WAR AND ADVICE

for [Music] Vietnam a country about the size of New England a nation of some 15 million people a Peaceable people but living today in an explosive situation a situation in which peaceableness will not meet the challenge of the times forign Vietnam a hidden War rages a Twilight war in which the Friendly Farmer in the next field may become at day's end a murderous enemy Americans are deeply involved in this Warfare on which Vietnamese Freedom depends they come as friends helpers advisers [Music] I am General Paul D Hawkins commander of the US military assistance command in Vietnam here today the US Army Navy Air Force and Marines are joined together in a common effort to help this country nowhere in the world today Are we more aware of the inseparability of the problems of a people involved in fighting a war and building a nation than in Vietnam for here is the randevu of all the historical forces in this Century the Communists have long saw to take over in Vietnam now this Young Nation remaining on Freedom's side is engaged in a war which is as hidden and stealthy as it is Relentless and exhausting responding to the request of the Republic of Vietnam the United States has come to help as we have helped and are helping all all free people who seek to defend themselves from the Communist Scourge the US effort to our Vietnamese allies is a vast and comprehensive one it involves political economic psychological and Military measures all of the Armed Forces of the US play A Part A Prime mission of the army special for adviser is to teach the Vietnamese villager how to defend his home and his freedom American advis first began laying the groundwork for Village defense in this region in September 1961 at that time the villagers in this area were almost completely defenseless against the predatory tactics of the Viet Kong the Vietnamese Communists out of fear these mountain people were forced to both feed and house roving Viet Kong patrols and their young men were often forced into Viet Kong activities in order to protect the lives of their families our effort during the months we have been here have been to teach the Mountaineers who call themselves The Raw day people that they are capable of Defending themselves against such tactics that they need not be afraid we have shown the raw day how to build stock a type fences and how to maintain 24-hour security 24-hour security takes men and R day villagers are quick to respond to the call for volunteers for the self-defense forces which guard their remote Villages against communist [Music] attack leadership must come from the Vietnamese themselves it is one of their own who acquaints them with the group discipline so essential to combat effective they learn as do recruits the world over how to work [Music] together and they learn from American advisers the details of sometimes makeshift but always deadly weapons devised and used by the [Music] vietcom American trained Vietnamese Rangers teach specialized techniques sege seizure and arrest the quiet approach with weapons concealed the sudden [Music] [Applause] [Music] attack after a training exercise the Special Forces adviser may offer suggestions through an interpreter there's just one point I want to stress some carry their weapon down like this carry the weapon out the ready at all times the comments of the adviser receive careful attention his professional combat nowhow can save lives where the eyes are so is the muzzle of their weapon an interpreter is not always needed many special forces men in Vietnam speak fluent Vietnamese the combat aspects of counterinsurgency operations are vitally important but other things are important too Civic action is one of these to be effective the military must have the support of the people and Soldier teams work working in villages and Fields with the peasant people helped to overcome a traditional distrust of government forces by rural Vietnamese the soldiers help they are friends the Communists do not help the conclusion is obvious another aspect of Civic action in Vietnam comes into play when highly trained Special Forces Medics and their Vietnamese counterparts bring their willing help to the people of remote areas this too has been important in winning the support and goodwi of the people American advisers and Vietnamese soldiers helped too in a Nationwide Drive to give isolated communities security against communist terrorism and extortion it is called the Strategic Village concept several Villages may be Consolidated into a single community and that Community is made into a Wilderness Fortress the term strategic Hamlet means one that is capable of Defending itself and when the construction work is completed there is little about such a community to invite [Music] attack regularly practice alerts are held when the drum sounds every woman and child has a place to hide and every man an assigned post to [Music] defend for the gorilla Force seeking a place from which to seize Food Supplies and information such organized defense as this makes the price too high to pay at the all clear life returns to normal with American advice and their own courage and determination they have made their home secure and outside the village they put up a sign which says in effect attention Viet Kong no more rice no more hiding place for you here keep out but all The Bravery in the world won't win a war from behind a stockade fence the fight must also be taken to the enemy frequent raids and patrols by Vietnamese counter gorilla troops do just [Music] that special forces men are ever present but will take no part in actual combat unless they themselves are fired upon these troops have nothing to learn from Americans about jungle living but they do need the help of modern tactics and weapons for their enemy is skilled in the use of both they are natural soldiers who learn fast [Music] the Communist Guerilla is finding out that there are fewer and fewer places to hide in the jungles of Vietnam some of the Vietcong guillas are dedicated Communists prepared to die for their beliefs but there are many who only want an alternative men like this young rad tribesman who deserted the VC or Viet Kong and came to a special forces team for protection his name is 22 years old how long has he been with the VC has been with VC months since January why did he join the VC join VC because VC him him to go why did he desert the VC he deserve because he does not like the life of VC program in bing now is for R people and for R benefit and he went to work here to help R people to have better life how large was the group of VC the work with isolated tribesmen for Village defense is one picture another is the training of regular army forces the Vietnamese is learning to out gorilla the gorillas with skills and tactics developed by Special Forces experts at Fort Brag in the United States Vietnamese Rangers can match the enemy at his own [Applause] game other important specialized training comes from American Air Commandos who acquaint Vietnamese Pilots with the versatile and potent arsenal of Airborne Firepower at their disposal [Music] to hunt the enemy in his jungle stronghold a raiding party will stock up with dried shrimp and rice making ready to stay until they find what they go after no special rations for the Americans who share alike the food and hardships of the men they work with foot travel through the dense jungle is too slow to counter the hdden Run tactics of the Viet Kong a prime answer to this is the helicopter the increasing use of American Transport copters has made the guerillas reluctant to attack or travel in large numbers because the helicopters can deliver troops into a communist occupied area as soon as their presence becomes known copter operations depend for Success on close coordination between regular Vietnamese Army troops local intelligent sources and American Pilots these Pilots run the risks of combat but are not a part of a combat force their job is transportation moving fighting men with sudden Effectiveness to wherever the need for them arises [Music] again on large scale raids against remote Guerilla strongholds the American adviser is on hand but he will leave the actual combat entirely to the Vietnamese never forgetting that he is here only to give help and advice the technique is effective surround in silence and attack with sudden [Music] violence Viet Kong agents and guerillas make an art of concealment some Villages are literally honeycombed with secret tunnels and cleverly concealed hiding places [Music] [Music] experience intuition thoroughness these are the keys to an effective Roundup of men and weapons by a raiding Force counter Guerilla activities receive most of the notice in the fight for freedom in Vietnam but the forces and techniques of conventional Warfare cannot be ignored and they are not large scale conventional Warfare exercises reflect the knowledge that the moment conventional science and tactics are neglected guerillas with communist sources of Supply outside Vietnam May convert to full-scale Modern Warfare a well-trained and well-armed conventional Force kept at the ready ensures that this possibility will remain remote fighter planes of the Vietnamese Air Force support ground actions and hold complete control of the [Music] sky fully mechanized highly maneuverable conventional forces are essential both as a deterrent to aggression and as a key to successful counteraction should the deterrent be ignored American equipment and training are providing the instant Communications essential to Modern War Communications to coordinate military movement transmit intelligence direct Firepower on a moment to moment faces [Music] American Navy advisers have helped establish River and Canal patrols and have aided in working out offshore operations carried out by the Vietnamese Navy though small it is equipped with fast modern vessels manned by well-trained Crews rounding out the Vietnamese Armed Forces Vietnamese Marines use techniques and Equipment proven by the United States Marine Corps to give dramatic evidence that like their American counterparts they are not only ready but [Music] able disciplined skilled conventional forces coordinating ground sea and air Firepower these in Vietnam as elsewhere hold an explicit and Powerful warning to anyone who might be considering conventional War in this key nation of Southeast [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Asia so in Vietnam the vital work of the advisers goes on and for the people of this troubled Nation life goes on but irretrievably changed the desire to live in peace is tempered by the knowledge that peaceful Men Must Go armed in a world where freedom is only for those who are willing and able to fight for it [Music]