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Winning hearts and minds in Vietnam Winning hearts and minds in Vietnam
(about 9 hours later)
In my 46 years of experience in journalism, I have often found that the most remarkable material surfaces by accident.In my 46 years of experience in journalism, I have often found that the most remarkable material surfaces by accident.
So it is with the Saigon Songs, recordings made in the Vietnam War, which have never been broadcast before.So it is with the Saigon Songs, recordings made in the Vietnam War, which have never been broadcast before.
They are among the most moving mementoes of war I have ever heard.They are among the most moving mementoes of war I have ever heard.
Their edge is sharpened, it seems to me, by a special relevance to the wars of today.Their edge is sharpened, it seems to me, by a special relevance to the wars of today.
The Saigon Songs date from the Americans' hearts and minds campaign, between 1965 and 1967, as they poured their ground troops into Vietnam in support of the South Vietnamese government.The Saigon Songs date from the Americans' hearts and minds campaign, between 1965 and 1967, as they poured their ground troops into Vietnam in support of the South Vietnamese government.
Hearts and mindsHearts and minds
The campaign was run by Maj Gen Ed Lansdale of the US Army, who by all accounts was a most remarkable man.The campaign was run by Maj Gen Ed Lansdale of the US Army, who by all accounts was a most remarkable man.
His weapons were not guns but words and music, through which he hoped to persuade the people in the villages to resist the North Vietnamese communists and the home-grown insurgents, the Viet Cong.His weapons were not guns but words and music, through which he hoped to persuade the people in the villages to resist the North Vietnamese communists and the home-grown insurgents, the Viet Cong.
Maj Gen Lansdale gathered round him a group of singers and performers including Pham Duy, the most noted Vietnamese folk singer of the time, and Hershel Gober, a young lieutenant from Arkansas who was as handy with a guitar as he was with a rifle, and was serving with Vietnamese forces in the Mekong Delta.Maj Gen Lansdale gathered round him a group of singers and performers including Pham Duy, the most noted Vietnamese folk singer of the time, and Hershel Gober, a young lieutenant from Arkansas who was as handy with a guitar as he was with a rifle, and was serving with Vietnamese forces in the Mekong Delta.
Lt Gober was devoted to the cause and to the soldiers alongside him. He believed the war was winnable.Lt Gober was devoted to the cause and to the soldiers alongside him. He believed the war was winnable.
He saw himself as a Vietnamese who happened to look like an American.He saw himself as a Vietnamese who happened to look like an American.
One of his songs, Look over my Shoulder, was addressed to his Arkansas Senator William Fulbright whom he said that he later came to love.One of his songs, Look over my Shoulder, was addressed to his Arkansas Senator William Fulbright whom he said that he later came to love.
He certainly did not back in 1966. Lt Gober was a hawk on the war, Senator Fulbright was not.He certainly did not back in 1966. Lt Gober was a hawk on the war, Senator Fulbright was not.
'Heart songs''Heart songs'
Maj Gen Lansdale's singers even included the country's prime minister, Air Marshal Nguyen Cao Ky, who by the sound of the tapes was probably a better airman than a vocalist.Maj Gen Lansdale's singers even included the country's prime minister, Air Marshal Nguyen Cao Ky, who by the sound of the tapes was probably a better airman than a vocalist.
The concerts took place not only at Maj Gen Lansdale's villa, but in villages and army camps around the country.The concerts took place not only at Maj Gen Lansdale's villa, but in villages and army camps around the country.
Pham Duy specialised in what were called "heart songs", to motivate and inspire the people.Pham Duy specialised in what were called "heart songs", to motivate and inspire the people.
The most extraordinary of these was Rain on the Leaves, a romantic anthem of the war which he sang with American Steve Addis, who was dressed in the black pyjamas of a Vietnamese villager. FIND OUT MORE... Saigon Songs - The Lansdale Tapes is on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday 1 November 2008 at 2200 BSTOr catch it on the BBC iPlayer after the broadcast The most extraordinary of these was Rain on the Leaves, a romantic anthem of the war which he sang with American Steve Addis, who was dressed in the black pyjamas of a Vietnamese villager. FIND OUT MORE... Saigon Songs - The Lansdale Tapes is on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday 1 November 2008 at 2200 GMTOr catch it on the BBC iPlayer after the broadcast
A hard song to listen to dry-eyed, it is perfectly suited to this season of remembrance.A hard song to listen to dry-eyed, it is perfectly suited to this season of remembrance.
But of course the hearts and minds campaign failed.But of course the hearts and minds campaign failed.
Fearing that this might happen, Maj Gen Lansdale assembled the tapes and sent them to his country's leaders - Henry Kissinger, the Chiefs of Staff and President Lyndon Johnson - to try and give them a better idea of what this other war was like, and the need to resource it properly.Fearing that this might happen, Maj Gen Lansdale assembled the tapes and sent them to his country's leaders - Henry Kissinger, the Chiefs of Staff and President Lyndon Johnson - to try and give them a better idea of what this other war was like, and the need to resource it properly.
Military meansMilitary means
They regarded it as an add-on, while they tried to defeat their enemy by military means.They regarded it as an add-on, while they tried to defeat their enemy by military means.
I was there at the time, in the Central Highlands in early 1967, while their artillery was pounding away at supposed Viet Cong and North Vietnamese concentrations over the horizon.I was there at the time, in the Central Highlands in early 1967, while their artillery was pounding away at supposed Viet Cong and North Vietnamese concentrations over the horizon.
The American gunners were well supplied. They had waffles and maple syrup for breakfast. I remember thinking, even then, that this was not going to work.The American gunners were well supplied. They had waffles and maple syrup for breakfast. I remember thinking, even then, that this was not going to work.
Maj Gen Lansdale was of the same opinion. Two years before he died in 1987, he set out his views on the difference between conventional wars and people's wars, which he presciently insisted had to be fought by other means than firepower alone.Maj Gen Lansdale was of the same opinion. Two years before he died in 1987, he set out his views on the difference between conventional wars and people's wars, which he presciently insisted had to be fought by other means than firepower alone.
His conclusions have a place of honour in the Saigon Songs.His conclusions have a place of honour in the Saigon Songs.
The singer and soldier Hershel Gober returned to Vietnam in 1969 as a company commander, and knew even then that the war was lost.The singer and soldier Hershel Gober returned to Vietnam in 1969 as a company commander, and knew even then that the war was lost.
He told his men that he did not want any John Waynes in his outfit. He was wounded and sent home.He told his men that he did not want any John Waynes in his outfit. He was wounded and sent home.
Many years later, he became acting secretary for veterans' affairs in the Clinton administration. He changed his mind about this war and others; he opposed the war in Iraq.Many years later, he became acting secretary for veterans' affairs in the Clinton administration. He changed his mind about this war and others; he opposed the war in Iraq.
He believes that in Vietnam the Americans lost not only the war but the opportunity to learn from it.He believes that in Vietnam the Americans lost not only the war but the opportunity to learn from it.
"Sometimes I think we didn't learn a damn thing from Vietnam," he says, "We didn't learn enough"."Sometimes I think we didn't learn a damn thing from Vietnam," he says, "We didn't learn enough".
Martin Bell is a former foreign affairs correspondent for BBC News. You can hear Saigon Songs on Radio 4's Archive Hour at 8 pm on Saturday November 1. Martin Bell is a former foreign affairs correspondent for BBC News. You can hear Saigon Songs on Radio 4's Archive Hour at 8pm on Saturday 1 November 2008.