Ion, 25th June, 1855. on Sunday and the proprietors of the big shops are quite willing to do away with the / is today the English Sunday competition of the small archy. Such is the Church, its fry by parliamentary means. In sister. Countless attempts both cases there is a conspiracy organization have been made of the Church with monopoly in the Established Church, capital, but in both cases there are the High and the Low, religious penal laws against the mpts to come to an consciences of the privileged classes erstanding with the Dissenters at rest. The Beer Bill was as far thus to set up a compact from hitting the aristocratic clubs e to oppose the profane as the Sunday Trading Bill is s of the nation. There has from hitting the Sunday 1 a rapid succession of measures occupations of genteel society. The eligious coercion. The pious workers get their wages late on of Shaftesbury, formerly Saturday: they are the only wn as Lord Ashley, bewailed ones for whom shops open on fact in the House of Lords that Sundays. They are the only ones Ingland alone five millions compelled to make their become wholly alienated not purchases, small as they are, on from the Church but Sundays. The new bill is therefore n Christianity altogether. directed against them alone. In mpelle intrare, replies the the eighteenth century the French blished Church. It leaves to aristocracy said: For us, Voltaire; d Ashley and similar dissenting, for the people, the mass and the arian and hysterical pietists tithes. In the nineteenth century ull the chestnuts out of the fire the English aristocracy says:
For us, pious phrases; for the first measure of religious Christian practice. The cion was the Beer Bill, which classical saint of Christianity t down all places of public mortified his body for the salvation ertainment on Sundays, of the souls of the masses; the ept between 6 and 10 p.m. This modern, educated saint mortifies the was smuggled through the bodies of the masses for the use at the end of sparsely salvation of his own soul. nded sitting, after the pietists This alliance of a dissipated, bought the support of the degenerating and pleasure-seeking public-house owners of London aristocracy with a church propped guaranteeing them that the up by the filthy profits calculated nce system would continue, upon by the big brewers and is. that big capital would monopolizing wholesalers was the in its monopoly, Then came occasion yesterday of a mass Sunday Trading Bill, which demonstration in Hyde Park, the now passed its third reading like of which London has not seen he Commons and separate since the death of George IV, ises of which have just *the first gentleman of Europe.' n discussed by commissions in We were spectators from beeinning h Houses. This new coercive to end and do not think we are sure too was ensured the exaggerating in saying that the • of big capital, because only English Revolution began yesterday 1l shopkeepers keep open in Hyde Park. The latest news It is an old and histrically established maxim that obsolete social orces, nominally still in possession of all the tributes of power and continuing to vegetate Ing after the basis of their existence has rotted way, inasmuch as the heirs are quarrelling amon themselves over the inheritance even before th obituary notice has been printed and the testamnt read - that theseforces once more summon a their strength before their agony of death, pas from the defensive to the offensive, challenge Istead of giving way, and seek to draw the mor extreme conclusions from premises which have pt only been putin question but already condemni.
from the Crimea acted as an trappings, followed by swarms Majesty is unwilling to let her land elegant ladies and gentlemen, effective ferment upon this of lackeys. It will be realized be used by the people for their 'commoners and Lords' in their 'unparliamentary,' *extra- from the above placard that meetings. So let's move to high coaches-and-four with parliamentary' and anti- the struggle against clericalism Oxford Market! liveried lackeys in front and parliamentary demonstration. assumes the same character in With the ironical cry: "God behind, joined, to be sure, Lord Robert Grosvenor, who England as every other serious save the Queen!' the throng broke by a few mounted venerables fathered the Sunday Trading Bill, struggle there - the character of up to journey to Oxford Market. slightly under the weather from when reproached on the score of a class struggle waged by the But meanwhile, Finlen, a the effects of wine, did not this this measure being directed solely poor against the rich, the peopl member of the Chartist executive, time pass by in review but played against the poor and not against against the aristocracy, the rushed to a tree some distance the role of involuntary actors the rich classes, retorted that the lower orders against their bette away followed by a crowd who in who were made to run the aristocracy was largely refraining At three o'clock approximately a twinkle formed so close gauntlet. A babel of jeering, from employing its servants and 50,000 people had gathered at t and compact a circle around him taunting, discordant ejaculations, horses on Sundays. "The last few days spot announced on the right bank that the police abandoned their in which no language is as rich of the past week the following of the Serpentine in Hyde Parl attempt to get at him. as English, soon bore down poster, put out by the Chartists and immense meadows. Gradually "Six days a week, he said, *we upon them from both sides. affixed to all the walls of the assembled multitude are treated like slaves and now As it was an improvised concert, London, announced in huge letters: swelled to a total of at least Parliament wants to rob us of instruments were lacking. *New Sunday Bill prohibiting 200,000 due to additions from d the bit of freedom we still have on The chorus therefore had only its newspapers, shaving, smoking, other bank, Milling groups of the seventh. These oligarchs own organs at its disposal and eating and drinking and all people could be seen shoved and capitalists allied with was compelled to confine itself to kinds of recreation and about from place to place. The sanctimonious parsons wish to do vocal music. And what a nourishment, both corporal and police, who were present in penance by mortifving us devil's concert it was: a cacophony spiritual, which the poor people force, were obviously endeavour instead of themselves for the of grunting, hissing, whistling, still enjoy at the present time. An to deprive the organizers of the unconscionable murder in the squeaking, snarling, growling, open-air meeting of artisans, meeting of what Archimedes ha Crimea of the sons of the people? croaking, shrieking, groaning, workers and the lower orders" asked for to move the earth, We left this group to approach rattling, howling, gnashing sounds! generally of the capital will take namely, a place to stand upon another where a speaker stretched A music that could drive one place in Hyde Park on Sunday Finally a rather large crowd ma out on the ground addressed mad and move a stone. To this afternoon to see how religiously a firm stand and Bligh the his audience from this horizontal must be added outbursts of the aristocracy is observing the Chartist constituted himself position. Suddenly shouts could genuine old-English humour Sabbath and how anxious it is not chairman on a small eminence be heard on all sides: "Let's go peculiarly mixed with longto employ its servants and horses the midst of the throng. No to the road, to the carriages!" contained seething wrath. Go to on that day, as Lord Robert sooner had he begun his baran The heaping of insults upon horse church! were the only articulate Grosvenor said in his speech. The than Police Inspector Banks at riders and occupants of carriages sounds that could be distinguished. meeting is called for three o'clock the head of 40 truncheon-swingl had meanwhile already begun. One lady soothingly offered a on the right bank of the constables explained to him The constables, who constantly prayer-book in orthodox binding Serpentine' (a small river in that the Park was the private received reinforcements from from her carriage in her Hyde Park), 'on the side towards property of the Crown and that the city, drove the promenading outstretched hand. "Give it to Kensington Gardens. Come and meeting might be held in it. pedestrians off the carriage road. your horses to read! came the bring your wives and children After some pourparlers in whie! They thus helped to bring it thundering reply, echoing a in order that they may profit by Bligh sought to demonstrate to about that either side of it was thousand voices. When the the example their "betters" set them! that parks were public propert lined deep with people, from horses started to shy, rear. buck It should be borne in mind, of and in which Banks rejoined tApsley House up Rotten-Row and finally run away, jeopardizing course that what Longchamps* he had strict orders to arrest along the Serpentine as far as the lives of their genteel burdens, means to the Parisians, the road him if he should insist on Kensington Gardens - a distance the contemptuous din grew along the Serpentine in Hyde Park carrying out his Intention, Blig of more than a quarter of an hour. louder, more menacing, more means to English hich society - shouted amidst the bellowing of The spectators consisted of ruthless. Noble lords and ladies, the place where an afternoon, the masses surrounding him: about two-thirds workers and among them Lady Granville, particularly on Sunday, they •Her Majesty's police declare th one-third members of the the wife of a minister and parade their magnificent horses Hyde Park is private property middle class, all with women and President of the Privy Council, and carriages with all their of the Crown and that Her children. The procession of were forced to alight and use their own legs. When elderly gentlemen rode past wearing broad-brimmed hats and otherwise so apparelled as to betray their special claim to perfectitude in matters of belief, the strident outbursts of fury were extinguished, as if in obedience to a command, by inextinguishable laughter. One of these gentlemen lost his patience. Like Mephistopheles he made an impolite gesture, sticking out his tongue at the enemy. "He is a windbag, a parliamentary man! He fights with his own weapons!" someone shouted on one side of the road. He is a psalm-singing was the antistrophe from the opposite side. Meanwhile the metropolitan electric telegraph had informed all police stations that a riot was about to break out in Hyde Park and the police were ordered to the theatre of military operations. Soon one detachment of them after another marched at short intervals through the double file of people, from Apsley House to Kensington Gardens, each received with the popular ditty:
Where are the geese?
Ask the police!
This was a hint at a notorious theft of geese recently committed by a constable in Clerkenwell. The spectacle lasted three hours. Only English lungs could perform such a feat. During the performance opinions such as, "This is only the beginning!' That is the first step!' We hate them! and the like were voiced by various groups. While rage was Inscribed on the faces of the workers, such smiles of blissful self-satisfaction covered the physiognomies of the middle classes as we had never seen there before. Shortly before the end the demonstration increased in violence. Canes were raised in menace of the carriages and through the welter of discordant noises could be heard the cry of 'you rascals!' During the three hours zealous Chartists, men and women, ploughed their way through the throng, distributing leaflets which stated in big type: "Reorganization of Chartism! *A big public meeting will take place next Tuesday, 26th June, in the Literary and Scientific Institute in Friar Street, Doctors' Commons, to elect delegates to a conference for the reorganization of Chartism in the capital. Admission free.
Most of the London papers carry today only a brief account of the events in Hyde Park. No leading articles as yet, except in Lord Palmerston's Morning Post'.
It claims that a spectacle both disgraceful and dangerous in the extreme has taken place in Hyde Park, an open violation of law and decency - an illegal Interference by physical force in the free action of the Legislature.' It urges that this scene must not be allowed to be repeated the following Sunday, as was threatened:
At the same time, however, it declares that the fanatical' Lord Crosvenor is sole y responsible" for this mischief being the man who provoked the 'just indignation of the people.' As If Parliument had not adopted Lord Grosvenor's bill in three readings! Or perhaps he too brought his Influence to bear by physical force on the free action of the Lerislature?' #Longehamps: a hippodrome in the outskirts of Paris. - Ed.
HEBLACK DWARF 13.7 support among Gis. without a stable and my, it would be virtually Ever since the massive intervenle for US imperialism to tion in Vietnam by the Americans, s aggression, not only in but anywhere else. Any the anti-war trying to evolve movement has been successful strategy towards the troops. of towards bringing about the wing movement immensely vn of the army - towards One approached the problem of inducGIs to actively challenge the army as a 'moral' pose their government's tion into question, and insisted upon focusing in Vietnam would be its efforts upon the tactic of draft ense it of imperialism American government can contribution towards resistance argued for and desertion. the necessity Another of socialists and anti-war activists to nore a mass mobilization 00 students: could it afford consciously go into the army and their anti-war activities e a mass mobilization of there. Draft resistance and desertion continue GIs? this wing said, could at best only il army opposition WAS appeal to a tiny minority of the ally revealed in the refusal and those about to killed." st 24, at Fort Hood, Texas. soldiers TOo big a jump in It black soldiers to go to consciousness was being asked of drafted. to protect the Democratic GIs. The consequences were too anyone envention. Also, it has been drastic: either a long prison sentence that there have been two or exile in Canada or some other the army camp stockades foreign country.
Binh and Tan Son Nhut in Alan Myers, Sp/4. a Gl who has Alongside this has been been threatened with victimization ping opposition inside the because of his anti-war activities, the Vietnam protest moveexpressed what the attitude should America attempts to win empirical access to the country, could see the contradictions and hear the gripes, for the most part they felt certain they were "doing a job." The militaristic beliet that citizens have a duty to serve in the military was well ingrained.
ER AN ABSENCE OF two and one half 1966. with the huge build-up of ears, I returned to Viet-Nam this American forces, came a different soldiersummer, to see for myself what the and with him came chaos. The streets of thinking and how he was perform- y person who has had a long ac- Saigon soared; there was standing room only in were choked with Gl's; prices nce with the military and has been bars and night clubs; incidents among I to war is condemned to a lifetime nation with both. This is as true for ho have learned to detest militarism soldiers, namese, importantly, access and mobility began to and between soldiers and Viet became all too common. Most or members of the American Legion.
have an effect on morale opposite to that al object of that fascination is the intended. To correct the situation, the a man who has been plucked from military enacted a crash program to re iar environment and plunked down move all "nonessential" soldiers from the eign and unnatural collectivity. larger towns and cities, and a mammoth some time, before I revisited Viet- "positive, information" program. As the whenever my opinion about troop number of troops increased, the number of was sought 1 assured my audience who defend ine led massive 30,000 Vietnam be to The Mobilizer, journal of the demonsrauon. carrying sign, Student Mobilization Committee. 'GIs for Peace', 'The anti-war movement's defense Out of this action was formed an civil liberties of GIs exclusively GI anti-war group which important. The Gis began to organize and lay plans for soldier's right to hold opinions, to future activity. On August 10, over speak their minds, whether they're Gls supported by Ovel *SUB. for or against the war... civilians attended a GI Teach *That kind of activity makes Gis at Berkley. Only active duty Gis realize that the anti-war movement and recently returned velerans is their friend, first of all because spoke, either as part of the regular it defends the Gl's rights, and programme or in the 'open mike' second, because the anti-war move- session when Gis from every ment is not only defending their branch of the armed services got up civil liberties, but is also trying to and stated their resentments and save their lives by preventing them opposition to the war, and to enfrom being sent to Vietnam to be courage others to campaign against should not have surprised The reaction of the army brass that the first notable to these events has been to single success for this approach, after a the organizers of the activities. series of legal cases involving Gl's Michael Locks, Airman First Class rights around the country, came and 2nd Lieutenant Hugh F. Smith. in San Francisco last April 27, the But the brass are obviously jittery. severe area where opposition to the war This can be seen in the text of a is most widespread. A small con- telegram from army brass to the AFR tingent of Gis from Fort Ord and United States Air Force CommuniHamilton Air Force Base. with 30 cations Center. which was leaked -The Decline and Fall of U,S. Morale (Extract from Ramparts)
R&R (rest and recuperation) leave during ber of people back home whose orinions he his 12 months-out-of-country. If he is career personnel), and although they had fortunate enought to be assigned to a fire does.
base atop one of the many mountains, he Examples of the changing will be allowed one in-country R&R-but it cannot be taken in Saigon. The leave bunker at Fire Base 29, a ce must be taken in some place like Vung Tau joyfully announced in front ofhis command(formerly Cap St. Jacques), once the playground of the French and now the main only three days left. Then he started dumpin country R&R center. ing on his unit and the MEDCA (Medical and Vung Tao is isolated on a peninsula Civil Affairs) program. He which juts out into the South China Sea at the envy of all those present, the mouth of the Saigon River. Its once manding officer walked qu quiet, tree-lined streets are now cluttered bunker. And in November with GI's and hundreds of shanty bars. The Westmoreland was calling ! tranquility of the long white beaches is Loc Ninh a victory, other fractured by the chrome whistles of the out that the same enemy i Special Services lifeguards who watch over at Loc Ninh attacked Eu acres of sunburned soldiers water skiing, later. When MACV (MilitaryA body surfing and sailboating. The Gl's mand in Viet-Nam) state pursuit of happiness is unhampered by the known all along that the T presence of Vietnamese-today in Vung coming, laughter among Tau, the Vietnamese are a minority. unanimous. No one kno This may well. be the fest time in Hitory that an army been holated from the realised that: taken alice with! them to help publicize an October Since there are MATIOnAI policy mobilization of Gls in considerations in such an order it San Francisco. should emanate from DOD The following is a reprint of the (Department of Defense - E.T., original: or at least Air Force level. I recomPersonal from General McConnell mend this be done at once so that from General Estes. Smith will realise that if he pro2nd Lieutenant Hush F. ceeds he sab co hit himself with Smith FV3179560. I am informed certainty punitive that facts and circumstances of this action. matter have been discussed with you . the absence of a regulation by General Manss and Capucci and order specifically / prohibiting That there secretarial interest, activity believe any criminal (Secretary E.T.). prosecution would be tenuous to Smith organising •Peace the least, particularly in view Vietnam' demonstration of the political climate of the day. uniform to take place *If the foregoing is unattainable. HEAnCISCO He applied I reluctantly recommend that we received a permit for a demonstra be given the authority to proceed beld on 2ist September. with dispatch with/AFR36-3 action Subsequently, permit changed which has been recommended by 12th October. Strongly believe. this the commander 349MAW and condemonstration should be quashed Commander 22AR realise ell curred General Sherill, because of possible Impact on military discipline would result in a discharge under throughout the services. There is no hosourable conditions, but the disAir Force Regulations postion of Smith is relatively unE.T. specifically proscribing this important as compared to the AFR35-78 pointed highly on ludes are? numerous. For instance, in a command I cannot control the destruction. Lam not we medic their representative: because I am of the • Rovernment, to my people 1 now represent ing officer and his fellow Gle that he had only destruction.
NE AFTERNOON WHILE 1 WAS grabbing obviously a hamburger at the tso, two GI's from a log" command were at the 1 the comfrom the next table going through the Stars and General Stripes. Turning to the centerfold, one sol attle of dier suddenly burst out with, "Sons of pointing bitches!" ¡troyed" What is it?" asked the other. free to the Gl's. len days "This, that's what." The soldier showed his companion a two-page spread. Most of they had the pictures were of damaged houses and rubble that had once been houses. The ive was Gis was Captions said that, whereas the allies had Man the been taking great pains to avoid excessive id hot have Cholon. solely by Vie siderate destruction a heat lor 'Support Our Men in personnel are permitted to demon- Bring the GIs Home Now: After strate in uniform against national the anti-war movement along with defense policies with impunity. the civil liberties organizations, The Pentagon, Washington DC, rallied to his defense, Myers won 29th August, 1968. his fight. Kos's case is still pending. Both Locks and Hughs were although because of the pressure immediately notified of their trans- some of the restrictions imposed ferral to another base, one of them upon him have been lifted. a staging base for Vietnam. With Another sign of the increase in the help of civil civilian liberties anti-war mood among the soldiers groups who rallied to their defense. is seen in the mushrooming of a these moves were defeated. series of underground, GI produced other related cases, the newspapers, opposed to the war. military brass took punitive The best known are Vietnam Gl measures against two members of and "Task Force These papers are the Young Socialist Alliance, hated by the army brass and any Walter Kos. stationed in Fort GI caught circulating them are Bragg. Carolina, and Sp/4 Allan often victimized. Nevertheless they Myers (already mentioned) in Fort get around and are taken on to the Dix, New Jersey. Both faced court bases by local anti-war activists. martial for distributing anti-war Individual copies of the papers are material on their bases, a blatant often read by as many as twenty violation of their constitutional soldiers, passing from hand to hand. rights: their records as soldiers had "Task Force' in the first four days been challenged. Kos's crime of its appearance, sold over 5,000 was in distributing a GI newspaper copies. The *Black Dwarf readers Myers's was in giving out a should get these papers and distrileaflet of the Philadelphia Student bute them to US soldiers in Mobilization Committee, entitled, England. E. Tate the U.S. Army has shipped over 200 milhe offsets what he considers hypocrisy b lion pounds of supplies out of Viet-Nam. talking to as well as with other GT's. As a The total includes 34.76 million pounds of group, I found the information specialists equipment issued to troop units which are econd only to the junior officers as the mos returned to base depots, unused, for lack eynical and dissident element in Viet-Nam of need. Much of the remaining equipment Another part of the military's problem never gets off the beach, much less out of - is mail from home, traditionally a high the crates. Yet excess material continues to priority item. Logistics aside, mail is now pile up on those same beaches. presenting the military with a new problem. Hundreds of supply specialists have had Many GI's, aware that they are being to be sent to Viet-Nam just to identify the systematically propagandized within a material in the piles-the labels have long limited frame of reference, deliberately ago bleached out or washed away in open seek out sources for divergent views. One storage. Equipment not rusted or rotted such source is the small tabloids put out away is "retrograded" to Japan, Okinawa by various groups in the States and sent or Thailand. To the original cost of these excess supplies must be added the shipping, When these tabloids first started showing reshipping and handling costs, and the up in the GI's mail, they were so obviously cost in terms of extra men and cauipment written by people with no conception of needed to handle such bulk. the dilemma of their target audience that The culprit, the Army says, is that infalthe military gleefully allowed them to be lible money-saver, the computer. The comdistributed. But new tabloids have appeared, puter has been programmed for automa "VietNam Gt." is written guisitions supplies to be shipped whi albeit for be not Tent the dastardly
allar environment and plunked down cted a crasl program to te oreign and unnatural collectivity. move all "nonessential" sokfiers from the today in Vung laughter amon r some time. before I revisited Viet- larger towns and cities, and a mammoth Tau, the Vietnamese are a minority unanimous. No one kno _whenever my opinion about troop "positive information" program. As the This may well be the fest sine in history soklier bow suprised the le was sought I assured my audience number of troops increased, the number of that an army has boo isolated from the realised that the attacke Had not ban believed it to be good, that the United military information specialists and small populace not to deny information to the taken place without the dance of what military, like any army, was expend- unit newspapers increased geometrically. enemy hut to deny information to the they had thought were amese friends o little effort to assure that our men troops. Unfortunately, however, the pro- Daily announcements= sufficiently motivated to make them N WHAT APPEARS TO BE a deliberate gram hasn't worked, and all the time-proven tacks are now grected e molly as a rather Fective force and to cushion them attempt to isolate as many troops as gimmicks to improve morale seem only to transparent attempt by -rass to aron st privation and hardship. As time possible from the Vietnamese, the have created more problems. being caught again with on their faces on, however, despite the prattle of military has created a series of camps in experts as Bob Hope and Martha the Corps Tactical Zones (cTZ), each camp LTHOUGH CRITICISMS OF OUR Viet-Nam THE VAGARIeS oF i policymakers doubts began to form in my mind. the size of a modest city. Normal procedure policies and practices can be heard have even had the effects on the rt this was the result of an increase has been to select a site which is well re- from military personnel all over the Marines. In Nove r, elementy of endly mail, in response to certain of moved from population centers but central country, it does not mean that the soldiers the First and Fourth Mat were placed in rticles, from Gl's in Viet-Nam. More to an area of operation; to bulldoze the area, in Viet-Nam are ready to mutiny, throw a static position at Khe Sawthey were told rtant, I realized that the government surround it with mines and barbed wire down their weapons and embrace the enemy. that the losses they toolunder suddenly expending an inordinate and construct camps that closely resemble On the contrary. Despite the contradictions, artillery and rocket fire we necessary be int of energy and resources to cen- Camp Funston at Fort Riley, Kansas. despite the futility of not getting anywhere, cause Khe Sanh was "esitial." Predi the soldiers and the folks at home that The 4th Division "Highlanders" Camp most soldiers want to believe that they are ably, the defense of Khe Sin was termed a morale and esprit were high. So I Enari illustrates the point. The division is right, that they haven't been sold a bill of victory. But in July, the le was suddenl ed to see for myself. responsible for the highlands area of Il goods, that what they are doing is impor- declared nonessential ar as evacuater over Viet-Nam today large columns cZ, and is homesteading a huge new com- tant. Most avoid debating the war at all; It is doubtful that there is one Marin lious black smoke rise to violate the lex, well outside of Pleiku, The camp is when they can't avoid it, they fall back on who was personally sorry leave, but clear blue of the Asian sky. And it's: complete with its own water and power Ruskisms and emotion. Unfortunately, in withdrawal created much iterness. Whi apalm. It's burning shit. Amid a host supplies, an airstrip, a PX, information spite of themselves and the efforts of the the bulldozers were rippinp the runwa ficators, few symbolize the changed na- offices, a supply depot, a swimming pool, military, information of the unprocessed and bunkers, a correspdent asked of the war andithe military in Viet-Nam several clubs—in short, it's a self-sufficient variety seeps through. It comes from the "grunt" what he thoug bout the with those black columns. From the DMZ city. There are more than 5000 soldiers GI's own observations, or from what drawal. "Go tell it to dead" was hil • Delta, on denuded mountain tops and stationed at this headquarters post-more another soldier has seen and related, and snarled reply. se camps, each morning hundreds of than one-fourth of the division's total it is having its effects. When the story wastated fo Lieu are detailed to extract thousands of cu strength. These men, in addition to being Missing among the troops in Viet-Nam tenant Colonel Allen (uc) who coni oil drums from beneath an equa "home" guards, support three large for- is the sense of union that normally develops tinually reminds his lists that he is a er of privies. After moving the con- ward bases, which in turn support a series among individuals who live and work to- PhD with an IQ of lithe responded: rs a short distance, the unfortunates on of fire bases atop the mountains, which in gether. The interests of the black soldier, "The trouble is the grumust can't underait detail (men who no doubt arrived in turn protect the support bases on the valley for instance, are not those of his white stand a war of attrition, id perhaps they Nam believing themselves to be the floors. Indeed, so many troops are occupied contemporary, and he is in Viet-Nam for can't. To a man helples crouching day ders of freedom's frontiers) pour diesel with supporting those who are supporting, very different reasons. The military is still after day watching his buies being killed 1 the contents, ignite it and periodically that less than one-third of the division can an economic refuge for blacks, but the black and wounded, questional kill-ratio statis. he flaming excretion until it is con- be spared for offensive action. Cam Ranh, soldier is becoming aware of what's happen- tics inflicted on an unkno, unseen enemy d. As he keeps shuffling to windward Chu Lai and Long Binh are three other ing in the cities at home, and the idea of are small consolation. A after so much dividual can contemplate his lot ("And similarly isolated enclaves where GI's can being sent home to fight his own people suffering, to turn around admit it was did you do in the war, Daddy?") or be deluged with "positive" information. in the ghetto is be inning to haunt him more all a mistake, "But with new plan... calculate the thousands of man hours Replacements for the 4th Division arrive and more. In addition, although there is The lethargy, lack oggressiveness if gallons of diesel oil expended each week by jet at Cam Ranh Bay (American); mutual assistance on the job and "soul you like, is not restrictto enlisted perrn shit. within 48 hours they are flown to an airfield brother" relationships sometimes develop sonnel. Except in "elitinits." a junior found the Army changed. It has (American) near Pleiku where they are across racial lines, the difference in back- officer seldom gains thonfidence of his ged because there is a new soldier i immediately put aboard a bus (American) grounds and interests is still conspicuously men by endangering thevith "gung ho" Nam. a man who comes from tha and driven to Camp Enari (American). present. Complaints are heard about a lack acts. Time and again lard lieutenants of our society which is vital and turbu- There they are given briefings by officers of "soul nights at the service clubs, and state that they were ger out and going To generalize on the soldier in Viet- who take turns lecturing them on the typical in the rear areas even the camaraderie of back to school to becomachers. "P'd like would be as unrealistic as generalizing do's and don'ts: Take your malaria pills... the foxhole is sadly lacking. to stay in until I make rain, for reserve e youth here at home, but it is safe to there is a strain of VD here that can't be Fights occur, and with increasing fre- purposes, but if I do Pld up back here, hat this new soldier is no more prone cured... don't mess around with the Viet- quency, between the "lifers" and the "short- and I'm never coming b to Nam." cept officialdom's explanations than he namese or Montagnards working around termers" (the category is determined more Mass firepower, origiy used to offiet when he was a civilian. In fact, what the camp don't be telling the press war by attitude and state of mind than by rank, a shortage of line triand to forestall set him apart from the GI's of a few stories or how bad things are 'cause things time in service or means of induction). outraged cries over hi casualties, has ago is the fact that he is really still a aren't bad. You tell the press stoties and When off-duty, the two go their separate become the young officiout. This is not an-his basic training somehow didn't they print them and that's what causes all ways. as do the blacks and the whites. a comment on bravery bither on attitude. " The new draftee or enlistee has these peace marches and things.... If you Another division is between the walkies" Because of the junior lers* attitude, the involved passively or actively in the see somethine you don't understand ask (usually lifers) and the "pot-heads" (usually military has had to rep leadership with it debate" for a couple of years now; the cadre to explain it-that's why we're short-termers). The feeling against grass technology. This in tiris resulted in inwell informed, and information has be- here.." Each point is driven home with a users seems to rise in proportion to alcohol creasing hostility on tart of the Vietan enemy of the military establish- horror story, a liberal waving of the Man- intake. The very sight of a man known to namese toward the Amans. Vietnamese Dual for Courts-Martial, the threat of LaJ use grass is often enough to send an "alkie" reaction to the whole destruction of rough 1965 and into 1966, soldiers (Long Binh jail) or the threat of a shit de- into a blind rage. In one instance near Sairon's District vin typical: "How tary personnel of all services, not only tail the latter being no idle figure of speech. Bien Hoa, a company party turned into a many of our innocent ple's lives were Army) assigned to Viet-Nam were After nine days of orientation and train- near riot when the "alkies" became in- taken in exchange for: VC body, and ile. By mobility, I refer to the individual ing ("to wash off any civilian that might furiated because too many men were not how many hundreds opusands of their access to areas outside his normal have accumulated while you were on drinking, preferring instead to slip outside houses were burned cestroyed in exaday environment. Whenever a man's embarkation leave"), each soldier is assigned and share a joint. change for an AK-47 D... This is not ince was not essential, he was en- to what will probably be his job for the next For decades, the Army has managed to fighting, this is merelytruction for enaged to go into town and *blow it 12 months. If he is assigned to Enari or a control a large number of soldiers with a joyment's sake. Pese are not the • Not only could a field soldier reach forward support base such as Dak To, that minimum of supervision by exping pou words of an NEF prondist but of the avorite city fairly easily, but city-bound is where he will remain; his knowledge of group approval. But the new soldier couldn't man who was almostle-handedly re - could visit remote camps and get VietNam will be restricted, hopefully. to careless about being accepted by his sponsible for making ict vin a strong from the "Daber war." This was con- that area limited by the barbed wire which military peers. He looks elsewhere for re- government enclave-Ngoc Nhuan, a ed good for morale and it was. Well surrounds the camp. He will be allowed one spect and he knows that there are any num- member of the Natic Assembly, who ты siderate. The i destruction was the result of wanton enemy acts.
"Oh, man, that's a batch of "Whaddya mean? There's the pictures."
"Lookit. I was here all last week working the shuttle. Those buildings were destroyed by American planes and ARVN tanks. wasn't even house-to-house fighting, it was more like urban renewal. ARVN was too busy looting to do any serious fighting."
"You mean the Army's put this story 180 degrees?" *Exactly. Hell, how do you think those colonels got killed in Cholon last Sunday? Tanks. and choppers had been hitting that area all afternoon."
The incident the GI's were referring to created such an outcry that a decision was made to use "actual" house-to-house fightnd techniques to rout the holdouts in Gia Dinh, another Saigon suburb. To find oops that still knew how to fight that way, the military had to bring in American and Vietnamese Specil Forces all the way from Nha Trang.
The battle for Hill 875 last November was one of the rare times the Army has launched an assault without first "softening" the objective with massive firepower. Two U.S. battalions were decimated in order to gain a hill which nobody needed. Although Westmoreland called it a victory, today even the brass concede that it was a disaster.
The military's efforts to overcome the prevailing attitude have been impressive if To restrict healthy, virile young men to the monotony of base camps or mountain tops, months on end, can of itself destroy morale. The military, in its infallible wisdom, has decided that hot food. and hard work can take the place of freedom of movement and women. To provide the food, each morning the 4th Division dispatches helicopters to its base camps For the remainder of the day, the copters shuttle groceries, beer, gumdrops, mail and ammo from the valley floor to the surrounding peaks. On Colonel Tambaught's hill behind Dak To, those men not burning or unloading groceries are busy tearing down old bunkers and building new ones. In accordance with the military precept that men don't think while they're working, everyone in Viet-Nam works at least a 12-hour day. This means somebody has to keep thinking up things for the GI's to do -housekeeping chores, inspections and the like. The meaningless work only reinforces the new soldier's knowledge that his presence in Viet-Nam has no real value. I have already mentioned the plethora of small unit information papers created to present the GI with "positive" stories. Many of the reporters for these papers have been selected from among the short-termers because of a shortage of qualified personnel among the lifers. Men are chosen for thé ob because they have a command of the language, powers of analytic observation and the ability to translate their observations into language. To perform his mission. the teporter has to move around, have access to what's happening, and talk with many in each issue are devoted to letters from Gi's expressing their frank opinions on the war, the lifers and the military. The reception has been such that "Viet-Nam Gl" is now publishing two separate editions, one for the overseas GI's and one for those Stateside. Now the heretofore silent soldier in Viet-Nam knows he not only has a peer group back home, but also one in Nam-—and they seek each other out. The military's problem is how to allow one publication to get through and embargo another without making manifest that it is denying information to the troops.
THE ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM, While welcome, certainly has not had the expected results. Typical fare on the Armed Forces TV network is Lucille Ball, Danny Thomas, or a - "Clean-Cuts in a Beautiful America" special. The time normally devoted to car and soap commercials is filled with U.S. Savings Bonds appeals, Your American Heritage, Military Courtesy bits, and so on. Not surprisingly, the most popular shows are the news and sportscasts. Radio is a little better. Among the lifers the hillbilly music programs are the most popular. "Matt Dillon, the first man they wanna know, and the last man the; warna meet" is probably second. For the shorttimers, a "rock" program featuring a DJ who has a penchant for "Haight" and "soul" talk is the most popular—a phenomenon which probably had much to do with the decision to "can" (pre-record) all future programs from the States.
The military also makes transport to even the most remote enclaves available for live entertainers and daily distributes thousands of cans of film which are shown even in covered bunkers atop the mountains. Both are welcomed by the soldier-but they also remind him of where he is not. The uso-sponsored entertainers, who come in varying shades of mediocrity, come back extolling the high morale of the men on the field, marvelling that the men seldom complain. Of course-who wants to talk about the charming bunker he's occupied for three months? The entertainer represents the other world, the one he wants to hear about, Reporters (especially women) receive the same response as do the Red Cross Do-Nut Dollies who, althoush they don't entertain per se, are always welcome. The soldier doesn't want sympathy or a pat on the head. He wants information and a girl (not necessarily in that order). Other indicators of the efforts to motivate the GI are the increase of on-post clubs, swimming pools, theaters, water skiing at places like Cam Ranh Bay, fast promotions and the old favoritethe passing out of numerous awards and decorations. Thoush welcome, they only add to the homesteading appearance of the U.S. military. It would be interesting to have a breakdown on the amount of money spent for all these items, plus make-work equipment and housekeeping materials, homesteading facilities, etc. The determination that our boys will lack for nothing has, of course, resulted in huge excesses. In the past year the dastardly cards that keep cranki out unneeded shipping orders cannot be found and removed, N AN EFFORT TO FIND SOme reason for the overall Jethargy, I considered the peace talks. After all, the leaders of any army take a gamble when, while exhorting their troops to maximum effort, they indicate a willingness to settle for less than ultimate victory. It was logical to assume that, as in Korea, the peace talks might result in psychological letdown; that a *who-wants-to-be-the-last-man-killed-ina-war" syndrome would manifest itself But after countless talks with lifers and short-termers alike, it became obvious that the threat of peace was having more effect on the stock market than on the GI. Though most hoped for the best from the talks, not one soldier believed anything would happen to effect his DEros (Date Estimated Return from Overseas. The feeling is that even if a cease-fire occurred right now, most Gi's would be stuck in Viet-Nam for their full 12-month tour anyway. And since only a relatively small percentage of the troops are engaged in actual combat, a cease-fire would have ighte little effect on the majority of GI's. The 12-month rotation plan has a positive effect on morale in that it eliminates the individual's feeling that the war could last forever for him-an important factor in an unpopular war where only the smallest percentage of our populace is actually exposed to the threat of being killed. This positive aspect, however, is partially offset by an inherent "short-timers" syndrome effect-the tendency for individuals to grow more cautious as their tour gets short. The military feels the subsequent loss in combat efficiency is worth it in order to get the optimum number of troops "blooded" —a circumstance considered to be a great asset by the militarists. In General Westmoreland's words: "I bet the Russian Army is jealous as hell. Our troops are here getting all this experience. .Those Russian generals would love to be here.
. Any true professional wants to march to the sound of gunfire."
The only way the military could stop the growing dissent and the flow of information would be to come down hard on those spreading it. But those responsible are an amorphous group; there is no plan, no program, no organization. Thus, the military would have to pick off each individual and stick them in the already overcrowded stockades. Few things, however, are as devastating to the morale and esprit of a unit as a high incidence of courts-martial. Huddled over our drinks in an on-post bar at Qui Nhon, I asked my Spec Four companion what he thought the effect of drafting graduate students would be. A graduate himself, his face broke into a wide grin. "For the Army, it's going to be a disaster," he replied. Leaning back, he raised his glass and, oblivious to the CO's and officers alike, he proposed an increasingly popular toast:
leaver raps HAVE NEVER LIKED Ronald Reagan. committee of crew-cut wordmongers. Even back in the days of his bad With all this going for him, it was natural movies flicks that never for him to turn to politics when Hollyned me on to any glow-I felt about wood's keenest make-up artists began to i the way I felt about such nonviolent find it increasingly difficult to deal with /boys as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry: the wrinkles that were slowly turning his t they were never going to cause any face into a replica of well furrowed, ion or allow anything to happen. They depleted single-crop soil. e just there, occupying space and He was in the best of all states to get ting my time, my money and my into his thing. California had demonity. There was a sort of unreality in strated its ability to relate to the politics ir style. One knew that movies were of the absurd by electing to office such a make-believe bag, but the un- blobs of political putty as Richard Nixon lity espoused on the screen by the flat and Max Rafferty. And having picked Is of such Pablum-fed actors the proper place, he could not have gan reflected to me-black ghetto chosen a better style. Ronnie used a pat ger me-a sickening mixed bag of formula that said: pick the toughest norless laughter and perfect Colgate problems confronting the people and h. launch blistering attacks upon all sincere ut what happened was that Ronnie efforts to come to grips with chese probded a TV show. Equipped with opu- lems; offer as an alternative a coni sponsors and some slick script glomeration of simple-minded cliches ters, the mediocrity of his grade-B and catch phrases that go back to the rit was glossed over and concealed by Mayflower; sing The Star-Spangled Banmake-up of a rhetoric fashioned by a ner and smile broadly, effusively, as yor wave the flag at the people; use a fight- of the American Dream. ing "I'm fed up" form of delivery, and always remember that when nothing Nobody is trying very hard to conceal else works, there is always the tried and anything. As usual, the key issue in the proven gambit of demagogic politicians, election is what to do about the niggers especially in California-viciously at- —only this time, the question is being tack the perennial whipping boys of the rewritten to read, what to do with the American Dream: subversion concealed niggers. From the point of view of the in the words of textbooks, the "deca- niggers themselves, the question has also dence of universities and the misguided been rewritten and now reads, what are students being duped by a handful of we going to do about th professors who are under the subtle influence of the Communist Conspiracy." offers the possibility, perhaps the only Well, it worked. Mickey Mouse is gov- possibility, of a monkey wrench being ernor and Donald Duck is a candidate tossed into the smoke dreams of the for the U.S. Senate. That is what we have racists-is that a sizable portion of white to worry about. And deal with Americans are in revolt against the sysIt has been said that the people get tem. So the issue of Law and Order, or the rulers they deserve. I do not believe, Crime in the Streets, becomes key however, that America has the rulers Big deal. Who in the it deserves. The State of California, think you are, telling me that I can't talk, emphatically, could not deserve the -telling the students and faculty members rulers it has. Yet we have them, and this at UC Berkeley that they cannot have me is an election year. And what an election "deliver ten lectures? I'm going to do it ear: this is the nightmare election year whether you like it or not. In fact, my desire now is to deliver 20 lectures. You, Everything is out in the open this year. Donald Duck Rafferty, Big Mama Unruh, and that admitted member of the racist John Birch Society who introduced that resolution into the Legislature to censure those responsible for inviting me to lecture in the first place-all and each of you can kiss my black because I recognize you for what you are, racist demagogues who have their eye on with your the ballot box come November. The A surprising development-one which students and the faculty members at Berkeley are trying to salvage the American people from the brink of chaos that you pigs have brought on. Your thirst and greed for power is so great that you don't care whether or not in your lust you destroy the vital processes of a barbaric society that is trying in its parts do you to become civilized.
I don't know what the outcome of all this will be, but I do know that I. for one, will never kiss your will never submit to your demagogic machinations. I think you are a cowardly, cravenTHE BLACK DWARF 13.7 hearted wretch. You are not a man. You versives to teach a class on the Univerare a punk. Since you have insulted me sity campus, i.e. to corrupt the morals of by calling me a racist, I would like to lily-white American youth. So Ronnie have the opportunity to balance the Baby, doing his Republican duty, books. All I ask is a sporting chance. emerged from his pen to take up the cudTherefore, Mickey Mouse, I challenge gels of battle: "If Eldridge Cleaver is alyou to a duel, to the death, and you can lowed to teach our children, they may choose the weapons. And if you can't come home some night and slit our relate to that, right on. Walk, chicken, throats. Therefore, the people of the State picked clean. of California will not stand for this!"
N CALIFORNIA, MICKEY MOUSE looked Right on, Mickey Mouse. There are out from his perch in Disneyland those of us who know what you are into, for an opening to get himself back and we don't like it. Furthermore, we into the act, having been kicked off the are going to deal with it, with you, to stage in Miami by a pig who had been in put an end to your absurd oinking in the the game a little longer. From where he faces of the people. So that all those bulllurked, Mickey Mouse fixed his blank changes that you went through with stare on the campus of the University of the Board of Regents, forcing them to California, Berkeley. He had received a emasculate the course in which I was to tip that a situation tailored to his needs participate as a guest lecturer, don't existed on that campus. Eldridge Cleaver, mean It displeased you, I underthe apotheosis of the American night- stand, that even the Board of Regents mare: loudmouthed nigger, ex-convict, did not buy you whole hog; that, in fact, rapist, advocate of violence, Presidential they agreed to allow me to deliver one candidate-retained by the Berkeley sub- lecture.
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into 1965, most GI's were "lifers" (the word now used by short-term soldiers to describe
attered these sentiments in i speech he, people. He writes his "positive" stories, bu values and who think and feel the way he or gave before that body. In an interview, Mr. Nhuan added: "1 can no longer control my people because