgotten about the report. It was subcommittee, September. 1970. changed to a structure when it went to NO 4. "There are plenty of incidents known to higher headquarters, since we're not supposed 1. "The United States Air Force contribu American civilian employees who have been to be bombing hospitals. tion was limited to striking at the logistic in Laos for some years in which civil1an Q. And speaking of ruses and deceptions, routes, or ... allied choke points or at points targets have been bombed."--8taff report, do you have an information, to your knowl of concentration that fed Into the area where Senate Foreigx: Relations Committee, April. edge, is the Gulf of Tonkin incident a valid the actual ground battling was taking 1971. and accurate report? place ..• it was the policy not to attack 5. "Refugee testimony was unanimous in A. No, It was not. popUlated areas."-Former Ambassador Sul describing the destruction of every single Mr. WEIGHT. Objection, your Honor. That's livan, Symington hearings, fall, 1969. home in each of seven villages ... when the totally irrelevant. 2. "I recall talking to refugees from Xleng bombing became so extensive in 1969," Mr. WITECK, The question is already in. Khouangville and they told me they knew Congressman McCloskey, Kennedy hearing. 13326 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE April 19, 1972 6. "The extensive bombing of civillan areas the feelings of civilized people for all freedom as of primary importance. Is particularly vicious. In talking to refugees, time when he said simply, "War is hell:' Should we forfeit our leadership, the we heard what days and nights under bom The human sutIering which accompanies hopes of centuries that freedom is the bardment are like. Refugees teU of being forced to llve in holes and caves, of having any waris indeed terrible to contemplate, policy of the future will be dashed-at to farm at night, of the systematic destruc and even those not directly affected by least for now--and instead this vibrant Hop. by lJ.~. war plane!; of the A~m!iI) basl1l the ravagel! of the war in Vietnam have concept which has inspired men every for society."-Letter by a group ot U.S. vol sustained the emotional injury which where will be regarded as a doctrine of unteers to President Nixon. comes with the knowledge that fellow the past. 7. "..• 74 incidents of aerial bombardment human beings are being killed and Mr. President, tyranny is the alterna involving 108 casualties were described ... wounded. I have fought in a war, and I tive to the war in Vietnam, and tyranny no Pathet Lao nor North Vietnamese sol have heard about others, including the is an unacceptable alternative. The U.S. diers present ... contrary to the polley statements of American officials. bombard Vietnam war. It is extremely difficult to position in Vietnam is a moral one ment .•. was extensive and caused large comprehend and accept the human suf which deserves the support of the U.s. numbers of civil1an casualtles."-Walter fering which occurs in war on such a Senate and the American people. Let us Haney, "A Survey of Civilian Casualties large scale. Yet that is exactly what we weep no tears for an enemy intent upon Among Refugees from the Plain of Jars:' are called upon to do as human beings forcing its unjust will upon a nation. Let B. ". •• between Sam Neua and a place and as Senators-to comprehend the hu us weep no tears for the powerful Com about 30 kilometers away where we stayed, no man hell that is war. and determine if munist states intent upon imposing a house in the Villages and hamlets had been there is a. greater evil than this human philosophy which values a man's 'Worth spared. .•. The first real raid against the population center itself was launched on Feb. suffering. only insofar as he serves the state. Let 19, 1965 ••• on March 17 and IB, 196B ••. Mr. President, this is the central ques us instead resolve to provide the leader the ground ••• houses were totally burned tion around which the Vietnam debate ship in whatever fashion is necessary to out (phosphorous had been used) ... at the in this country and in the Senate re insure that freedom does indeed remain other end of Sam Neua, the sight was even volves. This. Mr. President, is the ques the hope of mankind. more painful. Everywhere enormous craters, tion which those who have expressed Mr. President, I have listened to people the church and many houses were demol such apparent moral outrage at Ameri in Government and out of Government Ished."-Jacques Decomoy, Le Monde. July can participation in this war have re in the last few years criticizing President 3-7,1968. 9. "... the continuous hell of the bombing fused to confront. The greater evil which Nixon for the course he has followed in ... compelled (them) to live in caves ... we would have to accept if we were to trying to wind down this war. I would anything that moved was hit By 1969 conclude that the Vietnam war is not remind these people that it was under the bombing became so heavy that they justified is the acquiescence by the another administration that this war was had to abandon their vlllages. ... As one United States of America in the ag started. Whose administration? Presi villager put it, 'The bombs fell llke a man gressive conquest of South Vietnam by dent Kennedy. Who sent the first combat sowing seed: It seems that much of the American effort Is being aimed .. , at the its Communist neighbor, North Vietnam. troops to Vietnam? President Kennedy. physical destruction of society as organized We would have to acquiesce in the hu Who kept them there as long as he was by the other side."-Ian wright. Manchester man blood bath of the South Vietnamese President? President Kennedy. Guardian. March 14. 1970. who have courageously resisted Commu I would remind these people who crit nist aggression in Vietnam. We would icize President Nixon that it was another The PRESIDING OFFICER. TheChair have to acquiesce in the almost inevit President who escalated this war and in recognizes the distinguished Senator able communization of many Southeast creased the fighting men there up to over from Minnesota. Asian nations presently independent of 550,000. Who was it? President Nixon? Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, was Communist tyranny. We would have to No; it was President Johnson. Who con there an understanding that there would acquiesce in the weakening of our care tinued that war and had about 550,000 be an alternating of speakers back and fully built alliances all over the world American fighting men there up until he forth? which have been designed to contain the left office as President? Who was that The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is expansionism inherent in the Commu- President? President Johnson. no set order. nist powers. ' Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, it was Then, you did not hear the criticism our hope that we could do that. However, Mr. President, while I hope that the on the part of some you hear now against we were unable to do it. I would, how President's policy of Vietnamization will President Nixon who is winding the war ever, ask the Senator from Minnesota result in a South Vietnam free of Com down. He has been winding down this (Mr. MONDALE) if he would permit the munist domination, and while I believe war and bringing it to a close. He has Senator from Michigan to proceed. this will be the case, this is not a ques been doing it on schedule. By May 1 of Mr. MONDALE. That is agreeable. tion which we can answer today. But I do this year he has announced there will be Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, the Sen know that if the United states refuses only 69,000 combat men in Vietnam. I ator from South Carolina (Mr. THuR to follow through on its commitment to repeat: How many were there under MOND) has to leave shortly. I yield 5 min vigorously assist the non-Communist President Johnson when he went out as utes from the time of the Senator from South Vietnamese in their efforts to de President? Over 550,000. How many will Tennessee (Mr. BROCK) to the Senator fend themselves from the open Com be there on May 1 of this year? There from South Carolina. I have permission munist aggression Of North Vietnam, our will be 69,000. to do that, and I ask unanimous consent Nation will be regarded with justifica Mr. President, we have lost more than that I may do so. tion as a paper tiger that has forfeited 50,000 lives in Vietnam. We have had The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without its role as the leader and necessarily the more than 300,000 men wounded, injured. objection, it is so ordered. protector of the free world. I am con blinded, maimed, with loss of legs, loss of Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I am vinced that the repercussions from this arms, and loss of other parts of the body, pleased to be a cosponsor of the resolu forfeiture would be disastrous for our men who are wounded permanently. Yet, tion condemning North Vietnam which Nation's security in a much shorter pe there are some in this country who would will be submitted by our distinguished riod of time than those who naively be tuck tail and run, and forget the men colleague. the senator from Arizona lieve we can withdraw into a fortress who have been killed there and who (Mr. GOLDWATER). This resolution is im America. Our national security is impor would have their lives lost in vain; and portant because it cuts through the tant not merely for reasons that some that same group of individuals, most of smokescreen of moral hypocrisy which would term petty nationalism but be them, would forget the POW's and those has obscured the truth about Vietnam, cause in the security of the United missing in action and say. "Get out, get and places the blame squarely on the States and in our effectiveness as the out, get out." enemy, where it belongs. This resolution leader of the free world rest the aspira That is not the stuff of which Ameri also supports the policy of the President tions of generations of men from all over cans are made. Those are not the kind to bring an honorable peace to Vietnam, the world who have believed in the worth of people that built this great Nation and this is also important. of man as an individual. out of the forests, and not the kind of General Sherman, not one of my fa From that worth is derived a philos people who settled this Nation and said, vorite generals, incidentally. summed up ophy of government which accepts man's "We shall be a free people and we are April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13327 willing to fight for our freedom, if neces one can suggest that, by massive bomb life and the destruction of property has sary." ing of North Vietnam, by killing North been colossal. Many of those killed were When it comes to the time when the Vietnamese civilians, we are expediting children and innocent civilians, and people of any nation are not willing to our disengagement from Vietnam. Some much of the devastated property had fight for their freedom they do not de people would call it doublethink. r-:;ome no military or strategic value. This serve freedom. No one wants a war. I people would call it self-mystification. bombing has accomplished little; cer have been in a war. I have seen men Some people would call it psychosis. tainly nothing decisive. It is very doubt shot down all around me. I know what It is quite clear that what we are doing ful that continued bombing of North war means. It is just what Sherman said is deluding ourselves. One of the tragic Vietnam will have any measurable effect it was. But I will tell you this. Some aspects of this self-delusion is the fact on Hanoi's will to fight, the ability of the things are worse than war: Tyranny, tyr that those men who talk most sincerely North Vietnamese Army to fight in the anny, tyranny is worse than war. about the desire of getting American South, or the ability and will of the Freedom, the most precious word in prisoners of war back from Vietnam South Vietnamese to establish firmly a the English language next to God, is contravene that policy by supporting the viable state. what our people are there for. That is bombing. They must realize, when they It is Wlbelievable that there are still what the Air Force is bombing for; that say in the next breath that the bombing people in this cOWltry who believes that is what the Navy is bombing for-to pro is good, that they are perpetuating the by bombing, we are going to be able to tect our own people there and to protect confinement of the prisoners. It is quite bring peace to Vietnam. Last week, the the freedom of the South Vietnamese clear that, as long as we are bombing in Washington Post called President Nixon people. the North, as long as we have American the greatest bomber in history. In the I believe that is the course President troops stationed and fighting in Vietnam, last 3 years that he has been in office Nixon is following in Indochina, and I we are not going to get our prisoners of more bombs have been dropped than in applaud him for it. I applaud the Presi war back. any other presidential term of office dent for doing the bombing that should I think it is clear to everybody that more than a ton of bombs, if YOU can be have been done 6 or 7 years ago, for his the only way we are going to get our lieve this, have been dropped on Vietnam determination to continue to bring our prisoners back and also the only way we for every minute President Nixon has ground troops home, and for his resolve are going to have any kind of political spent in the White House. to conclude an honorable peace. accommodation in South Vietnam is for Our bombing in North Vietnam is do The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time the South Vietnamese and the North ing our country no good. It does not lead of the Senator has expired. Vietnamese to reach that accommoda to the fulfillment of American goals. It The Chair recognizes the Senator from tion between themselves. There is noth takes us further from them. California. ing that the United States can do which Most of all, Mr. President-most of Mr. TUNNEY. Mr. President, first, I is going to convince either the South all-the bombing of Vietnam prolongs would like to say to my senior colleague Vietnamese or the North Vietnamese to the domestic agony of the United States. from California how appreciative I am reach the kind of accommodation that is Most of all, it continues to tear our Na that he has organized this colloquy today. going to bring political stability to that tion apart. It distorts our real interests. It mis I think it is most important that Mem tragic land. It is going to have to be bers of the Senate have the opportunity places our priorities. It helps turn Amer worked out between the parties. ica into an embattled country at war to discuss, irrespective of their points of If you take a look at what we have view, the latest escalation in the war by with herself-at war with a majority of assembled in Southeast Asia to assault her own people, a people which des the President. Vietnam, it boggles the mind. The num In what this morning's New York perately wants to live in peace; to im ber of B-52 heavy bombers assmbled for prove its lot and the lot of others; to de Times appropriately called the strategy operations in Vietnam has recently been of failure, American war planes are velop and sustain a just society. doubled and is now over 100. For the The President seems to evaluate the again dropping thousands of tons of ex first time in the history of the war these success of his policy in Vietnam by the plosives, shrapnel, death, and destruc huge bombers have been used to bomb polls. Will it affect his re-election? That tion on North Vietnam, and again it rep the Haiphong area. Approximately 600 most important values of our Nation, resents a horrible and tragic mistake. fighter-bombers have also been concen the most fundamental principles upon It is not serving basic American inter trated for strikes against the North which she rests. But even upon that ests and it is prolonging the war in Indo Vietnamese. Four aircraft carriers are standard, he will have to realize that china. What it is saying, in effect, is that operating in the war zone and, also for the American people will not tolerate the United States is once again escalat the first time, a fifth carrier is expected the further expansion of this cruel war. ing the amount of prestige we are willing to begin operations there shortly. The American people will not condone to place on the line in order to protect Why is the United States bombing his predecessors. The war will not be the Thieu-Ky government. North Vietnam? It is apparently our swept under the rug. It is clear that what the escalation has clumsy way of helping to prevent the The war is still the most important done has been to threaten our relations defeat of the South Vietnamese Army issue in tWs land. It cannot be ignored. with the Soviet Union and China; it is and the overthrow of the Thieu regime. It cannot be avoided. It will be an elec risking the lives of American pilots and After more than 3 years of Vietnamiza tion issue. It will be an issue until Amer bringing death to untold numbers of tion Wlder President Nixon, one wonders ica has ceased to be involved-on the people. if the South Vietnamese could defend ground and in the air. I am absolutely convinced that in this themselves without the United States It will be carried to every corner of country today we are suffering from a bombing North Vietnam. If not, when this land-to rural America where it dis national psychosis relating to this war. I will they be able? Will they ever be able rupts markets and prevents proper think the basis for the psychosis is that to stand alone? Will the crutch of mas growth; to urban America where it crip we have certain ideals: freedom, self sive destruction, terrible risk to Ameri ples our morale and threatens the very determination, the right of citizens to can airmen, massive expense to u.s. tax roots of our democracy. choose their own government, the right payers, damage to America's reputation, Whether as a foreign policy principle, a to be protected in their privacy. Yet in and disruption of American society moral objective, or as an election issue, Vietnam we are acting contrary to our always be considered necessary for the the President must be shown that his so-called ideals. As a result of this aware Thieu Government of South Vietnam to stubborn and heartless pOlicy in Vietnam ness on our part today we are acting con· defend itself against the North Viet must finally be ended. trary to our stated ideals, and in some namese and Vietcong? Mr. MONDALE. Mr. President, I have way we must exPlain away what we are Or will our Government realize the only a few words to add to what my col doing and make it appear something futility of bombing North Vietnam? Dur leagues are saying here. quite different than it really is. Of course, ing President Nixon's term in office, Coming to this Chamber this morn as everyone knows, one of the basic allied forces have expended over 3Y4 mil ing to talk about the war in Indochina, I aspects of psychosis is living in a world lion tons of aerial mWlitions-half again felt a deeply depressing sense of reliving of unreality. as much as was used throughout World all over again tragedies of the past which What I cannot understand is how any- War II in all theaters. The loss of human should be far behind us. CRl'{GRESSIONALRECORD-S;ENATE April 19, 1972 We have been through so many spring esty on what was promised the American Chip" to olfer North Vietnam: a negotiated people. Where are their voices this settlement in exchange for a bombing halt. times of slaughter and folly and decep We doubt that Hanoi or anyone else has now, tion. morning? or had before, many illusions about the will There was the spring of 1965, my first And finally, history will certainly trace Ingness of the Nixon admInistration to un here in Washington, when the Johnson a line of guilt to the Congress itself. For leash destructiveness from the all'. And the administration began the bombing of 7 years we have failed to summon the notion of bombing Hanoi to the conference North Vietnam in the name of shortening wisdom or the courage to act here, to table Is so old, shopworn and discredited the war. meet the nearly universal yearning of the that It would be ludicrous If It were not so tragic In Its present application. There was the spling of 1968 when we people we represent for an end to this Another presumed purpose of the bombing were told the Tet offensive was the last war. is to demonstra.te to the world In general and gasp of the beaten enemy. That same That we must debate this issue once Moscow In particular that the United States spring the American people, sickened more today condemns us as fully as any can be relied upon as a nation that wIil not and divided by the war, were told by administration or bureaucracy. abandon Its allies for the sake of East-West Richard Nixon that he had a plan for So it is another spring. detent: the "pitiful, helpless giant" syn drome. As Rogers put It yesterda.y, "We can't peace. Again cherry blossoms by the Tidal now just turn tall and leave our friend and Then came the spring of 1970 and the Basin. ally alone." But that is precisely what the invasion of Cambodia in the name of And more death and destruction over admInistration was doing, or said It was do shortening the war. That was a spring Indochina. Ing, through Its polley of Vletnamlzatlon and when Americans died not only in·the More unrelieved despair in the POW American withdrawal. Rightly, we believe, jungles of Southeast Asia. but also on camps of North Vietnam. President Nixon had been credited until re the campus at Kent State. cently with pursuing a steady course of dis Still more quiet pain in veterans hos engaging American mllltary power from In Now the spring of 1972-seven blood pitals. dochina more rapldiy than many expected he stained years later-and it is happening And unanswered silence of 53,000 would when he took office. The polley was again. Incredibly, the B-52's are over young Americans in cemeteries across not abandonment It was recognition that North Vietnam, and the Secretary of this land. the United States' had done far more than Defense can come before the Foreign And now more words here in Congress. could reasonably be expected to strengthen Relations Committee to talk of block It is yet another tragic spring for our South Vietnam; that the only rational course ading Haiphong in the name of winding was withdrawal. country. In pursuit of that course, close air support down the war. I only pray that somehow, in some way, by U.S. forces against the North Vietnamese History will record that there were we will make it the last of its kind. divisions In the south seemed to us, under many reasons why we have been con Mr. President, the Minneapolis Trib the circumstances of the full-scale olfenslve, demned to relive this terrible cycle. une yesterday published an important justified. But now, both the methods and the As Cassius told Brutus, the fault is not editorial comment on the danger of the ostensible goals have changed. Under the in the stars, not in some fateful conjunc present reescalation of the war. I ask doctrine of "whatever military action Is nec tion of destiny that we could not con essary," the President has responded with unanimous consent that it be printed at punitive strikes In the north. In doing so, trol, but in ourselves. this point in the RECORD. he has made the United States hostage to Much of that fault lies, of course, in There being no objection, the editorial the ability, or lack of It, of the Saigon gov the two administrations that have waged was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, ernment. He has lessened the chances for this war. as follows: safe American withdrawal and release of Pris It is not only that they have been mis THE NEW Am WAR IN NORTH VIETNAM oners of war. Far from enhancing this coun try's status abroad, he has, we believe, di taken politically and militarily. They Every reason thus far advanced by the have enlarged every error by seeing the minished It. He has jeopardized his achieve NIxon administration for setting history In ments In normalization with China and ne war as some strange personal test of Vietnam back four years Is, In our view, gotiation with Russia. He is acting in what pride and strength. And we have paid unsupportable. No better reasons are likely he believes are the best Interests of the an awful price for these projections of to be olfered In the days ahead. Arguments American people, but we think he Is acting personality on national policy. for and against extensive bombing in the against the wishes of the majority. But if they have felt their own pride north, Including Hanoi and the port of Hai phong, were raised In the mld-1960s, debated The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen and prestige too much, they have felt the and, we had thought, resolved In 1968. suffering of others too little. This war is ator from Massachusetts is recognized. We do not object to the statement of the Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Mr. President, more grim proof that in all our knowl obvious made yesterday by Secretary of State edge, we have forgotten how to feel. will the Senator yield? Rogers. He told the Senate Foreign Relations Mr. KENNEDY. I yield. The thousands of lives lost and broken Committee that North Vietnam was gUilty in this war become abstract figures on a of aggression, just as his predecessor, Dean Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Does the Sen Rusk, had charged in the 1960s. But the jus ator from Minnesota have any time re Pentagon chart or simply poignant rhet maining? oric in a politician's speech. tifications for responding to that aggression And the killing goes on. by air strikes In the north are as invalld now The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen as they were before. Furthermore, If Rogers ator from Minnesota has 5 minutes re In this world of insensitivity and blind really meant what he said-that the Unlted lnaining. atrogance, ideals are transformed in states wlll "·take whatever military action is Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. I ask unani some crude Orwellian distortion. necessary to prevent a Communist takeover mous consent that that time may be re Cowardice in facing the truth becomes In SOuth Vletnam"-then the Nixon admin istration has not only escalated American served to the Senator from California the courage to fight on. (Mr. CRANSTON) for later disposition. Desperate improvisation passes for objectives beyond those of the 1960s; It has also changed drastically Its own policies. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without some complex strategy. The bombing rationale is all too familiar. objection, it is so ordered. Saving the people means destroying Reporting heavy damage to fuel-storage and Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, over a them. transportation facllltleS In the Hanoi-Hai period of months, years, and days we But it is not only the political leader phong area, U.S. mllltary spokesman asserted have all made comments here on the ship that has taken this country to war that the Sunday strikes "will help reduce the enemy's capab1llty to continue mllltary Senate fioor about our policy in South and kept it there. Beneath the elected of east Asia. During that period, and most ficials of the executive branch, there activities In South Vietnam." The logic is In disputable, just as the bombing of the north recently during the recent escalation of hums that vast bureaucratic anthill that In 1965, 1966 and 1967 undoubtedly kept the the air war over Vietnam, I have called goes on obediently tw·nir..g out the mis Tet olfensive of 1968 from being larger than our policy a senseless, reckless policy, a leading reports and the empty rationali it was. A bombing campaign In the north in response to the failure of Vietnamiza zations. 1972, 1973 and 1974 would undoubtedly re tion, and have criticized that policy in The policymaker can persevere in his duce the enemy's capability In 1975. some detail. mistake, because there are so many who More subtle purposes are widely assumed I can only repeat what I stated in tIllS persist in putting career and comfort and to lie behind the attacks on the north. One Is a warning to Hanoi that its large-scale Chamber in a speech over a year ago, on perhaps sheer inertia ahead of country. operations In the south wlll not go unchal February 24, 1971, when I asked: "How There are officials all over this country lenged by the United States. Also, haVing long will we permit our Nation to launch today who know that this administra~ resumed a 1960s-type air war, the United an unlimited airwar over Indochina that tion's policy has become a shameful trav- States Is said to have a new "bargaining can only add heavily-and needlessly- April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13329 to the tragic human toll that already Perhaps it would give pause to the when we have announced a very great exists." American people to realize that in South escalation of the air war in the north. It should come as no surprise to us Vietnam, a country of some 17 million, This must give pause to people, not only that there is an unlimited airwar today that there are over 700,000 war orphans in this country, but throughout the throughout all of Indochina. Our na today, that there are in excess of 200000 world, and cause them to wonder why tional leadership officially told us last war widows, and that there are ~ore we are really fighting there. Are we fight year that all of Indochina would be a than 250,000 individuals who are phys ing because we are concerned about the target for American bombs. The Presi ically disabled, because of the war-that well-being of people and individuals, or dent said then that he would place no there are over 1,500,000 people whose because we are trying to secure the suc limitation on the use of American air bodies, minds, and loved ones have been cess of a political policy of "Vietnamiza power throughout the area. lost in South Vietnam. tion"-the bankruptcy of which I think I said then, and I say again: In 1971, there were more than 140,000 all Americans have been convinced of I am appalled that our national leadershIp new refugees officially registered in South since its announcement some 3 years ago. finds it so easy to escalate its polley of vio Vietnam. At least half of them were vic I, for the life of me, cannot understand lence through an unIilX).1ted airwar. I am tims of forced relocation by Government why this administration does not follow appalled that it chooses to ignore the record forces, and all of them were in addition to of devastation and death our bombing has the model that was set for it by President the nearly 6 million refugees created Eisenhower in 1952. President Eisen cau!>ed in the past. since 1965. Since January of this year the Must we increase the more than 1,000,000 hower indicated that he did not have a (now over 1,150,000) civlllan casualties and number has continued to grow. In fact, plan to end the war, but that he was go 5,000,000 (now 6,350,000) refugees in South since April I, and the escalation of the ing to visit Korea, and to millions of Vietnam? war, more than 200,000 new refugees have Americans that meant undivided atten Must we Increase the tens of thousands of fled into Government territory alone. tion, and the implicit commitment that ciVilian casualties and 1,000,000 refugees in And uncounted thot:sands remain be we would end the Korean war; and the Laos? hind. In Quang Tri Province, tens of Korean war was ended within 2 years Must we increase the tens of thousands of thousands of these new refugees are civilian casualties and more than 1,500,000 simply fleeing camps where U.S. Marines after he assumed office. (now over 2,000,000) refugees in Cambodia? In contrast, though we had a state Must we destroy more vl1lages, decimate moved them in 1967. Today they are ment that this war would be the first more tribal peoples, and make more land caught in the crunch of another battle, order of priOlity in this administration, Uninhabitable-all for a cause which most with little hope of it being the last. The and the announcement that there was Americans no longer support? cumulative tQtal of refugees in South And, are we as a nation so morally bank Vietnam today is well over 6 million, "a plan" to end the war, yet nearly one rupt that we can sweep the issue of war vic which is at least one-third of the coun third of all the Americans who have tims into the pages of history without put try's population. been killed in Southeast Asia have been ting forth a greater effort to meet human killed since January of 1969. Some $70 needs? In 1971, some 38,318 Vietnamese civil billion has been expended there, that We are confronted today With a very seri ians were officially admi'tted as civilian should have been spent here in the ous regional crisis of people-millions of war casualties to Government hospitals. United States to provide health, educa people-refugees, clvlllan casualties, war vic Tens of thousands of others were treated tion, and decent housing to the people of tims. And more than our government cares elsewhere, were never treated at all, or to admit, American military actlvitles--espe were killed outright. Again, all of them this country, and security for the people cially the heavy bombing of many areas were an addition to the more than 1, here at home. is contributing much to this human toll of 050,000 civilian war casualties from What a cruel irony it must be for the war. earlier years. And if earlier patterns are American people when they see our Pres Again, as has been stated many times, repeating themselves, thousands of civil ident meet with Chou En-Iai and Mao no one today questions that the North ians are becoming casualties in the cur Tse-tung, toasting each other with Vietnamese have not also contributed to rent escalation of the war. champagne as the strains of "America this toll, that their military offensives Just 2 years ago, according to official the Beautiful" play in the background, statistics, some 258,000 war orphans were that China, with its 800 million people, have not also created refugees and civil perhaps posing a threat to the security ian casualties. The only question many registered with the Vietnamese Govern ment. Today, the official total stands at of the United States, and the Soviet Americans are asking today is how long Union, with 200 million people and will we contribute to this human trag some 410,000. The actual total, however, exceeds 700,000. And in all other cate sophisticated weaponry, clearly posing a edy-how long will we bomb villages? threat to the United States. Yet, today, Today, Mr. President, I would like to gories of war victims, the figures of those disabled, paralyzed or blinded by the war the bombers fly over North Vietnam, over join my colleagues in commending the Hanoi and Haiphong, and the American Senator from California (Mr. CRANSTON) go up and up. These and other statistics tell us some people cannot help but ask themselves, on his analysis of just what this war has "What kind of threat is posed, in com done, not only to our Nation but to the thing of the human toll that the bloody war in Indochina is taking among the parison, by the 17 million people of human beings in Southeast Asia, and North Vietnam?" most particUlarly to the civilian popula people of the area. They are all docu tion of South Vietnam. As the chairman mented in reports of the Judiciary Sub Mr. CHURCH. Mr. President, will the of the Subcommittee on Refugees of the committee on Refugees, which I serve as Senator yield at that point? Committee on the Judiciary, I can state chairman, as well as in recent reports to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is this on that since 1965 we have held extensive the subcommittee prepared by the Gen the time of the Senator from Idaho? hearings on what the impact of this war eral Accounting Office. As before the GAO Mr. CHURCH. How much time do I has been on the civilian population has found that the situation among the have remaining, Mr. President? the innocent children, the women, and civilian population continues to deterio The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen the old people who are caught in the rate. Their reports underscore again the ator has 3% minutes. crossfire of the viciousness of the Viet fact that the human tragedy in Vietnam Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, will the cong assaults and the North Vietnamese is as old as the war itself, a war that has Senator withhold for just 1 or 2 minutes offensives-but most tragically of all, by changed little in its tragic impact upon until I finish? the viciousness of the bombing attacks the civilian population. Mr. CHURCH. Mr. President, I with and the firepower of the American forces. It is a cruel irony that our policy of hold until the Senator finishes his state It has been our conclusion, after days, helping and assisting in the area of refu ment. Then, if time remains, I would like weeks, and months of hearings, and after gee work, which was funded at approxi to respond. two visits to Vietnam and the South mately $6 million last year, has been Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, we can east Asian peninsUla, that in many in cut to approximately $5 million this year, only ask this morning, how much longer stances nearly 80 percent of the refugees and the administration has announced will it go on? How much longer 'will we have been caused by American firepower, that the whole program is· going to be permit our Nation to fuel a war that most and that many of the victims, the civil phased out next year. What a cruel irony Americans no longer support? How much ian war casualties, war orphans, and it is that those humanitarian programs longer will we contribute to a bloodbath other victims, are caused by American to care for the war victims of South for the sake of avoiding a highly specu firepower. Vietnam are to be phased out, at a time lative bloodbath of the future? How 13330 ·CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 much longer will we allow our seat at the Only the statistics of death have standing that, to the extent possible, the Paris peace table to remain empty? cbanged. Only the numbers of civilians Chair would alternate in recognizing In recent days I have received, as I killed or wounded-the number of ref senators who did have time reserved. know many other Senators have, hun uges fleeing bombs and bullets-have There are Senators on this side who dreds of telegrams and letters from con changed. For each new day of war brings would like to speak. I realize that all stituents asking this same question: How another day of suffering, and the statis Senators have committee meetings and much longer? Many are expressing their tics of the human costs of the war mount need to be other places. But. as much as frustration and anger over the reescala steadily. possible, I would hope that after a Sen tion of the war, and their anxiety that it Our national interest does not lie in ator on the other side speaks, a Senator will never end. Of all that I have receiv the continuation of the war, or an ex on this side would speak, if one is ready ed, none are more eloquent in expressing panding U.S. involvement in it-even an and willing to speak. these sentiments than Mrs. Sharon S. aerial involvement. It does not lie in the Mr. CHURCH. Mr. President, this will Doten of Brighton, Mass. She wrote: further destruction of the countryside in take very little time. DEAR SENATOR KENNEDY: Eighteen months Vietnam, North or South, or Laos or The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair ago my husband wrote joyfully f,om Viet Cambodia. It does not lie in the genera informs the Senator from Michigan that nam to announce that his commanding officer tion of more war refugees and civilian the Chair was inclined to do that, but felt all Americans would be out within six casualties. no Senators on the Republican side who months. A few weeks later he was dead Rather it lies in the very urgently had requested time were present. kUled by a fragmentation grenade. Today, the needed effort by our Government to stop Mr. GRIFFIN. I understand that. At headlines in the Boston Globe announce that we are again moving infantrymen into active the violence and extricate ourselves from that time, the Chair was acting as he fighting. One would have to be blind and deaf the war through appropriate decisions should. not to realize that the policy of this admin at the highest levels of our Government. Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Mr. President, istration is ,one of sacrificing lives at the ex It lies, as well, in a far greater effort to I ask unanimous consent that this time pense of prestige. meet the vast human needs generated by not be charged against the Senator from Six years ago I was seventeen. The war was the conflict. Idaho. soon to become real to my friends and we In conclusion, let me say, as I said last The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without were slowly realizing that it was a war we did year, that over the coming weeks and objection, the time will not be charged not wish to claim as ours.... But the war goes on interminably. How months-as it has since 1965-the Sub against the Senator from Idaho. long? My husband ls dead; my ~on wUl not committee on Refugees will continue its Is the Senator from Idaho requesting ltnow his father. But in some sense the war very active interest in tbe escalating time to respond to the Senator from Mas hItS ended for us. We can no longer be problem of war victims in Indochina. sachusetts, on his own time? touched. My son will not be drafted and I And we will also continue to be as tena Mr. CHURCH. I do make that request, have no younger brothers. But how many cious in our views and recommendations for the purpose of putting a question to others--white and yellow-must have their for action, as we feel the important sit the Senator from Massachusetts. lives torn apart for the sake of the prestige uation warrants. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The of the American government? Why are we so powerless to stop this disaster which has al But as Mrs. Doten writes, "the war goes Chair states that time had been re ready cost us far more than can ever be on interminably," and all of America quested previously by the Senator from atoned for? ... joins her in asking: "How long?" Missouri and the Senator from Ohio. In In a sense I am profoundly tired. I am tired The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen the sequence of events, and for the pur of headlines which continually bring back the ator from Idaho is recognized. pose of the question, the Chair recog agony that began When the Army appeared Mr. CHURCH. Mr. President, I want to nizes the Senator from Idaho. at my door eighteen months ago. I am tired commend the Senator for his address. Mr. CHURCH. I thank the Chair. of the Thursday casualty reports. I am tired For 7 long years now, this war has made As I was saying, when the President of the political rhetoric of "Vietnamization." I am tried of the feeling of desperwtion and precious little sense to me. As it ex went to Peking and undertook to start impotence Which fills me every time I wonder panded, as we sent half a million Amer the process of normalizing our relations What can be done. ican troops to Indochina to engage in it, with China; when we agreed to the five And so in a sense the purpose of this let the only reason ever offered that even Chinese principles in the Shanghai com ter is to pose that question. Wha.t, indeed, ls pretended.to be commensurate with the munique, we changed our entire attitude to be done? Have we created a monster in cost of the war to the United States, was toward China, and we declared to the the Pentagon which cannot be stopped? Why that somehow it had become our duty to world, in effect, that we no longer re is the Sena.te as impotent as I am? ... stand as sentinel for Asia against China. garded China as a great threat to the In both rage and despair, I ask my govern peace of Asia, that we no longer believed ment, "How long Is this going to be allowed As the Senator knows, this war was to go on?" then referred to as a proxy war, China it was impossible for the United States supposedly being the demon behind it to work out normal, peaceful relations The letter is signed Sharon S. Doten. all, and it was said to be our duty to with the People's Republic of China. Who can answer Mrs. Doten's ques protect the rest of Asia.-with our men Given that set of events, what sense tion? Who can say how long it will be and and money-from the threat posed by does this war in Vietnam make anymore? when it will end? the Chinese. It made precious little sense before. Now I think Mrs. Doten has summarized I ask this question of the Senator: it makes none at all. the agony, frustration, and despair that Since President Nixon's trip to Peking, Yet, would not the Senator agree that is on the minds of so many Americans for which I commended him and the we cannot seem to break our seance with today, as the Senate continues this Senator from Massachusetts commended this war, that somehow no President can dialog. him-- bring himself to say, "We have done alI During this colloquy on the unlimited The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time that can be done, we have given the air war in Indochina, we must not let the of the Senator has expired. South Vietnamese the tools to defend true tragedy of the situation escape us. Mr. CHURCH. Mr. President, I ask themselves, and now we are going to We must not allow ourselves to forget that I may have time on my own to ask withdraw"? No President yet has been that all we are saying this morning, all these questions. able to say it, and so the war continues the discussion we have heard, all the Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, reserving and the end is not in sight. rationalizing by the administration for the right to object, and I shall not ob Can the Senator find a reason, in light more war and more death-all of it could ject- of our new attitude toward China, any have been heard in this Chamber over The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen reason connected with the vital interests a year ago, or the year before that, or ator has time reserved in his own right, of the United States, that would justify even years before that. in his own name. perpetuating our participation in this The fact is, the war in Vietnam has Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, a parlia war? not changed much. The bombing has not mentary inquiry. Mr. KENNEDY. I respond to the Sen changed. The violence has not dimin The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen ator from Idaho, who has provided great ished. Men and women and children con ator will state it. insight and has made an extraordinary tinue to die. The war simply grinds on as Mr. GRIFFIN. I want to cooperate as contribution in this body toward under we talk. much as I can, but it was my under- standing our interests in Vietnam, by April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13331 saying that, quite obviously, there is no whose blind faith in the goodness of the the President's policies, in their com vital interest for the United States to North Vietnamese drives them to ad passion for the people of North Vietnam, continue its involvement. vocate the surrender of our allies. It who are, after all, the aggressors, who The Senator from Idaho, within the would appear that one basic fact has been did, after all, initiate the war, I ask them last half hour or 45 minutes, met with overlooked. The North Vietnamese are to think of the consequences to other some wives and relatives of Ameri the enemy; they, not the South Viet people in Indochina. can prisoners of war. He is a member namese, are killing our men, attempting Remember, when a country maintains of the Committee on Foreign Relations to enforce their system of government less than one division within its own and has devoted a great deal of time on neighboring states. borders and deploys many other divi and concern to our policy toward South Some have argued that the bombing sions outside its borders, it is engaged in east Asia. I ask the Senator whether he is ineffective. They reason that because aggressive war. They are in Laos, Cam believes that we advance the day when the bombing did not stop the Communists bodia, South Vietnam-they are even in American loved ones, prisoners of war, before, it cannot stoP them now. Well, Thailand. fathers and husbands, will return to they are both right and wrong. Bombing, When we talk about accepting Hanoi's their families, b~' bombing Hanoi? Does by itself, will not stop the North Viet terms and getting out, let us go ahead he believe that this new turn of events namese invasion. That will require stiff and admit that we want to surrender is going to hasten the time 'when those ground opposition. But the North Viet Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand to them individuals "ill be returned to the namese are encountering that resistance. as well. United states? At An Loc, 2,500 defenders successfully Mr. President, I yield back the re Mr. CHURCH. I say to the Senator warded off attacks by 10,000 surrounding mainder of my time. that just the opposite is the case. It is Communists. The battle for An Loc is The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. time to stop using the prisoners as an probably not yet over. But the perform HUGHES). Under the previous order, the excuse for continuing the fight. If any anoe there and in Quang Tri Province Senator from Ohio (Mr. TAFT) is now thing should be clear by now, it is that gives reason for optimism over the suc recognized for 10 minutes. North Vietnam, after 20 years of fight cess of the ground Vietnamization pro Mr. TAFT. Mr. President, the Demo ing-30 years, if one goes all the way gram. In another sense, though, critics of cratic critics of the President's course in back to the origins of this war-is not the current bombing campaign are wrong Vietnam, led by leading presidential going to give up those prisoners until when they argue U.S. bombing will not contenders, with one or two exceptions, we are willing to give UP the war. It is stop the NOlth Vietnamese. The war to have advocated a course that indicates as plain as that. And the same experi day is different from 1968. The Commu they are ready to see the South Viet ence has been wlitten large in all pre nists are dependent upon ammunition, namese's striving for freedom and na vious wars. food, and POL brought by truck over tionhood fail. It is also a course with I commend the Senator for his ad roads. Without gas, tanks will not run. broad and dangerous implications for dress, and especially do I commend him Without logistical support, infantry U.S. foreign policy generally. for the way he has pointed up to the cannot conduct large scale assaults. Instead of condemning the raw agres Senate and to the country the terrible Heavy bombing was essential in stopping sion of the North Vietnamese, with the tragedy that has befallen so many inno the massive attacks of Tet 1968. It will obvious backing of the U.S.S.R., in vio cent civilians in Vietnam, the countless once again playa vital role in stopping lation of the 1968 implied agreement in refugees that our bombing has gener North Vietnamese aggression. ignoring the DMZ and shelling open ated. He has spoken up for them, as well cities, not to mention the 1954 agree It occurs to me that those who want ment which set up the DMZ, these as for our ovm soldiers in the field and the war brought to an early end should American prisoners of war who have applaud our efforts to destroy the logis critics, led by the chairman of the been incarcerated so long in North Viet tical capability of the enemy to mount Foreign Relations Committee, imply nam. that our failure to continue a charade a major offensive. I think that when this of useless talk shows in Paris somehow Mr. KENNEDY. I thank the Senator. offensive was plotted by Moscow and justified or caused the invasion. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair Hanoi, they could pretty well predict Instead of heaping obloquy on the has been informed that the Senator from the knee-jerk reaction back home. The President and the Secretaries of State Texas is to be recognized on the time of President predicted a revival of the cries and Defense, who have pursued and are the Senator from Michigan. for surrender that would l>e heard continuing to pursue a course of hon Mr. TOWER. That is correct. throughout the country. He was right. orable withdrawal, why do they utter no Mr. President, by invading South Viet It has produced that reaction. Should we word of cItiticism for the North Viet nam, the North Vietnamese have clearly accept Hanoi's terms now, and surrender, namese invaders? We hear no condem demonstrated their contempt for the 1968 the President would have to crawl on his nation of the North Vietnamese slaugh understanding that led to the bombing belly to Moscow in May. The fact is, if ter of innocent civilians in the south. The halt. This invasion, has generated a mass this offensive is not contained, if, indeed, North Vietnamese are the ones who are of the refugees. They stayed to meet their we do bend to Hanoi's demands and give shelling the open cities. We hear from North Vietnamese/Vietcong liberators up, then we can be sure the Soviets and them no support of their own President in the 1968 Tet offensive. For this trust their friends will be tempted to initiate against the clear aggressors. of the Communists they were slaugh military offensives, elsewhere in the Why do they seek so diligently to di tered. The South Vietnamese are not world, certain in the knowledge that the vorce themselves from the war? Is it foolish. This time the civilians flee. This United States will not lift a finger to some subconscious attempt to cleanse time they will not stay to be executed. stop it. self-guilt? Presidential ambitions can If there are those who have sympathy There is a very great deal at stake not change history-however difficult for the people of South Vietnam-for the here. Those concerned about the possi that history is to bear. Great and" tragic people of Laos and Cambodia-let them bility of bombs aimed at military targets errors may have been recorded there. plead with the North Vietnamese to cease killing civilians should also be concerned but that does not justify compounding their aggression. Let them go to where about the hundreds of thousands of them now by abandonment of the peo the problem is--Hanoi. We are not the Catholics that would be slaughtered in ple and the principles of freedom that aggressors. The North Vietnamese are. South Vietnam, were we to do the very we have supported. Let it be noted that Virtually the entire thing advocated on the Senate floor here Ignored and overlooked in the discus almy of North Vietnam is deployed out today; that is, in effect, to accept Hanoi's sion here today, I note, is the President's side that country-in Laos, Cambodia, terms and get out. comprehensive and fair peace plan of and South Vietnam. Mr. President, if you do not believe January 25 of this year, offered at a time I am tired of the hypocrisy of the that will happen, ask some of the hier when the very North Vietnamese forces Communists who demand that we stop archy of the Catholic church. Find out that have now invaded South Vietnam the bombing, that we return to fruitless what happened in North Vietnam when were poised and ready for release when peace negotiations--all while they con some 60,000 Catholic leaders were assas the political and military climate seemed tinue their blatant aggression in South sinated and thousands of others were most favorable--and when the green Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. I am permitted to starve to death. light was given by Moscow. weary of those on the campaign trail Thus, let me say to those who oppose High officers of the Russian Govern- CXVIII--841-Part 11 13332 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 ment have been recently in Hanoi, ap Mr. President, these are the stakes in We ended that war, the Korean war, and parently giving clearance to this opera the game the President has had to take kept the Nation out of other wars for 8 years. tion. We can see what is behind the sit into account in making these ditlicult And that Is the kind of leadership you will uation, perhaps to put it into some per decisions, on which I certainly do not be voting for this year if you support my spective, by commenting on the reaction envy him and on which, I am sure, he and ticket. I had from an eminent foreign states his advisers have spent many, many On March 11, he said to the American man 'kith whom I talked this past week, hours examining the various alternatives, Legion in Hampton, N.H.: when I asked him what he thought about attempting to work out the course they And I pledge to you that the new leader the entire situation. He thought for a felt was in the interests of the United Ship will end the war and bring us peace In moment and then said, "I think the Rus States and in the interest of world peace. the Pacific. That Is what American wants. sians have done you a dirty trick." Mr. President, it is easy for the kibitzers Indeed, Mr. President, I think that is to carp, but who among them, given the On September 15, he said in the New the case, for without that specific ap hand to play and the responsibility of de York Times: proval and without the specific backing cision, would abandon all hope of nego And I pledge to you tonight that the first of the very sophisticated weapons which tiated settlement, endanger over 80,000 priority foreign polley objective of our next have been provided, this invasion would U.S. forces and 30,000 civilians still re administration will be to bring an honorable not have taken place by the North Viet maining in Vietnam and sacrifice all end to the war In Vie,tnam. namese. hope of freedom for the people who have Now here are two statements he made Mr. President, it is said that the war fought so hard for it? which are of special interest as he esca must be ended by negotiations. It is clear, Mr. President, I yield back the remain lates this war. I think, that the war must be ended by der of my time. On October 7, 1968, Mr. Nixon said: negotiations, if it is to end any time in The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. At the present time 90 percent of the the foreseeable future. HUGHES). The Senator from Missouri bombing of North Vietnam has been discon I should like to recall that the Presi (Mr. SYMINGTON) is now recognized. tinued. The 10 percent that Is now being dent said, If the Chair could be allowed to state continued Is for tactical military purposes 1. There will be a total withdrawal from to the Senator from Michigan, the Sena to protect the forces In the DMZ zone, I South Vietnam of all U.S. forces and other tor from Ohio did not use his full time would not raise that level of bombing. foreign forces allied with the government of and he yielded it back. And in Hampton, N.H., on March 6, South Vietnam within six mont~s of an 1968 he said: agreement. Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, I ask 2. The release of all military men and In unanimous consent that whatever time But, my friends, If In November this war nocent civilians captured throughout Indo remains following the presentations of Is not over after all of this power has been china will be carried out In parallel with the the Senator from Texas (Mr. TOWER) at their disposal, then I say that the Amer troop withdrawals mentioned In point 1. and the Senator from Ohio (Mr. TAFT), Ican people will be justified to elect new The political future of South Vietnam will may be reserved rather than yielded leadership. And I pledge to you that the new be left for the South Vietnamese people to back. leadership, will end the war and win the peace decide for themselves, free from outside In In the Pacific, and that Is what America The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without wants. terference. objection, it is so ordered. What was the response to that? Clearly PRESIDENT NIXON'S WAR IS CARRYING OUT THE Mr. President, there is the record and now, we see what the response is: namely, DESTRUCTION OF A COUNTRY there is no adequate substitute for the open and outright aggression. That is record. This country of Vietnam contin Mr. SYMINGTON. In 1956 I stated ues to be destroyed by· this administra the only answer we have had. that our foreign policy was one of being Mr. President, the President's plan was tion. In that connection, I will read into strong against the weak and weak against the record the following facts: a sountl basis for the negotiations. We all the strong. I said that again in 1967, and seek to see the U.S. withdrawal as say it today. DESTRUCTION OF A COUNTRY rapidly as possible from the original In the fall of 1967, on the floor of the The land and people of Indochina (287 Vietnamese embroilment in which so Senate, I suggested we have a cease-fire thousand square miles and 45 mlllion In many local critics today were themselves because it had become clear to me, after habitants-the size of Texas, but with four involved, but anything other than a firm times Its popUlation) have been under con seven trips to Vietnam since 1960, that tinuous, large-scale attack since 1965. response to the current threat would end the future of that country was not es The largely overlooked and presumably for all practical purposes all chances of sential to the security of the United incidental Impact of the Second Indochina successful negotiations in the foreseeable States; also because in the process of our War on the land and Indigenous popula future. attempt to prove that it was essential, tions of that region has been of monumental Abandonment at this time-which we were destroying a large part of what proportions. One of the few factual sum seems to be the alternative course now was Indochina. maries of this disruption was published last being offered by our critics-Secretary year by the Senate Foreign Relations Com In May, 1968, I received a letter from mittee (under the title "Impact of the Viet Rogers testified, would "probably result a prominent private citizen in my State. nam War"). From the data presented we in a bloodbath"-a bloodbath not only The letter read in part: can apprOXimate that as a result of this in the south as the distinguished Sena No one, but no one, out here cares even war, one out of every 35 Inhabitants of all tor from Texas (Mr. TOWER) just de a little bit about saving "face" In V-Nam. No Indochina has so far been killed, one In 15 sclibed, but also because the South Viet amount of saving face can justify what Is wounded, and one In six made a refugee. namese have clearly shown their ability, going on. No point In gOing Into detail; It The social disruption Implled by these figures their desire, and their willingness to has all been said a million times. We don't Is difficult to grasp; the proportionate Impact belong there. The people don't want us, we on the United States, with Its popUlation of fight. And they will fight. 200 million would be: 5,700,000 killed, 13. There will be continued war going on cannot afford It in lives. money or ruined 300,000 wounded, and 33 million displaced. in Vietnam-in South Vietnam-even if moral fibre. Complex solutions are getting we pull completely out of the picture, and us nowhere. So make It slmple--just get out! Mr. President, those figures have been it will go on and on and on, with the In that such thinking coincided with much increased since that time. slaughter of civilians and with the my own formed after visiting Vietnam In passing, as mentioned previously slaughter of military men alike. many times. I wrote to the leading Demo by the distinguished senior Senator from Even more, I think, to take any stance cratic candidate in June of 1968 and said Massachusetts, over one-third of all other than the one the President has that in my opinion if he did not, prior to Americans killed in action in this war taken today will seriously jeopardize any the election, come out for an end to the have been killed since January, 1969; and chances for meaningful results from war in Vietnam, his probable nomination note that over half of the reported non negotiations between the United States would be theoretical. hostile deaths have been since January, and the other major powers, not only It is interesting to note the basis on 1969. There is a second Indochina war. with regard to Southeast Asia but espe which President Nixon campaigned for It has been and is being waged against cially with regard to many world prob his present position. On March 8, 1968, in the land as much as against the people, lems with the U.S.S.R. and even the remarks delivered during his campaign and inasmuch as no doubt the people of People's Republic of China. in New Hampshire, at Conway, he said: the United States will be asked to put April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13333 up many billions of dollars to restore various countries, regardless of who \",ins mous consent to have printed in the that land, this is also an important part the war. RECORD an article entitled "Hour Is Here of any discussion of this character. Then, we get to the bombing and fOl: Ending Our Involvement in War," I read further facts into the RECORD: shelling. wntten by a great newspaperman, that A WAR AGAINST THE ENVmONMENT Conventional bombing and shelling, independent Republican, John S. Knight. It Is In the light of the Intimate asso the former throughout Indochina and His column was printed in all of his ciation with and direct dependence upon the latter mostly in South Vietnam, have newspapers Sunday, April 9. the resources of the land by largely primi become the major means of "landscape There being no objection, the article tive peoples, and In the further light of our management" in this war, The one last was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, new awareness of all mankind's dependence ing impression that remains after flying as follows: on his natural environment that a growing over the country is of an endless munber HOUR Is HERE FOR ENDING OUR INVOLVEMENT number of scientists throughout the nation of craters. A conservative estimate of the IN WAR and the world, have become appalled by the long-range ecological Impact of so-calIed actual number of these giant pox on the (By John S. Knight) llmlted counterinsurgency.warfare. A further landscape is over 26 million-currently It has been five years since I was in Viet major concern has been the renewed depend being added to at the rate of at least nam, and naturally many things have ence by the United States In this frustrat several thousand per day. changed since then. ing conflict on chemical weapons. This latter Munitions expenditures during the "Pacification" was the Johnson adminis approach, with Its serious pUblic health 7-year period 1965-1971 were 26 billion tration's slogan for rooting out the Viet and ecological Implications, is a form of war pounds, twice U.S. expenditures through cong's "Infrastructure," a fancy term for the fare which the clvlIlzed world had hoped enemy guerrilla establishment which domi was put to rest with the end of World War I. out World War II in all its theaters. Dur nated the hamlets and vll1ages by night. ing this time span the United States thus "Winning the hearts and minds of the Mr. President, I will not go into the expended munitions in Indochina with an people" was another euphemism coined by herbicide war program that was started explosive energy equivalent to 450 Hiro the State Department. This phrase gave in November, 1961, became a large-scale shima bombs (Le., the explosive equiv Americans at home a kind of quiet confidence effort in 1966, and was essentially ended alent of one Hiroshima drop every 5 Y2 t,hat the South Vietnamese welcomed us as in May, 1971. But I would devote a few days). In terms of the peoples of all their saviors and fellow believers In the Indochina, the total represents 584 brotherhood of man. remarks to the Rome-plow program of Those were the days, remember, when agricultural destruction: pounds per person; in terms of its land, nearly everyone In the U.S. was gung-ho for THE ROME-PI.OW PROGRAM 142 pounds per acre. In terms of fre this mad adventure which has now cost us Landclearlng with tractors, a program re quency, this sum represents 118 pounds 45,679 American combat deaths, 302,820 stricted to South Vietnam, began on a smalI per second throughout this entire 7-year wounded and 10,123 dead from non-hostile scale In 1965, became a large-scale effort In period. action-to say nothing of the billions of dol 1968. and Is apparently continuing undimin Estimating the average crater to be 30 lars sapped from our not-unlimited resources Ished to this day. This little known opera feet in diameter and 15 feet deep, the I recall chatting about the war one eve tion, devoted at first to the clearing of road combined surface area of the holes alone ning with Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker at sides and other lines of communication In the American embassy in Saigon. He Is a wise created between 1965 and 1971 comes to diplomat with long experience In dealing order to discourage ambushes, has for the almost 1'2 million acres, and the earth past several years now been used on a massive with troubled situations In Argentina, India scale to llterally obllterate forested areas of displaced by the explosions to a stagger and the Dominican Republlc. His words were possible use to the other side. In Its mission ing 3.4 billion cubic yards. prophetic: "Certainly we can prevent and of denying cover and sanctuary the method More than 90 percent of all bombing indeed have prevented the South Vietnamese appears to be without equal. The basic tool and shelling in Indochina have been from losing the war, but they must in the Is a 20-ton tractor fitted out with a 2%-ton harassing and interdiction missions, in end win It themselves." "Rome-plow" and 14 tons of added armor. At effect directed against forests and fields. Was this remark the forerunner of Presi least five companies of more than thirty trac The bombs and shells have torn up dent Nixon's Vietnamlzatlon polley, the tors each are in continuous operation. As of training and equipping of South Vietnam's last August about 750,000 acres of. land of countless trees; and the shrapnel has forces since they "must In the end win It South Vietnam had been scraped bare by been propelled over some 30 million acres for themselves"? this means (an area the size of Rhode hitting additional endless trees and The massive withdrawal of American fight Island); and clearing progresses at the rate thereby inviting fungal infection and Ing men by the Nixon administration-while of more than 1,000 acres per day. wood rot. The craters have also disrupted continuing Impressive naval and air sup Plowing res\llts in severe site degradation, extensive agriCUltural areas, both direct port--confirms that view. President Nixon's weed invasion (often by the tenacious cogan ly and indirectly. Irrigation systems have confidence In the ability of the South Viet grass), utter destruction of wildlife habitat, namese to "fend for themselves has always been disrupted and near the coast salt been high. To say that much of this con and major erosion and exacerbated flood water encroachment has resulted. The damage in hlIIy terrain. The South Vietnam fidence flows from political expedience and ese forest service has estimated as of last craters have exposed lateritic soil to the pragmatic jUdgments is not an overstate summer that more than 20 mlIIion board feet atmosphere permitting it to harden ir ment. of readily accessible hardwood timber on 126 reversibly, Millions of new breeding But now, the latest offensive from North thousand acres had been destroyed In this ponds have been created for disease Vietnam gives early Indication that Mr. program; and French rubber officials have de carrying mosquitoes. In hilly terrain, Nixon's -well-laid plans may be In jeopardy. termined that 2,500 acres of nlbber planta erosion has been accelerated. Finally, While the South Vietnamese have more than tions had similarly faIJen to the plOW. since 1 percent to 2 percent of the bombs a million men under arms, Robert S. Boyd In short, "pacifying" an area. with Rome of our Washington Bureau reports that and shells expended are duds, there are "South Vietnam's army, facing Its most cru plows rather than with herbicides seems at now one-quarter million of these scat once more efficient mllltarily and more de cial test, Is stretched awfUlly thin. The 1.08 structive enVironmentally. tered about, many of which are apt to mll1ion men under arms actuaIly boll down explode if bumped into, for example, to a relatively few combat troops. able to To be sure everybody understands during plowing. compete with the tough North Vietnamese what is going on, we know we have hun All in all, the effects of the truly mas regulars. About 200,000 soldiers organized In 13 combat divisions must bear the brunt dreds of thousands of refugees--I am sive bombing and shelling may well prove of the fighting:' confident over 1 million in South Viet to be the least recognized and most South Vietnam's numericaIly large mili nam cities today-and they are gro"ing permanently disruptive legacy of this tary force includes 258,000 lightly armed by the thousands every week. These peo war. Popular Forces, described by Boyd as ple were raised in rural areas. The only Mr. President, I dwell on this aspect "largely peasant boys who have been given way they know how to make a living is of the war because it shows what this a carbine and a little training while as off the land. But they can never again administration is doing, how successfUl signed to guard their home villages or ham move back to their land in their time it is in the continuing destruction of lets, They have poor leadership. are often overrun by Vietcong guerrilla bands and are because prominent ecologists tell me that these countries. no match for regular soldiers:' land cannot get away from the buffalo For years now, it has been my comic Another 294,000 South Vietnamese serve grass and cogon grass for 50 years. So tion this destruction was not essential to In the Regional Forces, Their assignment Is they are to be permanent refugees, sup the security of the United States. to provide security for districts and prov ported by someone in the cities of those Mr, President, in closing, I ask unanl- Inces against Vietcong guerrillas and main 13334 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 force units. Boyd says that while they are "sacred commitments:' and dire predictions a pUzzling explanation of the situation. First, said to be vastly Improved In the last year, of a bloodbath in South Vietnam. he spoke of the massive shipments of Soviet the RFs are still ou,classed by North Viet I say that we have fulfilled our "commit arms to Hanoi, and repeatedly complained nam's regulars. ments:' if indeed we had any. We stopped that while the United States was placing The remaining 532.000 men In the South aggression from the North, armed and "restraints" on its arms shipments to Sai Vietnamese army (ARVN), navy and air eqUipped a huge South Vietnamese army, gon, Moscow was not adopting a comparable force are widely distributed In four military intlicted extensive bombing on North Viet system of restraints on its arms shipments regions. The North Vietnamese have some nam, Laos and Cambodia, and sent more to North Vietnam. 480,000 regulars In South Vietnam, Laos than half a million Americans to Indochina. This Is a very odd argument, since Mr. and Cambodia. The United States is down We said we were "fighting a limited war for Laird also conceded before the same com to nine combat battalions (about 800 men limited objectives." Those objectives were mittee that the South Vietnamese Air Force each) in South Vietnam, compared to 172 achieved so long as we maintained a huge now had over 1,000 American planes, over battalions a few years ago. fighting force prior to Mr. Nixon's doctrine 500 American helicopters, and an air con President Nixon likes to refer to "his of Vietnamlzation. tingent of 40,000 men, with adequate pilots options." Actually, he has very few remain So what other objectives remain? If South trained in the United States. ing In Indochina. He Is committed by his Vietnam can't hack it now, when wUl Saigon Mr. Laird did say that Washington had withdrawal decision to place his fait~ In be prepared? not given Saigon the capacity to bomb Hanoi what Rowland Evans and Robert Novak call As Ambll8sador Ellsworth Bunker said in and Haiphong, but he said nothing about "an Asian army of U.S. design and manu 1967: "The South Vietnamese must in the the fact that Moscow had not given Hanoi facture, but never before put to this kind end win the war for themselves." the capacity to bomb South Vietnam. More of test." And the hour Is now. over, the United States is now catapUlting Hanoi, on the other hand, can seriously bombers night and day off the decks of four weaken Nixon's bargaining power prior to Mr. SYMINGTON. Mr. President, hav carriers operating against North Vietnam out the President's journey to Moscow on May ing been a participant at the committee of the South China Sea. And since Moscow 22. Evans and Novak suggest that the pur hearing yesterday when this adminis obviously has surface-to-sea torpedoes and pose of the Noeth Vietnam attack Is to force tration tried to explain to the Committee rockets which could reach these carriers but Nixon into crucial war-settlement talks on on Foreign Relations what these new de has not given them to Hanoi (though it did communist terms. velopments mean, I also ask unanimous give some to Cairo) somebody in Moscow Hanoi's leaders are well aware that South consent to have printed in the RECORD must be putting some restraints on the sup Vietnamese forces are no match for their plies to North Vietnam. regulars in the field. And, for the first time an article by James Reston, published in To hear Mr. Laird tell it, the South Viet In the war, the North Vietnamese are de this morning's New York Times, entitled namese have fought very well against the ploying their own air power and alltl-air "Mr. Nixon's Temper." Communist invasion, and have proved the craft missiles with considerable success. There being no objection, the article Administration's Vietnamization program is Of course, the President could exercise the was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, working. Saigon, he said, now had the fourth option of even heavier bombing In the North as follows: largest air force In the free world. It had and perhaps Including Hanoi and the port fought well In the air, carried out all the air MR. NIXON'S TEMPER of Haiphong. Yet the negatives lie in cur reinforcements at Anloc, knocked out over dUng our attempts to Improve relations with (By James Res.ton) 100 heavy SOViet tanks in one battle, and was Peking and Moscow, and bringing the war WASHINGTON, April lB.-The Administra now able to take care of itself on the ground back to the front pages and the television tion is talking and acting tough against with an army of over a million men. tubes In an elcctlon year. North Vietnam these days, but the evidence In which case, the committee members Beyond that, there Is no evidence to show behind the secenes here is that this is a wanted to know. why this renewal of massive that our previous heavy bombing attacks temporary expression of Presidential frus U.S. bombing in the North, why all the B-52 have in any way weakened the determina tration and anger rather than a calCUlated strikes in support of the Saigon troops In the tion of the North Vietnamese to fight. plan to force a showdown with the Soviet South, and the risk of bombing 011 depots In The question Is often raised as to why the Union In Indochina. Hanoi and Haiphong which could not atrect North Vietnamese have the will to carry on Mr. Nixon as always had a tendency to the present battle? and are so truculent in negotiations, while make some dramatic move whenever he feels Mr. Laird's answer was that these were the South Vietnamese fall miserably In concerned or scorned. This is what he did in necessary to assure the withdrawal of the leadership and national unity. the sudden strikes at Cambodia and Laos, American troops, and to react to the massive Historically the North Vietnamese have and this Is what he has done again by bomb act of aggression across the DMZ. This last never accepted the concept of two Vletnarns. Ing the outskirts of Hanoi and Haiphong reason probably comes nearer the mark. Let The 17th Parallel Is said to divide North and after North Vietnam's invasion of the South. them get away with that, and they might try South Vietnam, but the 1954 Geneva agree But the latest talk by Secretary of Defense anything. ments stipulated that the parallel was to be Melvin Laird about not ruling out any at The committee seemed to think there was "a provisional military demarcation line," tacks on the North, even the mIning of Hai some logic to this, but bombing Hanoi and and not a political boundary or national phong harbor, should probably be put in the Haiphong to assure the withdrawal of the frontier. category of psychological warfare rather than troops merely brought the response: Who's Withdrawal of North Vietnamese from the interpreted as any reckless new war plan. For keeping them from withdrawing? South was a temporary arrangement pending Mr. Nixon usually cools down after he blows The truth Is that, despite all the fear that general elections after which the country was off, especially when calmer minds begin the war was going Into another even more to be reunIted. As Professor George MeT. working on the problem. serious and dangerous phase, the United Kahin of Cornell University explains: "The There is no doubt that the Soviets goaded States, even during the battle, has been pUll Geneva agreements did not leave two sepa him by Increasing substantially their ship 1l~ the troops out at a rate of 1,000 a day rate states. They left two contesting parties ments of T-54 heavy tanks, mobile anti and withdrawing war materiel at the rate of within a single national state. The North aircraft batteries, and SAM's to North Viet 130,000 tons a month. Vietnamese wUl never accept the proposition nam, and it Is scarcely credible, considering The Invasion, of course, is not over and that they are an 'outside force' in Vietnam." the recent visits @f high-ranking Soviet mili North Vietnam stlll has 110,000 troops fight In 1956, the then-President Ngo Dlnh Diem tary officers to Hanoi, that Moscow did not Ing,in South Vietnam. Moreover, it will be of South Vietnam refused to proceed with know all about or help plan the North Viet surprising If the Soviet Union and China do elections which Professor Kahin argues "were namese Invll8ion across the DMZ. not increase their shipments to Hanoi after the major quid pro quo in inducing Ho Chi When this invasiOn was first launched. Mr. Nixon's renewal of the air war. Minh's Vietminh to abandon control over the official line out of the State Department After all, their reaction to Mr. Nixon's a substantial part of the territory that had was that the Soviets were to blame; but other sudden lurches'at Cambodia and Laos been wrested from the French." Henry Kissinger, the Prelsdent·s security ad didn't teach them not to trifle with Nixon. The betrayal of Hanoi-If such it was-Is viser, thought that this was an unwise tack They merely let him cool down and pUll back the compelling reason why the North Viet to take just before the President was hoping and then gave Hanoi more and newer weap namese will never accept a cease-fire and to reach agreements with the SoViet leaders ons than ever before. And this Is still Mr. armistice until a political settlement Is on strategic anns, trade, European security Nixon's problem. reached with South Vietnam. And that Is and space In Moscow next month. And it Is why the negotiations at Paris are stuck on understood that he recommended that the The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. dead center. emphasis on the Soviet arms shipments be CHURCH). The time of the Senator has So what should President Nixon do? As I dropped. expired. see it, he should protect the safety of our Nevertheless, a few days later the President Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, I withdrawing troops. gradually remove our air himself revived the theme in a speech in Ot yield an additional 2 minutes of the time and naval forces and then declare the war to tawa, ordered the strikes on Hanoi and Hai of the Senator from Arkansas to the be at an end so far as the United States is phong, and took his chances of the Soviet concerned. reaction. Senator from Missouri. This course of action would undoubtedlv Since then, Secretary Laird has been giv The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen produce anguished lamentations about onr ing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ator from Missouri is recognized. Apl'il 19, 197c} CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13335 Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, will It is interesting to note in General Senators ,vho would like to get the fioor the Senator yield for a minute? I use Taylor's recent book, "Swords and Plow in their own right. the time of the Senator from Arkansas shares," that he makes a statement Mr. CRANSTON. As the Senator for this purpose. which supports what I am told the dis knows, they will get the floor in their Mr. SYMINGTON. I am glad to yield tinguished Senator from Arizona said own right. to my friend from California. this morning on this fioor. General Tay Mr. BUCKLEY. Mr. President, I will Mr. CRAN~TON. I thank the dis lor's statement best illustrates how badly begin by making reference to the Senator tinguished Senator for a very forceful this war has been managed from a mili from Missouri's statement about the dev and effective presentation. I think it is a tary standpoint by those who made the astations which have been visited-- particUlarly significant contribution to decisions. Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Mr. President, this discussion because of the Senator's He said that no one, not even the on whose time is the Senator speaIm1g? background in military matters in the President, has the moral right to send Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, is there executive branch with high responsi a man into combat without giving him time to Senators on this side? bilities. His service now on all key com the best chance to do the job he is as The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. mittees in the Senate also provides him signed, with least danger to his life. His CHILES). Yes. with the opportunity to be better in exact quote reads as follows: Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, I have formed than almost all Members of this Our pilots were reqUired to return through been authorized by the senator from body on military and foreign relations increasingly heavy enemy defenses to repeat lllinois (Mr. PERCY) to yield to the Sen matters. attacks on targets deliberately hit previous ator from New York (Mr. BUCKLEY) such I woUld like to make an observation ly by aircraft inSUfficient in number to as time as he may need. and then to ask a question. I have noted sure their destruction in a single attack. The Mr. BUCKLEY. Mr. President, I will this morning that in some of the debate was a misguided attempt to translate the start by commenting on the statement by principle of gradualism and limited violence we see what almost amounts to a "win from the strategic to the tactical realm-a the Senator from Missouri about the the war" attitude again rearing its head fallacy which ignored the fact that for the devastation visited on Vietnam. in this Chamber. The distinguished soldier or pilot In the presence of an anned The physical damage to the landscape Senator from Arizona (Mr. GOLDWATER), enemy any war is total since his survival has been enormous and I share his deep whose forthrightness and frankness I is at stake. No one, not even the President, concern over it, just as I share the anger respect tremendously, stated he feels this has the moral right to put a man on the and anguish of all my colleagues over the is perhaps the worst managed war in battlefield or in hostile air space and re destruction and killing which has taken history. He said that when you go into strict him from taking all the measures need place in Indochina. But what I want to ed for his survival and the execution of his a war you go in to win, not in 10 years, mission. So in a variety of ways, gradualism point out to the Senator from Missouri but in 10 minutes. I wonder what that contributed to a prolongation of the war is that all this destruction, all this kill means. The Senator from Coiorado and gave time not only for more men to lose ing woUld come to a halt tomorrow if spoke of the other side as a "losing their lives but also for the national patience only Hanoi would call its troops home horse." to wear thin, the antiwar movement to gain and give up its desire to conquer its The Senator from Missouri, and every momentum, and hostile propaganda to make neighbors by force of arms. other Senator, and every citizen in the Inroads at home and abroad. The history of the Vietnam war has country, know that we coUld-at least Military men constantly protested to been one of complexities and confusion, in a narrow military sense-if we went me that they were being forced to attack a history on which men of good will have all out. The reason we have not done useless targets. One who did was shortly differed and shall continue to differ. that under a Democratic President, Lyn killed; another, even though a major Yet with the recent massive invasion don Johnson, and under a Republican general, quitely resigned in protest. This by North Vietnam of South Vietnam, a President. Richard Nixon, is that we all helped me to change my view about new phase of this war has been created. know we do not just face small North this war. The facts are unambiguous; one sov Vietnam with its limited popUlation and n is now clear said war is being ereign nation has invaded another with limited resources; we face North Viet escalated as a resUlt of the President's conventional forces for no other purpose nam backed up by the Soviet Union and decision to continue it even though in but the traditional one of all invading China. If we choose to escalate our aid his campaign-and I have now placed it forces: to conquer the people and the to the South, they may very well feel all in the RECORD-often he said, "If territory of the invaded nation. that they must escalate their aid to the elected, I will stop it." He has had nearly This savage and sudden end to certain North. three and a half years, but instead of fashiona1;>le myths which have hitherto I wish to ask the Senator this ques stopping it, he has expanded it. There masked the role of North Vietnam in this tion in light of the circumstances now is now fighting in Cambodia where there war has had certain salutary effects on prevailing. Greater risks are being taken was not fighting until he came to office. world opinion. With the exception of now than at any time in this war in He has maintained the struggle in Laos, North Vietnam's ideological allies, no na terms of the escalation and possible re even though he switched it from being tion has supported this attempt at con ciprocal moves by the other side: Where run by the Defense Department, if they quest. The idea that what we are wit can this end? What risks do we face if ever ran it, to the Central Intelligence nessing is a civil war has become a we decide once again not to lose, not to Agency, and now he is further escalating linguistic as well as historical absurdity. negotiate, but to break the backs of the the war in Vietnam. While it would be worthwhile to ex other side? What are the risks in that One of the ironies of what is going on amine in great detail those cmious at policy? brings us back to what I said in 1956, tempts we have heard during the past The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time namely, that our policies are to be weak few weeks to switch the burden of blame of the Senator has expired. against the strong and strong against for these latest developments from the Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, I yield the weak. The recent visit to China and North Vietnamese invaders to President myself 2 minutes under the same con the planned visit to Moscow would ap Nixon whose decisive action has helped ditions. pear incredible efforts to demonstrate to halt the invasion, because of the brief The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen om peace loving intentions at the same time allowed me I \Vill limit myself to ator is recognized. time we continue to destroy these little an examination of some of the basic facts M:r. SYMINGTON. I would say to the countries in Southwest Asia. of the matter. able Senator that, regardless of what First, the facts of the invasion along the risks were, I would take them if I Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, if the the DMZ and of the bombing of the felt they were in the interest of the se Senator would remain on his feet, I wish military targets in the Hanoi-Haiphong cmit,y of the United States. to say I regret that, under the time re area: When I first went to Vietnam, back in straints, I was unable to yield to Senators The northern section of South Vietnam 1961, with Gen. Maxwell Taylor and Mr. who have asked for time. We have had has been invaded by a force of 45,000 to Walt Rostow, I felt this war was neces difficulty when they have asked us to 50,000 seasoned NVA troops equilJped sary. After further examination over the yield because of the time limitation. I with modem Soviet and Chinese Com years, however, I changed my mind, and would like t<> ask if senators who have munist artillery and armor including so told my colleagues in the Senate in questions to the Senator from Missouri. three varieties of conventional and am the fall of 1967. Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, we have phibious tanks. 13336 , CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 With the exception of minor Vietcong I think it is worthwhile, at this time, rupt the flow of military sup~lies, the units operating along the Cambodian to note certain parallels which obtain President should keep open the option of border north of Saigon, the entire Com between the current situation in Indo mining the harbor at Haiphong. munist effort within South Vietnam is china and the situation in the Middle I believe further that the administra being conducted by the North Vietnam East. In each instance, one country is tion should be willing to provide air, ese. Not less than nine NVA divisions threatened by actual or potential inva naval, and logistic support should the are now employed in South Vietnam, sus sion; South Vietnam by her neighbor to South Vietnamese wish to launch com tained by huge quantities of weapons and the north and Israel by the surrow1ding mando operations within North Vietnam trucks and fuel provided 85 percent by Arab States. The Israelis have long suc with their special forces and marine the Soviet Union. ceeded in demonstrating their capacity units. It should be kept in mind that The fact that the NVA is now employ to handle their own defense just as the while Hanoi has now deployed at least ing its forces, not in guerrilla formations, South Vietnamese are now doing; and nine divisions in South Vietnam and but in conventional mechanized forma both Israel and South Vietnam rely on another two or three in Laos and Cam tions along the entire South Vietnamese U.S. military assistance for their surviv bodia, she has retained within her own border makes them particularly vulner al. Israel has found it necessary, in her borders only one home defense division able to reductions in the su~ply of petro own defense, to attack those military and another division in training. Thus leum and heavy munitions destined for targets within Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and commando attacks would force the re those forces. All North Vietnamese pe Lebanon which threaten her security. turn to North Vietnam of units now en troleum is imported, the bulk of it is At the present time, however, the gaged in aggression against its neighbors. stored in the Hanoi-Haiphong area, from South Vietnamese are not equipped to Also, the time has come for Hanoi to where it is shipped to the rest of the take over the entire air war. Thus the learn that invasion can become a two country largely by pipeline. Thus the air support we are now supplying sim~ly way street. most effective way to blunt the NVA of supplements the major and thus far suc Finally, if North Vietnam continues to fensive in South Vietnam, the most ef cessful effort now being made by South maintain the current pace of their inva fective way to reduce the terror now be Vietnam in her own defense; and in the sion, the President should consider order ing visited by the North Vietnamese on process we are demonstrating the via ing the destruction of the network of Red the people of the South, is to strike di bility of the Nixon doctrine and our will River dikes which are so essential to rectly at the means by which the North ingness to implement it. North Vietnam's agriCUltural economy. supports the war. , For it must be understood that the This would force a diversion of a large The air strikes in the Hanoi-Haiphong Vietnamization program is neither more segment of its manpower from the pur area, as well as the strikes made else or less than the application to the exist suit of an aggressive war to the repair where in the country, are not only nec ing confiict in Indochina of the doctrine of these vital facilities. essary and justified on a basis of purely enunciated by President Nixon in Guam Such measures, I submit, are not only military considerations, but they are in 1969. That doctrine stated quite ex made necessary by the persistent aggres wholly consistent with and sup~ortive of plicitly that the United States would not sion of Hanoi, but the evidence they pro the policy of Vietnamization. They in no again become involved in ground war vide of our determination is our best way involve a buildup of American fare in regional confiicts in Asia. It assurance that Hanoi will finally join us ground forces, and they represent an es stated that henceforth, the American and the South Vietnamese in seeking a calation of the war only in the sense role in our various regional defense terination of these hostilities through that these strikes represent a necessary agreements would be twofold: First of good faith negotiations in Paris. response to the major offensives which all, we would help arm and train our Almost a half-century ago, the great have been launched by Hanoi against the allies so that they would have the ca English author G. K. Chesterton wrote: people of South Vietnam. pacity to defend themselves against I do not believe in a fate that falls on men Second, the facts concerning the effec ordinary contingencies. Second, we no matter what they do: I do believe in a fate tiveness of President Nixon's program of would stand ready with our naval and that falls on men If they do nothing. Vietnamization: air ~ower to support the defensive efforts We have been told over and over and The best evidence that Vietnamization of our allies where necessary to meet a over again that the fate of the people is working is to compare the current con major external attack. This doctine is of South Vietnam was to become sub flict with the Tet offensive of 1968. now the cornerstone of our mutual de jects of the politburo in Hanoi. It would At that time, we had over half a mil fense arrangements in the Western Pa seem that President Nixon's actions and lion Americans stationed in South Viet cific. Thus it is not only the Vietnamiza the courage of the South Vietnamese nam, and it took the full might of these tion policy which is today being tested, people themselves are forging a differ forces to stop the Communists. Today but in a real sense the Nixon doctrine as ent fate. one which offers them a chance the most recent North Vietnamese inva well. for peace and justice and freedom. sion is being brought under control en I believe that the action President Mr. President, I reserve the remainder tirely by South Vietnamese ground and Nixon has taken is not only appropriate of my time. tactical air forces. During the peak of and necessary to enable the South Viet The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen the Tet offensive, the United States suf namese to withstand the savage attacks ator has 1 minute remaining. fered 500 men killed per week. During the which Hanoi has launched against them The Senator from Idaho is recognized. peak of the current offensive, less than with the help of modern weapons pro Mr. CHURCH. Mr. President, I have 10 Americans stationed in South Viet vided by the Soviet Union and the Com listened with fascination and dismay to nam were killed ~er week. In each case, munist Chinese, but I believe it gives sig this debate. I wonder if the time will of course, the efforts of the military nificant evidence to our allies in the Pa ever come when we will stop deceiving forces based in South Vietnam, whether cific of our willingness to fulfill our ourselves about this war in Vietnam. American or indigenous, were supple undertakings within the context of the Over the past 7 years, I have heard so mented by B-52 airstrikes against the Nixon doctrine. many different ar:guments advanced to enemy supply lines; but it should be Not only is the President fully justi justify the massive American interven noted that we have not provided South fied in the action which he has taken in tion in what, from the beginning, was Vietnam with the capacity to handle this response to the invasion launched by and is a Vietnamese affair. Presidents phase of the war on her own. Hanoi, but in my judgment he would be come and go, arguments come and go, This does point up one possible weak justified in taking far stronger measures but American forces stay on. Now we ness in the program to provide the South to frustrate the aggression of the North have a new argument presented this Vietnamese with a full capacity to de Vietnamese and to underscore the fact morning by Senators on the other side fend themselves. By deliberate choice, we of the aisle. that a withdrawal of our ground forces The argument is that this is sUddenly have refused to provide them with air is not tantamount to the abandonment ca~able a different war. We are told that North craft of launching strikes against of an ally. Vietnam has brazenly invaded the south, military targets in the north, in contrast I believe he should continue to bomb that nine North Vietnamese divisions are with the kind of weapons, notably the military and logistic targets in the North presently in the south, and that they are Phantom jets, with which we have sup which provide support for the invasion receiving direct supplies of petroleum, plied the Israelis. now in progress. In tIllS effort to inter- ammunition, and other support from April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13337 China and Russia. Therefore, we are in the fact that two Vietnams never existed, This is no indigenous uprising by a formed, this is a different war. historically. At the Geneva Conference in local faction in South Vietnam. This Mr. President, has there ever been a 1954, the line of demarcation between the is pure, unadulterated aggression by time when North Vietnamese forces were two halves was established temporarily, North Vietnam against the people of not involved in the South? Has there elections were called for to settle the South Vietnam along the length and ever been a time when those forces were question, and the elections were never breadth of their homeland. not supported with material, ammuni held. On this day and the days that fol tion, and petroleum supplied to Hanoi by Did our o\\'n Civil War suddenly stop lowed, the mask of hypocrisy was also China and the Soviet Union? If so, I am being one when the armies of the North torn from the Orwellian double-thinkers not aware of it. invaded the South? What a foolish argu and the double-standard moralizers in How, in the name of Heaven can such ment. No, Mr. President, we must face up America. an argument be made, without so much to the fact that we must either tum over Where were these self-anointed as mentioning our own immense inter the responsibility for the defense of "keepers of conscience" when North vention in the war on behalf of South South Vietnam to the South Vietna Vietnam sent 12 of its 13 divisions into Vietnam? Not only have we extended vast mese, having equipped them with the full battle into South Vietnam? quantities of arms, weapons, food, and necessary tools to do the job, or we must Silent against Hanoi. money to the Government in Saigon continue to fight on indefinitely in this Where were these "keepers of con far beyond the total amount furnished to war. science" when North Vietnam blatantlY North Vietnam by either Russia or If, after all the effort that we have violated the 1968 understanding against China; at the very least 10 times as made, it is still necessary to apply mas use of the demilitarized zone between much, at the most a hundred times as sive American air and naval power in North and South Vietnam for militarY much, insofar as we can tell-but we order to shield South Vietnam against operations? have gone much further. We have sent the North, when will we ever free Amer Silent against Hanoi. an American expeditionary force there ican forces from the bondage of this war? Where were these "keepers of con to fight the war for them. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen science" when North Vietnam openly The Russians have not done that. Not ator's time has expired. and undisputedly violated the Geneva a single Russian soldier has ever been in Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, I yield Agreements of 1954 by invading South volved in this war. The Chinese have not the Senator 1 additional minute of Vietnam? done that. No Chinese combat forces Senator FULBRIGHT'S time. Silent against Hanoi. have intervened in the war. The North Mr. CHURCH. I suggest, Mr. President, Where were these "keepers of con has fought the war alone, with such ma that the new bombing of the North will science" when North Vietnamese forces terial help as Hanoi could get from those no more work for President Nixon than ra.ined missiles, mortars, and artillery outside countries sympathetic with its the old bombing of the North worked for onto cities and towns of South Vietnam cause. South Vietnam, alone, has relied President Johnson. One day, perhaps, the in utter disregard of civilians? upon the military forces of the United Senate will find the resolution to use the Silent against Hanoi. States to fight the war for it, for 10 these pursestrings to force a conclusion to our Where were these "keepers of con many years. involvement. science" when 100,000 South Vietnamese Mr. President, in addition to fighting Only Monday, the Committee on For civilians were forced to flee their homes the war on behalf of South Vietnam, we eign Relations attached such an amend because of North Vietnam's brutal have armed, equipped and trained their ment to a bill that will come before the attacks? forces, year in and year out. The total Senate next week. A vote, once again Silent against Hanoi. amount of the assistance we have given testing our will-or the lack of it-will Where were the great moralizers when them, according to an article in the then take place. Senators will be called one country-North Vietnam-armed to Washington Star dated February 23, upon to decide whether to bring the re the teeth, deliberately violated the ter 1972, summarizing the military assist mainder of our men home, or leave our ritorial integrity of another country? ance prcgram to Saigon, as revealed by forces there to fight on in a war for Silent against Hanoi. the Pentagon, now comes to a staggering which there is no end in sight. Where were the great moralizers when $11.64 billion. Mr. President, I ask unanimous con Hanoi revealed so clearly that all but the Compare that, if you please, with the sent that the text of the Case-Church blind could see that North Vietnam is aid that Hanoi has gotten from the So amendment be published here in the bent on conquering South Vietnam by viet Union and from China. RECORD. force and imposing its will by force on Mr. President, this is not a different There being no objection, the amend the people of South Vietnam? war. It is the same old wa:. Yet, we have ment was ordered to be printed in the Silent against Hanoi. just found a new way of deceiving our RECORD, as follows: Where were the "keepers of con selves, a new argument, as fallaciously CASE-CHURCH AMENDMENT science" when North Vietnam-not the based as all the other arguments of the Notwithstanding any provision of law, United States, not South Vietnam, but past. Indeed, Mr. President, if there was none of the funds authorized or appropriated Hanoi-SUddenly escalated a war, that ever a classical civil war, this is it. If in this or any other act may be expended or we were winding down, into a bloodY obligated after December 31, 1972, for the there ever was a textbook civil war, Viet purpose of engaging US forces, land, sea or shooting war again? nam fits the definition. air, in hostilities in Indochina, subject to an Silent against Hanoi. Its origins go back 30 years. It com agreement for the release of all prisoners of Those "keepers of conscience"-those menced when the French were there, as war held by the Government of North Viet great moralizers-who are so quick to an indigenous effort to bring an end to nam and forces allied with such Govern criticize President Nixon's Vietnam the French Colonial Government; and it ment and an accounting for all Americans policy would have some credibility were has continued, through the many years missing In action who have been held by or they equally, vehement in criticizing since, with the same objective, insofar as known to such Government or such forces. North Vietnam's invasion of South the North is concerned. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen Vietnam. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen ator's time has expired. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time ator's time has expired. Who yields time? of theSenator has expired. Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, in be Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, I yield Mr. FONG. May I have an additional half of the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. 5 minutes to the distinguished Senator 2 minutes? FULBRIGHT), I yield 2 minutes to the from Hawaii (Mr. FaNG). That time is Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, \vith the Senatorfrom Idaho. to be taken from the time that was al permission of the Senator from Kansas, Mr. CHURCH. Insofar as the North located to the Senator from Tennessee I yield 2 minutes from the time of the and her partisans in the South are con (Mr. BAKER). Senator from Kansas to the Senator cerned, the goal remains the same as Mr. FONG. Mr. President, ,\ith the from Hawaii. ever: To reunite Vietnam under the revo massive recent, six-pronged invasion by Mr. FONG. Those who criticize U.S. lutionary government in Hanoi. From North Vietnam using troops, tanks, other bombing of military targets in North their Viewpoint, there never were two armored vehicles, missiles and artillery, Vietnam would have some credibility as countries. All this talk about invasion by the mask of hypocrisy was tom from the "keepers of conscience" and great moral the North against the South overlooks war in Vietnam. izers if they likeWise criticized the North 13338 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE Apt'il 19, 1972 Vietnamese shelling of civilians in South country. We do not need false pride. We of that policy on both sides. It has been Vietnam. can acknowledge error and we must. a successful policy but the skeptics, espe Those so quick to label U.S. actions im The attack by North Vietnam on the cially in China, have hardly disappeared. moral would have some credibility if South was as inevitable as the failure of Mr. Nixon, who is often praised for his with equal promptness, equal persistence, the Nixon Vietnamization policy. Mili political acumen, must realize that he is equal diligence, equal fervor-they tary men, journalists, and diplomats placing those who formulated China's labeled North Vietnam's war against alike were predicting the present offen American policy in increasing jeopardy. South Vietnam immoral. sive a year ago when I was in Vietnam. If they fall so will the detente. What can be said of the morality of Is the White House so buffered by syco Is Vietnamization that important? those who condemn everything the phantic advisors that it fails to hear On May 22 President Nixon is sched United States does but remain silent on these predictions? Apparently so. uled to travel to Moscow for a summit what the enemy does, no matter how It would be incorrect to describe the meeting of, extreme importance. The brutal, no matter how inhumane, no bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong as a entire world will be affected by the ne matter how patently illegal? return to the fallacious policies of the gotiations that will be conducted there And what can be said of the morality past, for these policies have never been in the vital areas of disarmament, trade, of those who "'ill risk the position-the discarded. President Nixon has read the and cultural exchange. future, if "You will-of the more than political thermometer well and has kept At worst that trip could be canceled. 80,000 U.S. troops still in South Vietnam, his withdrawal rate at the minimum level At best our efforts to reach a meaningful most of whom are logistical and support necessary to satisfy public opinion in this accord will be severely hampered. troops, not combat troops? country. Is Vietnamization that important? With those "double-standard Ameri But, in fact, he has been more con And most importantly, Mr. President, cans" bad-mouthing America, who can cerned with avoiding a South Vietnamese not since 1968 has the hope of seeing our say how much encouragement, comfort, defeat than with extricating his country POW's released seemed so bleak. and aid have been given to the enemy to from war. He has worried more about his Is Vietnamization that important? prolong the war? . version of America's "pride" than the Mr. President, we cannot bomb North Are we to infer that what America's lives of its fighting men or the spirit of Vietnam into SUbmission. Time and critics really want is for South Viet its people. again our past experience has shown nam to capitulate? As we reembark on an attempt to that, if anything, their resolve will be By their own double standard of bomb our adversary to submission-a strengthened. morality, these self-anointed "keepers of policy which has failed so many times Our bombs cannot stop the allies of conscience" have forfeited any claim to before-the mtlmory of negotiations and North Vietnam from supplying the goods objectivity, logic, even-handedness, or peace proposals is dim. But it was only to wage war. We can only endanger our even common sense. For it appears they 3 months ago that President Nixon an relations with those countries and the cannot distinguish between right and nounced that he had been negotiating balance of world peace. wrong. secretly to end the war. We were ready Our bombs cannot strengthen the The day the United States of America to give the President a chance at that South Vietnamese Army, they can only cannot distinguish between right and time but it was soon apparent that his increase dependence on our air support wrong is the day our Nation will relin only motive was to resign Americans to and further Americanize the war. quish the fundamental basis for leader the belief that the only alternative left Finally, our bombs are making moot ship in the world. was Vietnamization. the questions of victory and defeat, for And that will be the day America will Now, when Vietnamization is shown they are destroying the very nation they lose whatever leverage we have in shap as a categorical failure in the absence are employed to protect. ing the world into a world of liberty, jus of overwhelming American air power, Mr. President, we must leave Vietnam tice, decency, and peace. Americans are asked to accept a new to the Vietnamese. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. escalation of air attacks on targets that Our continued assistance to South STEVENSON). The Senator's additional were considered dangerous and sensi Vietnam is a promise that the American time has expired. tive even at the height of our involve people can no longer make. We have Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I yield 5 ment in 1965. given our best and we can give no more. minutes to the Senator from Tennessee. Are the risks less in 1972? I do not be Our Vietnam pollcy should be one of Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, in the lieve so. disengagement. Our only goal shOUld be interest of going back and forth, as we There are those who will claim that the release of our prisoners of war. And have been trying to do, could Senator the failure of China and the Soviet Un we can only pursue this policy at the EAGLETON be next, to be followed by Sen ion to respond militarily to our attacks conference table. ator BROCK? on their ships will vindicate what they Mr. President, as I said at the outset, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen have always believed to be appropriate we are a great nation. It is a time we ator from Missouri is recognized. U.S. strategy. They will no doubt inter acted like one. Who yields time? pret Soviet and Chinese inaction as an Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I yield 5 Mr. CRANSTON. I yield 5 minutes of opportunity for more bold assertions of minutes to the Senator from Tennessee Senator McGEE'S time to the Senator American power. They will believe that (Mr. BROCK) . from Missouri. the allies of North Vietnam are less com The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Mr. EAGLETON. Mr. President, the mitted than the allies of South Vietnam CHILES), The Senator from Tennessee pride of a natlOll is much like the pride and they \vill urge all-out war. is recognized for 5 minutes. of a man. It is an old record but it will be heard Mr. BROCK. Mr. President, the Sen A great man is acclaimed by o'hers again. And it appears that the White ator from Idaho said that he was listen and need not acclaim himself. A weak House is listening. ing with fascination and amazement to man compensates with artificial power But how far canwe push? How do we this debate. I share his fascination and and boisterous bravado. A great man un measure the danger? amazement, but perhaps for a different derstands his fallibility and acknowl This was to have been the watershed reason. My reaction stems from the re edges error. A weak man admits no fault. year for the Nixon foreign policy. We fusal of some people to live in the real What we are doing today in Vietnam have experienced a detente with Com world. The Senators' argument relates is not a sign of greatness; it is a com munist China and we have negotiated to past circumstances, not present cir pensation for failure. with the Soviet Union for the reduction cumstances. He said, "Presidents come After considerable contemplation as to of nuclear weapons. These two initiatives and go, arguments come and go, but the tactical value of our attacks on North are, in themselves, significant and his American troops stay on." That simply is Vietnam, the only conclusion I can draw toric. But the success of these major not a fact. Close to half a million Amer is that we have embarked on a course of endeavors is now being endangered so ican men have come home from Viet raw retaliation. The President's policy that the folly of Vietnamization can be nam; 85 percent of our men are out. has been threatened, and there is noth preserved. He says the South is allowing the ing more vengeful than the "wounded The detente 'with China was accom United States to "massively" fight the pride of a king." plished with great foresight and a con war for them. That was true in the ad Mr. President, America is a great siderable political risk to the advocates ministration of the past, but not now. April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13339 The 1968 Tet offensive was a Comm1U1ist That is one part of the record. There The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen assault on American troops. In 1972, are other parts. I remember well in ator from Arkansas is recognized for 8 sometimes known as Tet No.2, they as 1964's campaign, the Democrats prom minutes. saulted only Vietnamese soldiers. Not a ised the people of America, "Elect us and Mr. FULBRIGHT. Mr. President, over single American 1U1it was on the field. He there will be no land war in Asia, no the weekend in North Vietnam, and dur said we have continually trained and American troops will be sent there." ing the past 2 days in the Foreign Rela equipped them yearin and year out. That It is a matter of record, I remind the tions Committee, we have seen and heard simply is not a fact. Vietnamization has Senat<>r, that promise was broken. Half the administration's Vietnam policy re trained and equipped the people, but the a million American men were sent half vealed for what it really is. It is a policy previous administration refused to fund way al'ound the world for the wrong dedicated to the perpetuation of the the mobilization bUdget for the people ot reason, in the utter conceit and arro present Saigon regime, specifically Presi South Vietnam to fight in their own de gance of a policy conceived and imple dent Thieu. The military developments fense. mented by the Democrat Party that we of the past month have also revealed The Senator from Missouri said an could with our men earn the freedom Vietnamization for what it really is-a attack on the South was as inevitable as of others for them. Thus the last admin failure in its declared objective of disen the failure of our Vietnamization policy istration replaced the Vietnamese troops gaging our presence in Indochina. Sens itself. Like many others, this is an effort with our own troops. It refused to fund ing that the South Vietnamese, despite to engage in self-fulfilling prophecy their mobilization budget. That too is 3 years of massive inputs of Ameri retrospectively. He said Vietnamization the record. can equipment and training were still is shown to be a categorical failure. By With what very predictable result? not capable of defending themselves, the whom? Since when? The last I heard the An adverse reaction in the countryside administration has moved in a massive south was acquitting itself, with distinc led to enhanced Vietcong strength and manner to build up Ame-rican forces in tion. He asks, "Is Vietnamization that weakened national pride and resolve. Vietnam and to retaliate against the important?" I say "Yes" to that question, Thus in 1968, it was the American North Vietnamese. A large increase in Yes, it certainly is that important. troops who bore the brunt of the Tet our naval and Air Force personnel is pres How effective could the President be, offensive. Those who made the assault ently underway. if he were to go to Moscow representing against them were 85 percent Vietcong The testimony given the Foreign Rela a nation that did not have the moral and 15 percent North Vietnamese. tions Committee in the past 2 days by rectitude to stand behind its allies, a na There is more to the record, though. the Secretaries of State and Defense has tion which would callously trade their When this administration came into of opened a vast range of possibilities for freedom for the mess of pottage of a fice, it came in with a new policy, a pol increased American involvement in the possibly favorable press release. In point icy called the Nixon doctrine, a policy war. Unlimited American bombing of of fact the failure of Vietnamization, which said clearly that no man could North Vietnam has been threatened and however covered by some, could destroy earn another's freedom. Thus we would the possibility of blockading Haiphong any opport1U1ity for responsible negotia help those who demonstrated a willing or mining its harbor have not been ruled tions in Moscow. Is Vietnamization that ness to help themselves. We began to withdraw. We no longer carry their bur out. important? No less than our bargaining The Secretary of State seeks to justify position, no more than our hope for real den in combat. We trained, equipped, and f1U1ded them to defend themselves. the bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong on peace. the grounds that such action was re The one ingredient missing from thIs What has happened as a result of that policy-550,000 American troops were in quired to protect American troops, to debate is a sense of historical perspective. insure their withdrawal on schedule and The senior Senator from Missouri said Vietnam 1U1der the previous administra tion. Now there are only 80,000-and to assist the South Vietnamese in de there is no adequate substitute for the fending themselves. CertainlY no one record. I agree, so let us talk about the less than 10,000 actual combat troops are left in Vietnam. would question the right of our troops in record. Vietnam to defend themselves-although I remember very well, back in the mid Mr. President, let us abjw'e the de ceit that this Nation is carrying the load one can question whether there is any fifties, when I was in the U.S. Navy on a need for American troops to be in Viet ship near the Philippines, we received any more. The South Vietnamese people are carrying the load, and carrying it nam at all at this point. What is most emergency orders to load every avail with courage and honor. Perhaps, in doubtful about the protection rationale able ton of food, especially fresh fruits light of this record, its fair to ask these is whether destroying supplies at Hanoi and vegetables, and to rush to the port critics what happened to their persistent and Haiphong, h1U1dreds of miles from of Haiphong. On arrival, we participated plea that this was an internal civil war the battlefIelds, afforded any protection in the evacuation of those 1 million men in Vietnam? Everyone talked about that, to American troops in the current crisis. and women who "voted with their feet," not too long ago. What happened to Equally difficult to comprehend is the leaving the Communist oppression of that argument? logic in the proposition that we have to North Vietnam to go south. When theY The fact is that today, instead of bomb the North Vietnamese in order to decided to go south and leave the "agrar having 85 percent indigenous troops they insure the withdrawal of our troops. All ian reform" regime as it is referred to have 15 percent-rather 85 percent of available evidence is that the North Viet by those on the other side, when they those im'ading South Vietnam and par namese are quite enthusiastic about our made that determination, the Commu ticipating in the fighting against those leaving and are doing everything possi nists cut off their food and medical sup people are conscripted from the North. ble to speed us on our way. plies and began to murder them. We saw That, too, is the record. That is the Thus, we are left with the third justi men and women with babies in their result of Vietnamization, of the policy fication offered by Secretary Rogers arms desperately suffering from malnu which restores to the people the respon that we are bombing the North in order trition and inadequate medical treat sibility to earn their freedom. The result, to assist the South Vietnamese'to defend ment. They asked us to take them south despite all the cries of "wolf," those themselves. It is not difficult to 1U1der so that they could live in freedom-or people have accepted this responsibility stand why the Secretary of state put this not at all. Some were not so fortunate with pride and ability. Once more the point last and why the Secretary of De over 60,000 were killed for "political c01U1tryside has chosen freedom-not fense scarcely mentioned it at all. It is deviation." communism. a completely discredited objective, one Mr. President, do not talk to me about For the record, then, I say to the which has already cost us 55,000 dead the integrity, the courage, and the guts critics, Vietnamization has worked. It is and 300,000 w01U1ded; has led to the im of these people. They have it, and theY incredible to me that some advocate we prisonment of h1U1dreds of our airmen; have it in full measure. A tiny land, an now turn our back on a valiant people has already cost us $200 billion and likely impoverished people, gambling their very simply in hopes of gaining an election will cost a total of $500 billion before it lives, giving their total possessions, in year measure of political porridge. is finally paid for; has discredited us one gasping effort to leave their children The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who abroad; and threatens the moral and a chance to breathe free air. Do they care yields time? economic fabric of our society here at less than our forefathers who gave us Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, I yield home. the same heritage they seek? 8 minutes to the Senator from Arkansas. If protecting American lives is, or had CXVIII----:842-Part 11 13340 'CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 ever been, the primary concern of this devastation of Indochina, continued of this year, there will be fewer than administration, it could long ago have American involvement in this conflict 70,000. This is one President who has gotten all American troops out of Viet cannot be justified. k-.lpt every p::omise he has made to the nam. Similarly, if securing the release In short it clearly is not in the inter American people. of American prisoners is the ultimate est of ow' Nation to continue the whole There is only one remaining, outstand condition for total American withdrawal, sale destruction of the lives and prop ing covenant between candidate Nixon, there is a simple remedy which the ad erty of the Vietnamese people. President Nixon, and the people of the ministration might have tried long ago. The entire operation has become bar United States, and that is the uncondi In tact these two goals, the ",ithdrawal of barous, inhumane, and obscene and is tional representation and promise to the all troops and the release of prisoners, a profound embarrassment to the peo electorate that he would end the war. might have been coupled in a simple ple of our COWl try. I assert, on the basis of his performance proposition and put to the North Viet Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, if any so far, on the basis of the representations namese without complicating conditions. time remains, it should be reserved. and promises made by this President to But this has never been done. I thank the Senator from Arkansas for the people of this country since his elec There is an obvious explanation for his very fine contribution to the debate. tion, that he richly "undeserves to be the administration's refusal to do any of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who disbelieved" in this respect as well. And these things~ The administration did not yields time? I expect fulfillment of his promise to at the outset, and apparently does not Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I yield to end the war. today, believe that the Saigon regime the Senator from Tennessee. Of course all of us have yearned could survive a total American with Mr. BAKER. Mr. President, I have lis greatly for an earlier and permanent drawal. Furthermore, the administration tened with great interest to the remarks peace. No one, more than the President. believes that it is important to the United of the distinguished junior Senator from wants all of our troops home, the pris States to insure the survival of the pres Arkansas (Mr. FULBRIGHT). We share a oners-of-war reunited with their fam ent South Vietnamese Government. solid, unfortified boundary between Ten ilies, and peace for the tortured people While denying that it seeks a military nessee and Arkansas. I wonder, however, of five Southeast Asian nations that Victory in Vietnam, the administration if I might not direct my remarks this have known only war for more than two nevertheless seeks to determine a specific morning, for these brief moments, to a decades. political outcome by force. Because the little review of the situation as I perceive But if there is accountability for all struggle in Vietnam is and has always it, because I recall with great clarity the of this outlay in lives, in suffering, and been essentially a civil war, this is'a dis time just before the campaign for the in materiel, it is clear to this Senator tinction without a difference. Presidency in 1968 when there was gen that it must rest with those who are The questions which emerge from all eral public sentiment that the war was aggressors in Indochina, the North Viet this, of course, are the same questions endless, that there was no solution, that namese. In recent days we have witnessed which have been involved during the en there was no way out, and that it might a massive wave of regular North Viet tire tragic history of our involvement in finally fade away. Then, again, there was namese troops pouring into South Viet Vietnam. the proposal of the Senator from Ver nam. Never once, during the whole tragic Whether the future form of govern mont that we simply declare victory and history of this conflict, has the Govern ment in South Vietnam is--or ever has leave. ment of South Vietnam sent its troops been-a legitimate concern of ours; But now it is 4 years later and it against the civilian population of the Whether the present regime in Saigon seems to me that the man who won the North. is worthy of our support, and Presidency in 1968, the man who is Presi If peace is the objective of the govern Whether any of this is worth what we dent of the United states today, has done ment in Hanoi, and not the subjugation have already invested in it in lives and a remarkable thing, indeed, because, in and domination of the people of South treasure. deed and in fact the war is not without Vietnam, that peace can be had in an. Mr. President, my feeling is that there end, it is obvious that there is a way out, instant. is a steadily growing consensus among and in deed and in fact the sense of frus How can the Government in North the American public to the effect that tration about a seemingly endless war Vietnam send its massed troops into even if Vietnam was ever our business, has dissipated and the people of this South Vietnamese territory in the expec the cost of the war long ago exceeded country are confident that we are on the tation that its own territory will some any rational bounds. I doubt whether way to disengagement in Southeast Asia. how remain inviolate? Agreements care they will now support further expendi I hope it is not partisa~l to note that fully arranged at the time of the bombing tures or grave new risks in pursuit of a this is not the first time that this has oc halt of March 1968, have been openly discredited objective-an objective curred. I recall similar statements about and brazenly breached by one side: which even the administration feels com Korea, when it was said there was no Hanoi. How can Hanoi now appeal to the pelled to disavow. way out. I remember that we elected a world community that the United States The Kennedy administration attempt President in 1952 who promptly took should cling to its own side of that agree ed to foster the impression that there himself to Kvrea and entered into nego ment? It is a travesty. was no American war in Vietnam. The tiations that resulted in a peace treaty Pursuant to the Nixon doctrine, enun Johnson administration sought to create in Korea that ended that war. ciated by the President in Guam in 1969, the illusion that we were winning the I am convinced that this is precisely the United States is committed to a total war. The Nixon administration-until where we are headed in Vietnam: To withdrawal of its troops from South Viet this week-had many Americans believ ward stabilization of that situation, con nam on a carefully phased basis. The ing that our role in the war was drawing tainment of the aggression by North South Vietnamese will be left to defend to a close. Obviously this is not the case. Vietnam against South Vietnam, and I their own country. While I am thankful the administra hope my colleagues will indUlge me the This major offensive by the North Viet tion bas withdrawn over 450,000 men fond wish that some day we on this namese comes at an Iffiusually dangerous from Vietnam, our involvement will not side of the aisle may be helpful in elect time, for a number of reasons. It threat end until all have been withdrawn. I ing someone President who, as he had to ens the safety of the remaining American reject the concept that our involvement in 1952 and 1968, does not have to go into troops. It makes the possibility of serious is lessened just because we are only using the kitchen and wash the other fellow's discussion at Paris virtually nonexistent. air and naval forces. Although the use dirty dishes. It may well, although I earnestly hope of such force may be more "antiseptic" Mr. President, those Members of this it will not, imperil the upcoming summit and impersonal and may cost fewer body who oppose the policies of the in Moscow, where arms limitation and American lives than the use of ground President in Indochina do so, I am confi other vital subjects are to be discussed. forces, the involvement of any U.S. forces dent, out of deep and strong conviction. And. of course, it causes untold suffer and the risks attendant to their use re My support of those policies runs equally ing for hundreds of thousands of human quires the same full measure of justi deep and strong. beings, military and civilian, mostly Viet fication. Given the past and prospective In 1969, when President Nixon as namese. cost of this terrible war in terms of our sumed the awesome duties of his office, There are those who hope that Viet economic and social distress here at home there were well over half a million Ameri namization will fail. No one can predict and in terms of the human and physical can troops in South Vietl.am. By May 1 the ultimate success or failure of that April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13341 policy. But, for my own part, I believe seen only very brief periods of peace. He there must be other means and other de that Vietnamization was, has been, and has faced the difficulty of every father vices to achieve true peace, that there is today the best and most rational policy trying to explain to his children the rea must be other people in the world who to be followed by this Government. The son why mankind seems bent on destroy agree with us. Some of us must be \villing people and the Government of South ing itself and destroying the modalities to lead the way. Vietnam have no aggressive aims and a of life. Sometimes he has succeeded. In I would remember also that all of us desire to control no territory other than others he has felt he has failed. are patriotic, that all of us cry out when their own. The policy of Vietnamization Today, in straining my ears, I find it our Nation is in agony, but we cry out in is designed to give the South Vietnamese difficult to hear the concern for life different methods and for different rea a fair and reasonable chance to do that, rather than whose life and how many on sons. There is no man or woman in this in the face of unending aggression from one side or the other. body whose integrity I would challenge without and terrorism from within. I do not rise to oppose our President, or whose purpose I would question in the I believe that the President's response but to oppose the brutaity of war. the position they take here today. But we to this latest North Vietnamese offensive dehumanization of ourselves in the proc have bled enough, we have been divided has been entirely warranted and neces ess of conducting an endless war. I rise long enough, and our agony has been sary. Ithas been firm, explicit, and meas recalling for a moment that almost 7 brave enough that we must find a solu ured. years ago I myself was on the aircraft tion. If the goal of the g0vernment in Hanoi carrier Ticonderoga in the South China We have the right to differ and dis is to conquer South Vietnam by the force Sea and recalling that just a few days agree, but we no longer have the right of arms, let Hanoi proceed at its own ago that aircraft canier pulled out again to continue against the public demands peril. If the goal of the government of for Southeast Asia and recalling that of our people in this country for peace. Hanoi should be one of peace for South when I was there in 1965 boys who were We must at long last respond, and at east Asia, let it return its forces to their then 12 years old in this country are some final day there will be action in the own land and speak honestly at the con probably going back on that cartier to Senate to do that-and not to cast blame ference table. day, and I am bound to wonder where 12 against any President or any party, or to Mr. President, years ago this country year-old boys in our country today will cast blame against the military or the made a decision, right or wrong, to com be going 7 years from now. military-industrial complex, or against mit over half a million American ground End the war, yes. Withdraw our troops, anyone else, but to realize that we were troops to that troubled and tortured yes. But not just to continue the war with all wrong in the conduct of these affairs; country. We are now withdrawing them. other bodies and other names and with and from that viewpoint there will be a But I submit, that if nothing else is clear our policies, but rather to bring at long new day dawning and there may well be in this controversy, by committing those last, hopefully, peace in that part of the a generation of peace if we find that at troops to South Vietnam we incurred a world. titude. moral obligation, and we are obligated Is there any other way? That is what Perhaps, having found it, we can look to withdraw in a manner that will per we are trying to determine. This body has back at the death and the agony and the mit the people of South Vietnam to re debated this issue every year I have been destruction that has rained on that con linquish dependence on our defenses and here. It has passed resolutions. It has tinent and on the nations of the earth. give them a fair and reasonable chance argued and discussed and ventilated and believe that there was some purpose to defend themselves. thoroughly the problems that exist there. in it after all. Mr. HUGHES. Mr. President, I would There should be no doubt in anyone's I think that is the challenge of this like to begin by commending the Senator mind today about what the outcome of moment: In the heat of the debate, to from California and those responsible the present heavy conflict will be there. realize that what we are talking about for arranging this colloquy and this op The outcome will be disaster for the is not ending our participation in a war portunity for time to express viewpoints North Vietnamese. They will be destroyed or continuing it by whatever means we at another critical point in our history, and tens of thousands of their people can supply and support, but rather de and certainly in the history of Southeast will have died, along with thousands of vising a method and means whereby we Asia and the world, in the hope that it South Vietnamese. We will retake the can rely on organizations outside our would be beneficial to the American peo country in South Vietnam. The South selves, like the World Court, the United ple in the decision-forming process we Vietnam forces will retake it, with the Nations, and whatever other means exist are facing now in the Senate and the support of our airpower and the devasta on this earth to bring men who will not Congress of the United States. tion and destruction that we have reason together to reason by some other I rise this morning a little saddened amassed to support their counterattacks method, to bring the pressure of other perhaps as I have listened again for sev in Southeast Asia. And another chapter nations abd other peoples to bear on un eral hours to the discussions this morn of another offensive in history will have reasoning nations when they are divided, ing and have heard phrases still on the been written, and tens of thousands of and to utilize, as a natiQn that believes floor of the Senate of jelly-spined atti people will have died and have been in in justice for its own people, a system of tudes of Members of this body and, from jured and wounded again. And they will justice in the world that does not result the other side, attitudes that there is no be back again, unless we find a way, at a in total death and destruction, and also desire for peace implied because those table somewhere, to head off this sort of to plead again that we can, from a stand people advocate a different policy than destruction in Southeast Asia. If we fail point of strength, take these steps, and to they do. to find a way to peace, we will all have believe it is absolutely essential that we If there was ever a time in the history lost by it. do so. of our Nation when there needed to be It was implied here today that men who The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen displayed an understanding and toler will not fight for peace and for their ator's time is expired. ance by all. I think this moment cries out country and who do not believe in war do Mr. HUGHES. I thank the Senator for it above all-a moment when we not deserve freedom, but I recall men in from California for blinging aJ50ut this might discuss rationally what the future history who fought without arms for discussion. holds in Southeast Asia and what our peace and freedom--men like Gandhi, Mr. DOLE. Mr. president, I yield 5 hopes might be. men who fought for their race, like minutes of the time of the Senator from I rise as one who had to change his Martin Luther King. Not all victories are Michigan (Mr. GRIFFIN) to the Senator mind years ago on the policy of our won by fighting, and it might be worth from Alabama. country, to oppose the policies of the while to recall that history shows evi Mr. ALLEN. I thank the Senator from President of my own party, a President dence that all victories are not military Kansas for yielding to me, in order that who decided not to run again for office ones, that victory is indeed a victory of I might inject an element of bipartisan primarily as a result, in my own opinion, the mind, and that destroying bodies does ship in support of the President's policies of those policies, at least in the hope that not necessarily bring victory. as he directs the Armed Forces of this it would not divide the country, and as I would hope that this country of ours country in the resistance to the invasion one who has seen our Nation divided in and the leaders in all areas of the world of South Vietnam by the forces of North continual campaigns every year since. would realize that in continuing and Vietnam. The senator from Iowa is now 50 years constant war, cold and hot, we have not Mr. President, I feel that we in the old. and in most of that lifetime he has found a solution. We must realize that Senate and the country as a whole should 13342 'CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE April 19, 1972 close ranks behind the President and the proposal were, and are, subject to dent should do. Some may have been support him. We hear no opposition negotiation. But Hanoi, knowing better correct; I share the view of the Senator from Vietnam to any of the policies of than most how little support the NLF from Iowa: I do not cast any doubts on the North Vietnamese. Why shOUld we actually has in South Vietnam, refused anyone's integrity, or raise any ques not be as capable of closing ranks behind serious negotiation. The North instead tions about anyone's patriotism. But I our leadership as are the people of North concentrated it efforts on building up also share the view just expressed by the Vietnam? the logistical base for the current massive Senator from Alabama. There does come On March 30. North Vietnam laU!lChed invasion of the South. a time when we should unite behind a massive invasion of South Vietnam. Di Under these circumstances, I am con our Government, behind our President, vision after division of North Vietnamese vinced that United States' efforts to help and at least recognize the facts. troops, eqwpped with tanks and heavy South Vietnam at the present time are I have heard many speakers on the artillery, moved through the demilitar justified. At the same time, I would hope other side say that Vietnamization has ized zone established by the 1954 Geneva that North Vietnam would soon realize failed. Some may hope that it fails. I Accords and crossed the borders of South the futility of its effort to impose a mili think the media, for the most part, have Vietnam in an effort to impose Hanoi's tary solution. I would hope that the North been saying it is not going to work, and system of government by force on the will listen to the sincere voices calling now they are predicting it. So the media people of South Vietnam. After trying for peace, and will reSpOnd to those calls win if it fails. If it succeeds, that will be unsuccessft1!ly for years to take over the for peace by abandoningits military ven something else, and we may speculate South through the political, military, and tures and agreeing to serious negotiation. about what may happen after that. But terrorist efforts of the National Libera The PRESIDING OFFICER, Who I have heard no one on the other side tion Front, Hanoi now has apparently yields time? suggest what he would do, how he would given General Giap the go-ahead. Hanoi Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, how much end the war in Southeast Asia, how he is now attempting to achieve by means time do I have remaining? would end our involvement. of a brutal, all-out military effort what The PRESIDING OFFICER. The I have heard no one criticize the North the determined resistance of tne South Senator from Kansas has 12 minutes Vietnamese-- Vietnamese people has denied it for so remaining. Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, will many years-the communization of Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I allot 2 of the Senator yield? South Vietnam. those 12 minutes and the remaining 3 Mr. DOLE. Not on my time. I have difficulty understanding those minutes of the Senator from Michigan The North Vietnamese invaded South who look at the events of recen~ weeks (Mr. GRIFFIN) to the distinguished Sen Vietnam. The North Vietnamese are the and, while ignoring the blatant North ator from Kentucky (Mr. COOPER), giv aggressors. The President has the re Vietnamese invasion, criticize the United ing the Senator from Kentucky 5 min SpOnsibility to protect the remaining States for coming to the aid of the ag utes. I wish to proceed with my 10 American forces in Southeast Asia. I ask gressor's victim. Where is the condem minutes at this time. the question: What should we do? Sur nation of the aggressor? Where are the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the render? Should we surrender South Viet voices to condemn Hanoi for sending 12 Senator take 10 minutes at this time, nam to the Communists? Is that what of its 13 combat divisions against South and then reserve 5 minutes that will they suggest? Should we let the Ameri Vietnam? Where is the sympathy for the go to the Senator from Kentucky? Is can forces be overrun in South Viet 150,000 new civilian war refugees who that correct? nam? Is that what they suggest? I fled from the attacking North Viet Mr. DOLE. That is correct. would hope not. Should we give up on namese? Where are the denunciations of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The freeing the American prisoners of war Hanoi and the Vietcong for the random Senator from Kansas is recognized for and the Americans missing in action in rocketing of civilian populated areas in 10 minutes. South Vietnam? I hope not. Danang, in Saigon? I would remind those Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I assume, It is not difficult to stand in this Cham who are silent on these matters, yet who in my dual role as chairman of the ber or anywhere in America and talk condemn the United States for helping Republican Party and as a Member of about peace. I know of no one who does South Vietnam by limited bombing of the Senate, that anything I might say not want peace. Many in this body have carefully selected military targets, that would be suspect, that there might be fought for peace. Many in this body have North Vietnam would not be bombed if some feeling that what I say would be bled for peace. But I also recognize that it were not attacking South Vietnam. partisan. But as I look at the list of this is 1972. This year, we will elect a Mr. President, there is one certain way speakers on the other side, with one or President of the United States. I recog for Hanoi to stop the United States from two exceptions, I find that we have had nize that this matter is probably being striking at the supply areas for the a morning of condemnation of President discussed this morning for that reason. Northern attacks on South Vietnam Nixon by many of my colleagues who Let us do what we can to undermine abandon its dream of taking over the were here during the escalation, who President Nixon. Let us do what we can South by force. If Hanoi truly believes, supported the escalation, who voted for to defeat President Nixon. as it regularly insists, that the National the Gulf of Tonkin resolution and for Yesterday, I offered to pay the ex Liberation Front enjoys majority support the appropriations to support the esca pense of a short memory course for some in South Vietnam, it should sit down at lation, and who were silent in those of the presidential candidates who seem the conference table and negotiate a years, as has been pointed out by the to have forgotten the beginning of our political solution to the war. Presl.dent distinguished Senator from Hawaii. involvement in the Southeast Asia con Thieu has been offering since 1969 to let I think it does little good to repeat flict in the 1960's. and I make that offer the people of South Vietnam determine the record of President Nixon. It is a again today. I find that many in this their political future by means of an elec good record; I have said so many times body who now seek the Presidency can tion in which the National Liberation on the Senate floor. President Nixon had not remember 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, or Front could participate. On January 25 the responsibility to do something in 1968, when they were voting for the Gulf of this year President Nixon unveiled a Vietnam when be became President. The of Tonkin resolution, for the appropria generous proposal, which had initially war was on his doorstep. He had not tions, for the escalation, when they were been presented in secret sessions last fall. initiated it, and he had not escalated it. supporting their Presidents-President for resolving the war. He proposed that He had not sent more than 500,000 Kennedy and President Johnson-as was the question of who would rule South Americans to South Vietnam. In fact, I, a Member of the House. Vietnam be decided by an election in during the period of escalation he was H we want to resurrect the war as an which the NLF could participate not only a private citizen. He did not send a issue in America, I suppose we can. There in the election itself, but in a special single American to South Vietnam. He was a time when it was felt that war and commission which would establish the did not vote for the Gulf of Tonkin peace should not be partisan issues, that ground rules for the election. He offered resolution or the appropriations to sup they should be above partisan politics. international supervision of the election port escalation. But it became his re I am not here to defend Richard itself. President Thieu agreed to resign sponsibility as President to do some Nixon's policy in Southeast Asia. It does his presidency one month before the elec thing, and there were a number of not need defending. I am here to say he tion. None of this was presented on a options. We had a number of Senators has done what he said he would do. I am take-it-or-Ieave-it basis. All aspects of who were trying to judge what the Presi- here to ask those who criticize President April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13343 Nixon, "What would you do?" It is one namization has failed or will fail. I am to sustain the mechanized portion of this thing to say, "Cut off the funds." But amazed that Members of this body would North Vietnamese invasion force. what would they do? Would they let be so easily stampeded into an attitude OUR BOMBING PROTECTS OUR WITHDRAWAL AND South Vietnam fall to the Communists? which threatens the very basis for our VIETNAMIZATION Perhaps so. orderly withdrawal from Vietnam and Mr. President, clearly we are faced But I go back to the "noble commit which would serve to protect us from with a radically changed war in Vietnam. ment," as it was called, made by Presi futu.e wars of this type. I refer of course Our orderly withdrawal from that coun dent Kennedy in 1963, when he spoke to the Nixon Doctrine. try must be protected from the possibility about preserving liberty and freedom. I VIETNAMIZATION IS THE FIRST TEST OF THE of a rapid mechanized invasion by North remind my colleagues that President NIXON DOCTRINE Vietnam-the trip from Haiphong to the Kennedy sent 17,000 troops to Southeast This doctrine as it pertains to Asia Northern front takes 1 day by truck. It Asia in 1963. I supported President Ken formulates our defense commitments in is also clear when they mounted their in nedy. And I supported President John terms of material support short of the vasion the North Vietnamese violated son and voted at his request for the Gulf use of our ground forces. Vietnamization every understanding upon which the of Tonkin resolution in the other body, is the first step toward putting this 1968 bombing halt was ba.sed. It also vio on August 7, 1964, and so did every Sena doctrine into practice. lated the basis for the Paris talks-or tor who now seeks the Presidency on the And for those who have been so eager propaganda demonstrations-as they other ticket vote for the Gulf of Tonkin to proclaim the failure of Vietnamization, were obviously intended to be. In the resolution. words of President Johnson: The junior Senator from South Da I can only ask them who has met and withstood the all-out attack of 12 of We ha.ve made cleaI to the other sIde that kota did not discover peace. He voted North Vietnam's total regular force of 14 such talks cannot contInue If they take for the Gulf of Tonkin resolution. Army Division? Certainly not American mllitary advantage of them. We cannot have It is time for an accounting. I recog troops. And in the air 50 percent of all air productIve talks In an atmosphere where the nize the game. I recognize the effort to sorties in South Vietnam now are being cities are being shelJed and where the demll!. foist the Vietnam war on President tarlzed zone Is being abused. Address t.o the flown by the Vietnamese Air Force. Nation, October 31, 1968. Nixon. I recognize the effort to say that The Senator from Kansas is encour the bombing was an escalation. But it is aged by the evidence of" Vietnamization. Mr. President, Secretary of State Wil time that we ask the tough questions. He believes that the attack which we are liam Rogers, a man of integrity and clear What would they do about Southeast witnessing today was largely aimed at in purpose, made some excellent points Asia? It is easy to criticize anyone in when he testified before the Foreign Re politics. I have done it from time to time juring or discrediting Vietnamization be fore it became unassailably successful. lations Committee earlier this week. He and may even do so again this year. It stated: is not difficult to criticize those who seek This invasion's massiveness, the extent to the Presidency on the Democratic side which it has utilized sophisticated Soviet It these (North Vietnamese) InvRSlons are weapons, and the extent to which this unsuccessfUl and if these combat divIsIons, or those who seek the Presidency on the 12 of the 13 that are now outside of North Republican side. But sometimes it is diffi push had been prepared over a long pe riod of time, suggest that the Hanoi re Vietnam, are defeated, then the posslblllty of cult to come up with the alternatives. renewed massIve InvasIons by thp. North Vlet Sometimes it is difficult to come up with gime has taken maximum advantage of na.mese In the future is going to be greatly the answers. the 1968 bombing halt. Hanoi has at dIminished. We think that in the meantIme On May 1 of this year, it has been tempted to use this invasion to embarrass the South VIetnamese will bulJd up theIr own noted by many on this floor, 87 percent and weaken the President just prior to air power-(to achIeve self SUfficIency) . of the Americans w111 have been with his trip to Moscow. And I cannot but spe Now we have saId from the very begIn drawn from Southeast Asia-not by any culate that the performance of certain ning ... that as we withdraw our troops Members of this body would serve the from South Vietnam, we are going to use air Democrat who dragged us into South same purpose as well. power. We are goIng to contInue to use a.lr east Asia, but by President Nixon. power RS necessary to prevent a take over by The casualties are now down to two and THE ISSUES AND CONDITIONS OF THIS WAR ARE the Communists of South Vietnam. I believe five and eight and 10 a week. That is still VASTLY CHANGED that It can be done. too many. One is too many. But that is a The critics of the President accuse him We are not goIng to make any announce far cry from 200, 300, 400, 500 and more tirelessly of repeating the mistakes of ments about what we are goIng to do. We President Johnson. They have short thInk that there has been altogether too who died in Southeast Asia in the 1960's, much of that In this war. The only two an before Nixon. The cost of the war is memories and have read little. President nouncemel1ts that I wlll make about what down. Johnson used air war tactics against a we are not going to do are these: We are not As a junior Member of this body, I sporadic guerrilla war. Bombing was goIng to reintroduce AmerIcan ground troops really cannot understand how we can aimed at dispersed targets and very small In Vietnam and we are not goIng to use judge today that Vietnamization has groups of men or equipment storage nuclear weapons in South Vietnam or North been a failure, with these facts before us. areas. At that time, a low level war was in VIetnam. But short of these steps we are net How can we judge that Vietnamization progress which we were fighting with a goIng to make any announcements of what has been a failure? We get up and huge pool of American manpower and we are going to do or aren't going to do. applaud the President for withdrawing without the support of an effective THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE ARE MEETING THEIR 450,000 troops, and then we condemn ARVN. Today, anyone shOUld, recognize TEST WELL him by saying that his policy is a that we have an entirely different war. Mr. President, we ought not in good failure. I do not think his polley is a We have an effective South Vietnamese consicence to ignore the impressive figlit failure. ground presence, which bears the brunt which the South Vietnamese are put Today, we are exposed to a spasm of of the North Vietnamese invasion. This ting up against the full fury of forces unreasoned, misdirected, knee-jerk re invasion force is backed up by huge ac which our media pundits have called actions to the Presidential policies which cumulations of Soviet mechanized equip the "finest infantry in the world." are necessary if we are to have an ment and supplies. Indeed, the successes of our South orderly withdrawal of America from The invasion hits with Virtually no Vietnamese friends suggest that these combat in South Vietnam. That is what American ground combat troops in Viet questionable pundits may have over President Nixon said he would do when nam. It is a direct threat to our orderly estimated the North Vietnamese and he was elected, and that is what he has withdrawal from that country. It is a underestimated the resolve and abili done. challenge to the Nixon doctrine as a test ties of the South Vietnamese. Indeed, The senator from Kansas has listened of our "ill to apply this doctrine. Our the Senator from Kansas would suggest while men of integrity have con bombing of the North is directed against that the friends and admirers of General demned the President's policies of re an obviously changed target. The inva Giap may be mistaken as to his judge acting to an enemy invasion as if he, the sion is heavily dependent upon vast con ment and invincibility. President, had launched an invasion centrations of mechanized Soviet and THIS INVASION TESTS THE UNITED STATES against a friendly power. Members of Chinese equipment which was accumu The war in Vietnam is now an out this body have eagerly sought to portray lated since the bombing halt. PartIcularly right, conventional invasion by the to our air strikes at the aggressors' fuel vulnerable to our bombing are the vast tality of North Vietnamese forces which and ammo dumps as proof that Viet- amounts of gas, oil, and lubricants needed are nqw directly fighting in the south. 13344 . CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE April 19, 1972
It is a test of Vietnamization, of the NORTH VIETNAM'S INVASION desists, the U.S. asks nothing more than to Nixon doctrine and of the political ma 12 of North Vietnam's 14 regUlar army negotiate seriously on the basis of proposals turity and stability of the United States. divisions are now engaged in aggression out both sidee have advanced. If we mean what we have said in our side its borders against La06. Cambodia and VIETNAMESE PERFOIUolANCE AND u.s. announcements pertaining to the Nixon South Vietnam. ASSISTANCE doctrine, a doctrine which has received Hanoi is currently engaged in a 3 division To those who would say that the current offensive across the Demilitarized Zone invasion spells the doom of the Vletnamiza much praise in this Chamber, then we (DMZ) against the northern part of South must see it put into practice in this most tion program, let us await the outcome of Vietnam. Most of these forces including the battle. The South Vietnamese Army Is blatant test of our will to do so. accompanying sophisticated armor, art111ery, fighting the ground actions alone, whereas The refugee flow from Quang Tri and and anti-aircraft eqUipment have come di in 1968 the U.S. had 550,000 ground troops the other areas of South Vietnam rectly across the Demilitarized Zone. there. Today the U.S. has fewer than 90,000 threatened \'lith invasion indicate that Other large North Vietnamese regular army and none of these ground forces are engaged units are attacking South Vietnamese popu in the combat. the Vietnamese people are telling us lation centers in the Highlands and near something. They do not welcome the the Cambodian border. To those who would say Vietnamization Is North Vietnamese as liberators, but as a failure let them explain why it is North feared cORquerers. They, unlike some NORTH VIETNAM'S VIOLATIONS Vietnam's regular army and not the South The 1954 Geneva Accords provided for a ern Viet Cong which is carrying the battle. Members of this oody perhaps, remem demilitarized buffer between North and Let them explain how after more than a week ber the n ass murders and atrocities per South Vietnam. of intensive fighting the South Vietnamese petrated at Hue, atrocities which sa The 1968 Understanding which led to the Army, without any U.S. ground support, is overshadow other incidents in this bloody cessation of U.S. bombardments against fighting Vigorously to defend their people war as to stagger the imagination. North Vietnam specifically prOVided for re and their major cities whereas in 1968, after History favors the strong in might and spect for the status of the DMZ. but a few days U.S. troops were fighting will. People displaced by war vote with The U.S. made clear in negotiations lead Hanoi's forces in several of South Vietnam's Nat~on ing to this bombing halt that we considered major cities. their feet. This has been a world respect for the DMZ as a situation in which The U.S. can have only the greatest praise leader. If it is to remain so it must not there would be no firing of artillery, rockets for the brave resistance of the South Viet ignore the "vote" of the Vietnamese or mortars from, across or Within the DMZ namese in the face of North Vietnam's all refugees. It must not force its President and there would be no movement across or out offensive, and Will provide air, navai and to meet with his totalitarian adversaries within the DMZ. logistical support to help them succeed while being chastized by this \lody. It Hanoi has illegally constructed a major in against the invaders. must show might and will in this de filtration route across the DMZ extending finitive test of Vietnamization and the far into the northern part of South Vietnam. NORTH VIETNAM'S INVASION OF SOUTH Nixon doctrine. For even if South Viet Hundreds of tons of mi1ltary supplies have VIETNAM been moved on this route. On March 30, 1972 a mUlti-division force nam falls, and unlike some, I do not wish Hanoi's latest invasion across the DMZ is of North Vietnam's regular army openly it to be so, we must be able to say that the clearest, most blatant and outrageous crossed the Demll1tarized Zone to launch even in withdrawal we honored our com violations of these 1968 bombing halt under a massive invasion of South Vietnam. At the mitment and gave meaning to the Nixon standings. same time, other large North Vietnamese doctrine. Hanoi's leaders have now removed any regular army units moved across the bor Mr. President, if we in this body con pretense that the war in Vietnam is a local ders of Laos and Cambodia in force to at sciously weaken the President with irre insurgency. This is an outright and massive tack Kontum province in the Highlands and conventional mlltary assault supported by the provinces of Tay Ninh and Binh Long sponsible vituperation prior to his trip to the most sophisticated military eqUipment. north of Saigon. Moscow, the whole Nation will count the u.s. RESTRAINT These attacks, in which North Vietnam cost. The invasion of Vietnam is a test Throughout the period of build-up for the has committed a major proportion of all its of our national will. The Communists re anticipated offensive the U.S. showed great regUlar forces, constitute a partiCUlarly fla spect only strength. This is a clear lesson restraint. grant violation of the 1954 Geneva Accords of history. If we fail to accomplish Viet The U.S. and South Vietnam have pro and of the bombing halt understanding of namization because we are too weak in posed a comprehensive 8-point peace pro 1968. our resolve to stem the tide of a gross in posal made public on January 25. The U.S. South Vietnam's people and armed forces vasion through the use of our air and proposal Included provisions for a settle are defending themselves against North sea power, then we will hardly be in a ment fair to both sides even as we knew that Vietnam's attacks and the United States is North Vietnam's offensive preparations were providing assistance to the South Vietnamese. position to extract binding agreements underway. In considering these developments, It is from the Russians on other areas of the The U.S. leaned over backwards to show essential to note the following points: world. The Nixon doctrine will be under our will for peace and genuine desire to THE BOMBING HALT UNDERSTANDING OF 1968 mined at the expense of Japan, the Phil bring the confilct to an honorable end. ippines, Thailand, and our other friends But Hanoi responded With a massive in On November I, 1968, as a step designed vasion across the Dem1litarized Zone and to help bring meaningfUl negotiations, the in Asia. The President must meet with United States ceased the bombing of North the leaders of the Soviet Union with the With multi-division attacks across the Lao tian and Cambodian borders. Vietnam on the basis of an understanding strong support of a united Nation be with the North Vietnamese With regard to The U.S. cannot accept the response Hanoi the following elements: hind him. The defeat of this invasion has shoWn towards the Allies' goodWill for and the success of Vietnamization will peace. There would be prompt and productive give credibility to the Nixon doctrine to We have no designs against North Viet negotiations to include on our side repre our advantage and national stature. nam. Saigon has no designs against North sentatives of the United States and the Re Vietnam. public of Vietnam and on the Communist We must withdraw from Vietnam, as side representatives of North Vietnam and we have been doing, in an orderly and But as long as Hanoi persists in this in the "National Liberation Front" (NLF). sequenced manner. The invasion threat vasion; Saigon's forces will resist it with The Communist forces would not under ens this withdrawal, breaks all North every resource they. have. We will support take rocket or shelling attacks against South Vietnamese agreements pertaining to them In their self-defense. Vietnam's major popUlation centers. bombing and the Paris talks, and consti HANOI'S CHOICE The status of the Dem1l1tarized Zone on tutes a test of this Nation's will to abide Hanoi's current Invasion has made sense both sides of the ProVisional Demarcation by its declared foreign policy. If we fail less any talk of serious negotiations; it has Line established by the 1954 Geneva Accords made senseless any talk on their part that would be respected. In the talks ieading to this test, the Russians and our own our precautionary steps. taken when we the bombing cessation, the U.S. repeatedly friends will scorn or pity us. If we carry knew as early as last November that they made clear that: through, we will be in a position to nego were planmng a major military effort, were The U.S. considered respect for tbe DMZ tiate from a position of respectability the cause of the stalemate in the Paris ne as a situation in Which there would be no with a cynical and powerful adversary. gotiations. The record is absolutely clear firing 'of artillery, rockets or mortars, from, Mr. President, I ask unanimous con with regard to who is responsible for the across and within the DMZ. sent to have several fact sheets and sum interruption of the meetings in Paris. There would be no movement of troops maries of the Vietnam situation printed I! Hanoi on the other hand chooses to from, across or Within the DMZ· desist from its countrywide offensive plans, There would be no massing or movement in the RECORD following my remarks. it it desists from its invasion, then the U.S. of troops near the DMZ in a manner threat There being no objection, the material ask nothing more than to return to prin ening to the other side. was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, Ciples of the 1954 Geneva Accords and re Additionally, the United States made clear as follows: spect for the Understanding of 1968. If Hanoi in both public statements and in the private April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13345 talks that It would continue unarmed recon ing outside of North Vietnam. But It Is no has overtly made use of her regular forces to naissance lllghts over North Vietnam. be longer possible for Hanoi to disguise Its attack South Vietnam through the DMZ. The cause such flights were essential and did not years-long role of total military and polltical enemy forces have been identified as big units constitute acts of force. The U.s. subse dominance of the war on the Communist of the 3 NVN Divisions 304, 308, and 324-B. quently made clear that If our reconnais side. supported by 3 artlllery regiments and anti sance planes were fired upon, they would be It Is Increasingly clearer that Hanoi stlll aircraft units, one tank regiment and several escorted and that the escorting aircraft rejecting serious negotiations and noting surface-to-air missile launchers. would return any fire in protectIve reaction that the South Vietnamese armed forces and This Is eloquent evidence that North strikes. people wer" substantially increasing their Vietnam is the real aggressor and the NLF NORTH VIETNAM'S RECORD strength, saw no option but to openly violate was created only for the purpose of mislead In the three and a half years since the Its understandings and agreements and, in Ing world opinion. U.S. bombIng halt, North Vietnam has built violation of the "peoples war" myth, decided North Vietnam has openly crossed the a record of disregard and repeated violations to launch an open Invasion of South Vietnam. DMZ in fiagrant Violation of the 1954 Geneva of the 1968 understandings: THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE RESPONSE Agreements and in disrespect for the secret Hanoi has rejected prompt and serious In the face of this latest and massive North understandings reached in 1968 at the time negotiations as had been agreed in return Vietnamese aggression, the South Vietnam of the cessation of the American bombings for this major U.S. step' toward peace. Hanoi ese are determined to repel Hanoi's troops. over North Vietnam. The DMZ, the symbol of and the NFL have, for example, refused to The South Vletramese have brought sub a reasonable solution for the two zones pend negotiate with the Government of Vietnam, ing a negotiated formula for the eventual stantial mllltary reinforcements to the peaceful :-eunlfication of Vietnam, Is being instead insisting on its dissolution as a pre threatened battle areas. requisite to serious negotiations. trampled over the Communist North Viet· President Thleu and all level of govern namese who Ul>ed it as a starting point for The North Vetnamese forces have repeat ment Including the National Parllament and edly shelled South Vietnam's major cities. provincial and local clvlllan organizations their invasion of South Vietnam. The North Vietnamese have almost from have joined in decrying the North Vietnam The Government of the RepUblic of Viet· the outset of the bombing halt fired on the ese invasion and in rallying In defense of nam strongly condemns North Vietnam's pol unarmed U.S. reconnaissance aircraft. their territory and their people. . icy of armed aggression against the South. Whlle in Paris the Communist side turned Most clearly at iSS1¥! now Is Hanoi's ex The North Vietnamese forces, far from en tremely flagrant violation of the 1968 under countering a situation of a pro-Communist down all serious discussions ana used the standings on the Demllltarized Zone and of "peoples uprising" are meeting strong and peace talks as a propaganda forum, the North the provisions of the 1954 Geneva Accords united resistance from the South Vietnamese Vietnamese Communists have resorted to all popUlation. forms of armed Insurgency to undermine the establlshing the prOVisional demarcation llne polltical stabillty of South Vietnam and to with a demll1tarlzed bulIer zone on either In a strong demonstration of determina occupy the South Vietnamest territory. side. tion and unity, the South Vietnamese people NORTH VIETNAM'S AGGRESSION are working together and are helping each Despite many bitter fallures during the past few years, Communist North Vietnam North Vietnam's recent attacks constitute other, especially with regard to the refugees Is stlll bent on using force for a mllltary the most flagrant and willful violations of created by the Communist attacks. Victory instead of working toward a peace the 1968 bombing halt understanding and The Republic of Vietnam has strongly pro ful solution thIough negotlaMons. clearly point out North Vietnam's record of teqted North Vietnam's invasion and has ap The Government of the Republic of Viet aggression against South Vietnam. pealed to its all1es, third countries and the nam appeals to all peoples and governments The North Vietnamese have recently con United Nations for help in turning back the in the world to condemn the action of the structed a major new logistics road from invading forces. Communist aggressor and to demand thart North to South Vietnam directly through the THE u.s. RESPONSE North Vietnam immediately withdraw her Demllltarized Zone. The United States regrets that, at the very armed forces back to the North. If North Vi The North Vietnamese units Invading time when the Republlc of Vietnam and the etnam keeps on with her aggressive polley. across the Demilltarlzed Zone Included three United States have taken major steps to she will have to bear fUll responsibillties for regular army divlslons--the 304th, the 308th ward peace, Including the comprehensive and any consequences that might result from and the 324-B Divisions. fair peace proposals made pUbllc on January her action. The North Vietnamese army divisions were 25, 1972, Hanoi has chosen to emphasize the The Communist aggressors have sUlIered accompanied by sophisticated support path of war rather than the p9,th of peace. severe casualties in their recent attacks. The units-3 artillery regiments, a tank regiment In the face of the North Vietnamese at people and the Governrr.ent of the RepUblic and anti-aircraft equipment Including sur· tacks, the Un~ted States Is providing air of Vietnam are determined to break 01I any face-to-alr missiles. power and naval gunfire support in direct olIensive or belllcose actions of the enemy, to Southwest of the invasion area at the De response to the needs of the tactical situa protect the national territory and to consoli militarized Zone, North Vietnamese units tion. No. U.S. ground forces have been com date peace in freedom. crossing the Laotian border into South Viet mitted. TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING ON U.S. BOMBING nam have l..unched attacks west of the city The United States also is prOViding such of Hue and against the highland positions help as is appropriate In providing care for HALT west of Kontum. the refugees and clvlllan casualties caused FollovAng are statements on the publlc Northwest of Saigon, North Vietnamese by the North Vietnamese attacks. record by senior officials of the Johnson Ad· regiments crossing the Cambodian border The United States stands ready, together ministration concerning the understanding into South Vietnam have launched attacks with the Government of the Republic of with the Government of North Vietnam on against Tay Nlnh Province and against Loc Vietnam, to work for an early end to the the terms of the U.S. bombing halt of Octo Nlnh and An Loc In Blnh Long Province. flghting and for a just peace in Indochina. ber 31, 1968. In their attacks the North Vietnamese PRESIDENI' JOHNSON, ADDRESS TO THE NATION, forces have indiscriminately used their long GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM OCTOBER 31, 1969 range artillery and rockets against densely COMMUNIQUE ON NORTH VIETNAM'S INVA Last Sunday evening, and throughout Mon populated areas, Including refugee centers, in SION-ApRIL 3, 1972 an elIort to terrorize and demorallze the day, we began to get confirmation of the clvlllan popUlation. Over the past few days, many North Viet essential understanding that we had been namese regular units have openly crossed the seeking with the North Vietnamese on the NORTH VIETNAM NEGATES ~'PEOPLES WAR" Demllitarized Zone to attack the Republlc crltical issues between Ul> for some time. I Hanoi's decision to commit her divisions of Vietnam's outposts in the demarcation spent mo~t of all day Tuesday reviewing every to a massive invasion of South Vietnam area. Indiscriminate shelllng of the densely Single detall of this matter with our field across International borders totally negates populated areas by long-range artlllery and commander. General Abrams.... Now, as a Hanoi's characterization of its wars In Indo rockets have resulted in severe damages to result of all of these developments, I have china as local clvll war insurgencies or the civllian population. Thousands of people now ordered that all air, naval, and artlllery "peoples wars." had to flee to more secure areas in Quang bombardment of North Vietnam cease as of All but one of North Vietnam's 14 regular Tri and Thua Thien Provinces. 8 a.m., Washington time, Friday morning. army divlslo~ has now been committed be In addition to continuing infiltrations by • • yond North Vietnam's borders In conducting the North Vietnamese Communists, this at This decision very Closely conforms to the aggressive wars against Laos, Cambodia and tack is part of the enemy's olIenslve and his statements that I have made In the past con South Vietnam. attempt to occupy the territory of the Re cerning a bombing cessation. The North Vietnamese operation across publlc of Vietnam below the demarcation It was on August 19th that the President the Demllltarized Zone Is clearly as open area. said: "This administration does not Intend invasion by conventional military forces sup The Government of the RepUbliC of Viet to move further until it has good reason to ported by sophisticated foreign equipment. nam stronglY protests against this blatant believe that the other side intends seriously In North Vietnam's current attacks, the invasion by Communist North Vietnam and ously"-serloUl>ly-"to join us in deescalat role of the indigenous southern Viet Cong denounces it to world public opinion. ing the war and moving seriously toward forces has been negllglble. Hanoi and its North Vietnam no longer dlsgulses herself peace," NLF spokesmen are still continuing to deny under the facade of the so-called "National Then again on September 10th, I said: that any North Vietnamese troops are fight. Liberation Front of South Vietnam" and ••. the bombing will not stop untU we are 13346 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 confident that it will not lead to an increase bombing halt and the announcement of the the DMZ area. They have not removed all of in American casualties. agreement of the 31st that the South Viet their forces from the area. I am hopeful that • • namese Government would not go along with we can make an agreement With them when What we now expect-what we have a right the talks in Paris and would you speak to the sessions get going to honor the DMZ, as to expect-are prompt, prOductive, serious, whether you think the Scuth Vietnamese we call it, and also, to fulfill what we have and intensive negotiations in an atmosphere Government has dealt brusquely with our told them we would expect of them on any that is conducive to progress. We have diplomats? bombardment of the major cities. reached the stage where productive talks can Answer: ... Now, also in addition to that, ••• * begin. We have made clear to the other side Saigon was kept fUlly posted on what the The agreement was very clear, that we that such talks cannot continue if they take other arrangements were that we were work made it plain that the serious talks could m1l1tary advantage of them. We cannot have ing toward; that is, some understanding not continue, nor the cessation of bombing, productive talks in an t1tm05phere where the about the DMZ; and understanding with if they didn't honor the DMZ and the in cities are being shelled and where the demili reference to the cities. We went through discriminate shelling of the major cities. tarized zone is being abused. long talks having to do with reconnaissance. CLARK CLIFFORD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, FACE I think I should caution you, my fellow They were kept fully informed. THE NATION CBS-TV, DECEMBER 15, 1698 Americans, that arrangements of this kind NICHOLAS KATZENBACH, ACTI:MARCH 14, 1969, NEWS CONFERENCE draw an additional 150,000 Americans from site Which supports it also be' destroyed by It will be my polley as President to Issue Viet Nam over the next year. I said then that bombing. That is my understanding. a warning only once, and I wlll not repeat it I was making tliat declsion despite our con Beyond that, there is another understand now. Anything in the future that Is done cern over Increased enemy activity in Laos, ing with regard to the bombing of North wlll be done. There w1ll be no additional In Cambodia, and In South Viet Nam. Vietnam Which at a number of these press warning. At that time, I warned that l! I concluded conferences and In my speeCh on Novem We have Issued a warning. I will not warn that Increased enemy activity in any of these ber 3rd and In four televised speeches to the again. If we conclude that the level of cas areas endangered the Uves of Americans re Nation last year, I have stated. I restate it ualties is higher than we should tolerate, maining in Viet Nam, I would not hesitate to again tonlgh·t. At a time when we are With take strong and effective measures to deal drawing from South Vietnam, it Is vitally action \\111 take place. with that situation. Important that the President of the United NOVEMBER 3, 1969, ADDRESS TO THE NATION Despite that warning, North Viet Nam has States, as Commander in Chief, take the It the level of inflltration or our casual increased Its mllltary aggression In all these action that Is necessary to protect our re ties increase while we are trying to scale areas, and particularly In Cambodia. maining forces, because the number of our down the fighting, it wlll be the result of a MAY 8, 1970, NEWS CONFERENCE ground combat forces Is going down very, conscious decision by the enemy. very steadily. Hanoi could make no greater mistake than I am not going to speculate as to what Now It, as a result of my conclusion that to assume that an increase In violence wlll the North Vietnamese may do. I wUl only the North Vietnamese, by their infiltration, be to Its advantage. It I conclude that In say that If the North Vietnamese did what threaten our remaining forces, If they thereby creased enemy action jeopardizes our re some have suggested they might do--move develop a capacity and proceed possibly to maining forces in Vietnam, I shall not hesi a massive force of 250,000 to 300,000 across use that capacity to increase the level of tate to take strong and effective measures to the DMZ against our Marine Corps people fighting In South Vietnam, then I will order deal with that situation. who are there-I would certainly not allow the bombing of mllltary sites In North Viet these men to be massacred without using This Is not a threat. This is a statement nam, the passes that lead from North VIet of polley Which as Commander In Chief of more force and more effective force against nam Into South Vietnam, the mllltary com our Armed Forces I am making In meeting North Vietnam. plexes and the military supply llnes. That I think we have warned the leaders of will be the reaction that I shall take. my responslblllty for the protection of Amer North Vietnam on this point several times, Ican fighting men wherever they may be. and because we have warned them I do not JANUARY 4, 1971, NEWS CONFERENCE DECEMBER 15, 1969, ADDRESS TO THE NATION belleve they wllI move across the DMZ. ... I have no desire to resume the bomb However, I have conslsterutly said we must Ing of North Vietnam. We do not want to go JUNE 3, 1970, INTERIM REPORT TO THE NATION back to the bombing of the strategic targets take risks for peace. ON CAMBODIA And in that connection, let me remind the in North Vietnam, and we do not want even To the North Vietnamese tonight I say to bomb military targets unless It becomes leaders in Hanoi that if their infiltration again: The door to a negotiated peace re and the level of enemy activity Increases necessary to do so, and this Is the key polnt whlle we are reducing our forces they also mains Wide open. Every offer we have made to protect American forces. at the conference table, publicly or privately, Now, With regard to the understanding, Will be running a risk. I repeat the statement I herewith reaffirm. We are ready to negoti I made in my speech on November 3. let's see What It is. First, there was an un Hanoi coUld make no greater mistake than ate whenever they are ready to negotiate. derstanding. President Johnson said so, Dean However, if their answer to our troop Rusk said so, Clark Clifford said so, Mr. Har to assume that an increase in violence wlll Withdrawal program and to our offer to be to Its advantage. It I conclude that in riman said so. There was an understanding negotiate, is to Increase their attacks In a that after the bombing halt, the unarmed re creased enemy action jeopardizes our re way that jeopardizes the safety of our re maining forces in Vietnam, I shall not hesi connaissance planes coUld fly over North VI maining forces in Vietnam, I shall, as my etnam with Impunity. We had to Insist on tate to take strong and effective measures to action five weeks ago Clearly demonstrated, deal with that situation. that, because otherwise, we would have no take strong and effective measures to deal Intelligence With regard to what they were JANUARY 30, 1970, NEWS CONFERENCE with that situation. planning on an attack. We are continuing to watch the situation, JULY 1, 1970, TV INTERVIEW So, when they fire on those planes I have and we will be prepared to deal with it. I given instruotions that we wUl take out the Now coming back to your question, flrst, SAM site or whatever it Is that has fired upon woUld remind everybody concerned, and par when you talk about re-escalatlon, we do ticularly remind the enemy, however, of What them. We will continue to do so, and It they not plan to go back Into Cambodia. We do say there Is no understanding in that re I said on November 3, and repeated on plan, however, and I will use this power-I December 15. If at a time that we are at. spect, then there are no restraints whatever am going to use, as I shoUld, the air power of on us, and so we must have that in mind. tempting to de-escalate the fighting in Viet the United States to interdict all flows of nam, we find that they take advantage of Now, the other understanding Is one that men and supplles which I consider are di I have laid down. It is a new one. It Is a our troop withdrawals to jeopardize the re rected toward South Vietnam. That Is In my mainder of our forces by escalating the fight new one which goes along with our Vletnam role of defending American men. izat10n program and our withdrawal pro ing, then we have the means and I w1l1 be Now let's look at the other posslblllties prepared to use those means strongly to deal gram..•. Now, the President of the United of the escalation. For example, we have a States, as Commander in Chief, owes a re with that situation, more strongly than we bombing pause In the north. as you note. have dealt with It in the past. sponslbUity to those men (Americans re As you also note, one of what was called maining in Vietnam) to see that they are FEBRUARY IS, 1970, ANNUAL REPORT TO the understandings when that bombing not subjected to an overwhelming attack CONGRESS pa\lse was entered Into was that American from the North. That Is Why we must con reconnaissance flights coUld take place over The Government of North Vietnam could tinue reconnaissance, and that is why also, North Vietnam so that we could determine If the enemy at a time we ale trying to de make no gerater mistake than to assume that whether or not they were planning a new an Increase in violence would be to Its ad escalate, at a time we are withdra.wing, starts attack, and those reconnaissance filghts to build up Its Infiltration, starts !r.ovfng vantage. As I said on November 3, and have were supposed to be Immune from attack. repeated since, It I conclude that increased troops and supplies through the Mu GIll. Now consistently the North Vietnamese Pass and the other passes, then I, as Com enemy action jeopardizes our remaining have been shooting at those planes. In fact forces In Vietnam, I Will not hesitate to take mander in Chief, Will have to order bombing at the time we embarked on the Aprll 30th strikes on those key areas. strong and effective measures to deal With operation, I ordered some attacks on some that situation. That was one of the reasons for t1;l.Is strike, sites In North Vietnam which had been and it will be done again If they continue APRIL 20, 1970, ADDRESS TO THE NATION shooting our planes. If those attacks shoUld to threaten our remaining forces in Viet But I again remind the leaders of North now develop again, I w1ll, of course, use our nam. But only on those mUltary targets, and Vietnam that while we are taking these risks American air power against North Vietnam only If necessary. for peace, they Will be taking grave risks sites that attack our planes. That Is my •*•• shoUld they attempt to use the occasion to responsibllity, to defend American boys I made It clear not just a month ago, but Jeopardize the security of our remaining American men, our boys when they do come in November, you may recall that on Novem forces In Vietnam by Increased milltary ac under attack. ber 3rd, when I made my speech on Novem tion in Vietnam, in Cambodia or In Laos. Now when you talk about re-escalatlon In ber 3rd, I warned the North Vietnamese then I repeat What I said November 3d and other terms, I do not see that presently as that If at a time we were withdraWing they December 15th. If I conclUde that increased a posslblllty, presently in terms of what the stepped up their infiltration and threatened enemy action jeopardizes our remaining North Vietnamese may be able to do and our remaining forces, that I would retaliate. forces in Vietnam, I shall not hesitate to take what we would do in action to It. I have said that on eight different oc casions on national television and national strong and effective measures to deal With DECEMBER 10, 1970, NEWS CONFERENCE that situation. radio. I have said It also in other messages If our planes are fired upon, I will not to them that have gotten to them very lOUd APRIL 30, 1970, ADDRESS TO THE NATION only order that they return the fire, but I and very clear. So there is no question about Ten days ago, In my report to the Nation will order that the missile site be destroyed the understanding, and that was why we on Viet Nam, I announced a decls10n to wlth- and that the military complex around that did this. . 13348 , CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 MARCH 4, 1971, NEWS CONFERENCE to continue our air strikes on the infiltra dent has initiated the bombing, follow .... I have stated on 10 different oc tion routes. If we see any substantial step up in infiltration in the passes, for example, ing the aggressive action of the North casions, usually, and before press confer Vietnamese, in an effort to protect ences in which you ladies and gentlemen Which lead from North Vietnam into Laos have participated, that in two respects we and, of course, the Laotian trail which comes American for,ces, in an effort to start would use airpower against the North. One, down through Cambodia into South Viet negotiations, in an effort to end our that we would attack those missile sites nam-If we see that, we wlll have to not only involvement in Southeast Asia. that fired at our planes, and we have been continue our air strikes; we wlll have to step Oh, yes, the junior Senator from them up. Kansas is for peace. Make no mistake doing that. We wUl continue to do that. That is why I have been quite categorical Second, that if I determined that increased with regard to tha.t situation because as about it. Who is not for peace? infiltration from North Vietnam 'mdangered the number of our forces goes down, their The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time our remaining forces in South Vietnam at a danger increases, and we are not going to of the Senator has expired. time we were withdrawing, that I would allow the enemy to pounce on them by rea Who yields time? order attacks on the supply routes, on the son of our fallure to use airpower against Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, I infiltration routes, on the mUltary com increased Infiltration, if it occurs. plexes, and I have done that in the past. yield 4 minutes of Senator HART'S time And I shall do so again if I determine that JANUARY 2, 1972, CBS TV INTERVIEW to the Senator from Illinois. such activities by North Vietnam may en Question: ... On everyone's mind Is the (At this point Mr. CRANSTON assumed danger our remaining forces in South Viet resumption of the widespread bombing of the chair,) nam, particularly as we are Withdrawing. North Vietnam. Other than what we already Mr. STEVENSON, Mr. President, from Now, the third question is this one know from. the authorities in Saigon and the beginning of this tragic chapter in whether or not the United States, through what Secretary Laird has said, could you as American hsitory it has been said that its airpower, might support a South Viet sess the military benefits of that? namese operation against North Vietnam. Answer: With regard to the military bene we must fight for freedom in South Viet And the answer to that is that no such fits, let me say first why we did it. You were nam. All the other reasons for the war plan is under consideration in this Govern present in the White House Press Room, a.a have been stripped away. No one serious ment. you always are, when I was there making the ly claims the POW's will be released by • last troop withdrawal announcement which prolonging the war. The war only in Question: Mr. President, on the subject of will bring the troops dOWn to 139,000 by the creases their numbers. We do not hear enemy missiles, the North Vietnamese seem first of February. And, at that time, I said any longer of the domino theory-or to be using more and perhaps a different that in the event that the enemy stepped up that our own shores are in danger. It is type of missile shooting at American planes its infiltration, or engaged In other activi ties which imperiled, in my opinion, our only claimed now that we must fight for supporting the Laos operation. ' the freedom and self-determination of I'm wondering if this is of unusual alarm remaining forces as our forces were becom to you and if you have any special retaliation ing less, that I would take action to deal the people of South Vietnam. other than bombing that you Intend to take? with the situation. That is the only argument left for this Answer: We are following that very Closely, Most of you reported it. And most of the war. But the truth is we are fighting in and it is not unusually alarming. We expect reporters also wrote it. I meant exactly what Vietnam to prop up a corrupt, auto the enemy to improve Its capablllties just I said. The enemy did step up its infiltration. cratic regime. as we Improve ours. And we are prepared to They violated the understanding of 1968 From the 1954 Geneva accords to the take the protective reaction measures which when the bombing halt was agreed to, with present, one administration after an wil deal very effectively with It. But I can regard to firing on our unarmed reconnais say It will not be tit for tat. sance planes. They shelled Saigon on De other has disdained, or ignored, every cember 19. chance to let the people of South Viet •• • Under those circumstances, I had no other nam determine their own future. We Question: Sir, In speaking of the poten choice but to bomb, in this case, selected tialities of action against North Vietnam, you had that chance in 1956 elections. mllltary targets and supply bulld-up areas. Throughout the 1950's and into the were talking on the third point about the Those were the only areas that were hit. possiblllty of American air suport for a South 1960's, Indochina might have been neu Vietnamese attack. You said that no such Mr. DOLE. I have listened and I have tralized and the people given a chance plan is under consideration in this Govern listened and I have listened, and I have to resolve their differences. Mr. Nixon ment? Can you go any further than that, or yet to hear anyone in this body advance a recently suggested free elections-but he Is that all you wish to say about it? waited until after the rigged elections in Answer: ... I can say further that no such plan. We had the same outcry at the time plan has ever been suggested by President of the Cambodian invasion. We were Vietnam were all over, and then sug Thieu to us. None has been considered, and there trying to protect American forces, gested that the North lay down its arms, none is under consideration. and casualties were dramatically reduced. give up the POW's and participate in an I'm not going to go further than that, ex Vietnamization was kept on schedule. election it could not win. cept to state what I did state in that press But at the time of the Cambodia oper At every step of the way we have conference where you also were present ation Richard Nixon was portrayed as sought a military solution. We once de again, that the test as to what the United an escalator; he was escalating the war. fended the South Vietnam regime with States will do In North Vietnam, in any 500,000 grounds troops. Now we defend event, wlll always be not what happens to So the debate today is nothing new. The forces of South Vietnam, but it will be hearings in the Senate Foreign Rela it with billions of more dollars and sup whether or not the President as Commander tions Committee are nothing new. The port forces. Half the 7th Fleet is now off in Chief considers that North Vietnamese American people have come to expect the coast of that tiny country. Soon half actiVities are endangering or may endanger this. of all our attack aircraft carriers will be the American forces as we continue to I think it is time that we recognize in the Vicinity. We may soon have 47, withdraw. the facts. I do not mean that President 000 men on 47 major naval vessels It is then and only then that I w1ll use Nixon is above criticism. and more men in more B-52's. airpower against mllltary complexes on the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time We have dropped 600 pounds of bombs borders of North Vietnam. of the Senator has expired. on Vietnam for every man, woman, and NOVEMBER 12, 1971, NEWS CONFERENCE Mr. DOLE. I will tal~e back one of the child in Indochina. Since Mr. Nixon took Question: Mr. President, with the condi minutes I was going to give away. office the United States has dropped tions that you know now in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, can you foresee in the near The President probably does not have more bombs in Vietnam than in the Ko future a substantial diminution of American a perfect record in South Vietnam or in rean and Second World Wars combined. airpower use in support of the Vietnamese? any other area, but I think it does little Since then, 20,000 Americans have died, Answer: Well, airpower of course, as far as good for us to stand in the Senate and 110,000 have been wounded, 340,000 our use of it is concerned, wlll continue to condemn any President, whether it be Asians have died in the conflict. The be used longer than our ground forces, due to the fact that training Vietnamese to handle Johnson, Kennedy, or Nixon, for the war has caused 600,000 civilian casualties the aircraft takes the longest lead time, as war in Southeast Asia. The junior Sen and made 4 million peopl~ refugees-just we know, and we will continue to use it in ator from Kansas supported President since Mr. Nixon took office. support of the South Vietnamese until there Kennedy. Perhaps I was mistaken. The And why-but to prop up one dictator Is a negotiated settlement or, looking fur junior Senator from Kansas supported ther down the road, until the South Viet ship in a distant corner of the earth. If namese have developed the capabillty to President Johnson. Perhaps I was mis that regime enjoyed the support of the handie the situation themselves. taken. That was during periods of esca people of South Vietnam it could depend As far as our alrpower is concerned, let me lation, and I am proud to support my for its survival upon that support-not also say this: As we reduce the number of President today, in a period of de upon American ground troops, helicopter our forces, it is particularly important for us escalation. I am proud that the Presi- gun ships, B-52's, and aircraft carriers. April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE 13349 The truth is that we now fight North bargaining power. It may soon be too the danger of another Battle of the Vietnam and South Vietnam, Commu late. Bulge. nists and non-Communists, nationalists, Mr. COOPER. Mr. President, what I Thus, I support wholly the authority all committed, as they have been for shall say today in the few minutes made of the President to protect U.S. troops, decades, to driving out the foreigner and available to me represents my own think and I cannot see how anyone in this body his client, How else can it be explained ing. I do not question the position or the or anywhere else 10 the country would that North Vietnam with only about $400 concern of any other Senator who has not want to do so. million in military aid during 1971 can spoken here today. I have stated my position on the bomb wage war. And South Vietnam with $1.5 All of us are concerned about the war. ing of Haiphong and Hanoi. But, what billion in military aid and $11 billion for All of us are concerned about the awfUl do we do about the protection of our the support of American forces wages de ness of war. I heard the eloquent speech forces? As long as our forces are 10 feat, The people of South Vietnam have of our colleague from Iowa (Senator danger, resolutions the Senate might no will to fight. They want peace-and HUGHES) speak of the awfulness of war consider would serve no useful purpose, to see the Americans gone. and the value of life and I agree with or have any practical effect except to The war was not won in the past by him. limit the protection of our forces. There American bombs-it will not be won to I have been concerned about war in is no way 10 the world we can withdraw day nor tomorrow by bombs. Southeast Asia for many years, begin our troops 10 30 days, We all know that. The bombing only fortifies the de ning in 1954. I shall not detail the various But when this phase is passed, and I termination of the enemy. It only con efforts which I have made, along with hope it will pass, when our forces are tinues the bloodshed, and brings down other Senators, to reduce the war, to out of danger, it is up to Congress to upon the United States the contempt of limit its expansion and bring about its consider what it wants to do. I do not the world. end. I shall mention only one. believe, other than to state a policy, that I suppose the North Vietnamese will Last year, when the Defense Authori amendments to provide that if our pris withdraw, before the monsoons, and then zation Act was before the Senate for con oners of war are released, our troops will the administration will claim a great sideration, the distinguished Senator be withdrawn will be effective. Those victory for Vietnamization. In fact, this from Idaho (Mr. CHURCH) and I, Sena criticizing the President for linking the invasion only proves again the moral, tor CASE, and other Senators offered an withdrawal of our forces to the release political, and military bankruptcy of amendment requiring the complete with of our prisoners offer amendments with Vietnamization, It proves again that a that same policy. If we are to do any corrupt, autocratic regime in South Viet drawal of all our forces from Vietnam thing at some point, the only recourse nam cannot stand up against a tenacious and for their protection as they with we have is an amendment calling for the enemy without American support. That drew. It was defeated by one vote. On withdrawal of our troops. I return to enemy has fought for 30 years. It will be reconsideration, it was defeated by three the reality of today. When our forces back again and again and again until or four votes. are under threat of attack and actual at the foreigner and his South Vietnamese Nevertheless, despite my long concern tack, they must be protected. The powers vassal are gone. with this war-as all of us are-there are bill which we have just passed in the Vietnamization is a policy for staying certain facts which do stand out. The Senate, states the constitutional auth in, not for getting out. It is a prescrip fact is that our military involvement in ority of the President to repel or to tion for more of the same. It is a pre Vietnam began in 1962. It began in Laos forestall an attack. We will surely live scription for failure. And it runs the risk in 1963. It reached major proportions in up to it in this critical time. of escalating the war. The bombing in the 1965, and in 1966 through 1968, with a Mr. COOPER subsequently said: Mr. North invites retaliation. It threatens the total of 550,000 American troops involved President, there has been much discus President's visit to Russia. It threatens in full-scale war. Since 1969, our forces sion in the Foreign Relations Committee the possibilities for liberalizing trade with have been reduced to approximately and in the continuing debate on negoti the Soviet Union and for reaching agree 80,000. ations, as if there had been any negotia ment on the control of strategic arms. I want to speak about the immediate tions. Far from intimidating the Soviet Union, situation. I agree that the question is, I have long held the position that ne Mr. Nixon's desperation will redouble the what can be done about it? gotiation is the best way, the· only cer determination of the Soviet Union, and In hearings before the Committee on tain way, to end all fighting in Vietnam, of the People's Republic of China, to sup Foreign Relations over the past 2 days, Laos and Cambodia, and settle for a port HanoI. and in my communications with the ad time at least the issues in Indo-China. And why? Why must we go on tearing ministration, I have stated that I am But thhe is another incontrovertible ourselves apart at home-all for the sake fearful of our attacks against Hanoi and fact that I intended to mention in my of fighting on for that corrupt military the port of Haiphong; first, because of earlier statement today. It is that the regime in Saigon. What explains the in the possible consequenct:s which could North Vietnamese have never been will fatuation of this administration with dic enlarge the war; and, second, because ing in nearly 4 years at the Paris talks tators? Not so long ago it sided with an I think that, unless the bombing of Hanoi to negotiate substantively. other-Yahya Khan, and his campaign and Haiphong is directly connected with Mr. HANSEN. Mr. President, I yield of human butchel'j' in Bangladesh. And the defense of our troops, it is without as much time as may be required to the the results were disastrous. authority, distinguished Senator from Virginia (Mr. It will be a better day when we learn But, very little has been said in this HARRY F. BYRD, JRJ • that the United States never became debate and, I may say, in the press and Mr. HARRY F. BYRD, JR. Mr. Presi great in the world by bribing and cajol other news media, about a matter of dent, in the debate today, there are cer ing its way, bullying innocent people, deep concern, and that is the question tain facts that I feel should be propping up dictators, merchandising of the protection of our troops-our emphasized. > arms, fighting wars for corrupt and men-who are still in Vietnam. There First, Let me say that unlike some of autocratic regimes. It would be better if are, I think, approximatelY 80,000 there my colleagues now condemning President we recognized that morality and our own now, including a small number of com Nixon and the war in Vietnam, I have self-interest can coincide. bat troops. stated in the Senate and throughout Vir This war has taken a terrible toll in For the first time in the war, about ginia for 5 or 6 years-from the begin blood, in dollars, and in our honor and 100,000 men from North Vietnam have ning-that the use of American ground self-respect, too. invaded South Vietnam 10 a full scale troops in Southeast Asia was a grave It "ill be a better day when we agree attack. error of judgment. to withdraw all our ground troops and Anyone who knows anyth10g about But President Nixon did not commit cease all overt military activities in ex war, anyone who has read anything these troops; his predecessors did. change for the return of our men now about war, knows that if the advance is When he took office there were 550,000 held hostage in the North. Mr. Nixon's not stopped, the safety of American Americans in Vietnam. By the end of this policy day by day diminishes the possi troops remaining 10 Vietnam would be month he will have reduced this number bilities for such a political settlement. It threatened. It might mean an evacuation to 69,000. escalates the war while it reduces our such as at Dunkirk 10 World War II, or So, the facts are that President Nixon 13350 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 has made progress in disengaging from tured-COSVN No. 43~imply amplify cisely what the Communists want. It will Vietnam. upon the obvious according to COSVIN be a sad day, indeed, if America should South Vietnam troops now have full No. 43, North Vietnam intends to achieve ever stoop to making such an offer, be responsibility for the ground fighting. the takeover of South Vietnam by using cause if we do we will be compromising We must continue to disengage. this invasion to tie down the South Viet the very principles of freedom and self Who has been the aggressor in this namese army. Then, according to the determination for which our forefathers, war for the past 10 years? The answer plan, the Hanoi directed and supported fathers, and sons have fought and died is clear. North Vietnam and its agents in terrorists in the south will be able to ever since this Nation was founded. If the South, the Vietcong. carry out guerrilla operations that will we are ever to live up to our past great Who is the aggressor now? The answer take over the country. The course of the ness in this Southeast Asia business, now is unmistakably clear-North Vietnam. conflict since March 30 indicates that is the time to do it, for if we have the By large-scale invasions of the South Hanoi is doing its utmost to carry out willpower to convince the Communists this time unmasked-North Vietnam has this plan; the fact that it is not work that we have not lost our sense of cour deliberately invited retaliation. ing is a strong indication of the deter age and commitment, then we ",ill have For the first time since President John mination of the South Vietnamese to re done far more for the cause of peace son halted ltle bombing in 1968, North sist this threat to their freedom. than any talk of unilateral U.S. with Vietnam-contrary to its agreements What we have here, therefore, is no drawal from Vietnam, ever could do. has violated in a massive way the de civil war, no spontaneous Vietcong upris As it stands now, the North Vietnam militarized zone. ing, and no indigenous guerrilla warfare ese are not going to agree to anything Let nothing that is being said here to situation. This invasion is all part of a less than total victory. We owe it to our day obscure those fundamental facts, or bold, blatant eITort by one nation to take selves, and to the people of South Viet give the impression that the Senate of over another in direct violation of not nam, to convince them to drop this ob the United States does not care about only the 1954 Geneva accords but also jective and leave South Vietnam in peace. the basic issues of right and wrong in of the generous 1968 agreements that The quickest way we can accomplish this matter. brought an end to U.S. bombing of North that, is to reject the North Vietnamese What we are debating here-or should Vietnam. What it really represents is a clamor for resumption of peace talks un be debating-is the effectiveness and desperate attempt to bring to a success til such time as Hanoi turns its divisions consequences of U.S. air and sea power ful conclusion years of calculated effort around and marches them back to North as used in aiding our allies, and ho~ far to subordinate the people of South Viet Vietnam. Critics of our present Vietnam we should go in applying that power. nam to Communist rule. To those who policy should take note that one week For my part, I think the South Viet have believed, or wanted to believe, that end of bombing has done more to en namese people, their armed forces, and this was some sort of a civil war, the courage North Vietnam to think about their government must meet this new truth about the aggressive intentions of negotiations than have years of discus challenge and must now shoulder the the North Vietnamese Communists can sion about the withdrawal of U.S. troops major responsibility and prove their no longer be avoided or denied. The only from Vietnam. In the interests of peace, mettle. U.S. forces cannot permanently question that remains is whether we are therefore, we should indicate to the lead protect them. going to throw in the towel or whether ers in Hanoi that if their brazen inva I! they are to maintain their freedom, we are going to help the South Viet sion of the south does not cease they can they must meet this challenge them namese in their efforts to prevent being expect nothing but an intensification of selves, knowing that the United States is overrun by Communist aggression. In my the bombing of North Vietnam. not deserting them, but that we are de opinion, there is only one alternative The same realistic attitude should be termined to return to them the respon to continue to resist such flagrant ag applied to any threats to the lives of our sibility which only they them.selves can gression until Hanoi gives it up. If noth POW's that the North Vietnamese might permanently discharge. ing else, the experience of the 1930's make. I! such threats are forthcoming, Within these limits, I believe the Com should suggest the wisdom of this course. Hanoi should be told in no uncertain mander in Chief must have latitude to At this point the evidence is totally terms that the killing of one American determine the degree of U.S. power and unmistakably clear as to who started POW will mean the bombing of the seat ruling out ground troops-to be applied this war, as to who has prolonged it, of government in Hanoi. In short, it at this juncture, with the understanding and as to who will settle for nothing less should be made very clear to the people that he refrain from a permanent es than complete Victory. However, the rec who have been responsible for all this calation of our air and naval roles and ord also shows, beyond a shadow of a bloodshed and killing, that they will be continue his announced policy of grad doubt, that the United States has made held accountable for any future brutal ual military disengagement. every eITort-gone the extra mile, in ities, either against the people of South Mr. HANSEN. Mr. President, I yield fact-to end the war in general and our Vietnam or against our prisoners of war. to the Senator from Florida 10 minutes. combat participation in partiCUlar. Since For too long now we have been hear Mr. GURNEY. Mr. President, I have President Nixon took office, the number ing about how terrible our bombing is 10 minutes of my own time. However, I of American troops has declined from and how, by our involvement, we are would not want to take it out of the time 540,000 to the present 85,000. In addition, somehow responsible for all the blood of the Senator from Wyoming. The Sena the President has made every effort to shed in Southeastern Asia. I, for one, tor from Wyoming has graciously agreed negotiate a peaceful settlement. He has am sick of it. This invasion leaves no to let me speak at this time. offered an areawide cease-fire, he has of doubt as to who has been responsible The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen fered to withdraw American troops, he for this war all along and clearly ex ator from Florida does have 10 minutes. has even offered economic assistance to plains their objectives in fighting it. Mr. GURNEY. Mr. President, on North Vietnam after a settlement, which It is Hanoi who has provoked the blood March 30, North Vietnam launched an many of us, including this Senator, have shed; it is Hanoi that is responsible for obvious, all-out invasion of South Viet great reservations about, he and Presi the 36,000 South Vietnamese civilians nam in order, by their own admission, to dent Thieu have offered to hold new elec killed by acts of terrorism since 1960; achieve total Victory. To that end they tions, he has made peace oITers publicly it is Hanoi that is to blame for the 5,700 have thrown in practically all of their and he has entered into peace negotia civilians who were murdered at Hue in regular forces-at least 12 of their 14 tions privately. And what has been the 1968; and it is Hanoi that is so ruthless regular army divisions totaling over 100. reSUlt-refusal by Hanoi to consider any in its desire to achieve victory that it 000 men-and considerable armor and type of peaceful settlement other than would send its tank drivers into combat artillery, most of it supplied by the So one that would turn South Vietnam over to the Communists lock, stock, and chained to their seats. viet Union. Through their 20th party This is no democratic government we Congress, in their radio broadcasts, and barrel. by their 'public statements calling for a As a matter of fact, the President has are dealing with; this is a ruthless dic "government of national accord" in done everything but one thing, that the tatorship intent on conquering not only South Vietnam, the leaders in Hanoi "doves" of over the years have suggested South Vietnam but, by its own admis have confirmed their aggressive objec he do-and all to no avail. The only sion, all of Indochina. It is a govern tives beyond a shadow of a doubt. Their thing he has not offered is the total sur that w111 use whatever means it feels directives, one of which has been cap- render of South Vietnam which is pre- necessary to achieve its ends. The killings April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 13351 I have just mentioned "ere not an un nocent brings some to a near hystelical If this happened, the bombing would avoidable result of combat, but were pitch \\ith their one-sided inclimina stop, the war would end, all U.S. forces deliberate acts of terrorism and brutality tions. would complete the withdrawal; all pris carried out to achieve political and mili Obviously, the bombing of specific mil oners could be repatriated; and all the tary ends. Such activities, and the people itary targets in the Hanoi-Haiphong innocent people of Southeast Asia on who order them, deserve no sympathy, no area has not been aimed at innocents. whatever side could be free of the plague sanctuary, and no stinting of effort in But a major sorrow of war is that some of war visited on them by the single opposition. We should feel no guilt in innocents are likely to be caught in even minded tyrants of Hanoi. doing all we can to help the people of the most precise bombing. It is belieVed Let all of us in the Senate demonstrate South Vietnam repel such an invader that the predawn timing of the first to those in Hanoi, who bear the primary from their midst. The cause of world allied attack greatly reduced the possi responsibility for the killing, that we peace deserves no less. bility of hurting civilians in adja<:ent know who and what they are, and that The Senator stands firmly behind the streets, or workers in the depot areas. we will not be stampeded by their cruel President with regard to the actions he All of us deplore the facts of war that invasion into rash political acts. has taken in ordering bombing of the cause death and injury to civilians-and Mr. MONDALE. Mr. President, millions North and, in particular, of Hanoi and also to men in uniform. In short, we de of Americans were shocked and appalled Haiphong. I was urging over and over plore war. But aside from whatever ob this past weekend at the major escala again the bombing of Haiphong and the ligation we may feel to prevent the mur tion of the war in Indochina by massive blocking of their principal port of en der of South Vietnamese, almost 100,000 new bombing of Haiphong and Hanoi. try of Communist war materiel well Americans, whose lives are precious to My distinguished colleague from Min over 5 years ago. In my view if it us, are in Vietnam. nesota has rightly said that this danger had been done then, this war would The tanks used by the CommUnists in ous new bombing "cannot ... must not, have been terminated long ago. I strongly their invasion of the south consume 18 continue." support the position taken by Secretary gallons of petrol every mile, Secretary I ask unanimous consent that Senator of State Rogers Monday, that we will not Laird pointed out y~terday in this testi HUMPHREY'S statement on the reescala return to the negotiating table until the mony. The invading forces consume am tion of the war be printed at this point in North Vietnamese have recalled their in munition at a high rate-killing soldiers the RECORD. vasion of the South. I have only thedeep and innocent civilians alike in their The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without est admiration for the South Vietnamese marauding. objection, it is so ordered. soldiers who have fought so bravely and If North Vietnam remained an un STATEMENT BY SENATOR HUMPHREY so well in containing the invasion forces molested sanctuary, supplies could con Today I repeat my call for an immediate to the extent that things are stabilizing tinue to move fro~ the storage areas halt to the bombings over North Vietnam. and the outlook for the future improving around Hanoi and Haiphong to the front The bombings are a dangerous escalation in all the time. And finally, I applaud our by truck in a matter of hours. It is only the war and the President should halt them President for making a tough, but neces 180 miles to the front across the DMZ. immediately. sary, decision in the face of certain criti We must press for quick passage of the We no longer are dealing with the 2 Gravel-Mondale bill of which I am a co cism. month journey by foot down the Ho Chi sponsor. That binding legislation would halt It is high time we, as a nation pUlled Minh trail. all bombing outside of South Vietnam. It ourselves together and came to grips with Petroleum destroyed in Haiphong will also prohibits bombing in South Vietnam, reality as the President has so ably done. not drive a tank in the South. itself, unless the President could show that We have not condoned tyrannical aggres Ammunition destroyed in Haiphong such action was necessary for the safe With sion in the past; now is the best time will not kill people in the South. It will drawal of our forces. to unite and show the world that we will The President should Immediately halt the not kill innocent civilians. It will not kill bombing of North Vietnam. If he does not, not condone it now or in the future. The Americans. the congress should move immediately to Senate can take the lead by passing this Trucks destroyed in Haiphong will not cut off funds. To do this, the Senate should resolution. carry troops or munitions to the South. attach the Gravel-Mondale bill to pending Mr. President, I ask unanimous con If Haiphong is where the tools of ag legislation and adopt the amendment Which sent that whatever time I have remaining gression are found for the death-dealing I cosponsored with Senator Mondale on Feb be yielded to the Senator from Wyoming. invasion by the North, then that is where ruary 17, 1971, to cut off funds for combat The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without all' support activities Within the borders of they must be destroyed. North Vietnam. objection, it is so ordered. The late Adlai Stevenson remarked in I urge the President to bring the question Mr. HANSEN. Mr. President, whatever January 1965: of Vietna&1 before an emergency session or position any Member of this body takes In our minds we tend to associate war the Security Council of the United Nations on the war in Vietnam, we are all to and correctly so-with the ancient lust for in an effort to secure a cease-fire in Vietnam gether in one aspect: the killing of in conquest and dominion; we tend-rlghtly and to review the U.S. plan for withdrawal nocent people is dreadful business. to Id811tlfy war as the Instrument of con from Vietnam. querors and tyrants. In the past we hesitated to use the UN as But there seems to be a different meas a forum for settling the conflict in Vietnam, uring stick applied in this matter. Ap Yet In every war there is a defender who, but we were wrong. We were wrong not to parently, all innocent people are not however reluctantly, takes up arms In selt realize that American involvement in 'VIet equal in the eyes of some in the Con defense and calls upon others for ald. And nam was undermining world efforts for gress. this Is the other face of war: war has been peaceful cooperation. We can learn from our the Instrument by which lawlessness and mistakes. Some innocent people are treated as rebellion have been suppressed, by which though they are not so innocent. It is We can call for an emergency session of nations have preserved their Independence, the Security Council now a different body as if their degree of innocence is the by which freedom has been defended. War with the participation of China,. and the degree of latitUde of their residence, and 15 an instrument of aggression-and also the Soviet Union, as well as the other parties directly related to which side endangers means by which the aggressors lIave been Involved in the confiict. We can pledge that their lives. turned back. our Anned Forces will be withdrawn within In some quarters I have noted that in There are some in the Congress who a certain date, and that all we ask In return regard to the people of Vietnam, the seem to forget that other face of war. 15 the safe withdrawal of our troops, the more northerly the residence, the great North Vietnam has never been invaded release of American prisoners of war, and the by the people of South Vietnam. North indentificatlon of those missing in action. er the outcry about protecting the in The President's escalation of the war by nocent. The death of an innocent in the Vietnam is and always has been the ag massive bombing in the North, including use South killed by Communist forces is gressor. By the simplest act of decency of the giant B-52, 15 made even more dan hardly worth note by these same "pro and compassion on the part of the gov gerous by his reluctance to negotiate and tectors." ernment in Hanoi, the killing of all inno his precipitous withdrawal from the Paris The outcry of these protectors picks cents can stop tomorrow. They need only Peace Talks. Reports are fiylng every which up quite a bit crossing the DMZ going to end this cruel invasion; withdraw way as to who wants to resume the talks and who doesn't. What Is clear is that the Presi north. By the time an American aircraft their armies from Laos, Cambodia, and dent cancelled them in the first place and is flying over Hanoi or Haiphong-above South Vietnam to their own territon' that he hasn't told us how he plans to nego the 20th parallel-concern for the in- north of the DMZ. tiate American disengagement. 13352 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE April 19, 1972 The President's order for the bombing Now assembled off the coast of Viet Gravel-Mondale amendment to cut off of areas surrounding Hanoi and Haiphong nam is one of the most powerful air ar funds for any type of military or para is not only a dangerous escalation which con madas in the history of the world. And military operation in Vietnam after 30 tradicts President Nixon's promises for with drawal, but ignores all we have learned in we remain in the dark about how long it days of enactment. The congressional the last several years. It Is a giant step back will remain there. Yesterday in testi constituency for a stronger response, in ward to before 1968 when President Johnson mony before the Senate Foreign Rela other words, is there. halted the bombing because the bombings tions Committee, Secretary Rogers re What we need is a determination by had proven to be ineffective and a certain fused to answer Senator FULBRIGHT'S the Congress to stand up to the Presi cause of widened conflict. The bombing will question whether the U.S. Government dent. This must be done in the name of not break the wlll of the North Vietnamese; planned "to continue indefinitely to pro American and Vietnamese troops and it will not bring ",;hem to the negotiating table on our terms; it will not halt their sup vide unlimited air and naval support people who will die unnecessarily if the ply lines, and it is inhumane. whenever South Vietnamese forces are President's policy continues. It is the I call upon all Democrats and Republi under pressure." On the contrary, the height of political inlmoraIity to ask cana alike to urge the President to put a Secretary stated: U.S. pilots to continue to die in the name halt to the bombings. Now we have said from the beginning, of mistakes politicians admit they made. I urge all Democratic Presidential can every time I've testified here I've said, that Mr. President, Santayana said that didates to unite behind a platform of solid as we withdraw our troops from South Viet wisdom comes by disillusionment. The opposition to this war and any continua nam we're going to continue to use air power. unnecessary blood, the wasted treasure, tion of U.S. military operations. There is too We're going to continue to use air power the orphaned children have brought US much at stake in the welfare of this nation that's necessary to prevent a take-over by and in the promotion of international under the Communists of South Vietnam. disillusionment. Will we now find wis standing to do otherwise. The bombings dom? cannot, they must not, continue. This means that U.S. involvement in TO WHAT END? the Vietnamese war is a permanent fea Mr. HART. Mr. President, to what end? Mr. HARRIS. Mr. President, in 1968 ture of our foreign policy. There will Richard Nixon became President in part To what end does this Nation resume never be an end to the war so long as a widespread bombing of South and North because he promised he had a plan to Republican administration controls the end the Vietnam war. But the whine of Vietnam? White House. For the war in Vietnam is What end justifies the terrible costs air-raid sirens throughout Indochina is a civil war and there will always be the revealing this promise as base and which inevitably result from massive danger of a Communist takeover. bombing? empty. , In 1961, Mr. President, Charles de This week, without any public word Bombs kill, soldiers and civilians alike. Gaulle was host to a visit to France by Bombs destroy, tanks and homes alike. to the Nation, President Nixon ordered President Kennedy. During their meet the bombardment of Hanoi and Hai Bombs defoliate, camouflaged trails ing de Gaulle later wrote, he told his and crops alike. phong in North Vietnam with B-52 air visitor: craft. Even during the period of extreme And too, war can enhance or erode a You will flnd that intervention in this area great nation's ability to lead the world escalation prior to 1968 this measure had (Vietnam) will be an endless entangle never been taken. It was acknowledged toward peace. ment.... I predict that you wlll sink step War can unite or divide a people at then that the use in the North of these by step into a bottomless mllltary and polit aircraft, designed for the conduct of nu ical quagmire. however much you spend in home. clear war, would drastically increase the men and money. These are the terrible costs of war. political and military stakes in the war. Any nation contemplating the waging And in any event it has been conclusive What is so tragic about these words, of war should not separate the costs of ly established in recent years that air Mr. President, is that their essential war from the end it seeks. bombing in North Vietnam has been al truth hllS been evident to us for years. A great nation which values the dignity most totally ineffective. For some reason, however, two admin of human life and the concept of freedom But President Nixon is a gambler by istrations have been unable to draw the thought cannot, for if the end is not nature. His inclination is for the sudden necessary conclusions. worth the means, then the policy will reversal, the spectacular gesture, the But today I believe our criticism should surely divide its people and erode the long ball. His habit is to reduce national be directed not just at the administra country's ability to act at home and policy not to an art but to repeated and tion. We as legislators must share the abroad. desperate throws of the dice. The deci blame. No one can deny the depth of our in sion to bomb Hanoi is only the latest in The President this week issued the volvement or the strength of our com a series of such sudden moves. Congress a challenge. He unilaterally mitment in South Vietnam. And no one Repeatedly, the President has boasted escalated the war without informing should be able to forget the costs of that that when he entered office the American even those congressional committees commitment. troop ceiling was 549,500 and that he has most concemed with the conduct of our We have advised and we have sent steadily reduced the number of U.S. foreign policy. Yet what was the Senate's more than 500,000 troops. troops. What he has not told the Ameri response? Nothing but a series of iso We have supported governments and can people is that at the same time, he lated speeches and a decision yesterday we have set up governments. has maintained or increased the extent by the Senate Foreign Relations Com We have withdrawn troops and given of American involvement in the war mittee to cut off funds for all U.S. com the South Vietnamese more weapons. through the use of air power. bat operations in Indochina after De We have bombed and we have stopped . During 1971 U.S. air forces in Indo cember 31, 1972. bombing. china dropped 763,000 tons-the equiva Now the press has interpreted this de We have had a hand in the killing of lent of 35 percent of all U.S. air ord cision as a sign of sharp Senate dis hundreds of thousands, in the wounding nance expended during World War II. pleasure, but we all know the decision is and in the making homeless of 10 mil These figures represent the explosive inadequate. If the Senate does not take lion civilians, in the defoliation of an equivalent of 38 Hiroshimas. They con a stronger stand, the effect will be to area as big as Rhode Island in South stitute the equivalent of 80 percent of the seem to oppose the President while ac Vietnam alone. air ordnance expended during the 3-year tually we are giving him a free hand un More than 50,000 Americans have been Korean war. They total five times the til after the election. killed and more than 300,000 wounded. tonnage dropped on Japan during all of A majority of the Senate and a major And still the war continues and again World War II. ity of the Senate Foreign Relations Com we bomb. The total of 6.3 million tons of bombs mittee have supported measures to end To what end, to what end? dropped on Indochina during the period the war earlier than December 1972. All What reason do we have to expect that 1965-71 represents 22 tons for every major Democratic candidates except strategic-type bombing will work any square mile of territory in Indochina. George Wallace state that if they are better in 1972 than it did in the early Today, U.S. aircraft are dropping more President, they will withdraw from Viet 1960's? than 2,000 pounds or a ton a minute in nam within 30 days. All major candidates More importantly. remembering the Vietnam. who are Senators have cosponsored the awful costs already borne by the people April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13353 of Southeast Asia and by many in this Bombing close to the China border will and among the great powers, I believe country, what end do we seek which not improve our relations with Peking, there is yet another and fundamental justifies still more of the same? relations which are more important to reason why we should withdraw. That Granted it is easier to criticize than world peace than who happens to rule in reason is very simple and very impor to make policy. Saigon. tant. I can state it succinctly. Granted, some may argue that the war Bombing around Haiphong, and per IT IS IN OUR INTERESTS TO GET OUT planners have access to more informa haps hitting Soviet ships in the harbor, tion than others. will do little to convince the hardliners We should leave Vietnam because it And granted that we wish North Viet in Moscow of the value of negotiations is in the interests of the United States nam had not sent troops across the de with the United States, and the outcome to do so. Apart from the suffering, the militarized zone; that it would be con of the SALT talks are more important to misery, and moral question, it is simply venient and soothing if Hanoi agreed to world peace than who happens to rule against the interests of the United accept the Saigon Government as rulers in Saigon. States to remain in Vietnam. Here is Bombing to prop up Vietnamization why. of South Vietnam, and that it would be We have no material interests to serve welcome if Saigon had won the war. will not hasten victory but only delay the there. American territory is not under But those are only hopes. making of political adjustments by attack. There is no threat to the main What we do know for certain are the Southeast Asians necessary to achieving land of the United States or to our spe results of our war policies on the people stability on the Indochina peninsula. cific interests in Asia or the Pacific. of Southeast Asia and of our own coun And finally, bombing to show that we What about China and the tlu'eat she try. are not afraid to use our power can only poses? In the past it was argued that What we have no answer to is the ques undermine the confidence our allies have we should fight because of the potential tion which will not go away-what out in our ability to act with wisdom and danger that if South Vietnam was over come of the war in Vietnam would be so restraint. run other areas would be threatened harmful to our national interests that Anthony Lewis, writing in Monday'S too. we are justified in resuming and in esca New York Times, put it this way: lating to record proportions massive at CHINA POSES NO THREAT TO U.S. INTERESTS Proportion: That is the terrible fallure of THERE tacks which cannot help but destroy non American polley in Vietnam. Of course the military and military personnel and Communists are fighting the war too, and But what threat does China now pose? buildings alike? attacking in the South, and kllling human She has no airpower. She therefore does We are told we send bombers over beings. But they are doing so in what they not threaten our interests in the Pacific. Hanoi and Haiphong to protect our men regard as their own country. for a genuine She has no seapower. There is no way, who remain in South Vietnam. but it is cause and at immense sa'crifices to them therefore, that she can attack Japan, selves. The United States is dropping bombs Taiwan, Formosa. the Philippines, let agreed that our men are not under direct from 50,000 feet above a country thousands attack and that any effect from these of miles from our shores, for no cause that alone Australia or New Zealand. The fact raids on the battles in South Vietnam Americans can state. How different the moral is that she is not capable of taking either will not be felt for months. equation would be if the officials and the Quemoy or Matsu lying only a few miles We are told both that these sorties generais who give the bombing orders ever off the Mainland of China. were ordered to give South Vietnam still found their own lives at risk. Her troops are not now in Vietnam. more time to make Vietnamization work It is the old questIons of means and ends. With all the fighting there over the past and that Vietnamization is working; but For American leadership in the world there three decades. she has never sent troops is no more Important question. Our allies we have no reason to believe that it will have accepted our leadership because they to Vietnam. Now with President Nixon's ever work without our active support. believed we would exercise our power with visit to China and the improving rela We are told we resumed the bombing restraint and wisdom. tionships between China and the United because North Vietnam "invaded" South States. there seems even less reason to Vietnam, a rationale which ignores the That is what it comes down to-a believe that she would now either enter historical fact that Vietnam was one na proper sense of proportion. that war or send her troops into other tion long before it was two and which No clever slogans will hide the fatal areas of Southeast Asia and hence indicates we will settle for nothing less flaw in our Vietnam policy-we resume threaten the peace. That presents no than a complete military victory for the the bombing for no vital cause. major threat to either Southeast Asia Thieu government. No rhetoric will unite our people be or to the interests of the United States. And finally, we are told that the bomb hind a policy so alien to our belief that under a government of laws the means THE UNITED STATES HAS FULFILLED ITS COM ing may be in response to the continuing MqMENTS MANY TIMES OVER :flow of weapons from Moscow to Hanoi, to an end does matter. Congress then should do what it can Well, it will be said. it is in our inter that by bombing we may gain some type ests to keep South Vietnam from being of advantage in the game of interna to set our policy straight. We should be concerned about the overrun by the North. I think there is a tional politics as played by great powers. simple straightforward answer to that. Even if some advantage might be safe return of our men held prisoners gained. which I doubt. I do not think the and of our troops still in Vietnam. We have spent about $150 billion in people of this country believe we are Bombing advances neither of those Vietnam. justified in bombing a small nation in causes. We have lost 50,000 American lives in order to improve our bargaining position Rather let us set a date certain for Vietnam. with a third country. withdrawal tied to the return of our We have aided. helped, succored, and Other reasons have been suggested prisoners. propped up the South Vietnam Govern that the bombing was ordered out of Let us stop bombing. ments since 1962. If after 10 years, $150 frustration or that the goal is to keep UNITED 5TATES SHOULD SERVE ITS OWN billion, and 50,000 lives South .Vietnam the Saigon government in office until INTERESTS is incapable of protecting herself, the November. Mr. PROXMIRE. Mr. President, I join United States is not now required to do These interpretations I reject out of with Senators in urging a halt to the more. Any responsibility we had to that hand. for to accept either of them could bombing in Vietnam and the earliest nation has now been carried out ten only lead to the morally debilitating con possible withdrawal of our forces from fold. clusion that this Nation has become to that bloody and tragic war. "COLLECTIVE SECURITY" NOT COLLECTIVE tally immune to the horrors of violence. As much as I deplore the bombing, What about our obligation to "c:JIlec That I will not believe. the loss of human life, the suffering now tive security?" Those of us who remem But do any of the other reasons justify occurring over three decades, the divi ber the late 1930's recall the proposition Widespread, massive bombing of South sion of Vietnam into hostile camps. the that if we had only joined together at and North Vietnam '? I think not. extension of the war into Laos and Cam an early stage to stop Hitler. World War The better way to protect our troops bodia, the involvement of Thailand. and IT might not have occurred. It was from remaining in South Vietnam is to set a the continuing threat the war poses to that experience that the United Nations date certain for their withdrawal and to the peace of the world because it in was formed. the doctrine of collective resume negotiations from that point. hibits the settlement of issues between security was evolved. and the American 13354 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE AP1'il 19, 1972 determination to keep aggressors from TEDDY ROOSEVELT'S DICTUM It is difficult to discern the true mo overrunning weak countries was formed. We should follow Teddy Roosevelt's tives for the escalation in both bomb But there are two problems in Viet dictum and "Speak softly and carry a ing and rhetoric by the Nixon adminis nam. First, it was never clear-cut that big stick." tration. One thing is clear, however. This collective security was at stake in that We should act in full recognition of is an attempt to obscure the failure of Nation. The history of the French and our interests and with as much regard the much-heralded Vietnamization pro Japanese occupations, the absence of for l1Uman life as is possible. But we gram. The manner in which the South political democracy, and the divided in should act from a position of real Vietnamese forces crumpled during the terests within South Vietnam always ob strength. Any honest assessment of our early days of the North Vietnamese of scured the issue. Nations and people can real interests and our real strength and fensive suggests that Vietnamization has not march to an uncertain trumpet. of the real rather than imagined threats not worked and that the South Viet Second, th:l aid which the world sent to our security can lead to only one con namese are quite incapable of defending to South Vietnam was never "collective." clusion. The time to set a date and to the unpopular Thieu regime without For all practical purposes it was a uni get out of Vietnam is now. massive U.S. air support. lateral act by the United States. Our Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, in 1968 Also, there is an important fallacy in friends and allies did not join in, made Richard Nixon campaigned for the Presi the argwnent that the bombing policy is few if any< sacrifies, and criticized our dency with the promise that he had a designed to protect the lives of American activities there. It cannot now be claimed secret plan to end the Vietnam war. We and South Vietnamese troops in the face that the cause of collective security was never did find out what that specific plan of the North Vietnamese offensive. The served in Vietnam. bombing now underway, especially that was, but now, in 1972, he has resorted to in the North, will not have any effect on LOST PRESTIGE ABROAD--NATION TORN APART AT large-scale bombing in North and South the North Vietnamese offensive for at HOME Vietnam in a manner all too reminiscent least a month. Ifour purpose was to fore Meanwhile, our basic interests have of the unsuccessful bombing policies of 1965. The only plan he has shown us is stall the offensive, the time for that has suffered terrible blows. We have lost vast passed. prestige and support abroad. The coun more war in the air instead of on the Therefore it is clear that the bombing, try has been torn asunder at home. And ground. Efforts have been made to make and the threat to blockade or mine Hai the billions spent on this war have pre the war politically acceptable, but not tCl phong Harbor, is a punishment tactic vented the American people from meet end it, to stop the fighting, the killing. a continuation of the tit-for-tat policies ing those desperate needs here at home Not only has this reescalation of the of the last 3 years. The difference is that Which have for too long remaided un war given us a rerun of previously dis we have raised the stakes. Now at stake fulfilled. credited Vietnam policies, the dangerous in this game of blind man's bluff is not What is in the best interests and the brinksmanship being played by the Sec only the chance for peace in Indochina, security of the citizens of the United retary of Defense and Vice President is a but crucial questions of relations between States? frightening throwback to the foreign the world's major powers. And it is here, OUR REAL SECURITY INTERESTS NOT SERVED policy of the 1950's. in damaging those relations, that a more The citizen in Milwaukee is far more For Secretary Laird to suggest calmly lasting and most serious mistake of the concerned and rightly so, with being to the Foreign Relations Committee yes U.S. reescalation can be found. Beyond able to walk the streets safely than in terday that it might be in order for the even that, Mr. President, the reescalation bombing North Vietnam. Safe streets United States to blockade or mine Hai of the bombing poses a serious moral is in his direct security interests. Bomb phong harbor shows a remarkable in problem, one that could well damage our ing North Vietnam is not. Yet the bil sensitivity to the complications such national conscience. lions for Vietnam have prevented us threats pose in Moscow and Peking. Mr. President, votes in the Senate and from paying our police force adequately, Moreover, it bodes of more, not less, in the other body, public opinion polls of speeding up justice, and in protecting war. any sounding of the American people the persons and lives of millions of The Vice President carried Secretary all show that our citizens want deescala Americans. Laird's tactics even further by specifi tion, not reescalation. The failure of our It is far more important to the security cally citing the Soviet Union for sending Government to understand this strains of millions of elderly Americans that supplies to North Vietnam. It was as if the democratic process. Let us hope that they get medical care than it is in send Spiro Agnew had made some great dis this debate today and the understandable ing the fieet to sit off the shores of Viet covery, ignoring the fact that the Soviets outcry of horror from the American nam and send in their planes to dev and Chinese have been supplying North people will quickly and effectively con astate the countryside. Vietnam for as long as we have been vince the President of the folly of the fighting South Vietnam's battles. course he has taken in recent days. Our citizens here at home suffer from It is amazing, Mr. President, that the the evil effects of air and water pollution, administration would pursue a policy REESCALATION OF THE WAR inadequate funds to educate their chil Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. President, in re dren, insufiicient social security sup that could force a direct confrontation with the Soviet Union over Vietnam. But cent days we have witnessed a series of port, and excessive taxes on their food this is the clear consequence of the di events which seemed to return like a and housing and income while the mili rection in which Secretary Laird's com terrifying nightmare. As our people, and tary tells us that their security is at ments were addressed. the people of the world, watched with stake in Vietnam. That just happens to dread, President Nixon brashly ordered be rubbish. People don't believe that. And Even if that confrontation is avoided, by a decision not to go ahead wi th the U.S. military forces to reverse their slow they don't believe that because it is un withdrawal from Vietnam and instead true. blockade or mining of Haiphong harbor, the administration has already set back mount new attacks which reescalated OUR MILITARY STRENGTH HAS SUFFERED the attempts by President Nixon and the air war to levels matching and even There is another point, too. The his predecessors to improve relations surpassing those of the years of our strength of our military has suffered with the Soviet. And in doing so it places greatest involvement in the tragic South from the prolonged agony of this war. in jeopardy years of work on improved east Asian war. The military has grown fat and lazy. The relations, including the almost com In a swift and startling series of ac esprit in the ranks has declined. pleted Strategic Arms Limitation agree tion, President Nixon erased all progress GETTING OUT WOULD STRENGTHEN US ment. Whether this retreat to the old toward winding down the war; forced the Our determination to stop the bomb "Cold Warrior"'stance we had years ago United States and the Soviet Union to ing and to get out of Vietnam now Is not associated with the President is a result the brink of a needless and potentially a sign of military weakness. It would of some temporary aberration or whether catastrophic confrontation; and de strengthen us militarily. It is a futile it is a deliberate attempt to appease the stroyed whatever credibility he may still act to continue to throwaway our mili right wing of his party-it is a mistake: have had with the American people about tary strength in the huge abyss of South a grave and dangerous mistake which is his intentions in Vietnam. east Asia. That does not strengthen us. likely to decrease for some time the Perhaps we should not have been sur That weakens us. chances for world peace. prised at the news that our bombers were April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13355 once again attacking the population cen that the President's recent, reckless ac Mr. ALLO'IT. Mr. President, the ques ters of North Vietnam in the tactics tions are an admission of the failure of tion has been asked: Is the Senator re which had been discredited 4 years his much vaunted policy of Vietnamiza ferring to anyone on the floor? Is that a ago. And perhaps we should not have tion. rhetorical question? been astonished to learn that our Stra It is clear that President Nixon has Mr. CRANSTON. It is a rhetorical tegic Air Command had sent its giant B closed his eyes to the lessons of history, question. I am not referring to any indi 52's ranging further into North Vietnam and his ears to the demands of a great vidual on the floor of the Senate at the than ever before. majority of our people for an end to present time. It is true we had hints this might hap American involvement in the war. And, Let me suggest that the way to get pen. Reports from Southeast Asia for I see little hope that he will become more politics out of the war is for President the past 3 years have told of a steady sensitive to the mood of our people dur Nixon to get out of politics. That would buildUp in American airpower, in direct ing the last 8 months of his term. assure the American people that the relation to the slow but steady with There can no longer be any doubt military decisions he makes are moti drawal of American ground forces. And if there was before-that in the months vated solely by what he thinks is best the fact is that more. American bombs ahead this clear and absolute demand for America and the world, and are not have been dropped on Southeast Asia for a certain end to this long, bloody, in any way based on what he thinks is since President Nixon took office than and tragic war, must remain at the cen best for his political future. This could were dropped during the supposedly ter of our national debate. clear up the confusion that may be in the "peak" bombing years of 1966, 1967, and Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, I yield mind of the B-52 pilot on his bombing 1968. As a matter of fact, since President myself the 6 minutes of the Senator from mission who may wonder whether he is Nixon brought his secret plan to end the Michigan (Mr. HART), and I have 10 min acting as an arm of his Commander in war into office with him, more than 6 utes remaining, leaving 16 minutes to Chief or as a precinct worker for Rich million tons of bombs have been close the debate. ard Nixon's campaign over Hanoi. dropped-that is more than all the bombs The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen I have concluded that I should not per our planes dropped during World War ator is correct. mit the presidency to become involved in II and Korea put together. Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, I am the partisan diVisions that are developing And, we might have been forewarned if saddened by repOrts I have just been in this poIltical year, we had considered that this was the same handed by the press from Saigon indi President Johnson said on March 31, President who ordered American soldiers cating the response of the North Viet 1968, in announcing that he would not to invade Cambodia-and who ordered namese to the current Nixon policy in accept the Democratic nomination for our military might to support the South South Vietnam. I will read those reports. another term. Vietnamese invasion ofLaos. The first is from Saigon:, With America's sons In the fields-fields But, the American people have been SAlGON.-North Vietnamese Mig fighters far away, with America's future under chal thrown off guard-we have allowed our and "high speed sur!Me cra.tt" attacked U.S. lenge right here at home-with our hopes selves to be lulled into a false sense of 7th Fleet warships in the GUlf of Tonkin and the world's hopes for peace In the bal well-being. We have listened to the man this afternoon, the U.S. command said ~rly ance every day, I do not believe that I who holds the highest elected office in Thursday saigon time. should devote an hour or a day of my time our land talk about "a generation of to any personal partisan causes or to any The second dispatch is from the AP. duties other than the awesome duties of peace," and "the light at the end of the It is headed "Attacks" and reads as fol this Office-the Presidency of your coun tunnel." We remembered that it was this lows: try. same man who, as a candidate for office, SAlGON.-North Vietnamese Mig fighters promised he "would not raise" the level and shore patrol boats attacked U.S. destroy Those are words worthy of any Presi of bombing, and declared, "Our interest ers sheIIlng the coast Wednesday, and two dent; President Nixon would do well to is in stopping the war." And we watched of the boats were possibly sunk, the U.S. emulate his example. as this same President made fine state command disclosed. With 7 critical months to get through ments about stopping the arms race It said one of the Mlgs was shot down before the election, President Nixon ob and one U.S. ship reportedly was damaged In through the SALT talks; as he made the the Sea-all' battIe, four U.S. sailors were listed viously faces a critical challenge, polit splendid gesture of reopening relations as wounded. ically and militarily. with mainland China, and as he prepared On the one hand, the President must to visit the Soviet Union-all to promote Mr. President, is that "Vietnamiza carefully limit any escalation of Amer peace. tion"? Is that evidence that Vietnamiza ican military action in Indochina lest he So perhaps it is understandable that tion is succeeding? Is that evidence that set off tlle kinds of domestic upheavals we were astonished that this same Pres the South Vietnamese can "hack it" on that overthrew former President John ident would destroy any hope for a gen their own, as the President indicated they son and that confounded President Nix eration of peace; would snuff out the could a while back? on himself when he invaded Cambodia. light at the end of the tunnel; would re I ask the Senate to judge that matter, On the other hand, President Nixon escalate the war; would seliously jeop and I ask the country to judge this mat must do everything militarily possible to ardize the SALT talks; and would under ter. I think that both the evidence and prevent the Thieu regime from collaps mine hope for better relations with China the answer are rather obvious. ing before next November, lest he lose and the Soviet Union, through this reck We who are critical of the President's the right wing of his party-his prime less, senseless, and pointless brinksman policies are constantly importuned not political base. ship. to make "political capital out of the Simultaneously, and most crucially, he I \\ill say that, in my judgment, tIle President's conduct of the war." must avoid taking action that might American people will not tolerate this The chairman of the National Repub trigger magnified or more direct Soviet kind of inconsistency from their elected lican Committee (Mr. DOLE), after leav or Chinese involvement. leaders. They will not be lied to and ing this debate, stated, according to the President Nixon presumably hopes toyed with, having their hopes for peace United Press: that his new bombing decisions will do raised only to be quicklY dashed again. The Democrats are attempting to make the trick. The American people are neither political hay on the President's efforts in Maybe it will-provided we do not hit stupid, nor blind, nor unfeeling. They South Vietnam. too many more Soviet ships and provided can see that we are not Jctting out of Mr. President. Senate Democrats are the South Vietnamese stand and fight. the war by withdrav.ing our Jround repeatedly chided about our Members But what if it does not work? forces while increasing our air and sea whoare campaigning for the nomination If the South Vietnamese military sit forces. They know that every time the for the presidency. It should be recog uation becomes untenable, the President B-52s fiy, their cargo is just as devastat nized that the Republicans do have a seemingly has only two ultimate alterna ing as ground combat; and they are quite candidate for the presidency, the Presi tives-both reprehensible, politically and aware of the fact that our Government is dent himself. He is making daily deci morally: not doing the one truly effective thing to sions on the conduct of the war with He could halt American troop with secure the return of our POW's-ending pOlitics unavoidably on his mind. Does drawals and send American ground the war. Furthermore, they recognize anybody doubt that? troops back in. Unlikely, And he could 13356 'CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE April 19, 1972 order the use of tactical nuclear weapons. The White House still does not seem to fend their nation against those they con Unthinkable. have logical definitions of what is "do sider invaders from the north that are I am relieved that Secretary of State mestic" and what is "foreign." Opera on the line. Or should be on the line. We William Rogers has assured the Nation tions launched by President Thieu's re have done our share; more than our that the administration has ruled out gime but laced with a massive American share. It is time for the South Vietnam both these alternatives. I hope he is be presence are held to be "domestic" and ese to stand and fight on their own: it ing kept better informed now than he therefore legitimate, whereas fighting is their war, their country, their future. was prior to the Cambodian invasion. undertaken by the North Vietnamese It should be their decision. If they do not Why did he feel it necessary to give this alone using Soviet weapons is labelled have what it takes to survive on their assurance? Has somebody at the Penta "foreign" and therefore aggressive. Are own now with 1.2 million men armed with gon and the White House been think we to conclude that we have a more the latest made-in-America weapons ing about the "unthinkable"? Is it rightful place in Vietnam than the North then they never will. We cannot go on because of the fact that, while most of Vietnamese themselves? And what about fighting and dying in their war forever. our tactical nuclear weapons are in Eu the Vietcong? We know we "'ill not get our prisoners rope, some, at this moment-as I speak The latest ominous developments were of war out while we are carrying on this are ready for immediate use-on aircraft preceded by statements from the White senseless war. We know the number of carriers presently located off Vietnam? House emphasizing the Soviet contribu prisoners of war is rising now, and we Did Secretary Roger's statement, on tion to Hanoi's war effort. In his State of know we will not get them out until we Monday, have anythL.g to do with the the World Message delivered in Febru get out of the conflict. historical fact that in 1955 then Vice ary, President Nixon referred to the The American people have a right to President Nixon told the Executive "nearly $1-billion" in aid which North be kept accurately informed of our in Club in Chicago that it was "abso Vietnam receives from its allies. Actu creased air casualties during the current lutely foolish" to predict that a war ally, the $1-billion figure represented the offensive and beyond. They have a right in Asia would be limited to what we peak achieved in 1967, just before the to know the scope and extent of military like to think of as conventional weapons. United States halted its bombing of the action. As taxpayers, they have a right "Tactical atomic explosives are now con North. Furthermore, this total figure to know what the current escalation of ventional," he declared, "and will be combines aid from the Soviet Union, the air war is costing them. As citizens used against the military targets of any China, and Eastern Europe. For the So who have overwhelmingly expressed aggressive force." Admittedly that was viet Union alone, the flgure in 1967 was themselves in opposition to the war, they 17 years and several Nixons ago and the $505 million in military assistance and have a right to know how much destruc President may have changed his' mind. $200 million in economic aid-a total of tion our Government is continuing to He has a way of doing that. But Presi $705 million. wreak upon Southeast Asia. dent Nixon also has a way of being ada The figures for 1970 and 1971 fall sub Although the administration has been mant on what he thinks are basic issues. stantially below these 1967 peaks. In quick to publicize statistics on troop North Vietnamese attacks, instead of 1970 and 1971, total Soviet military and withdrawals, it has been reluctant to continuing large scale and sustained, economic assistance was $415 million for share information on responses to the may once again become sporadic, hit current offensive. The U.S. command and-hide, spaced-out affairs. In which both years. Combined Soviet Union, China, and Eastern Europe aid was down in Saigon, for example, has announced case, the President may reorder stepped to $775 million in 1971. No matter which that it will no longer release figures on up bombing as he-or President Thieu? the number of B-52 bombingrll.ids flown thinks the occasion demands, and so keep way we look at it, Soviet aid has fallen off. Even if we include estimates on anti over North Vietnam. The predictable rea the bombing game going off and on until son cited for the change was the need election day. aircraft artillery and SAM missiles, So viet aid cannot possibly match the bil to "protect" American pilots. But how Now if the American people buy this can information about one day's bomb and if President Nixon is somehow also lions of dollars which we have poured into South Vietnam. ing raid threaten pilots on the following able to overcome other problems he day? faces and is reelected, what then in Why then did the Nixon administra tion recently put pressure on American SimilarlY, the Pentagon has contin Vietnam? ually refused to discuss U.S. military Secure in office for another 4 years, officials in Saigon to emphasize Soviet aid to Hanoi? According to a report in alerts or movements in connection with President Nixon could decide that the the current fighting. Officials have de time had at long last really come for the the Baltimore Sun of April 13, the State Department cabled American officials nied reports of widespread alerts at air, South Vietnamese to stand on their own naval, and marine bases in this country. and "hack it" without our help-win, that- . Clearly the American people are not get lose, or draw. But that does not sound The need for American assistance to ting the whole story. like President Nixon. Saigon, it is felt at the highest level here, can be best explained to critical pUbllc opinion in What kind of logic is it that holds that It is far more likely that he would con terms of relation to Soviet aid to Hanoi. in order to get out we have to stay in? tinue his present policies and brace a The more we commit ourselves to the floundering Thieu regime with American What did this latest White House ma success of Vietnamization, the deeper the sea and air power for still another 4 neuver amount to if not to anticipate quicksand will become in the face of a years. Think of it; 4 more years of public reaction against a bombing raid possible South Vietnamese failure. And death and destruction overseas, division on Haiphong itself? the more action we undertake in the and neglect here at home; 4 more years So far Moscow seems to be shmving name of "protecting" the remainder of of wasted lives, wasted opportunities, considerable restraint-even with four our forces, the more losses we risk. wasted wealtho of their ships apparently hit. But how This point cannot be reiterated too In fairness to the American people, much more will the Soviets take? How often. President Nixon has beaten the President Nixon should make a choice: much more punishment is Nixon going drum for the POW's but by intensifying First. He should either announce at to rain on their ally? How much further the air war he has perpetuated the very once that he will order a total end to all is he going to push them? What happens means by which they are imprisoned in American combat action-on land, sea, if the Soviets respond in kind, not only the first place. Shifting the war from and air-and set a specific date for the by escalating their response in Vietnam the ground to the air cuts down on total total withdrawal of all our Armed Forces but by igniting a crisis elsewhere? When deaths but continues to feed more POW's contingent only on the return of our is this punitive brinkmanship going to to Hanoi. Almost 500 men are now listed prisoners of war and an accounting of end? as captured. When will the list stop grow our missing in action, or Our problem, the Nation's problem, Is ing? Second. He should do what President that President Nixon still thinks he must What makes present options so omI Johnson did and remove any appearance prove America's manhood; he still looks nous is that the administration continues of political motivation in the further upon Vietnam as a test of America's to talk about a North Vietnamese "in conduct of this war; if President Nixon courage and perseverance. vasion" of the South. The State Depart wishes to continue his present Vietnam I say it is no longer we who need to be ment has charged that this "invasion" is policy, he should take himself out of the tested but the South Vietnamese; it is in "flagrant violation" of both the Ge race for reelection. their will, their heart, their desire to de- neva accord and the 1968 bombing halt April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13357 agreement. But the use of the word "in the South Vietnamese and Royal Laotian I fully support this amendment. We vasion" implies international aggression. Air Forces. These figures show an upward must consider the highest interests of I have always maintained, by contrast, trend, as follows: (Department of De the Amelican people. They have alreauy that the Vietnam conflict is a civil war, fense figures, CONGRESSONAL RECORD, vol. expressed their overwhelming opposition not an international one. North Vietnam 117, pt. 14, p. 18410). to the continuation of this immoral war. is not a foreign country. The fact that Fiscal year-VNAF-RLAF They are tired of listening to distorted the current offensive is armed with un 1970-$245 mUllon--$46 million. calculations and twisted promises. They precedented numbers of tanks and SAM 1971-$350 mUllon-$79 million. are looking to us for leadership. missiles does not change the status of the 1972-$337 mlllion-$83 milllon. Mr. President, I ask unanimous con war any more than cutting down on sent that a statement by the Senator Hidden sources of funds undoubtedly from Wisconsin (Mr. NELSON) regarding ground troops short of total disengage add to these totals. According to the ment alters the essential fact of heavy the ecological consequences of the pres Washington Post of March 24, Ameri ent warfare in Vietnam may be printed American involvement. cans are also paying at least 5,000 Thai One aspect of the war which is espe "volunteers" to fight outside their bor in the RECORD, with attachments. cially striking is the distorted thinking There being no objection, the state ders. And according to the Dispatch News ments were ordered to be printed in the which has become a wiw of life for those Service, which was the first to disclose in both the military and the Government the events at Mylai, the United States RECORD, as follows: who are responsible for the destruction. paid "millions of dollars" to support IVIr. NELSON. Mr. President, the other day A recent article by Hannah Arendt char anti-Sihanouk forces led by Son Ngoc an item of polltical memorabilia came acterizes these professional problem across my desk. It was a curious piece of Thanh, recently named Prime Minister yellowing paper put out by the Republican solvers as having "trusted the calculating of Cambodia. As reported in the Phila powers of their brains at the expense of Party of Wisconsin August 15, 1964. Its con delphia Inquirer of April 6, President tents belled its title, Facts. But its attack on the mind's capacity for experience and Nixon nevertheless claimed that Siha me is interesting in the context of the its ability to learn from it." The results nouk's ouster "surprised no nation more Vietnam crisis facing the American public of these distortions is a new and bizarre than the United States." today. language. Listening to Pentagonese Corresponding costs in terms of hu It warned of the Red Chinese perll and would be amusing were it not always man lives are equally extensive. The Pen considered recognition of Red China and about death. tagon's own figures reveal that since admission of Red China to the U.N. a "Sur Daily examples of this language flood render to Communism." Time-and some Nixon's election in 1968, there have been peoples' polltics-have ohanged since then. the media. According to the Boston roughly 20,000 U.S. combat deaths. From In light of all the pomp and praise sur Globe on March 25, 1972, a Defense De 1965 to April 1971, the Cornell study re rounding this year's visit to China of the partment spokesman, asked to reconcile vealed that civilian casualties in South President and chief of the Republican the week's figure of two officially listed Vietnam were running to the order of Party, one may wonder whether the Presi as dead with the 13 actUally known to 1,050,000 inclUding 325,000 deaths, while dent·s Chinese hosts prepared Chinese style have been killed, blurted out that week more than 6 million had become refu crow in peiking. ly reports are really "statistical figures gees. As confirmed by a recent GAO Facts aiso attacked me for hesit!liting to reported to the Department rather than accept the Tonkin Gulf Resolution which report, the war has spawned 700,000 the Administration offered for Congres a reflection of deaths." Writing in the refugees in Laos alone, or one-fourth the sional passage the week of August 7, 1964. New York Times Book Review a year ago, total population. For Cambodia the fig Facts warned its readers that I wanted Neil Sheehan reported that a senior ure is 2 million, or almost one-third its America to pUll out of Vietnam. American general admitted that civilian population. Facts characterized that position as casualties were a problem. "But," he For these people the war is not "wind "liberal extremist". Today this position is added, "it does deprive the enemy of the ing down." Each month since 1969, the law of the land. The Mansfieid Amend population, doesn't it?" 130,000 civilians have been killed, ment (Section 601) of the Mllltary Pro It ourement Act passed by both Houses and is hardly necessary to remind the wounded, or made homeless. For the pe signed by President Nixon, November 17. members of this Chamber that the com riod of 1965-68 the corresponding figure 1971, declares It to be "the policy of the bination of men, sorties, and hardware was 98,000. In other words, the number United states to terminate at the earlle~t adds up to unbelievable amounts of of civilian casualties has risen sharply practicable date all military operations of money. A study undertaken by members since 1969. Figures for the South Viet the US in Indochina." of Cornell University's Center for Inter namese killed in the current offensive Facts wrote that I had "added a new national Studies has estimated that the have not been released. All we know is chap,ter to the 'Democratic Handbook of total cost of the air war from 1966 to Surrender" by questioning the implica that as of April 3, according to Reuters, tions of ttte Tonkin Resolution. 1971 is $27.5 billion. That amounts to the Vietcong claimed to have killed or roughly one-fifth of the total cost of the Philip Geyelln of the Wall street Journal captured 6,500 soldiers. If that figure staff wrote in the National Observer June 6, war up to now. In 1971, the bill for the seemed high then, it may be low by now. 1966, another version of my actions during air war was roughly $7.64 million per War is tragic and senseless. I certainly the Tonkin Gulf Debate. day. Costs projected by the Cornell study do not mean to suggest that killing is "... The legislative history of the Tonkin are $2 to $4 billion each year. somehow more acceptable when done by resolution Is interesting. for an effort was According to an AP dispatch in the one group rather than by another. But made by Senator Gaylord Nelson to amend it Philadelphia Bulletin on January 14 of the danger of the North Vietnamese of precisely for the purpose of preventing its use this year, "TV bomb kits" for "smart as a justification for a major change in the fensive is that in our shock we will tem United states' mission in South Vietnam. bombs" cost $12,500 each. Bombs rang porarily forget the lesson which we have Neison would have put Congress on record ing from 500 to 3,000 pounds cost any learned so painfully. In return for the against "extension of the present confiict" where from $224 to $1,864. Walleye mis prisoners, we must set a date for with and in favor of a continuing advisory mllitary siles cost $25,000 each. According to an drawal, cease all air strikes and other role. He was talked out of pushing,the amend AP dispatch on January 9, a single B-52 combat operations, and leave. ment by reassurances he received from Sena is a whopping $8 million. The smaller At present the Senate has an oppor tor Fulbright, who, as chairman of the For F-4 is $4 million. Secretary Seamans, eign Relations Committee, was responsible tunity to sever American involvement for interpreting what the AdministratIon had testifying before the 1972 Air Force ap in this brutal 'war. Thl Church-Case in mind. And he (Fulbright) gave it as his propriation hearings, stated that one amendment, which was favorably re opinion that the Nelson amendment "was an Huey helicopter carries a pricetag of ported out of the Foreign Relations Com accurate reflection of what I believe is the $250,000. Senator ELLENDER'S comments mittee on April 17, cuts off funds after President's policy, and therefore superfluous." in the RECORD of January 25 tells us that December 31 for the purpose of engag In early 1966, Fulbright was publicly blam a single aircraft carrier is 8960 millton. ing U.S. forces-land, sea, or air-in hos ing himself for a "mistake" in not accepting And in American Report of September tilities in Indochina. This measure would Nelson's amendment. But by that time, Of 24, 1971, Orville Schell states that each course, the United states' mission in South be subject to the release of the prisoners Vietnam had already undergone fundamen fighter-bomber sortie, or flight of a and to an account~ng for all Americans tal changes-at least in the way it was being single plane, costs the taxpayer $8,500. missing in action \,ho have been held by carried out:' As if these bills were not enough, this or known to the North Vietnamese Gov The fact is that I have stood in this cham country continues to hand out money to ernment and its allies. ber time and time again to explain my posi- 13358 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE Apdl 19, 1972 tlon on Vietnam. Vietnam Is not something llshed In the Ohristian Science Monitor that and sprayed 100-mllllon pounds of poisonous America can or should try to win on the "Vietnamizatlon plus" Is "VIetnamese fight herbIcides on the forests untU we had battlefield. ing on the ground and AmerIcans fighting destroyed an area of prIme forests the size This, Is not a partisan issue. Clearly, reU from the air," Yost elaborated, "Obviously of the State of Massachusetts or 5Y2 million ance on a military rather than a political no one can be sure a.t thIs writing whether acres. solution to this war is a mistake. It was a this strategy will succeed. Two facts, how Suppose we flew B-52 bombers over the mistake under Johnson. And it is a mistake ever, one can be sure of; It will not end the land dropping 500-pound bombs until we today lmder Nixon. war, and it will not get the Americans out had dropped almost 3 pounds per person for It's been clear for years for anyone wllling of it." every man, woman, and child on earth-8 to t·ake a hard look that the war cannot be In the meantime, our bargaining position billion pounds--and created 23 mUlIon cra won from any conventional sense. Even be is deteriorating. The use of such massive air ters on the land measurIng 26 feet deep and fore the Tonkin Gulf debate, I spoke of the power adds not only to the destruction our 40 feet In dIameter. folly of pursuing a military victory in South bombIng has already brought to the people Suppose the major objectIve of the bomb east Asia. The logic of that position was per and land of Indochina, but also to the num Ing is not enemy troops but rather a vague fectly clear even at that date except that we ber of American casualties and prisoners of and unsuccessful policy of harassment and were blinded by the interplay of red-baiting war. territorial denial called pattern or carpet domestic politics. Irresponsible leaders raised Admiral Thomas H. Moorer, Chairman of bombIng. the specter of international Communism and the JoInt ChIefs of Staff, says the bombing Suppose the land destructIon involves 8() tried to siltince dissenters with irrational will continue "so long as the battle that Is percent of the timber forests and 10 percent charges that those who disagreed were "soft currently going on is supported With re of all.the cultivated land In the Nation. on communism." sources from North Vietnam ... as long as We would consider such a result a monu These attacks were effective. I received a there are valid military targets supporting mental catastrophe. That Is what we have considerable amount of critical mail, some this operatIon." done to our ally, South Vietnam. Mr. Nixon has dropped more than one ton following the line taken by Facts calling me While under heavy pressure the military an "appeaser," And as the ground war heated of bombs per minute during every single mInute of his administl'llition. finally stopped the chemical defoliation war up, few again would listen when on January and has substituted another massive war 15,1966, I said that "Even If a millIon Ameri Let me repeat what I saId on the subject against the land Itself by a program of pat can soldiers were to force all North VIetnam of bombing back in January, 1966. It is more tern or carpet bombing and massive land ese units from South Viet Nam and to sup than approprlllite today. "Those who look for clearing with a huge machIne called a Rome press the Viet Cong guerrlllas with napalm. a cheap 'vIctory through air-power' should recall the glowing assurances last February Plow. and bayonets--even if we avoided an open The huge areas destroyed pockmarked, C1~h with Red Chinar-even then, when we that a few bombs on North Viet Nam 'would qUickly bring that country to the conference scorched, and bulldozed resemble the moon WIthdrew as eventually we must, wp would and are no longer productive. leave behind us only a charred, desolate table In a tractable mood.' If anythIng, the country with little hope that it could main opposite has been the case," This Is the documented story from on-the tain Its Independence one moment beyond On July 2, 1966, I stated-and I also re spot stUdies and pIctures done by two distin the time we left." affirm that positIon today-that "We have gUished scientIsts, Prof. E. W. Pfemer and had a faIr trial of the theory that our mas Prof. Arthur H. Westing. These are the same SInce then. United States military actIvity two distinguIshed scIentIsts who made the has regrettably made the prediction of 1966 sive m1l1tary mIght can force the enemy to the bargaInIng table. It hasn't worked," defoilatlon studies that alerted Congress and the reality of 1972. We've spent billIons of the country to the grave ImplicatIons of our dollars and expended about thIrty billIon We did not bomb them to the peace table In 1966, 1967, or 1968 and we cannot bomb chemIcal warfare program in VIetnam, which pounds of munItIons-twIce U.S. expendIture has now been termInated. throughout World War II In all Its theatres them to the peace table today. That approach and an explosIve equIvalent of a HIroshIma has been a failure from the begInnIng. The story of devastation revealed by theIr drop every 5Y2 days during the seven year Mr. President, this is no tIme for the movies, slides, and statistIcs is beyond the period between 1965-1971. That's about 9 United States to leave our place !lit the peace human mind to fully comprehend. We have pounds for every man, woman, and child on talks just to score debating points. We senselessly blownup, bulldozed over, poisoned, earth--or 666 pounds for every Indochinese should be negotiating In Paris and in secret. and permanently damaged an area so vast man, woman and child. This year Mr. Nixon, who throughout most that It literally boggles the mInd. And what have we accomplished? of his career warned of a Red ChInese peril. Quite frankly, Mr. President, I am unable 55,000 AmerIcans killed. dined with Chou En-lal before a TV audience adequately to describe the horror of what more than 300,000 Americans wounded. of mUlions of Americans. Certainly, It Is even we have done there. more urgent that he negotiate wIth the lead There Is nothing In the hIstory of warfare aImost 500 AmerIcan prisoners of war. to compare wIth It. A "scorched earth" policy more than 1,100 AmerIcans missing In ac- ers of North Vietnam for an end to death and destruction In.Southeast Asia. has been a tactic of warfare throughout his tIon. tory, but never before has a land been so mas more than 150,000 South Vietnamese and How long wUl Americans be asked to sup port a mistaken and ineffective war pollcy? sively altered and mutuated that vast areas other allies killed. can never be used again or even inhabited by and about 800,000 deaths on the other Secretary of Defense Laird was quoted April 11 as saying, "Do I thInk a war that man or anImal. side. ThIs is Impersonal, automated, and mech (These casualtIes were suffered before the has gone on for 30 years is going to end? The answer is no." anIstic warfare brought to its logical con recent offensIve. One hesitates to imagIne clusIon-utter, permanent, total destruction. the lethal Impact of our newly assembled air My answer Is less cynical. It Is that we should set a date for wIthdrawal of all our The tragedy of It all Is that no one knows annada.) And still we continue pursuing an or understands what Is happening there, or 111usory military victory. forces, the end of military activity In South east Asia, and the exchange of prisoners why, or to what end. We have sImply un The cold, hard, and cruel Irony of it all Is leashed a gigantic machine which goes about that we are destroying our allies In order with no politIcal or military conditIons. Mr. President, I request unanimous con Its Impersonal business destroying whatever to save them. We've done more damage to 1s there wIthout plan or purpose. The finger our allies than our enemIes. We have hit sent that my statement and Record Inserts of January 28, at the tIme that I introduced of responsibllity points everywhere but no SOuth Vietnam wIth twenty times more mu where in partICUlar. Who designed thIs polley nitIons than we have spent In North Viet S. 3084, the Vietnam War EcologIcal Damage Assessment Act; a statement I made septem of war against the land, and why? Nobody nam. Our bombIng Is largely responsible for seems to know and nobody ratIonally can making refugees of six million South Vlet ber 18, 1967, and the :March I, 1966, colloquy between myself and ,Senator FUlbright re defend it. namese--one thIrd of the populatIon. In Those grand strategIsts who draw the lines Cambodia, one-third of the population has garding the 1964 Tonkin Gulf debate; the full report of Dr. Arthur Westing on EnvI on the maps and order the B-52 strikes never also become refugees. And one Laotian In see the face of that innocent peasant whose four has been bombed out of his home. ronmental Disruption In IndochIna; the April 12 analysis of Charles Yost; and the land has been turned into a pock-marked How much destructIon and how many moon surface In 30 seconds of violence with casualties must we and the Indochinese suf Fads editorial of August IS, 1964, be entered In the Record at this time. out kl1l1ng a single enemy soldier because fer before we have sufficient proof that this none were there. If they could see and 1Jn Is a mistaken enterprIse? derstand the result, they would not draw In thIs month's latest round of fightIng, VIETNAM \VAR ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT the lines or send the bombers. HanoI has been testIng Nixon's latest varia ACT OF 1972 If Congress knew and understood, we tion on the military solutions theme; the Mr. NELSON. Mr. President. suppose we took would not appropriate the money. Vletnamlzation program Is at stake. But In glgalftlc bulldozers and scraped the land bare If the PresIdent of the UnIted States knew stead of Vietnamlzatlon. It seems that what of trees and bushes at the rate of 1,000 acres and understood, he would stop it in 30 min we are getting Is North Vletnamlzat!on. a day or 44-million square feet a day untU we utes. Actually What we are seeIng In SOuth had fiattened an area the sIze of the State of If the people of America knew and un Vietnam is "Vietnamization plus" Charles Rhod~ Island, 750,000 acres. derstood, they would remove from office those Yost explained In an April 12 analysis pub- Suppose we fiew huge planes over the land responsible for it, If they could ever find out April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13359 who is responsible. But they will never know The cold, hard, and cruel irony of it all is are doing there, neither they nor the people because nobody knows. that South Vietnam would have been bet of this Nation will sleep well that night. By any conoeivable standRrd of measure ter 01I losing to Hanoi than winnIng with For many reasons I did not want to make ment, the oost benefit ratio of our program of us. Now she faces the worst of all possible this speech but someone has to say it, some defollation, carpet bombing with B-52's, and worlds with much of her land destroyed and Where, sometime. bulldozing is so negative that it simply spells her chances of independent survival after Mr. President, I ask unanimous colUlent bankruptcy. It did not protect our soldiers we leave in grave doubt at best. that the following statistics, which were pro vided by Dr. Arthur H. Westing and which or defeat the enemy, and it has done far This has been a hard speech to give and greater damage to our ally than to the will appear in a forthcoming publication, enemy. harder to write because I did not know what be printed in the RECORD at this point. These programs should be halted imme to say or how to say it-and I st11l do not There being no obJection, the statistics diately before further permanent damage know. But I do know that when the Mem were ordered to be printed in the RECORD, is done to the landscape. bers of congress finally understand What we as follows:
ALL INDOCHINA ECOLOGICAL IMPACT IJn millions of pounds] Area with Area Earth Number of "shrapnel" cratered displaced Air Surface Total craters (in million (in thousand (in million Year munilions munitions munitions Country (in millions) acres) acres) cu. yds.)
1965 • .•• __ ....•_. "'_._. 630 __ ..__ .. _ 630 SouthVietnam. __ ... _...... 19.1 23.9 309.9 2.500 1966.. .. •.•, __ ...' __ •_. _. __ . __ • _. 1,024 1,164 2,188 MililaryregionL_.. .___ (6.1) (7.6) (98.4) (794) 1967 ... • .• __ .. . .•• 1,866 2.413 4.218 Military region 11 __ •__ •• _._. (3.8) (4.8) (62.0) (500) 1968.._. •• .. "_..__ • -. 2,863 3,003 5.886 Military region 111...... _... (8.3) (10.3) (134.2) (1.083) 1969 ---...... 2.774 2.808 5.583 Nort~~:~t~a:;g~O~!~ 1970 .._..__ .. .. _.- __ __ . .. 1,955 2,389 4.344 _ ...-_.:::-.-..... (.9)1.1 (1.2)1.3 (15.3)17.3 (124)139 Laos ...... __ 2.6 3.3 42.4 342 TotaL __ .. .• _. __ 11.112 11.777 22,889 Southern Laos . _. . __ (I. 8) (2.3) (30.0) (242) Northern Laos .. __ .... (.8) (1.0) (12.3) (99) Cambodia __ .... _.... __ .1.1 1.9 15 Tolal Indochina .. __ ... __ .--2U---a6---37-1.-4----2.996
IMPACT OF U.S. MUNITIONS (In pounds)
South North Total Expenditure Vietnam Vietnam Laos Cambodia Indochina
Peracre 446 26 45 3 125 Per person .. __ __ _ 1,091 58 992 18 513
B--52-ASSUMING AN AVERAGE OF 1 SORTIES PER MISSION MUNITIONS EXPENlllTURES II n numbers of missions) lin millions of dollars] Military Military Military Military Total Soulh South North South North Total , Year region I region II region III region IV Vietnam Year Vietnam Vietnam Laos Laos Cambodia Indochina 1967 ______. __ ... __ .. 527 284 269 10 1.090 1965.._.. __ • ______• ______594 65 60 10 0 630 1968 __ .. ______1,137 644 1,143 148 3,072 1966_._ .. ___ .••_...... 1,778 255 135 20 0 2,188 1969.... ______. ______.. 319 440 1,777 98 2.634 1967 .. __ .,. ___ ._ ...__ ..... 3.634 415 200 30 0 4.218 1970 ______.. _____ 624 274 366 150 1.414 1968 ___ .. _____ ._._. __ ..___ 5.185 330 310 40 0 5,866 1969 .....______...__ • 4,674 0 490 420 0 5.583 TotaL ______.. ____ .. 2,607 1,642 3,555 406 8,210 1970.. ______._.____ ....___ 3,333 0 655 240 115 4.344 TotaL ____ • ______.• 19.099 1,065 1,850 760 115 22,889 Note: Althoueh breakdowns for 1965 and 1966 are not available, the totals approximate 138 and 550. respecltvely, • [From the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Sept.'lB, The intent and meaning of any proposi now claims it means I would have opposed 1967] tion before the Congress is determined by it and so would have Mr. Fulbright. STATEMENT BY SENATOR ~ELSON ON VIETNAM the plain language of the act itself, the However. an even more important factor interpretation of that language by the of in determining the intent of that resolution In recent weeks there have been renewed ficial spokesman for the measure and the is the political context of the times when and vigorous discussions about the meaning context of the times in which it is conSid it was considered by the Congress. It was and intent of the Tonkin Bay Resolution. It ered. before the Senate for consideration on Au has lately been repeatedly asserted by Ad Because of my concern about the broad gust 6 and 7, 1964. We were in the middle minIstration spokesmen, writers and others implications of some of the language I of of a Presidential campaign. Goldwater was that the overwhelming vote for the resolu fered a clarifying amendment. The official under heavy attack for his advocacy of es tion in 1964 expressed Congressional approval Administration spokesman for the resolu calation. The Administration Clearly and of whatever future m1l1tary action the Ad tion. Mr. Fulbright, said the amendment repeatedly Insisted during that period that ministration deemed necessary to thwart ag was unnecessary because the Intent of the we should not fight a ground war with our gression in Vietnam including a total change resolution was really the same as my more troops. No one in the Adminlstra,.tion was in the character of our mission there from specific amendment. In short, according to suggesting any change in our very limited one of technical aid and assistance to a full Mr. Fulbright, the resolution did not intend participation in the Vietnam affair. scale ground war with our troops. to authorize a fundamental change in our The whole mood of the cou-ntry was against This, of course, is pure nonsense. If such role in Vietnam. Goldwater and escalation and particularly a proposition had been put to the Senate Three Presidents had made it clear what against the idea that "American boys" should in August, 1964, a substantial number of fight a war that "Asian boys" should fight Senators, if not a majority, would have op .that llmited role was, and this resolution did not aim or claim to change It. for themselVes, as the President put it in posed the resolution. What we are now wit September of that year. nessing is a frantic attempt by the Hawks If the official Administration spokesman to spread the blame and responslbUlty for for a measure on the fioor is to be subse For the Administration now to say that the Vietnam on a broader base. They shOUld not quently repudiated at the convenience of Tonkin Resolution considered during this be allowed to get away with it. It is not the Administration, why bother about such period had as part of its purpose the intent accurate history and it is not healthy for the matters as "legislative intent?" In fact, Why to secure COngress1onal approval for funda political system. The future welfare of our bother about Administration spokesmen at mentally altering our role in Vietnam to our country depends upon an understanding of all? At the conclusion of these remarks I present ground war commitment is political how and why we got involved in a war that will reprint from the congressional Record nonsense if not in fact pure hypocrisy. does not serve our national selt interest. If my colloquy with Mr. Fulbright which If Mr. Fulbright, speaking for the Admin we don't understand the mistakes that got formed the basis for my vote on the Tonkin istration, had in fact asserted that this was us into this one we won't be able to avoid Bay Resolution. Had he told me that the one of the objectives of the resolution the blundering into the next. resolution meant what the Administration Administration would have repUdiated him 13360 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE April 19, 1972 out of hand. They would have told him and military-political war which I think is high contribution to this discussion-and he will the Congress this resolution had nothing to ly dOUbtful. continue to do so. do with the idea of changing our long estab There is no easy solution to our involve One thing, however, that disturbs me very lished role in Vietnam. They would have told ment, but now, before it is too late, is the much is the argument I have heard advanced Congress as they were then telling the coun time to decide what direction from here we in the press, by columnists, by distinguIshed try that we oppose Goldwater's irresponsible are going to go in Vietnam. Members of COngress, and people in the ex proposals for bombing the North and we op There is, it seems to me, only one sensible ecutive branch, that we shOUld not be de pose getting involved in a land war there direction to go and that is toward de-escala bating this issue because what we say here, with our troops. That was the Administration tion and negotiations. in our free country, will be misunderstood position when the Tonkin Resolution was It was a mistake for us to Americanize by some COmmunists in some other country, before us. They can't change it now. It is this war in the first place, and it is an even Communists who do not know what free rather ironic now to see how many otherwise greater mistake to continue it as an Ameri speech is all about and never will. responsible and thoughtful people have been can war. As soon as the elections are over Mr. President, this is the greatest parlia "taken in" by the line that Congress did in this Sunday we should cease bombing the mentary body in the world. It is the oldest fact by its Tonkin vote authorize this whole North in order to afford the opportunity to parliamentary body in the world. Its func vast involvement in Vietnam. The fact is explore the possibility of negotiations. It is tion and purpose is constructive debate. The neither Congress nor the Administrl>tion rather ironic that Chief of State Thieu, the strength of this Nation is measured by its thought that-was the meaning of Tonkin military candidate for President, favors a capacity for intelligent debate, not by its and both would have denied it if the issue bombing pause but our military oppose it. ab1llty to goosestep. I hope we do not under had been raIsed. Whose war is this? mine that source of our power. I have heard The current intensity of the discussion Next we should fundamentally alter our it implied here and elsewhere lately that over the m1lltary status of Vietnam, the military and political policies in the SOuth. free speech and dissent should stop because Tonkin Resolution and the elections signal We should notify the SOuth that henceforth it may be misunderstood in Communist a new phase of the war dialogue. What's it wlll be the job of South Vietnamese to do countries. This is a dangerous parallel to the really new in the dialogue now is the sudden, the chore of political and military pacifica theory that was recently used by the Russian almost unIversal recognition by a majority tion of the South. While our troops occupy court in sentencing two writers to jail, not of the Hawks that this is after all a much the popUlation centers, furnish the supplies, because of what they said in Russia but be bigger war than they had bargained for. transportation and air cover, it must be the cause they published books in this country They now realize for the first time that to job of the Vietnamese to win the political which the Russians thought would be mis win a conventional m1lltary victory will re and m1lltary war in the South. If they do understood in America and damage Russia. quire a much more massive commitment of not have the morale, the interest, the deter On that theory the Russian court sentenced men and material than they ever dreamed mination to win under these circumstances the writers to jail. would be necessary. How many men?'A mil then their cause can't be won at all. Over here, we have people saying that we lion at least and perhaps two million without Surely it ought to be understood by now should stop debate because someone else any aSS11rance that a clear cut mllltary vic that if there is going to be a meaningful who cannot understand the debate might tory would result in any event. Furthermore, solution to the Vietnam problem they must misunderstand our resolve and damage it has finally dawned on the Hawks that a be the ones who make it meaningful. America. Furthermore, if it is true, as our State De m1lltary victory does not assure a political Mr. President, freedom is wha,t democracy victory-in fact there is no connection be partment says, that all other South East tween the two and one without the other is Asian countries feel they have a stake in is all about. If some foreign dictator does not understand it, that is too bad. I have of no value whatsoever. Vietnam, let them send some troops of their This new recognition of the tough realities own to prove their interest. no intention of giving up my freedom of of Vietnam afford the opportunity for a re Under this approach we will reduce the speech because some COmmunist does not appraisal of our situation in Vietnam and loss of our troops to a minimum and we understand what free speech is all about a redirection of our efforts. wlll find out whether our allies in the South and never will. The danger we now face is the mounting really believe they have something to fight Regarding the Tonkin Bay resolution, let pressure from military and political sources for. If they do, they have the chance to me comment briefiy. It has been repeatedly for a substantial escalation of the bombing build their own country. If they don't, then stated by those who unqualifiedly support attack in the North. The fact is the whole we should get out. the Tonkin Bay resolution that there were m1l1tary-political power establishment (both This it seems to me is our best alternative only two Senators who had any reservations Republican and Democratic) has been caught to the fruitless policy of endless escalation. about it. in a colossal miscalculation. They have been Mr. President, I had reservations about caught and exposed in the very brief period MARCH 1, 1966, COLLOQUY that resolution and I made them clear. I of 24 months since we foolishly undertook a Mr. FuLBRIGHT. Mr. President, will the was in the Chamber on August 6, August 7, land war commitment.. Senator from Wisconsin yield just briefly. and August 8, and participated in the dialog They did not then nor do they now un Mr. NELSON. I am glad to yield to the sen· concerning the resolution, as did several derstand the nature, character and vigor of ator from Arkansas. other Sens;tors, who also expressed grave the political revolution in Vietnam. But in Mr. FuLBRIGHT. First, I appreciate what the reservations about the resolution. Their re order to save face they are now demanding Senator said. I have already said publicly marks were intended to interpret that reso an expansion of the war. If they prevail we that I believe one of the most serious mis lution and demonstrate congressional intent. w111 then see another fruitless expansion takes I have made as chairman was in not I discussed the SUbject on three different which will not bring the war to a conclusion accepting or urging the Senate to accept the days with the chairman of the Foreign Rela but will extend our risk of a confrontation amendment offered by the Senator from Wis tions COmmittee, and I am a little weary of with China. consin in August 1964. I do not believe it is haVing my vote interpreted as an unqualified Unfortunately the Administration con proper, and do not wish to take the time to endorsement of escalation. The record will tinues its policy of so called controlled ex explain the" circumstances of that particular show it was not such an endorsement. pansion of pressure on the North which moment, but, nevertheless, I believe it was a The chairman of the Foreign Relations really is nothing more nor less than endless mistake and I commend the Senator from Committee was in the Chamber-the Senator escalation which will likely lead to a vast Wisconsin tor haVing more foresight than I from Arkansas [Mr. FULBRIGHT], as the expansion of the war. It ought to be under had at that time, and I think many other spokesman for the administration. As a U.S. stood once and for all that no amount of Senators, as to the possible significance o;f Senator, I was entitled to accept his advice, pressure on the North wlll settle the war in that resolution. counsel, and interpretation of that resolu the South. A complete incineration of the He did offer a very sensible, limiting tion as an expression of the intent of the North wlll not end the capacity of the guer amendment to that resolution, and I regret administration. rilla to continue the fight in the SOuth. that we did not have the kind of discussion Mr. President, I shall not read the whole Though we committed a grave blunder in of it in public at that time that we have had dialog, but I will read a part of it from the putting ground troops into Vietnam in the recently. But I do commend the senator RECORD of August 6 and 7, 1964, as follows. first place, it does not make sense to com from Wisconsin for his foresightedness and Addressing myself to the chairman of the pound the blunder by pouring in additional regret that I did not have as much. Foreign Relations COmmittee: troops. The Administration proposal for 45, Mr. NELSON. I believe that the senator But I am concerned about the COngress 000 additional troops with tens of thousands advised me at that time that his interpre appearing to tell the executive branch and more demanded by the mllltary is simply a tation of the resolution was the same as the the pUblic that we would endorse a complete blind and foolish move in the wrong direc purpose of my amendment, and that there change in our mission. That would concern tion. fore the amendment was unnecessary. me. What the m1lltary really needs is a mlllion Mr. FuLBRIGHT. I thought it was. Mr. FULBRIGHT. I do not interpret the joint or two mlllion ground troops for the war Mr. NELSON. I also wish to commend those resolution in that way at all. It strikes me, they want to fight. Furthermore, no one can who have participated in this debate on both as I understand it, that the joint resolution explain what possible proportional benefit sides of the aisle. is quite consistent with our eXisting mission this country or the free world will get for Although very frequently I do not agree and our understanding of what we have this kind of massive allocation of re with the Senator from Oregon, I should like been doing in South Vietnam for the last sources--even assuming this would win the to say that he has made a most valuable 10 years. April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13361 Skipping some of it. I addressed the chair committee or any of us to check. I think we environmental disruption caused by (1) the man once more, as follows: were told things happened at night and chemical warfare program with plant poisons In view of the differing interpretations things were moving rapidly. and so on. (herbicides). (2) the landclearlng program which have been put upon the joint resolu I had no reason to doubt the factual situ with Rome-plow eqUipped tractors. (3) the tion with respect to what the sense of Con ation. On the other hand. it is extremely massive bombing and shelling program. and gress is. I should llke to have this pOint difficult to prove what happened. In any (4) the 15.000-pound land-clearing bombs. clarified. I have great confidence in the Pres event, the Senator from Wisconsin has cer This preliminary synopsis is based on a com ident. However, my concern is that we in tainly stated very clearly what the situation bination of personal observations, inter Congress could give the impression to the was. We all know the President has, without views. and information released by the De public that we are prepared at this time to any resolution. the right to respond to an partment of Defense. I report the environ change our missIon and substantially ex immediate attack. He has the right to take mental Impact with the realization that it is pand our commitment. If that is what the actions of a temporary nature. one might dwarfed by the direct Impact of the war on sense of Congress is, I am opposed to the say. to protect our interests. Then at some the peoples of Indochina. but with the fur resolution. I tb,erefore ask the distinguished point, if hostilities continue. if the Con ther realization that these two dimensions Senator from Arkansas if he would consent stitution means anything. a declaration of of the war are intertwined-and will con to accept an amendment, a copy of which I war should be sought. tinue to be long after the war will have have supplied him. I shan read it into the I wUl leave it to Senators. the manager finally ended. RECORD: of the bill. the administration, whether or THE HERBICIDE PROGRAM "On page 2. line 3, after the word. 'That' not we are now at war. This bill and other insert '(a)'. events would indicate we are. I have dis Chemical anti-plant warfare, restricted "On page 2. between lines 6 and 7, insert cussed this matter with some of those who largeiy to South Vietnam. began on a. small the folloWing: have responsibility In this area. They are scale in November 1961. became a. large-scale " '(b) The Congress also approves and reluctant to do what I have suggested. I am effort In 1966. and essentially ended in May supports the efforts of the President-- not at all sure, if we continue along the 1971. In its cover denial program the United This was the amendment to the Tonkin course we are following. it will not be neces States aerially dispensed 17 mulion gallons Bay resolution- sary to Impose powers and disciplines and (109 mUllon pounds) of herbicides on 4.7 to bring the problem of peace in southeast controls upon our economy sooner or later. million acres of forest lands. In its fOOd de Asia to the Security CouncU of the United We cannot carryon this kind of conflict nial program It similarly dispensed 2 mil Nations, and the President·s declaration that and call it a skirmish. So this Is a matter I lion gallons (7 million pounds) on 0.7 mil the United States. seeking no extension of think the administration should be gIvIng lion acres of crop lands. Major herbicides the present military conflict, wlll respond to thought to. used against forest were 2,4--D (57 mUllon provocation in a manner that is "limited and pounds). 2.4,5-T (48 million pounds). and fitting". Our continuing policy is to limit THE ENVIRONMENTAL DISRUPTION OF picloram (3 million pounds); and against our role- INDOCHINA agricultural fields, dimethylarsinic acid (7 million pounds). About 15% of South Viet Listen to these words- The land and people ot Indochina (287 To the provision of aid. training assistance. nam's forests have been sprayed once and thousand square miles and 45 million in an additional 4% repeatedly; about 8% of and military advice. and it is the sense of habitants-the size of Texas. but with four Congress that. except when provoked to a the nation's crop lands (primarily those in times its popUlation) have been under con the Central Highlands) have been sprayed. greater response, we shOUld continue to at tinuous. large-scale attack since 1965. The tempt to avoid a direct mllitary involvement All told, one acre in eight of South Vietnam largely overlooked and presumably incidental was sprayed. representing an area the size in the southeast Asian conflict·... impact of the Second Indochina War on the This amendment is not an interference of Massachusetts in a. country the size of land and indigenous populations of that New England. with the exercise of the President's constitu region has been of monumental proportions. tional rights. It is merely an expression of One of the few :factual summaries of this In the areas sprayed there has been an the sense of Congress. Would the Senator disruption was published last year by the alteration and simplification of the plant accept the amendment? Senate Foreign Relations Committee (under and animal communities. a loss of mineral Mr. FULBRIGHT. It states fairly accurately the title "Impact of the Vietnam War"). nutrients. acceleration of erosion in oilly What the PresIdent has said would be our From the data presented we can approximate terrain. the reduction in ecosystem produc policy. and what I stated my understanding that as a result of this war, one out of every tivity. Restoration time in the once sprayed was as to our policy; also what other Sena 35 inhabitants of all Indochina has so far areas is expected to exceed one decade and tors have stated. been killed. one In 15 wounded, and one In In the mUltiply sprayed areas at least sev six made a refugee. The social disruption eral decades. Approximately one million Implied by these figures Is difficult to grasp; acres have been utterly devastated by herbi I do not object to it as a statement of cides (two-thirds of these being upland policy. I believe it is an accurate reflection the proportionate Impact on the United states. with its popUlation of 200 million forest, one-third coastal mangrove forest). of what I believe is the President·s policy. It is estimated that over the years food was judging ·from his own statements. That does would be: 5.700,000 killed. 13,300,000 wounded. and 33 million displaced. intentionally destroyed SUfficient to supply not mean that as a practical matter I can the total.diets for one full year of approxl- accept the amendment. It would delay mat A WAR AGAINST THE ENVIRONMENT mately % million Vietnamese (largely cl- ters to do 50. It would cause confusion and require a conference. and present us with all However, the Second Indochina War has vllian. primarily Montagnard); additional the other difficulties that are involved in this been waged against the land as much as amounts were destroyed as a concomitant of kind of legislative action. I regret that I can against the people. It is in the light of the forest spraying. The herbicides seem to have not do it. even though I do not at all dis Intimate association With and direct de- directly and Indirectly resulted in medical agree with the amendment as a general state pendence upon the resources of the land by and veterinary problems. Timber losses have ment of policy. largely primitive peoples, and in the :further been estimated to total 6.5 billion board feet, light of our new awareness of all mankind's sufficient to supply South Vietnam's timber I would think that ought to be a suffi cient answer to those who have repeatedly dependence on his natural environment that. needs for three decades. insisted tb,at the Tonkin resolution was a a growing number of scientists throughout" The herbicide program seems to have the nation and the world, have become ap- ~ ended, but its effects will long be felt. both blank check. It was not. I had reservations. ~. So did others. I was assured that we were palled by the long-range ecological Impact of in terms of the environment and In terms not changing our role in southeast Asia. We so-calied limited counterinsurgency warfare.I! of the erosion of international arms control. have changed it. Obviously we cannot turn A further major concern has been the re- THE ROME-PLOW PROGRAM: newed dependence by the United states In . back the clock. But I trust that, for the sake this frustrating conflict on chemical weap-' Land01earlng WIth tractors. a program of the historical record this may correct ons. This latter approach, with its serious • restrIcted to South Vietnam. began on a those gross misinterpretations of the record public health and ecological implications. is small scale in 1965, became a. large-scale 50 which have been frequently uttered on R form of warfare which the civilized world elfort in 1968, and is apparently continuing the floor and elsewhere in recent months. had hoped was put to rest with the end of undiminished to this day. This little known Mr. FULBRIGHT. Mr. President, in that con World War I operation, devoted at first to the clearing of nection. I certainly agree With what the D Pf'If' ( ildlif list) d I ( roadsides and other lines of communication Senator from Wisconsin has said. He is right r. el e: awe zoo og an a in order to discourage ambushes, has for the to have made it. r have stated that I under forest botamst) have made several tours of past several years now been used on a m!lS stood. from the information that was given Indochina during the past three years to as- sive scale to literally obliterate forested areas to us, a specific incident was presented as sess the extent of ecological disruption of possible use to the other side. In its the reason for that resolution. It was that caused by the weapons and tec';1niques em- isslon of denying cover and sanctuary the a direct attack had been made on our ships ployed by the United States. VIe were lim- method appears to be without equal. The on the high seas--this is what we were told Ited in our studies by the obvious difflculties basic tool 15 a 20-ton tractor fitted out with where they had a right to be. associated with working in an active theater a. 2Y2-ton "Rome plow" and 14 tons of added We were told it was an unprovoked at of war and by the paucity of pertinent in- armor. At least flve companies of more than tack. In other words. we had not done any formation that has been released by our gov- thirty tractors each are in continuous oper thing that properly could be considered as ernment. What follows then Is an attempt at aUon. As of last August about 750,000 acres provocation. These facts are difficult for a conservatively summarizing the elo.;;ent 0 of land of South Vietnam had been scraped 13362 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 19, 1972 bare by this means (an area the size of the rate of several per week. The Commando The essential fact that President Kennedy. Rhode Island); and clearing progresses at VaUlt, a concussion bomb filled With a President Johnson, and President NiXon have the rate of more than 1.000 acres per day. slurry of ammonium nitrate and aluminum fa1led to understand or to admit Is that the Plowing results In severe site degradation. pOWder, Is detonated just above the ground North Vietnamese will go on fighting Indefi weed Invasion (often by the tenacious cogon and leaves no crater; much of its blast is nitely, at whatever cost, but that the Ameri grass). utter destruction of wildlife habitat. directed in the horizontal direction. The tre cam, beIng unconvlnced the Issue is a vital and major erosion and exacerbated fiood mendous blast wave required to shear oft' one to them, will not. damage in hilly terrain. The South Viet large trees and blow them 106 feet or more Therefore the final settlement, by fighting namese forest service has estimated as of away In every direction from the epicenter or by negotiation, w1ll IneVitably be made last summer that more than 20 million continues outward for at least 1,300 feet between Vietnamese. Bombing may prolong board feet of readily accessible hardwood (aCCOrding to a recent Pentagon release) the war but will not settle it. timber on 126 thousand acres had been de with a suflicient overpressure to kill or The second fact that Is clear Is that con stroyed In this program; and French rubber Injure all exposed humans and Wildlife. The tinued United States bombing will not "Vlet ofliclals have determined that 2.500 acres of average casualty zone per bomb Is thus 122 namlze" the war or get the United States rubber plantations had similarly fallen to acres (seven times the size of the White out of It. As long as our bombing continues the plow. House grounds) and perhaps greater. The we shall not know whether the South Viet In short. "pacifying" an area with Rome Commando Vault bomb Is a totally indis namese, after seven years of massive Amer plOWS rather than with herbicides seems at criminate. wide-area weapon which results Ican support, are at last able to stand on once more dclent milltarlly and more de In the complete local ecological disruption of their own feet. structive environmentally. the strike area. As long as our bombing continues more United States lives will be lost, the number BOMBING AND SHELLING RECOMMENDATION of United States Prisoners In enemy hands Conventional bombing and shelllng. the It becomes Vital in this time of a rapidly will increase, and the chance of getting any former throughout Indochina and the latter degrading world environment that man seek prisoners released will be nil. mostly In South Vietnam. have become the the knowledge of all the ecological ramifica As long as our bombing continues the pos major means of "landscape management" in tions of his current and potential activities. sib1llty of detente with the SOViet Union and this war. The one lasting impression that On 7 October 1970 the Congress through China, and of a comprehensive stab111zation remains after fiylng over the country Is of Publlc Law 91-441 [Sect. 506 (c) (1») author of Southeast Asia, wlll be delayed and per an endless number of craters. A conservative Ized a study by the National Academy of haps jeopardized. estimate of the actual number of these giant Sciences of the ecological impact of the The old argument that the bombing Is "to pox on the landscape Is over 26 m1ll10n Iherblcide program, an investigation now protect American forces" Is completely currently being added to at the rate of at in progress [cf. Congressional Record 117 threadbare, now that we have practically least several thousand per day. (148): SI5995-816oo1; 6 October 1971). withdrawn from ground combat and our Munitions expenditures during t~ seven However, since the herbicides seem to be small residual forces are not being directly year period 1965-1971 were 26 billion pounds. dwarfed In their ecological impact by this attacked. twice U.S. expenditures throughout World war's other assauits on the environment, So-called "agreements" about reciprocal War n in all Its theaters. During this time this investigation is clearly too limited In restraint announced by the United States in span the U.s. thus expended munitions in its scope. It is impol'tant now that serious 1968 were never acknowledge by the North Indochina with an explosive energy equiva consideration be given to the Vietnam War Vietnamese and have long since been vio lent to 450 Hiroshima bombs (I.e., the explo Ecological Damage Assessment Act 01 1972 lated by both sides. We know, moreover, sive equivalent of one Hiroshima drop every recently Introduced by senator Nelson [So from bitter experience between 1965 and 5% days). In terms of the peoples of all indo 3084; cf. Congressional Record 118(9): 1968 that bombing Indo-Chlna Is Inherently china, the total represents 584 pounds per S664--S665; 28 January 1971) and the com Indecisive, that it will not win the war, or person; In terms of its land, 142 pounds per panion bill introduced by Representative intimidate HanoI. acre. In terms of frequency, this sum repre Gude [H.E. 13010; cf. Congressional Record What seema to be taking place on the sents 118 pounds per second throughout this 118(15)H838; 7 February 1972]. American side therefore is primarily a entire seven-year period. buying of time untll November. The United Estimating the average crater to be 30 feet [From the Christian SCience Monitor. States public Is Simply not going to stand in diameter and 15 feet deep, the combined Apr. 12, 1972] for indefinite United states participation in surface &rea. of the holes alone created be the war. tween 1965 and 1971 comes to almost % mU· THE MOMENT OF TI1UTH IN VIETNAM At some point President Thleu and our llon acres, and the earth displaced by the ex (By Oharles W. Yost) South Vietnamese !r1ends are going to have plosions to a staggering 3.4 bllllon cubic NEW YORK.-The moment of truth has ar to be left to stand on their own feet and yards. rived in Vietnam-not for "Vietnaml.zation" prove that "Vletnamlzatlon" really works. More than 90% of aJ.l bombing and shell because, despite the vast armament we have Tbat means fighting without any United ing in Indochina have been barasslng and prOVided Mr. Thleu: President NiXon obVi States participation whatsoever, on the interdiction missions, in eft'ect directed ously does not intend to risk letting him go ground or In the air. though It does not against forests and fields. The bombs and it alone .agalnst the north. What Is being necessarily mean cutting of United States shells bave torn up countless trees; and the tested now. and probably w1ll be for the rest mlUtary and economic ald. sbrapnel bas been propelled over some 30 of 1972, Is "Vletnamlzation plus"-that Is, I hope personally that the South Viet mUllon acres hitting additional endless trees Vietnamese fighting on the ground and namese can stand on their own feet, fighting and thereby inviting fungal infection and American fighting from the air. if necessary, making their own political wood rot. The crate1'S have also disrupted ex W1ll Vietnamese and Americans In these settlement if possible. But I see no reason tensive agricultural areas, both d:1rectly and complementary belllgerent roles be able to whatsoever to believe that if they are un indirectly. Irrigation systems have been dis repulse General Glap's offensives as eft'ectively able to do so in April 1972, they will be able rupted and near the coast saltwater en as Vietnamese and Americans, both of them to do so in November 1972, or in April 1973. croachment has resulted. The craters have fighting on the ground, were able to do In The United States has already been in exposed lateritic soil to the atmosphere per the past? That Is the immediate question. Indo-Ohlna for too long. Let us not, because mitting It to harden irreversibly. Milllons of This strategy Is no doubt designed to get Hanoi has Inconveniently but predictably new breeding ponds have been created for Americans out of ground combat, where lives chosen this moment for an offensive, allow disease-carrying mosquitoes. In h111y terrain, are lost. but nevertheless to enable them still ourselves to be suckered In all over again. erosion has been accelerated. Finally, since to playa sufliciently decisive role to prevent This Is not February, 1965. 1%-2 % of the bombs and shells expended either victory or significant successes by the Let us at long last "Vletnamize" 100 per are duds, there are now JA million of these North Vietnamese. cent, stop bombing. arrange the release of scattered about, many of which are apt to ex This has no doubt been the President's our prisoners, and ge~ out completely. This plode if bumped into. for example. during dual objective ever since January, 1969- to should not be a partisan political issue. It Is plowing. achieve by November, 1972, both a with In the Interest of all Americans. All in all, the eft'ects of the truly massive drawal of United States ground combat forces bombing and shelling may well prove to be and a victory for Mr. Thieu In the sense that [From the Facts, Aug. 15, 1964) the least recognized and most permanently at that date he would still control Saigon disruptive legacy of this war. and most of the south. KASTENMEIER AND NELSON-ApOSTLES OF THE COMMANDO VAULT BOMB Obviously no one can be sure at this writ ,ApPEASEMENT The 15,OOO-pound BLU-82/B "Commando ing whether this strategy will succeed. Two Democrat Oongressman Robert Kasten VaUlt" bomb can be dropped into dense. facts. however, one can be sure of: It will meier. of Wisconsin's 2nd District, and triple-canopy jungle to create an instant not end the war, and it will not get the Democrat Senator Gaylord Nelson added a helicopter landlng zone which averages 3.3 Americans out of It. new chapter to the "Democrat Handbook of acres in size (an area larger than a football It will not end the war because, if Hanoi Surrender" last week. The two liberal ex field). This bizarre item of ordnance became would not stop fighting when it was con tremists announced that they were not operational In 1970. although experimental fronted by half a million American troops happy with Pres. Lyndon Johnson's decision drops may have begun as early as 1967. pius heavy American bombing of much of to finally put a little back-bone in Ameri By rough estimate about 200 have been the north, it is certainly not going to stop can policy regardlng Communist aggression expended, and now seem to be dropped at when it Is confronted by the bombing alone. in Vietnam. Apl'il 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13363 Johnson, after months of drift and Inde a military perspective. His remarks in for our withdrawal from Vietnam. The Presi cision, was forced to take strong action cluded the following statement: dent has signed the repeal of the Gulf of against the North Vietnamese Communists Tonkin resolution. It was that resolution after their PT-boats launched a second at I am also concerned from a purely military which often had be~ cited as a positive tack on U.S. Navy ships. It was the kind of point of view about our present pollcy. For congressional &uthorizatlon for our mllitary firmness Republican leaders had recom the moment, the policy seems to have suc ceeded In reducing casualties and Withdraw Involvement In Indochina. Its repeal would mended all along In the Administration's ing some troops. Yet where will our pollcy s~em to remove the last vestige of constltu half-hearted fight against Communism. tlOnallegltlmacy to our war policy. Certainly But Kastenmeier, after voting for the lead us, militarily, by the end of this year? the President has the constitutlonai power to Joint Congressional Resolution givIng sup What will happen if, when American ground protect American troops and to bring them port to a more firm anti-Communist policy, combat units are deactivated, the North Vietnamese and Vietcong choose to move all home; but he is not empowered, In my had second thoughts. He reverted back to against the South Vietnamese army, and jUdgment, to continue a policy involving spirit of "accommodation" recommended by make substantial strategic gains? There are offensive military operations and leading to the Infamous "Liberal Papers" sponsored by many military analysts who believe that they a limitless commitment of American forces in Kastenmeler in 1962. will have this capability. In other words, what Vietnam. Questions of far more than sup "The Liberal Papers" have been described will happen if Vietnamlzatlon begins to fall port or OPPosItion to a particular policy are as an astounding left-winO' extremist plan mllitarlly? My fear is that we wouid be Involved here. Fundamentally, we are deallng for "coexisting" with co~munlst by crip with the basic meaning of the Constitution tempted by steps of futllemllitary escalation th~ pling the U.S. defensive position with nu in order to prevent the failure of a policy. and whether Its intention regarding merous major and unilateral concessions to It Is my sincere concern that our present balance of powers between the executive and "accommodate" Khrushchev and Mao Tse course of action may not succeed even In legislative branch in matters of war and tung. Its mllltary objectives ... peace are to have any real meaning today. The Liberal Project proposals are based on During a televised conversation with three the "no win" philosophy of the New Fron Because of the relevance of the Sena newsmen on July I, 1970, Howard K. Smith tier. They give Americans only two alterna tor's remarks for our situation today, I of ABC asked the President about the legal tives: Surrender to Communlsm--or dIe. ask unanimous consent that his' entire basis of our Vietnam involvement In the Among the Liberal papers' recommendations: speech appear in the RECORD, together llght of the repeal of the Gulf of Tonkin Recognltion of Red China-Admission of with a speech he made in the Senate on resolution: Red China to the U.N.-Recognition of Red January 27, 1971. LEGAL BASIS FOR VIETNAM ACTION China's claim to Formosa and the Pesca Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, one of the things dores Islands-Financial aid to Red China There being no objection, the state ments were ordered to be printed in that happened In the Senate last week was (No "11beral" Ignores any opportunity to re the rescinding of the Gulf of Tonkin resolu cruit new recipients for U.S. foreign ald) the RECORD. as follows: tion by the Senate. Mr. Katzenbach, demilitarization of West Germany-Shut STATEMENT BY SENATO.R HATF'IELD down of American mlsslle bases In Europe in the previous administration, told the allow Russia to "plug In" on our DEW Line The measures of escalation we have un Foreign Relations Committee that resolu (distant early warning) to warn Reds of dertaken are prlmarlly another effort to shore tion was tantamount to a congressional dec "surprlse" attacks by the U.S. up the Thleu regime with American mill ~aration of war. If It Is rescinded, what legal tary power. That Is a formula for endless Justification do you have for continuing to Kastenmeler and his elCtremlst friends fight a war that Is undeclared in Viet-Nam? would make all these concessions In exchange American Involvement In this war. All our past steps of escalation have falled to end The ~ESIDENT. First, Mr. Smith, as you for promises by Khrushchev and Mao Tse Jr.now, thIS war, whlle It was undeclared, was Tung to "behave themselves". the war. Realistically, these will meet With the same resuit. here when I became President of the United Sen. Nelson, of course, recommended a few The only way to protect our troops is to States. I do not say that critically. I am sim weeks ago that the U.S. pulI out of Viet Nam, bring them all home, now. The oniy hope ply stating the fact that there were 549.000 paving the way for a Communist takeover Americans In Viet-Nam under attack when I of all Southeast Asia. for recovering our POW's Is to announce an end to all our involvement--land. sea and became President. Nelson and Kastenmeler have been on slm air-In exchange for their return. The President of the United States has the liar anti-anti-Communist ground before. constitutional rlght--not only the right but Both have a.ttacked the House Commlttee on Long ago, Americans stopped believing the promises of their leaders who said our bombs the responsiblllty-to use his powers to pro Un-American Activities repeatedly. Kasten tect American forces when they are engaged meIer even voted once to deny the Commlt would bring peace. The weight of responsi bility, however, falls again on the shoulders In mllltary actions; and under these circum tee necessary funds to Investigate commu stances, starting at the time I became Pres nist activity in the U.S. Nelson, whlle Gov of the Congress. This was not President Johnson's war. It Is not President Nixon's ident, I have that power and I am exercising ernor of Wisconsin, called for abo11t1on of that power. the Committee. war. It was not a Democratic war. It Is not Kastenmeler and Nelson have chosen a Republlcan war. It Is the Congress' war, LIMITED u.s. OBJECTIVES strange bedfellows by their opposition to a for the Congress has given the money to pay Mr. SMITH. Sir, I am not recommending for it. And the members of Congress can stop this, but if JOu don't have a legal authority to strong U.S. policy toward Communist ag that money anytime the people convince gression. But Wisconsin citizens are not go wage a war, then presumably you could move Ing to follow their "liberal" lead. If they :them that we must have no more of this troops out. It would be possible to agree With choose to lay llke lambs with the 110n of tragedy. the North Vietnamese. They would be de communism, they will have to do so with Eloquent outrage In the halls of Congress lighted to have us surrender. So you could out taking America with them. is Irrelevant. Sense of the Senate resoiutlons What justification do you have for keeping are naive. Partisan profiteering over these troops there other than protecting the Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, I also futlle acts of escalation Is Irresponsible. Con troops that are there fighting? want to say that we have endeavored to gress must simply exercise the power given The PRESIDENT. A very significant justifica have this a bipartisan debate. It has been to It by the Constitution, and cut off funds tion. It Isn't just a case of seeing that the bipartisan. Democrats have spoken on for this misadventure. bringing it to a close. Americans are moved out In an orderly way. This Is a challenge, not to the Administra If that were the case we could move them out this ~ide in support of the policy, A Re tion, but to each elected member of the publIcan who was to have spoken against more quickly; but it is a case of moving House and Senate. American forces out In a way that we can &t the present policy, the Senator from If there is speechlessness. dismay, and the same time win a just peace. Oregon (Mr. HATFIELD) cannot be be here apathy In our land, It is because we have Now, by Winning a just peace, what I mean because of the death of his father. become numbed Into sllent disbelief. Our is not victory over North Vlet-Nam-we are Yesterday. Senator HATFIELD made a country went through a national polltlcal not asking for that-but It is simply the right statement concerning the current situa trauma four years ago to stop, once and for of the people of South Vlet-Nam to deter all, what has been going on again during mine their own future without having us Im tion in Indochina, and I would like to these past days. bring it to the attention of my colleagues. pose our wllI upon them. or the North Viet But sllence Is acquiescence. And our apathv namese or anybody else outside impose their The foresight of Senator HATFIELD'S would only compound the tragedy of these will upon them. judgment on our involvement in Indo events. So we must speak our minds, but When we look at that llmited objective, I china is well l.-nov.n to the Members of more Important, Congress must redeem these am sure some would say, "Well, Is that really this body. I should like to point out, how times by stopping the funds for this war. worth It? Is that worth the effort of all these ever, a speech which the Senator made [From the Congressional Record, Jan. 27, Americans fighting In Vlet-Nam, the li,'es on January 27,1971, when he introduced 1971] that have been lost?" an amendment, which I joined in co I suppose it could be said that simply sav INTRODuCTION OF THE VIETNAM DISENGAGE Ing 17 mllllon people In South Vlet-Nam sponsoring, to cutoff funds for our in MENr ACT OF 1971 volvement in Indochina. In his remarks from a Communist takeover isn't worth the Vietnamiza~ Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President. one central efforts of the United States. But let's go he questioned the policy of event has taken place since the Congress last further. If the United States, after all of this tion from a moral, a constitutional, and considered legislation requiring a deadllne effort, if we were to withdraw Immediately, C~I----843--Part11 13364 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE April 19, 1972 as many Americans would want us to do- I can think of no more urgent question be any progress, we must demonstrate tlexibillty and it would be very easy for me to do it and fore the 92d Congress than the attempt to de on either of two critical points: The first is simply blame it on the previous administra fine and determine the constitutional au a deadline for our complete withdrawal of tion-but if we were to do that, I would prob thority for our military actions in Indochina. troops; the second is a willingness to suspend ably survive through my term, but it would Therefore, I am compelled to introduce this our unqualltied support for the Thleu-Ky have, in my view, a catastrophic effect on this bill in order to prevent the further erosion of regime. My own belief is that the most feasi country and the cause of peace in the years our constitutional process. ble and responsible step for us to take is the ahead. The President has pointed out how his establishment of a date certain for our with Now, I know there are those who say the policies have reduced casualties from as many drawal. True negotiations for settling the domino th-=ory is obsolete. They haven't as 300 per week to as few as 30 per week, and war would be the likely result of such an talked to the dominoes. They should talk to how he has significantly reduced our troops initiative. This is the principle motivating the Thais, to the Malaysians, to the Shlga in Vietnam. In these efforts he has my full the Vietnam disengagement of 1971. poreans, to the Indonesians, to the Filipinos, support and approval. Yet, I am concerned Our present course of action seems de to the Japanese, and the rest. And if the about the Ultimate result of our present di signed to achieve the same objective of our United States leaves Viet-Nam in a way that rection of pollcy. Our first concern must be past policy: The survival of a friendly, non we are huml1lated or defeated-not simply finding a solution that wlll stop the war; the Communist government in South Vietnam; speaking in~ what is called jingoistic terms, goal of our policy in Indochina must be di thus, it attempts to preserve the support of but in very practical terms-this wlIl be im rected at a political solution to the conflict those who have favored our present pollcles. mensely discouraging to the 300 m1lUon peo that will enable an end to the fighting, Yet, our polley is also constructed to enable ple from Japan clear around to Thalland 1ll bombing, the suiferlng, and the destruction troop reductions and lowered casualties, at free Asia; and even more important, it wlll in that land. I do not beUeve it is necessary tempting to win the support of those who be ominously encouraging to the leaders of to recite the litany of the devast.ation that have opposed the war. But if this policy ap Communist China. and the Soviet Union, continues to inflict Indoch1lla. And even the pears to be Jeopardized mllitarlly, and also who are supporting the North Vietnamese. It brutallzlng facts of death and destruction prohibits the complete Withdrawal of our wlll encourage them in their expansionist seem to fall on a numbed and hardened na troops, then it will no longer hold decisive pollcies 1ll other areas. tional conscience. support from either of these segments of pub The world wlll be much safer in which to Suflice it to say that our polley must be llc opinion. The grim truth Is that it is not llve. directed toward enabling a polltical settle possible to construct a policy that will satisfy Mr. SMITH. I happen to be one of those who ment of the war. In recent months more and everyone. agrees with what you are saying, but do more rellance has been pla<:ed upon "Viet The majority of Americans, however, have you have a legal justification to follow that namlzation" as a means of "ending the war." made clear their opinion: They favor with pollcy once the Tonkin Gulf resO}ution is Yet, it should be clear that by its definition, drawal of all our troops by the end of 1971. dead? "Vietnamization" is a strategy for per The most recent survey of public opinion, The PRESIDENT. Yes, sir, Mr. Smith, the petuating the confilct. Of course such a pOlicy conducted by the Harris poll, estimated that legal justification is the one I have given, may seem desirable to some Americans, since 65 percent of Americans favored this optlon and that is the right of the President of the the main emphasis Is to shUt responsibility a growth of about 10 percent from last Sep United States under the Constitution to pro for infantry combat from Americans to South tember, when this proposal came to a vote In tect the Uves of American men. That is the Vietnamese soldIers; thus, it allows reduc the Senate. There is no unanimity possible legal justification. You may recall, of course, tions in the number of our troops in Vietnam on any alternative for our future Vietnam that we went through this same debate at and decreases American casualties. However, polley. Yet, there is a clear majority of opin the time of Korea. Korea was also an unde thIs strategy fails in two very Important ion which favors a date certain to complete clared war; and then, of course, we justi ways. First, it w1ll not lead to an end of our Withdrawal. fied it on the basis of a U.N. action. I belleve American Involvement in Vietnam; second, A negotiated settlement Is the means for we have a legal justification, and I intend It will not enable a negotiated polltical set ending the war; a timetable for withdrawal ;0 use it. , tlement of the war, Which Is also the oniy is the means to enable authentic negotia The apparent lack of any clear constitu way to 1llsure the safe return of captive tions: it is also the means for assuring the tional authority for our actions in Vietnam, Americans. Further, it could even fall in a return of our prisoners of war. and the uncertainties about this funda third way; it may prove to be m1lltarlly In his state of the Union address, the Pres mental question, seems to be clear from this unfeasible. ident said that the 92d Congress can help end discourse. For I do not belleve the constitu Vietnamlzation w11l lead this spring to our longest war. There is no cause that I tional right and duty of the President "to the "end of the ground combat role" for want more to achieve. The PTesldent's pro protect the llves of American men" is suffi Americans. But many seem to be misled grams, and the spirit in Which they were cient legal and constitutional justification by just What that means. Ending ground presented, won my deepest respect and ad for sustaining American troops and power in combat implles; as I said, that the of miration. Because I share his bellef In these, definitely in prolonged armed conflict in the fensive Infantry operations w11l fall more to I offer this alternative as the most responsible support of a foreign government, with no the South Vietnamese. Yet, Americans w1ll means for bringing the war In Indochina to positive grant of approval by the U.S. Con stlIl fly hellcopters, fire art11lery, and drop a close. Without that accompUshment, all of gress. bombs, as well as "protect" their installa our noblest goals wlll remain idle dreams. These matters transcend our bellefs about tions, convoys, and troop deployments. In whether present pollcy is the prope.· way for reallty, Vietnamlzation is a Change in the Mr. CRANSTON. Mr. President, I want us to seek an end to the confllct in Indo tactics of the war, designed chlefiy to make to thank all of those, Whatever their china. At stake is the sanctity of constitu our policy more palatable to the American viewpoints, who participated in this dis tional government. pUbllc. It is not a formula for ending Amer cussion. When I suggested that we hold Congress' responsibl11ty for participating in ican involvement or achieving a settlement this debate, I hoped we would focus pub the decisions and the responsiblllty of war of the c~mtlict. The success of Vietnamiza lic attention on the new, troubling de was expressed eloquently by Abraham Lin tlon requires a continued American involve velopments in Vietnam. I pray we have coln when he said: ment and postUlates the lack of a negotiated "Allow the President to invade a neighbor settlement of the war. aroused renewed public concern. I had ing nation whenever he shall deem it neces I am also concerned from a purely mill hoped, too, to demonstrate to the Ameri sary to repel an invasion, and you allow him tary point of view about our present pollcy. can people that the U.S. Senate remains to do so Whenever he may choose to say he For the moment, the polley seems to have a center of national concern and of na deems it nf;cessary for such a purpose, and succeeded in reducing casualties and with tional conscience. I pray that we have you allow him to make war at his pleasure, drawing some troops. Yet where will our succeeded there too. Study to see if you can fix any llmit to his pollcy lead us, m1lltary, by the end of this I had hoped that both sides would shed power in this respect, after haVing given him year? What will happen if, when American so muc!;! power as you propose ... ground combat units are deactivated, the light on American plans and intentions "The provision of the Constitution giving North Vietnamese and Vietcong choose to in Southeast Asia. I think we have clari the war-making power to Congress was dic move against the South Vietnamese Army, fied matters somewhat-though I must tated, as I understand it, by the following and malw substantial strategic gains? There say I am not altogether happy about some reasons: Kings had always been involving are many military analysts who believe that of the military implications hiding in the and impoverishing their people in wars, pre they will have this capability. In other words, explanations given by administration tending generally, If not always, that the what will happen if Vietnamizatlon begins supporters on the floor. good of the people was the object. This our to fall militarily? My fear is that we would convention understood to be the most op be tempted by steps of futile milltary esca But my respect for and pride in the pressive of all kingly oppressions, and they lation in order to prevent the fallure of a U.S. Senate has been heightened by our resolved to so frame the Constitution that policy. It is my sincere concern that our debate this morning. My respect and no one man shOUld hold the power of bring present course of action may not succeed pride will rise still higher if we now take ing oppression upon us. But your view de e"en in its military objectives. action. stroys the whole matter, and pla<:es our :Presi If it is an end to the war that we wish Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Mr. President, dent where kings have always stood."-Letter to achieve, that must come through nego I wish to thank the distinguished senior to Henldon while in Congress. tiations. In order for negotiations to make Senator from California (Mr. CRANSTON) April 19, 1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 13365 for the fine way in which he arranged have been confiscated by the Treasury "Days of Water" and abruptly ended the fes and fioor-managed the debate which has Department. Newsweek, which is not tival, which. they said. violated tile Trad occurred during almost 4 hours of the exactly a leftwing jomnal, says of this ing With the Enemy Act. Michael Myerson, session today. I also wish to thank all International director of American Docu action: mentary Films. which sponsored the festival, Senators who participated in that debate The entire affalr is a pity, really, for some immediately sought an injunction. But he on both sides of the aisle and on both of the Cuban films are remarkably well done. was no more successful than he had been in sides of the question. I think that theirs interesting works that deserve to be seen an earlier effort to force the State Depart was an excellent presentation of the by American audiences. ment to issue visas to four Cuban filmmakers matter, and again I want to thank all invited to attend the festival. The govern It describes one of them as "clearly a ment·s actions, said Myerson, were "Vindic Senators for their fine cooperation in masterpiece" and two as "so brilliant adhering to the time limitations previ tive" and "absurd:' "Look at the transac that they rank with the best ever made tions going on with China," he added. Indeed, ously agreed upon for the various orders, in Latin America." just 40 blocks south. the Chinese were peace thus allowing the Senate to resume, The Washington Post article reports fully mOVing into the recently purchased shortly, its consideration of the unfin that the United States and the Soviet home for their U.N. delegation, a converted ished business. Union have agreed to extend and ex luxury motel. Presumably Castro is more pand their cultural, scientific and educa menacing than Mao. LEAVE OF ABSENCE tional exchanges. The Post quotes So AGITPROP viet Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei The entire affair Is a pity. really. for some Mr. ALLO'IT. I ask unanimous con Slnirnov as saying that the cultural of the Cuban films a~'e remarka'bly well done, sent that I be excused from attendance agreements had "invariably proved to be interesting works that deserve to be seen by on the Senate from 5 o'clock this after beneficial for both sides" and have "a American audiences. Yes, the films portray noon until Monday morning for the pur the revolution as the greatest event since positive infiuence on the general status the Enlightenment. And yes, most of them, pose of attending a meeting of the Board of rel