people -
.in central Vietnam, All of Ky's so crude ruses and his double-talk about.elections and yet remaining in power; and, finally, his surprise attack on Danang could not have succeeded without the betrayal of the masses by the Buddhists and their allies in the military: command...
It is well known that there can be no "third force" in a social revolution at its culminating point, yet the liberals . throughout the world hoped for the miracle of a‘"Buddhist way- " In fact, the "resistance" of the bonzes was probably a flash in the. pan. Put to the test, they demonstrated their political and military inconsistency, and, like all conciliators, they became the architects of defeat for the forces that placed confidence in them.
- Whereas in April, Ky had to give up the idea of a test of strength with a populace which was prepared to repel any attack, this.time he was able to.crush Danang and to enter Hué without encountering the effective resistance that had been expected. The. fact is that no serious defense organization existed. The masses were unprepared to respond, even in a political sense. In one month, their leadership changed its position vis-a-vis the government three times. After having called for an insurrection against the "Thien- Ky clique," Tri Quang returned to Danang to demand | a return to:
calm and "legality.' '.When he moved once again to take up:arms, it is scarcely surprising that there was no immediate response. :
This lack of military preparedness, this political hesitation were neither accidents nor the results of personal failings; they. were the logical outcome of the conciliatory attitude of the Buddhists who, this time, not: only prevented victory, but caused a defeat.
The Buddhists do not intend to break definitively with the. government of the’ imperialists and the landlords. They seek only concessions: “ ‘
But as the struggle sharpens, there is less and less room for such a "reformist" position. The desire of the masses is to end | the’ war forced on them by the USA and the government in the pay of the Americans. In one month, in all the cities, anti-Americanism attained a voilence hitherto unknown.
In order to maintain their popular support, the Buddhists had to follow the people's lead and "demand" that the Americans cease to support Ky. But these verbal protests could not conceal. their own refusal to break decisively. with: ‘imperialism in practice.
In this sense, the fall of ‘central Vietnam, while a blow against the development of the struggle in the cities, will at least permit a new gain in consciousness by the masses by showing them in practice where the: ‘permanent balancing act of the Buddhists leads.
Distrust is growing steadily with: respect to the methods and the political line of the Buddhists, who are more and more. losing their leadership role to the FNL [Front National de Libération].
It has become: ‘apparent ‘that the ultimatums and . spectacular suicides cannot move an enemy who understands only force. The only «= possible reply to such an enemy is an armed struggle such as is being carried ‘on by. the FNL.
‘Also, the position of the Buddhist leaders -- "neither the Comminists , nor the Americans" ~- reveals their true role: to serve aS a guaranteé and a safety valve for the Saigon government. ;_ This shows the Front to be the only consistently anti~imperialist. organi yation.
* These lessons will be. drawn all. the more quickly since the... Front has taken an authentically revolutionary attitude toward the. crisis -- proposing a united front to drive out the U.S. aggressor. Put on the spot, the Buddhist leaders were forced to reveal thenselves. While indulging in every kind of compromise with Saigon, they; vowed that they would never accept an accord with the Communists.
They still hesitate to appeal to the mass movements which they control less and less. And ‘their influence is crumbling.
The Vietnamese dilemma is again growing more acute for the Unitea States.
Militarily, their activity is handicapped -- they cannot count on the puppet army which is deserting to the. "Vietcong" en masse or which went over to the Buddhist rebellion by whole units. It reached the point where Ky had to forbid his generals to get. mixed up in politics (sic!) and to confine the Vietnamese soldiers to barracks outside the cities.
It is also apparent that the Wheeler plan which proposed. to. cut Vietnam in half at the center has become unworkable and impracticable, at: Teast for a long time. :
- But the most serious ‘for the USA is the political « defeat. In Vietnam itself, this means increased isolation for the occupying forces in the midst of a hostility which has shown itself to be.. stronger than the corruption of which Robert Guillain gave a striking picture in Le Monde . ;
The anguished conscience of the. ‘Americans is shown by events. like the panic on May :10.when ‘American military police fired wildly. in all directions for forty-five minutes after a Viet Cong terrorist attack,” cutting down their own compatriots.
But above all, the rebellion in the cities has caused the © growth of defeatism in the United States: "Why should we continue the war," more and more Americans ask themselves, "if no one wantsus there?" The anti-Communist crusade is showing its real nature --a ‘contemptible pretext: and a. lie.
A recent poll shows that “fifty percent of ‘the American citizens are for withdrawing the troops no matter what the situation is. This is disturbing for Johnson, coming as at does, in an election year. =. oe. re
It is only the world situation -- the series of defeats suffered by the revolutionary movement in the past year and more for which the USSR provides the requiem of peaceful coexistence -~. that. gives the American government the assurance it needs to pursue its. escalation of the war. ; :
_. The Vietnamese revolution is now the sole bastion ob ins”
resistance. This is what gives it its exceptional international importance. 7 Pus oie co
"BAN HE BOMB" TRIAL POSTPONED IN GREECE
An Athens military court on June 17