COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS NINETY-SECOND CONGRESS FIRST SESSION 65-972 JUNE 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, AND JULY 12, 1971 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1971 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS THOMAS E. MORGAN, Pennsylvania, Chairman CLEMENT J. ZABLOCKI, Wisconsin L. H. FOUNTAIN, North Carolina MORGAN F. MURPHY, Illinois WILLIAM S. MAILLIARD, California EDWARD J. DERWINSKI, Illinois ROY J. BULLOCK, Staff Administrator SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS LEE H. HAMILTON, Indiana WILLIAM S. BROOMFIELD, Michigan CHARLES P. WITTER, Subcommittee Staff Consultant (II) KF21 19716 CONTENTS LIST OF WITNESSES McClory, Hon. Robert, a Representative in Congress from the State Montgomery, Hon. G. V. (Sonny), a Representative in Congress from the State of Mississippi... Rosenthal, Hon. Benjamin S., a Representative in Congress from the Leggett, Hon. Robert L., a Representative in Congress from the State 91 Waldie, Hon. Jerome R., a Representative in Congress from the State 206 (III) Statement of Hon. Brock Adams, a Representative in Congress from the Statement of Hon. Joseph P. Addabbo, a Representative in Congress from Table submitted by Congressman Rosenthal showing total allied casualties 7 Article from the Washington Post entitled "Viet Politicking: U.S. Plane, 26 Letter submitted by Congressman Wolff from Major General Edward G. 30 Poll from Opinion Research Corp., Princeton, New Jersey, submitted by 52 Article from the Washington Post entitled "VC Would Liquidate 3 Million 54 Report submitted to Congressman Buchanan by the Office of the Secretary 56 Remarks of Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., President of Notre Statement by member of DRV delegation and DRV press spokesman Statement by PRG deputy spokesman Nguyen Van Tien to Congressman Transcript of conversation between Congressman Seymour Halpern and Article by Representative Robert L. Leggett entitled "How To Bring Letter addressed to Congressman Leggett from Mrs. Barbara R. Mullen, 110 Information supplied by Congressman Bingham concerning French re- 156 LEGISLATION ON THE INDOCHINA WAR TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 1971 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 2:45 p.m., in room 2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Cornelius E. Gallagher (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. GALLAGHER. The subcommittee will come to order. I want to welcome you here this afternoon as the Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee opens the first comprehensive House hearings into bills and resolutions relating to ending the war in Indochina. Today, we are hearing arguments of national security advanced over the publication of documents relating to the beginning and escalation of our involvement in the region. As important as national security may be, perhaps even more important to America is that the problems of Indochina are threatening our national sanity. Mistrust of our leaders past and present and disgust over the results of our policies are ripping apart the fragile fabric of our society and poisoning much of our national life. As but one brief example which distresses me immensely this afternoon, the war in Indochina has so clouded our view of Asian affairs that we seem virtually immobilized in the face of the unprecedented human tragedy of East Pakistan. The purpose of our hearing is not to perform a divisive exercise in name calling or guilt-ascribing over our past Indochina actions. I know of no people, inside or outside of the Congress, who want this war to continue. Who among us wants the killing of either Americans or Asians to continue? We are united in our desire to see our prisoners of war released from their cruel confinement. So there are areas of agreement and positions around which men of good will can unite. The question before us is not whether the war should end. The questions we are considering are when the war will end and how best to bring it about. What will the United States leave behind in Indochina as we conclude our combat role? In light of the recent confirmation of our involvement in the overthrow of the Diem regime which disturbed the existing natural political balance, we created an inescapable moral commitment to the governments in Saigon which have followed. I opposed that decision at the time and we must now ask ourselves hard questions about America's legitimate interest in governments or the personalities in power in Saigon. I believe we must consider whether our current or postcombat policy in Vietnam and in all of Indochina should concern itself with |