THE VIETNAMESE WAR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP66B00403R000200140051-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 2, 2005
• Sequence Number: 51
• Publication Date: April 27, 1964
• Content Type: OPEN

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Who Can answer .our question about the its setting in our earthly sphere. From [From the Washington Daily News, Apr. 27,
"_beautti'u1" `1'h~ .vociferous argufler can- whatever angle we view it, and no matter 1964]
not explain it for he is never within sight of what light is thrown upon it, there flashes COMMENT: WE'RE REALLY TRAINING OUR-
beauty. .`hat 1s something you cannot de- back a gleam of beauty. SELVES IN VIETNAM-UNITED STATES FAILS
bate. The 'literalist, and the liberalist alike And so across the centuries the Christian To Go ALL OuT FOR VICTORY
stack their arms and take, oft `their shoes Church has been broadcasting this word of ru.. Tim ? T,,,,-
yond angry devisive voices there is peace. CAN THO, SOIITH VIETNAM, April 27.-One
One cannot climb to beauty on the rounds "Fair the meadows, often-overlooked factor that contributes to
of a Syllogism. Nobody with a trowel or Fairer still the woodlands, the long-drawn-out, no-win war in South
Robed in the blooming garb of spring; Vietnam is this:
test tube gets within celestial distance of
it. A whole convention of scientists, meal- Jesus is fairer, The United States is-and has been for the
tiring color rays and computing the dimen- Jesus is purer, past 3 years-using Vietnam as a sort of mili_
sions of petals, could not disclose why one Who makes the woeful heart to sing." tary test laboratory, an extension of Aber-
flower is beautiful. And so the question Mr. McCLELLAN. Mr. President, I deen Proving Grounds, Fort Benning, Fort
still haunts us-where can beauty be found Bragg, and all the others back home.
suggest the absence of a quorum. As one American major here told me:
and where is Botany says, the Is not initme understanding? and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The "We're really not tryinso much to train
chemistry declare, "it is not in us"; astron- clerk will call the roll. these people to win their war; rather, we're
omy signals that while there is "a part of The legislative clerk called the roll, training ourselves."
the flaming Pleiades in every leaf that grows," and the following Senators answered to In that light it can be more easily under-
"beauty is not in me." Certain it is that their names: stood why we've run 35,000 to 40,000 Ameri-
vast information, diagramed and cats- [No. 173 Leg Can military personnel through the mill here
loged, may but obscure the primary and '1 in 3 years-though we've never had more
Aiken Hart Monroney than 16,000 men here at an one time.
intuitive impression and drown the thing Allots Hayden Morton y
which nature's, voice is saying. It was in Bayh Hickenlooper Mundt ONE YEAR
no technical perusal of some ponderous Bennett Hill Musl4ie The normal assignment is for 1 year. It's
tome of botany that one found the message Bible Hruska Nelson damned unpleasant duty in a terrible climate.
of the lines- Boggs Humphrey Neuberger And practically no man, if he's on duty out-
Burdick Inouye Pastore side of Saigon, would want to stay longer.
"O prophet flowers with lips of bloom, Cannon Jackson Pell
Out-vying in your beauty Carlson Jordan, Idaho Prouty But this doesn't help win the war. In fact,-
The pearly tints of ocean's shells, Case Keating . Proxmire it slows it up.
The teach me withand duty. Church Kuchel Ribicoff Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, in a recent
ife~s ac ek it s, et sety. to sa Clark Long, Mo. Scott interview in Life magazine, made the point
Walk te
ways, y y, Cooper Long, La. Simpson that U.S. advisers should be sent here for at
With love's divine foreknowing, Cotton Mansfield Smith least 2 years and preferably longer.
That when man sees but withered leaves Curtis McCarthy Sparkman
God sees sweet blossoms growing." Dirksen McClellan Symington He's right-though I'll make no friends
Dodd McGee Williams, N.J. among U.S. servicemen in the field by saying
So where then Shall we look for beauty's Dominick McGovern Williams, Del. so. And neither has the Ambassador.
secret? Shall we not say that beauty is Douglas McIntyre Young, N. Dak. But all this criticism back home of the
always a reaching out for completeness? Fong Metcalf Young, Ohio South Vietnamese for appearing indifferent
That is not a definition but surely it points Gruening Miller to whether they win the war needs a new
us in the right direction. Perfect beauty is The PRESIDING OFFICER. A quo- examination in face of our own policy of
completeness-that is the quintessence of rum is present. seeming not to go all out for victory.
of When the poet with deep insight speaks Especially so when it comes to committing
of seeing the invisible he declares that God's our personnel to any needful lengthy periods.
completeness may flow around our incom- THE VIETNAMESE WAR TYPICAL
pleteness. Again shall we say that beauty Take the case of a typical American adviser
is completeness? Art is beauty in conception Mrs. SMITH. Mr. President, there is to a South the case of a typical
battalion. American
would
and expression; architecture Is beauty in a genuine need-a desperate need-for be a captain.
proportion; culture is beauty in mind and the American people to be told the truth Fresh out from the United States, our man
manner; grace is beauty in motion; elo- on the Vietnamese war. They are not needs 3 to 4 months to get acquainted, learn
quence is beauty in speech; and may we not getting the facts from their Government his job, scout the terrain, and establish an
add that a perfect tree, in perfect blossom,
is the acme of beauty in nature, as they should. effective working arrangement with the com-
You cannot beautify beauty. Any such Yet, some information does get mander of the Vietnamese unit.
Beginning the fourth month, if he's any
attempt is defilement. "To gild refined gold, through to the American people from good, he knows what he's about.
to paint the lily, to sprinkle perfume on the non-Government sources. That infor- But-U,S. Army policy is to yank him out
English violet, to add another hue unto the mation is neither encouraging, nor con- of the field after 6 months and give him a
rainbow, or with taper light seek to garnish fidence inspiring. Nevertheless, it is staff job, probably in Saigpn.
the beauteous eye of heaven, is wasteful and good to get it. Eventually we must face That means he's had at most 2 months to
ridiculous excess." And so we cannot ex-
up to the facts and to the realities of do a cracking job with his unit in the field.
plain beauty-we can only surrender to it, I know one Vietnamese battalion com-
for the "beautiful" Is essentially the spiritual what is going on in Vietnam. mander who said a had Vietnamese battalion on with" itself known through the senses. Today two revealing reports appeared was his phrase-no less than 11 U.S. advisers
When God would lead mortals to the beauty in print.. One was the report in the in 2 years.
of holiness He so often makes, a stairway Washington Daily News of April 27, 1964, Each, of course, wanted to change some-
to it by the holiness of beauty. by Scripps-Howard war correspondent thing basic in the way the battalion was
When at least in the fullness of time came
the One of whom the flashing, flaming beau- Jim G. Lucas, who is the nearest suc- being run. ty of the ancient Temple spoke, when Aaron's censor to the beloved Ernie Pyle, from his But our Army's policy is to keep shuffling
rod budded and burst into beauty and blos- firsthand study in Vietnam. The other the advisers along-evidently so that more
Americans can get the guerrilla-warfare ex-
somed in the One in whom met the hopes is an article in United States News and perience, and also because the Army says it
and fears of all the -years, He unveiled the World Report, of May 4, 1964, which feels sorry for the poor guys undergoing the
heart of the beautiful God and the world is gives excerpts from letters written by jungle heat and all that.
still palpitant with the surpassing splendor an Air Force captain in Vietnam prior Actually, I think three out of five of our
of that. vision. one of the choicest person- to his death in combat. battalion advisers-as pros eager to do their
alities that I ever knew, now gone into the job-want to stay on longer in their field
heavenlies, wrote this sentence: "There are They are extremely disturbing reports assignments. They feel they're just starting
sunsets that are sacraments, songs that set on our policy and operations in Vietnam, to prove themselves.
us dreaming, flowers that touch us with a I urge every Member of the Senate to But the Army says they can't. It needs
wild, sad, joy; faces that are Gospel Epistles, study them carefully. Mr. President, I their slots to train more Americans how to
but the one .ineffable beauty of the world, ask unanimous consent that this mate- advise Vietnamese battalions.
the sublimest possession of humanity, is the rial be printed at this point in the REO- Maybe our Army is getting overinfuse(i
vision of God in Christ." ORD with a peacetime posture-or maybe it's the
That One who is holiest among the mighty, old question of whether we are in a real war
and mightest among the holy, is the fairest There being no objection the material or not.
among 10,OO6 because He is complete. His was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, A soldier's life is traditionally a hard one.
life is thegnly perfect jewel that ever found as follows;
osiers exist chiefly for one reason; To fight
No. 82-7
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE Apr t'l 27
and win wars. Meanwhile, there are many
fringe benefits in their contracts.
True, long family separations-when the
national interest dictates-are also written
into their contracts.
Most understand this. So do their wives.
Some don't. however-especially when there's
no formal war on.
Could It be that we are basing our person-
nel policies here in Vietnam on the clamor
of this minority?
Somewhere along
buckle down.
[From U,8. News & World Report]
A CAPTAIN'S LAST Lrrrzzs FROM VirrNAM:
"WE ARE LOSING, MORALE 1s BAD ? ? ? Ir
Tnry'D Otvz Us Goon PLANES"
(This is an American pilot's own story of
the role of U.S. troops in South Vietnam.
They are far more than advisers to South
Vietnam's armed forces. Americans are In
.the thick of a "hot war," a shooting war.
And, often, they are fighting with obsolete
weapons against a Communist enemy who
Is highly skilled and well armed. A vivid
picture of the war, the elation and excite-
ment, the frustration and bitterness, emerges
from the pilot's letters home-a correspond-
ence ended by his death in combat.
(Air Force Capt. "Jerry" Shank Is dead-
a combat casualty of the war In Vietnam.
While he lived and fought, Jerry Shank
wrote to his wife and family In Indiana every
chance he got-sometimes twice a day.
Those letters make up a moving "battle
diary" of a war In which more than 16:000
Americans are fighting and dying In combat
against the Communists. Excerpts from his
letters are presented here with the permis-
sion of his widow. All references, by name,
to his Air Force companions have been elim-
inated to spare them any possible embarrass-
ment.)
November 14, 1963: We're using equip-
ment and bombs from World War II and
it's not too reliable. This is an interesting
place here. Everybody works together, offi-
cers and enlisted. We're out there lifting
bombs and such. Every possible time, we
give the men a chance to ride. On a test
hop or something like that-it gives them
a little motivation. We can't take them on
missions, 'cause we have to have our VNAF
[Vietnamese Air Force] student pilot
along ' ' ?.
We 23 Air Force run the whole T-28 war
in the Mekong Delta. This will give you
some idea of Uncle Sam's part in the war.
November 22, 1963: Been real busy with
the armament job-really makes a day go
fast. Got all kinds of problems-can't get
parts or books or charts describing the dif-
ferent bombs and systems. - The Air Force
hasn't used any of this equipment since
Korea, and everybody seems to have lost the
books. The main problem Is personnel-no
good officers or NCO's over here that really
know their business. Most of them are out
of SAC [Strategic Air Command] and have
dealt only with nuclear weapons. This
doesn't apply over here; what we need is
someone from World War U. Some days
St's like beating your head against a brick
wall.
November 27, 1963: Sunday all hell' broke
loose with the VC (Communist Vietcong
guerrillas). We had a big airborne operation
against them-both choppers and para-
chutes. I woke up at 4:30 to fly my first
night attack-darker than hell ' ? ?. By 9
o'clock In the morning we had launched 12
sorties, which is a lot for our little operation.
The Vietcongs got one chopper and one B-26
like a veteran and I feel like a different man. for the VC carry off all their dead and
I think I am older. wounded. They never let you know for sure
I have changed my opinion aboutthe VC. how bad you hurt them.
They are not ornery little fellows. They are Anyway, there were approximately 700
mean, vicious, well-trained veterans. They VC's dug in with three 50-caliber antiaircraft
are killers and are out to win. Although this guns and three 30-caliber antiaircraft guns,
is called a "dirty little war" and it is far plus many hundreds other machineguns.
from the shores of old United States of They were waiting for us, but we hurt them
America. It's a big, mean war. We are getting even though we lost. We lost because we
beat. We are undermanned and under- had them trapped and they got away.
gunned. The United States may say they It's so mixed up over here-there are
are in this, but they don't know we need help over 3,000 Air Force in Vietnam, yet there
over here. are only 50 combat crews (B-26 and T-28).
If the United States would really put com- What a ridiculous ratio. Also, the Army tried
bat people in here we could win and win fast. to show the Air Force is no good and vice
It seems to be the old story of a halfhearted versa. Ridiculous. Down at Soc Trang,
effort, Army and Air Force will die for each other,
December 4, 1963: I have debated for a but--up with the colonels and generals it's a
week and a half now over telling you of big fight for power. And most of these idiots
Black Sunday-November 24, 1983. I'm don't even have any idea of what it's like
going to tell you and. If you don't want to out In combat. * * * They're trying now to
hear about these things again, well, say so. find out why we pick up so many bits. The
You do have a right to know. dumb b----- s. We get bit more now be-
This was not a typical day. We new 20 cause the VC have very fine weapons.
sorties. But the VC hurt us bad. All in all There are Chinese over here now,
that day. 23 airplanes were hit, one B-26 I think the next few months will tell.
crew lost their lives, 3 choppers crashed. The Either the VC will quit or this will turn into
VC won. another Korea. I hope It doesn't take the
What they had done was pull into the United States too long to realize this.
little village and commit their usual atroc- December 22, 1963: Flew another mission
Ities. then pull out. But all they had were today. We escorted three trains across no-
small arms and rifles on them. So head- man's land and then struck some VC's. Our
quarters thought they would teach this FAD (the guy in the L-l9 who tells us where
little group of VC's a lesson and sent this to hit) received three hits, but we got them.
operation I spoke of in after them. I'm credited with destroying a 59-caliber
But the crafty little b---- a withdrew from antiaircraft gun. Bombed him him out of
the town into foxholes and bunkers and this world. I guess I'm a true killer, I have
hiding places they had been secretly building no sympathy and I'm good. I don't try to
for a week. Also, they had many friends in rationalize why I do It. No excuses. It's
there plus large antiaircraft guns and all a target and I hit it with the best of my
sorts of machineguns. So when the first skill. It's a duel; only (I repeat) only the
wave of troops went In, they thought It was best man wins. You can't afford to be
just a routine chase of VC's. But they soon second.
ran against the VC wall and we pilots soon December 30, 1963: Well, here goes. I got
discovered that they had more weapons than shot down yesterday. We were escorting a
pistols and homemade guns. Shrewd plan- C-128 and I picked up three slugs in my air-
and they won. plane. One went Into my fuel strainer and
We could have won but I could write a I lost all my fuel. I made it to a field called
chapter on that. I hope you were able to Pan Tho and landed safely. Me and the
follow that, Connie. A lot happened that airplane are both okay, not a scratch except
day and it happened fast and furious. It's the three bullet holes. No sweat.
not a good thing to tell a wife, but she has January 3, 1984: Down at Soc Trang, one
to know-no one else will say It-no one else of the airmen came up with the idea of put-
can or will, I guess. There are no heroes over ting chunks of charcoal in our napalm tanks.
here but there are a lot of fine men-America Napalm is a gasoline which is jelled Into a
better not let us down. We can use help. mass about the consistency of honey,. We
We can win, but America must come over, carry two tanks of it, each weighing 500
for the Vietnamese will never hack It alone. pounds. When you drop it, it ignites and
We've either got to get In all the way. or spreads fire about 200 to 800 feet. With
get out. If we get out the VC will be in charcoal in it, the charcoal is thrown about
Saigon the next day, another 200 feet farther, like a burning base-
December 14, 1963: I do get a kick out of ball, and does further damage to VC houses.
the Vietnamese people. They're poor, dirty, We've had it at Soc Trang and it works real
and unsanitary according to our standards, well.
but they're happy and some are batd Tomorrow three birds are going out with
working. one-half of their load of straight napalm
December 16, 1963: The VC's [Communist and the other half with charcoal napalm
guerrillas] sure gave them a rough time. (Madame Nhu cocktails). A photo ship Is
The VC are kind of a Mafis. They ter- going along to take pictures. If higher head-
rorize and then they sell "Insurance" sO quarters thinks it's all right, then they'll
that the people will not be harmed again, buy us the charcoal. So far we've been buy-
'hey strike especially villages where Amer- ing it ourselves or else "borrowing" it from
villages and then blame It on Americans by January 7, 1964: Morale's at a big low over
saying. "If Americans hadn't come to your here, especially among the combat crews.
village, we would not have plundered and It's the same old stuff we got in MATS. No
killed, so If you don't want it to happen consideration for the crew.
again, pay us money and don't let Americans
into your village." Lost two guys today. One was a pretty
So you see, they gain from this. First of good friend of mine. The only guess is-
aIl,'they get money or food: secondly, they the airplane just came apart. B-28-third
instill a dislike for Americans-dirty b.... s, or fourth that have done that now
But I do like the Vietnamese I've met and Pretty bad day-just bard to find any good
talked to. They are friendly, happy, and news to write. Can't even talk to anybody-
cbildiike-good people. nobody has anything to say. Just a blue
that day, but we (T-28's) hurt them bad. December 21, 1963: We got a briefing today day,
There Is far more detail to this, but I don't of the total result of that operation on No- I don't know what the United States Is
want to put it in a letter. vember 24. Ill repeat it briefly. doing- They tell you people we're just in
I'm up to 20 missions now and am real The airpower got credit for 150 to 200 a training situation and they try to run us
confident in myself. I do- good work. I feel killed. No one can be sure of the amount, as a training base. But we're at war. We
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axe doing the flying and fighting. We are their life a few times. They're a menace
losing .Morale is very bad., to have on board.
We, aske4 if, w co>jl4n't,,fly an American January 26, 1984: I've done almost nothing
flag over here. e answer was ' Mo?' They all week. I needed the rest very badly. I
say the VO will`get pictures of it`and make actually think I was getting battle fatigue
bad propaganda. Let them. Letth em know or whatever you call it. I've got 50 missions,
America is in almost all without any kind of a break, and
If they'd only ggive us good American air- it was telling on my nerves and temper. I
planes with the U.S. insignias on them and feel real good today after all that sleep. I
really tackle this war, we could possibly kinda hate to go to work tomorrow, for we
win.' If we keep up like we are going, start 2 weeks of combat again. But I'm
we will' definitely lose. I'm not being pee- rested for it now and am ready.
simtstic., I S a c o bvious. Row .our
f0ov~rrl- January 31, 1964: All you read in the paper
ment can l e, to ifs own people-its some- is the poor leadership of the Vietnamese, but
thing you wouldn't think a democratic ,gov- we are just as bad. Everyone over here seems
ernmeat could Sio I wish -were .a proms- to be unqualified for his job. Like me-I'm
anent citizen or 'knew someone ho could a multipilot, but I'm flying TAC fighters. We
bring this before the U.S. public.' However, have no fighter pilots in our outfit. I'm not
it it' were brought before the average U.S. complaining, but, if the Air Force was seri-
family, I'm 'sure all they'd do is shake their bus, they would have sent over experienced
heads nd say tc.h-tch and tuner in' another fighter people. The same on up the line.
channel on the TV. February 2, 1964: I'm getting to like Viet-
January 3, 1964: Had a good target today nom. Maybe I didn't say that right. I think
y. Felt like I really dealt a blow to it is a pretty country. These little villages
the VC, On my second bomb I got a' sec- in the delta are about as picturesque as
ondary explosion. This means after my you'll find. Tall palm trees, fields of rice, and
bomb exploded there was another explosion. all kinds of flowers. The people seem happy
It was either an ammo dump or a fuel-stor- enough, if it wasn't for the terror of VC
age area. Made a huge burning fireball. raids.
You really can't tell when you roll in on a February 6, 1964: We scrambled after a
pass what is in th& huts 'and trees you are fort under attack? We hit and hit good,
aiming at. Just lucky today, but I paid but it got dark so we headed up here for
diem back for shooting me down. Tien Boa. Pretty hot target and we both
January 15, 1964: Another B-26 went in were hit. Coming in here to Bien Hoa they
yesterday. Nobody made it out. A couple warned us that VC were shooting at air-
of _ guys I knew pretty well "bought the planes on final approach. Well, we made a
farm.!' tight, fast approach and held our lights
One of the new guys busted up a 28 (T-28) (it was pitch black) until almost over the
also yesterday. He thought he had napalm end of the runway. I forgot my landing
on, but, he had bpznbs. So at bo feet above gear and went skidding in a shower of sparks
the ground he dropped a bomb. It almost down the runway. Airplane's not hurt too
blew him out of the sky. But he limped bad. I'm not even scratched. My pride is
back to Bien Hoa and crash landed. The terribly wounded. That was my 62d mis-
airplane burned up, but he got out all right. sion. I thought I had it "wired" after, that
That news commentary you heard is ab- much combat experience. Then I go and
solutely correct-if we don't get In big, we goof so badly.
will be pushed out. I am a little ashamed February 17, 1964: All B-26's are ground-
of my country. We can no longer save face ed, so we are the only strike force left. over here, for we have no face to save. A B-26 crashed at Hurlburt,last week. An-
We are more than ever fighting this war. other' came with the wing just coming off.
The Vietnamese T-28's used to come down Finally, the Air Force is worried about the
here to Soc Trang and fly missions. But airplanes-finally, after six of my friends
lately, since we've been getting shot so much, have "augered in."
they moved up north. I kid, you not. First February 21, 1964: Tuesday evening
they didn't want to come to Soc Trang be- got shot down. He fell in his air-
cause their families couldn't come. Second, Plane next to a Special Forces camp and got
because they didn't get enough, per diem out without a scratch. The airplane burned
[additional pay]. , Third, because they completely up, though. [Another airman]
didn't want to get shot at. There were ,a was going in on his seventh strafing pass and
couple of more reasons, but I can't remem- never came out of it. Don't. know what hap-
g
.
ber them. These are the people we're sup- pened-whether he got shot or his controls (At the university he entered the Reserve
posed to be helping. I don't understand it. shot out. That was two airplanes in two Officers Training Corps, received his commis-
January 20, 1964: 1 have never been so days. Kind of shook us up. sion, and was called into active military serv-
lonely, unhappy, disappointed, frustrated in Not only that, the B -26's have been ice, in the Air Force In August 1959. He
my whole lie. clone of these feelings are grounded since Monday because the wings liked the life of a military pilot and planned
prevalent above the other. I guess I should came off one again at Hurlburt. So after the to make the Air Force his career. He was
say loneliness overshadows the others, but last crash the whole USAF fighter force is assigned to South Vietnam as pilot of a
that's really not true, down to six airplanes. This should set an T-28 attack plane on October 15, 1963.
I am over here to do the best job possible example of how much Uncle Sam cares. (Captain Shank was married to a home-
for my country-yet my country will do Six airplanes. Might as well be none. , town girl. They had a son and three daugh-
nothing for the or any of my buddies or even Rumor now is that B-26's will fly again ters. He' never saw his baby daughter, who
for itself. I love America. My country is the only with greater restrictions. ? ? ? I'm is now 2 months old. He was killed while
best, but it is soft and has no guts about it pretty well fed up. Poor B-26 jocks are real- flying an airstrike mission against the Com-
at all. ly shook. That airplane is a killer. munists on March 24, 1964. He was 27 years
I'm sure nothing will be done over here February 24, 1964: We're down to five air- old.)
until after the 'elections. Why? Because planes now, all of them at Soc Trang. We
votes are more important than my life or have actually got nine total, but four are
any of my buddies' lives. What gets me the out of commission because of damage. The
most is that they won't tell you people what B-26's aren't flying yet, but they've been more
we' ?do over here. , I'll, bet you that anyone or less released. I don't know what `the
you-'talk to does not know that American United States is going to do, but whatever
pilots fight this war. We-m.e and my bud- it is I'm sure it's wrong. Five airplanes can
dies--do everything. The Vietnamese fight the war-that's just ridiculous. Tell
"students" we have on board are airmen this to my dad. Let him know, too, how
basics. The only reason they are on board much the country is letting everyone down.
is in case we crash there is one American We fight and we die but no one cares.
"adviser" and one Vietnamese "student." They've lied to my country about us.
They're stupid, ignorant sacrificial lambs, and February 29, 1964:
1 have no use for them, .In fact, I have been We've got a new general in command now
tempted to whip them within an inch of and he really sounds good. Sounds like a
man who is out to fight and win. He's
grounded the B-26's except for a few flights.
But they have to level bomb, not dive
bomb-no strain for the aircraft that way.
He has ordered B-57's (bombers-jets) to
replace them, and has asked for immediate
delivery. He has also demanded they re-
place the T-28's with the AD-6. The AD-6
is a much more powerful single-engine dive
.bomber. It was designed for this type of
work and has armor plating. We are pretty
excited about all the new airplanes. We can
really do good work with that kind of equip-
,ment.
March 13, 1964: McNamara, Secretray of
Defense, was here, spent his usual line, and
has gone back home to run the war with
his screwed-up bunch of people. We call
them "McNamara's band." I hope and pray
that somehow this man does something right
pretty soon.
Just one thing right will help immensely.
He did send a representative over here. All
he did was make the troops sore.
One of our complaints was that we can't
understand the air controller, so he sug-
gested that we learn Vietnamese. We said
we didn't have that much time, so he sug-
gested we stay here for 2 years. A brilliant
man. He's lucky to be alive. Some of the
guys honestly had to be held back from beat-
ing this idiot up. This man McNamara and
his whole idiot band will cause me not to
vote for Johnson no matter how much I
like his policies.
McNamara is actually second in power to
Johnson. But, as a military man, he finishes
a definite and decided last-all the way last.
Rumors are fast and furious. Nothing yet
on B-57's. Rumors that B-26's are all rigged
up with extra fuel tanks for long overwater
flights. B-26 should never fly again, even
if, rejuvenated. Also, a rumor that B-26
pilots will get instruction in the A-1H---an-
other single-engine dive bomber. All is still
in the air-all rumors.
March 22, 1964: Been flying pretty heavy
again. We've only got 20 pilots now and 11
airplanes. It keeps us pretty busy. Also,
got 2 more airplanes they're putting to-
gether in Saigon, so we'll soon be back up
to 13 airplanes again. Hope these last for
a while.
(That was Captain Shank's last letter. He
was killed in combat 2 days later. Edwin
Gerald Shank, Jr., was born June 21, 1936, in
the small farming community of Winamac,
Ind., where he grew up. He studied archi-
tecture at Notre Dame University and gradu-
ated in 1959 with a bachelor of science de
ree
CONGRESS ON TRIAL
Mr. CLARK. Mr. President, on Friday,
April 24, the junior Senator from New
York [Mr. KEATINC] made a most stimu-
lating address at the Ferris Booth Hall
on the Columbia University Campus in
New York City to the student body of
Columbia University. The address was
entitled "Congress on Trial." I com-
mend it to Senators. I ask unanimous
consent that the speech may be printed
at this point in my remayks.
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8892
There being no objection, the speech
was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
tls follows:
CONGRESS ON TRIAL
My remarks today will deal mainly with
what might be broadly termed the procedures
of Congress.
Rarely do we give the same attention to
the way things are done as to the substantive
Issues with which we are dealing. The news-
papers may be filled with reports. for ex-
ample, on the President's legislative program.
but precious little space will be devoted to
weeks of debate on amendments to the House
and Senate rules.
The procedural problems of Congress do
not have the obvious glamour of an appeal
for unconditional war against poverty. There
is nothing sensational about how Congress
disposes of its workload or regulates Its
debates.
Nevertheless, the manner In which Con-
gress carries out its responsibilities may have
a tremendous impact on the whole future of
our Nation.
In any system of representative govern-
ment, fair procedures are of vital importance.
The beet conceived programs will amount to
nothing if their consideration can be
thwarted by arbitrary rules or parliamentary
devices. In the final analysis, procedural
questions may determine not only the success
or failure of any program, but the confidence
of the body politic in the very Institutions of
government.
In my judgment. Congress- Is on trial.
Public confidence in the legislative branch is
at b low point because Congress has failed
dismally to keep its own house in order. Its
present methods of operations are tailor made
for obstruction, delay. Inefficiency, and mi-
nority control. Congressional reform is
essential if Congress is to fulfill the crucial
role in our system envisioned by the Found-
ing Fathers.
The indictment against Congress can be
supported by a bill of particulars showing
the steady decline in its status and influ-
ence.
Its most significant power has become the
power to negate the proposals of others,
The Constitution vested the veto power in
the President, but in contemporary practice
it is more often the executive branch that
Initiates and the Congress that vetoes legis-
lative proposals. As a consequence almost
all the initiative in determining national
policy has shifted decisively to the executive
department and to some extent to the Su-
preme Court. Rarely Is general legislation
monumental dispute was resolved, an argu- up or delay measures which would win- easy
ment arose as to whether the conference approval and in some cases have won approv-
committee should meet In the House or al of a majority of Members of Congress.
Senate wing of the Capitol. Finally, after The indictment of Congress must consid-
agreement was reached on these important er another aspect of Its operations-the un-
questions, billions of dollars were appro- fairness with which it deals with the people.
priated In a matter of days with only brief The people are entitled to fair treatment in
debate in both bodies. their dealings with the Government, whether
Occasionally there are weekend meetings they are witnesses before congressional com-
of the Congress and all night sessions, but mittees or witnesses in our courts or in ex-
little can be accomplished even under this ecutive agency proceedings. Yet practices
rigorous schedule when it is possible for an are condoned In congressional committee
h fir t
s
b
t
l
one occasion during which I was personally
present, the Senate met at 10 a.m. and did
not recess until 8:31 that evening. The
longest speech of the day wasthe Chaplain's
prayer. For 10 hours and 11 minutes on
that day, the Senate of the United States
devoted its entire effort to mustering and
maintaining a quorum of Its Members. Why?
So that at the end of the day It could recess
rather than adjourn to Its next meeting.
On another occasion, one member of a con-
gressional committee was permitted to ques-
tion the Attorney General on one bill during
eight successive meetings of the committee
stretching over a period of months. If every
member of the committee had assumed the
same prerogative under the same schedule, It
would have taken 2 years for the committee
to have completed Its 'questioning of this
one witness. By that time Congress would
have expired and the process would have to
be started all over again when the new Con-
gress convened.
The Congress of the United Stites is the
only legislative body in the woriti which
enshrines the filibuster In a formal rule,
allows one member to completely hamstring
the meetings of its committees, and has no
rule on the germaneness of amendments to
general legislation.
Under the Constitution a majority of each
House of Congress Is authorized to determine
the rules of its proceedings. In actual fact,
a majority of the Congress can be victimized
at will by the dilatory tactics of a determined
minority. In the words of President Wilson,
a profound student of government, "Its
majority is powerless, helpless. In the midst
of a crisis of extraordinary peril, when only
definite and decisive action can make the
Nation safe or shielded from war Itself by
the aggression of others, action is impos-
sible."
Delay is only one of the frustrations and
shortcomings in congressional operations-
only one of the weapons by which a minority
is able to exercise control over the actions
of a majority.
The whole committee system has been dis-
torted by the seniority rule and the Immense
powers of the committee chairmen. Ideally
each committee should function as the eyes
affecting the welfare of the Nation forged -
and developed in the first Instance by the
representatives of the people.
It might be thought that a Congress of
such negative character would be marked by
inactivity, but in fact Congress gets buster
and busier and the sessions get longer and
longer every year. This hum of activity,
however, Is a poor guide to the competence
and effectiveness of the legislative branch.
Indeed, the long sessions of Congress In some
ways are an indication of Its failings.
Congress appears to be bent upon proving
the maxim set forth in the Federalist Papers
that the smaller the power of an institution
"the more safely may its duration be pro-
tracted."
In the fact of the most serious domestic
and international problems. Congress daw-
dles and fiddles, frittering away weeks and
months of precious time without any deci-
sive action. It has achieved some of its
greatest records- of nonaccomplishment in
some of Its longest sessions, Including last
year's session which did not adjourn until
the end of December.
Months of valuable time was wasted In
petty bickering over who should preside at
meetings of House and Senate conference
committees on appropriations. When this
and ears of the House it serves on the matters tional Government. This is not inconsistent
not practice, the however, agents with recognition of an enlargement of ex-
the committees i hisserved eIn
of . but as have s agents the e committee ecutive power to deal with the global chal-
chairmen. lenges facing our Nation. But it rejects any
chairmen. Legislation which h overwhelm- notion that an increase in executive power
Ing been b of the Con. would favor has s must be drawn from the residue of a de-
an buried ried to committee. Repors which
an overwhelming majority of the Congress ciinlng Congress.
would reject have been Issued as official docu- A strong and independent Congress which
ments of the House and Senate. The com- reflects the Nation's will does not weaken
mittees in these instances become sounding buuCtfo fortifies meeting Nation's resolve and of ca-
boards for for a small claque which may rep- pacity for g the challenges
resent no interest but its own, and which 20th century.
makes no effort to reflect the views of a con- The movement for congressional reform is
gressional majority. not part of any plot to downgrade and dis-
The House Rules Committee is that body's credit Congress, as some of the defenders of
counterpart of the Senate filibuster for frus- the status quo have charged. Such charges
Crating action by a majority. It was de- are the ultimate in confusion between cause
signed to perform the functions of a tratec and effect. Congress is being discredited
cop In scheduling legislation, but Instead not by those working for reform, but by
has become a notorious stumbling block daily evidence of Its Incompetence for crea-
to action even on measures approved by tive and responsible decisionmaking, by
both the House and Senate. The enlarge- repeated exposures of conflicts of interest
ment of its membership was hailed as a great and -other abuses, by its inability to deal
reform. but the increase in its size did not efficiently even with the most routine house-
affect its powers and it continues to bottle keeping responsibilities.
e
e
d
hearings which members wou
to condemn in the operations of the other
branches of Government. It isn't only the
witnesses who suffer from this double stand-
ard, since time and again important commit-
tee hearings and reports are discredited by
attacks against committee procedures.
The double standard applies even more
forcefully to the action of Congress on con-
flict of interest legislation-action which has
exempted Congress from the high standards
of conduct it has imposed by law on the em-
ployees of the executive branch. Nothing
weakens confidence In Government as much
As the appearance of favoritism, inside deal-
ings, and the use of public office for per-
sonal advancement. Congress has an equal,
If not a special obligation to maintain the
highest standards of ethics in the conduct
of both its members and its staffs. The legis-
lative process has been described as the
"heartbeat of democracy," and if the heart
of our political system Is affitcted, the whole
body politic can be suffocated and destroyed.
These are some of the problems Congress
faces. Let us consider now the goals of con-
gressional reform.
Some of the most vigorous proponents of
congressional reform suggest that the goal
of reform is a Congress more responsive to
the desires of the President.
This is a serious mistake.
From a practical point of view, It increases
the difficulties of obtaining the bipartisan
support without which reform cannot suc-
ceed.
More fundamentally, it suggests that the
secondary role of Congress is our tripartite
system of government be confirmed rather
than changed.
Under this scheme, Congress would remain
an essentially negative institution not in the
sense that it would obstruct the programs of
the Chief Executive but In the sense that it
would rarely provide leadership and initia-
tive In meeting the Nation's problems.
There is no likelihood of self-reform on
this premise. A vast majority of Members
would join against any effort to promote a
rubberstamp Congress.
The most persuasive basis for reform is
the need to strengthen the position of Con-
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 hear iecturea and cYiscusslons by men re= reads as follows: posing direct U.S. intervention.
sponsibie or the Nation`s affairs. At the The situation is one that the South Viet-
the re- McNamara Agrees To Call It His War- namese themselves must solve," he said.
i
ti
f
i
y
ng
s
ll be sa
0 time they w
ulrements of die planned course of study in Secretary, Firm on Vietnam, Accepts MORSE'S Mr. McNamara said the appointment of
political science in which they are enrolled. Label. Maj. Gen. Richard G. Stillwell as Chief of
'they will attend seminars, read books and There being no objection, the article Staff of the Military Assistance Command in
write reports: was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, South Vietnam was not related to the possi-
Colgate's first Washington Study Group ar- as follows: ble replacement of Gen. Paul D. Harkins, the
rived in the Capital in September 1935. commander, but was part of a reorganization
Franklin D. Roosevelt was then serving his MCNAMARA AGREES To CALL IT HIS WAR-SEC- to increase effectiveness.
RETARY, FIRM ON VIETNAM, ACCEPTS MORSE'S FELT VOICES OPTIMISM
first term ;le President. Joseph W. Byres s; LAaEL
Tennessee led the House of Representatives-,
John Garner of Texas presided over the WASHINGTON, April 24.-Secretary of De- On Capitol Hill, Adm. Harry D. Felt, com-
tense Robert S. McNamara said today that mander of the U.S. forces in the Pacific, ex-
$enate. he did not mind if the fighting in Vietnam pressed optimism on the ultimate outcome
Abroad, the storm clouds a were students set- was termed "McNamara's War." of the war in South Vietnam. He testified
One In ashingt the Colgate s set- Senator WAYNE MORSE, Democrat, of Ore- in behalf of the administration's military
tied in Washington, Italyigvadtd Ethiopia. on, who renewed his attack on U.S. policy in assistance program. Still, forei the oub e s States o t p its hope that g on, Felt spoke in closed session before
home mpi nge the upon headline calling South McNamara's Sin aa'a war. Senate speech, has been the House Foreign Affairs Committee, but
,meson troubles concerns.' need At riot Impinge
Senator MORSE has objected especially to some of his observations were made public.
eiys
ands ileyerned the deaths of Will l "Rogers the U.S. commitment to continue support- He said it was comforting that the situa-
san Wiley Post ey 'that yeAugury, and the as- ing the Vietnamese forces as long as It takes tion in South Vietnam had "not gotten out
sassination of Huey this year's In tudy group to defeat the Communist Vietcong insur- of hand despite a deterioration during the
The .memorrs of this eads study group gents. past year." The South Vietnamese fighting
five, in a world far removed from that "I have a high regard for Senator MORSE, forces are improving in their tactics and
1935. They will be studying a 'different kind d but not in this respect," Mr. McNamara said effectiveness, he declared.
Of governmental process in a Washington at a news conference. "This is a war of the In previous testimony made public today,
that has changed its character. Essentially, U.S. Government. William P. Bundy, Assistant Secretary of
however, their purpose remains the same as "I am following the President's policy and State for Far Eastern Affairs, assured the
their predecessors-to apply their theoretical obviously in close cooperation with the Sec- committee that the recommendations of
knowledge of the functions of Government to _retary of State. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge were being
what they observe firsthand. "I must say," the Secretary continued, "I carefully heeded.
In Washington with the 19 Hamilton- group don't object to its being called McNamara's "I can say there are no recommendations
Jae: 'Robert , Elder, Jr., .; eA.' ss war. I think it is a very important war and that he has made that are not being carried
Jack r.sse Pointe , Warren, Woods, Stephen en n Philip aass. I am pleased to be identified with it and do out fully at the present time," Mr. Bundy
Johnstoner; , Bellaire 'Ohio, Farhad Kazemi, whatever I can to win it." said.
,
Teheran, Iran; Donald It. `Messinger, "Clyde, WORSE PRESSES ATTACK At one point in the hearing, which took 11 N Y,; Arnold l aphel, 'troy, N'.; Wayne A. In a lengthy floor speech, Senator MORSE place April 7, Representative WAYNE HAYS,
icli, Charleston, W. Va., David A. Rosen- charged that the U.S. participation in the Democrat, of Ohio, asserted that the U.S.
bloom, Albany, N.Y.; Charles Tantillo, oar- war in Vietnam was "illegal and a menace policy in South Vietnam had been a "com-
field, N.J.; and Edward M. Zachary, queens to the American Nation." plete failure."
Village, N.Y. He Cited the Geneva accords of 1954, which "I dispute that completely," Mr. Bundy
Ys2ling'Elder is the son of Colgate Prof. the United States did not sign but agreed to retorted.
Robert . E. Elder who followed Professor observe. The accords, in addition to other Mr. MORSE. Mr. President, let me
Jacobsen : as director .bf the Washington provisions, provided for the partition of Viet-
study group from 1952 to f963. l2.aphel is a nam and limited the amount of outside mili- say good-naturedly that the Secretary let
student of Hamilton College, and joins the tary assistance that could be brought into down some of his apologists in the Senate
'Colgate group as a result of efforts `toward the area. who have objected to my calling the uni-
Increasingly close cooperation between the . Mr. MORSE said that the United Nations lateral U.S. military action in South Viet-
two colleges. The one 'foreign student, Charter covered threats to the peace and nam what it truly is-McNamara's war.
P.+'arhad Kazemi of Iran, will add a useful that disputes should be turned over to the But it has been McNamara's war, be-
perspective to the study sessions. world body. The fighting in Vietnam is a cause he has prepared the blueprints for
Kazemi will not be the first foreign stu- "matter for the U.N., not for the U.S. Air this unjustifiable American military ac-
dent to?participate in a` study group. In the Force or the American Secretary of Defense
spring of 1952, 10 German university stu- to handle as they see fit," he said. Lion, as I have said over and over again,
dents accompanied the Colgate group to "Aside from the illegality of our interven- and I repeat now.
'Washington and returned saying they had tion, there is the sheer stupidity of a unilat- According to the article, the Secretary
'learned more about government in the eral American land war in Asia whose only stated:
United States than they had_ ever known promise Is to bog us down there indefinitely,"
-about their own country. the Senator declared. I obviously am am following lolloowincing the cooperation President's with the policy S and
an and
',19d " says Mr. Rasmussen "the group Mr. McNamara, at his news conference, retary of State.
9Ri11 be in Washington a t'aypartlcularly sig- `conceded that the fighting in South Vietnam
,riificant period in the Nation's history. Be- had flared considerably since Maj. Gen. Ngu- I must say I don't object to Its being called
cay,Se of tithe jragic' event of last fall, the yen Khanh took over the Government. "McNamara's war" I think it is a very im-
s`tudents-will,.hgve an c portunityto see how The Secretary attributed it to the many portant war and I am pleased to be identi-
fled with it and do whatever I can to win it.
the orderly transfer of governmental respon- changes that have been made in the regime,
sit 111ties 1s being effected. They will also not only by General Khanh but by his pred- Well, at long last, we have smoked him
be on the Capital scene at a time when the ecessors who also took power in coups d'etat. out. We now have an admission from
struggle for civil rights` is reaching a cli- "As you can well Imagine, this has created the Secretary ry of Defense that this Nation
Zuatic point. disorder," the Secretary said. "There has t engaged war.
The,silyex krintversary of the Washington been a vacuum. Into that vacuum the Viet-
Study group is especially significant be- cong have penetrated. Their rate of activity I ask the Secretary of Defense, I ask
cause` It Inaxkshe end of the teaching career has increased dramatically, as has their fatal- the Secretary. of State, I ask the Presi-
ot Pau} Jaoobsen founder of the group, who ity rate. dent: When are you going to ask for a
will retTrd on July 1, 1984 "If -I relnember the figures, they lost about declaration of war? I say from the floor
Tweetyfive successful semesters in Wash- 650 men killed or taken prisoner during the ington have serve$ to effectively demonstrate past week. That Is, I think, the highest of the Senate that the killing of Ameri-
particular ofd campus Study 'total in the last 2 or 3 years. can boys in South Vietnam cannot be jus-
tithe value 01 1;
rblip Colga e can be proud , of Professor "The Government forces have been under tifled, except on the basis of a declara-
e sceomplishm ents f these considerable pressure as a result of the in- tion of war. I charge that McNamara's
JAcobseprl And .th
26 grou s creased level of Vietcong attacks. They have war stands today an unconstitutional
also responded with amazing speed and eft war. It is now up to the President, the
feet}yeness. Their fatalities however, and -Sec -Secretary of State, and the Secretary of
SECR 'lA SS 1v~O OAN ,A AGR ass TO their casualties Have been high; again the Defense to send to Congress a declare-
dA ,h` T Ma, highest in the last 2 years. tide of war proposal. They should ask
'J think it will be several months before
~, 111IC5R112r esien~ I ask we see any` substantial progress." for constitutional, approval of the killing
~xliartj.moU once t that the rebe printed Mr. McNamara said he still believed in of American boys in McNamara's war.
".in the fECOxn an article, from today's ultimate victory. "In`response to questions, The American people are overwhelmingly
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April 25
against the war, I am sure. The people
are right. _
Parenthetically, I_ have another sug-
gestion to make, I say to the Secretary of
State, with regard to the Cuban crisis: I
think the way to counteract the Cuban
protest to the United Nations on the U-2
crisis is for the United States to serve
notice on the Secretary General of the
United Nations that we are perfectly
willing to meet the Cuban demand to
have a full and fair airing in the United
Nations of our position on the U-2 flights.
If it turns out that we are violating
International law by U-2 flights over
Cuba, we should be willing to adjust our
policy accordingly. Incidentally, Cuba
is a sovereign power, because, under in-
ternational law, that is as true of Com-
munist nations as it is of any other na-
tion. I have no doubt we would adjust
our Cuban policies to the findings of the
United Nations. I quite agree that there
should come through the United Nations
a finding as to whether the U.S. U-2
flights over the sovereign nation of Cuba
are justified. I have -no doubt what
would happen If a Cuban U-2-type
plane flew over Texas, Florida, or any
other part of the United States. It would
be shot down, as would a Russian or any
other foreign U-2-type plane.
As chairman of the Subcommittee on
Latin American Affairs, I state that the
probability is that a prima facie' case
exists against the United States in the
flying of U-2 planes over a sovereign ter-
ritory, even though it is Communist
Cuba. I abhor the government of
Cuba; but as in South Vietnam, I would
have my country stay within the frame-
work of International law. I know it is
outside the framework of international
law in South Vietnam, and I think a
prima facie case exists against us in re-
spect to U-2 flights over Cuba. Further-
more those flights are not necessary to
protect the security of the United States.
They are undoubtedly a convenient sur-
veillance technique for obtaining spying
information quickly. However, we all
know that Cuba cannot succeed In build-
ing up any aggressive military prepara-
tions without our knowing It. Also we
all know that any time Cuba crosses the
line of justifiable national defense, and
enters the area of aggression, we can and
will protect our security Immediately by
an attack so quickly and devastatingly
that Cuba will be completely destroyed
as a military threat.
Right now we have a great opportu-
nity to demonstrate to all the world that
we seek peaceful procedures for the set-
tlement of international disputes by
welcoming a United Nations review of
the justification, if any, under interna-
tional law of United States U-2 flights
over Cuba.
UNEASINESS IN GERMANY
Mr. JAVITS. Mr. President, the peo-
ple of West Germany are uneasy about
the course of U.S. foreign policy in Eu-
rope. The Senate speech by the Senator
from Arkansas [Mr. FI7LBRIGHT] and the
recent statements by President Johnson
and Chairman Khrushchev have caused
the people of West Germany to become
apprehensive that we may be consider-
ing our policy of protecting the integrity
and security of West Berlin and our sup-
port of their hope for the ultimate re-
unification of Germany.
They must be reassured that our pol-
icy has not changed. President John-
son's speech in New York, last Monday,
before the Associated Press, should have
given this assurance; but this is a sub-
ject of such great concern to West Ger-
many that we must make especially sure
that there is no question about our pol-
icy toward that nation.
This was made clear last Tuesday-
after the President's foreign policy
speech had been read by the Germans-
when Dr. Heinrich Krone expressed the
uneasiness which prevails in West Ger-
many regarding possible United States-
Soviet agreements on matters of vital
concern to Germany.
Dr. Krone, chairman of the National
Defense Council of the West German
Cabinet, and an influential member of
the Christian Democratic Party said:
The impression should not arise that the
defensive strength and will to defense of the
West is weakening. This means that the
leading power of the West, which alono by
virtue of its nuclear weapons can present a
completely effective deterrent, must not dis-
mantle its troop presence in Europe rapidly
or in a conspicuous way.
This uneasiness, in part, stems from
the Implications left by Senator FvL-
BRIGHT's now-famous "myths (Lnd reali-
ties" speech. The principal ideas of that
speech were that U.S. diplomacy is.
to a large and dangerous degree, based,
not on the facts of international life, but
on its "myths"; that the United States
should recognize that the U.S.S.R. has
"ceased to be totally and implacably hos-
tile to the West," and that we must make
a distinction between "communism as an
ideology and the power and policy of the
Soviet state," If we are to deal with the
Soviet Union effectively.
The straightforward application of
these Ideas to the German situation.
would require, in my view, the abandon-
ment of the cold realities upon which our.
policies are, and have been, based, and
the substitution of new principles based
on a myth. We must remember that If
changes within the Soviet bloc call for
reconsideration of our European policy,
they certainly dictate that our German
leolicy-which Is central to our Euro-
pean policy-must be reexamined and
adjusted. But there is no evidence what-
ever that the current thaw in East-West
relations has had any impact on the
Soviet Union's position on German re-
unification or related issues. The So-
viets consider a weak and neutral Ger-
many essential to their security.
The Soviet formula for reunification,
which has been unacceptable to us all
along, calls initially for a provisional
government for all Germany, composed
of representatives of the existing states.
This government would set election laws
and hold a nationwide election if all
parties agree that the new nation would
remain neutral. The Soviets have two
objectives in adhering to this plan. They
want to give the East German govern-
ment equal status to the freely elected
West German Government, and they
want to neutralize Germany perma-
nently.
Other than reunification, their plan
for Germany would require West Ber-
lin to become a demilitarized "free city"
within East Germany, and would estab-
lish the Oder-Neisse line as the perma-
nent border between East Germany and
Poland. To this day, this constitutes the
official position of the Soviet Govern-
ment.
In contrast, our policy regarding Ger-
many continues to callfor reunification
as the result of free elections throughout
Germany. We feel that the resulting
government should sign a peace treaty
and should decide whether to form al-
liances with any foreign state. We have
pledged ourselves to defend Berlin from
forcible incorporation into East Ger-
many, and to settle Its status peacefully,
only as part of an all-German settle-
ment. We have also said that the per-
manent border between Germany and
Poland should be decided by a future
peace treaty, and that we would give full
support to the political, economic, and
military integration of Germany into
Western Europe.
It is understandable, then, that the
speech of the Senator from Arkansas
[Mr. FULBRIGHTI, coupled with the state-
ments of President Johnson and Chair-
man Khrushchev in connection with the
reduction of the production of fissionable
materials, has caused considerable un-
easiness in West Germany. Yet, while
the West German Government acknowl-
edged the desirability of the reduction of
production of fissionable materials, many
West Germans fear that the detente
called for by the Senator from Arkansas
[Mr. FuLBRIGHT] may mean recognition
of the status quo in Germany, a willing-
ness on the part of the United States to
recognize the East German Government,
and the "defusing of the Berlin bomb" at
West Germany's expense.
These fears are unjustified. The
United States considers its relations to
the people and Government of West Ger-
many a key element of our European
policy. President Johnson made our
position entirely clear on this point, after
his meeting with Chancellor Ludwig Er-
hard last December. In their communi-
que, the two leaders agreed that "there
should be no arrangement that would
serve to perpetuate the status quo of a
divided Germany, one part of which is
deprived of elementary rights and
liberties."
They also reaffirmed the "commitment
to the peaceful reunification of the Ger-
man people in freedom, by self-deter-
mination."
The President also reassured the Chan-
cellor that the United States would con-
tinue to meet its commitments in Berlin.
In his speech to the Associated Press,
the President reaffirmed the continued
adherence of the United States to time-
tested foreign policy principles which
have been upheld under four Presidents
because they reflect the realities of our
world and the aims of our country. We
must be alert to shifting realities, to
emerging opportunities, always alert to
fresh dangers. But we must not mistake
Approved For Release 2005/02/10 : CIA-RDP66B00403R000200140051-7