11*1*11*1 (*J l^*J publication of VIETNAM VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR/ WINTER SOLDIER ORGANIZATION CALIFORNIA/NEVADA- REGION [ Volume 1 Issue 1 DEED LKKj 3B Now that direct U. S. involvement in Those who deserted must pay their for Unconditional Amnesty, May Vietnam has come to an end, we are price. .. The price is a criminal 24, 1973. Washington D. C. (sum­ faced with the question of Amnesty penalty for disobeying the laws of the marized). Which tells how an United States." active duty GI, who saw service for those Americans who refused to in Vietnam, came to his conclu­ participate in that war. This is the traditional argument that sion that the war was not only im­ has been used by the Watergate moral but illegal as well. The National position of VVAW/WSO Administration to deceive the Ameri­ is that of universal, unconditional, can people into believing that those "I, like many GI's, atone time amnesty ( with no alternative service, who resisted the war are guilty of supported the war in Vietnam and case by case judgement^ or other pun­ some crime against society. regarded'resistence to the war itive measures) for all persons con­ as criminal. I believed the Pres­ cerned; the over 500, 000 veterans,, However, this argument is selective in ident and the military leaders who since 1963, have received less that it ignores the fact that U. S. inter­ when they said our mission in than honorable discharges from the vention in Indochina has been by Pres­ Indochina was to protect the Viet­ Armed Forces, the over 200, 000 men, idential decree only, without the dec­ namese from aggression. I be­ both military resisters (deserters) laration of war by Congress, and there­ lieved them so much that in 1966, and draft resisters, underground in fore has always been an illegal war. I volunteered for Vietnam duty. the United States and the nearly 100, In addition to illegal entry it ignores 000 men in exile in Canada and other the fact that the US has violated the "In Vietnam, I was assigned to countries. Geneva Accords of 1954 and 1962. It an evacuation hospital where we ignores the fact that over the centuries, received 'fresh' casualties dir­ Some argue that Amnesty would be a nations have developed laws to govern ect from combat areas. Many i disservice to the men who served in the conduct of war i. e. the Hague Con of these victims were Vietna­ Vietnam. However, as veterans who vention and the Geneva Convention, mese civilians, mostly women participated in the war in Vietnam, and both of which have been violated in and children hit by U. S. artil­ have since come to realize both the Indochina. It ignores the fact that lery and bombing. Many had illegality and the immorality of that many treaties have been ratified by been severly burned by napalm war, we feel that those men who re­ the Congress of the United States and and white phosphorous; weapons fused to serve the military did a much are therefore a part of the "Supreme used only by the U. S. These greater service to their country than Law of the Land." Notice that there is casualties would come in waves, those of us who unwittingly partici­ no mention of the Nuremburg princi- sometimes hundreds at a time, pated. Others argue that Amnesty nciples that were stated in the Nazi when U. S. forces attacked their would be unfair to the families of the trials after World Warll by the United hamlets or villes. What affect­ men who died in Vietnam. We believe States; that an individual is person- ed me most I guess, were the that these tragic loses cannot sanctify aly responsible for Kis or her own children. I watched many of an unjust war. Fairness to the dead acts, regardless of what orders may them die from their terrible requires not a spirit of vindictiveness, have been given by a higher civilian wounds; we 'saved' others, only but rather a spirit understanding. or military authority. Resistence to to be crippled or maimed for the On January 31,1973 in his press con­ fighting in that war, therefore, came rest of their lives. ference, our philosopher President from several conclusions about both put forth yet another argument against the spirit and letter of domestic and "There are days I'll never for­ amnesty when he stated, "Certainly I international law. get. Who could forget a U. S. have sympathy for any individual who soldier who was brought in with has made a mistake. We have all made The following is the surrender state­ both arms and a leg blown off, mistakes. But also, it is a rule of life, ment of Edward R. Sowders to the asking me how he could play ball we all have to pay for our mistakes. Abzug Ad Hoc Congressional Hearings with his sons, again?(Con. pg 2) Or the Vietnamese baby who died ing, indoctrination or propa­ with the issue of Amnesty. The in my arms after an hours effort ganda could ever erase. In following are the three catagories to save her ? Or the weak smile April of 1970, I made my de­ of people in need of Amnesty. on the face of the Vietnamese cision. I refused further par­ girl as she died of shrapnel wou­ ticipation in a military system 1. All military resisters (so nds?' which had forced me to carry call&d deserters) and out its policies in Vietnam and draft resisters both in went on 'strike' against the war. exile and underground in "Some of the GPs I worked with For the past three years, ex­ the United States. reacted to this carnage by inten­ cept for a period in Canada, sifying their hatred for the 'gooks'. I've lived underground in the 2. All people who are or Many of us, however, began to un­ U. S. , cutoff from my family have been in civilian and derstand through our personal ex­ and friends. .It has meant military prisons, or those perience of Vietnam, the depth of drifting from one low-pay­ who are sought for pros­ the lies and deceptions practiced ing job to another, and some­ ecution because of their on us, and the American people, times going without even food. opposition to the war. by our country's leaders. It was This includes a clearing they who trained us to kill, with­ out question,and to hate our enemy, "I make no apology for my act of of their records. the Vietnamese. They concocted resistance. I could do nothing such phrases as: 'kill-ratios' else at the time. But, under­ 3. The more than half million 'secure areas', 'search and dest­ veterans who since 1963 1 ground life has become intoler­ roy,'free fire zones, and the like, able to me. So, I'm here today, have received less than to mask the reality of their com­ to draw attention to the true honorable discharges from bat policy in Indochina." facts concerning my case and the the Armed Forces.... this cases of tens of thousands just includes an up-grading of "Yet it is these same policy mak­ like me. We are not criminals those discharges to honor­ ers (and their successors) who to be hunted and imprisoned. able and the restoration of today brand me, and hundreds of Over half a million of us have all applicable veterans bene­ thousands like me, as 'criminals' 'deserted1 from the military since fits. who must be punished. The Pen­ 1965. Most of us have already re­ tagon dismisses those of us who turned to the military, to be pun­ If you support our demand for resist, as 'underachievers', 'im­ ished with jail and bad discharges. universal, unconditional Amnesty, mature', and poor material. How What supreme irony to be prosecut­ (with no alternative service, case true! For the majority of resist­ ed by the same men who planned, by case judgement or other puni­ ers to this war, especially 'desert­ and executed, a genocidal war in tive measures) for all persons ers', these insults are nothing new. Indochina! As thousands of AWOL's concerned in these three categor­ Poor White people, Blacks, Puerto before me, I'll be court-martialled ies, we need your help. Please Ricans, and Chicanos have always by a jury composed of career offic­ fill out the coupon below and re­ been called 'underachievers' and ers, sentenced to a military prison turn it to the California Regional worse. When my parents were and finally, will be returned to civ­ Office. forced onto the welfare roles due ilian life with a bad discharge to to unemployment and illness, the insure that their punishment ex­ •—o I same things were said." tends into the rest of my life as "3° CO much as possible." 0$ c "We are wanted,of course, when fflo o o o „ there are wars to be fought. Then "The families who have testified m we're drafted or driven into the o " a CO here today, including mine, rep­ GQPH -^i o a. CO military, shipped off to fight and ^ <u a> resent the other tens of thousands, o bO u a> die in the name of a society that who one day, must face the dec­ « cbo has only exploited and oppressed ision I've made by surrendering o a CD U o us. When we come home (if we here today. Only by winning a >iflO d bo T3 come home) we're hit with unem­ universal, unconditional am­ uCO ployment and cut-backs in the dis­ B nesty for all categories of war > O CD ability and training programs we resisters can we begin the long CD a> H were promised." process of changing our country u - be and learning from the decade of I—I ?H CO "Like hundreds of thousands of o <n w blood and bitterness in Indochina.