I remember the soldiers who surrounded the Pentagon, Oct 21, '67. When anti-war demonstrators put daisies into their gun barrels, many grinned. I heard one officer snap at his men, "Don't smile!" So the soldiers were more circumspect with their grins.
Interesting about the Old Guard 3rd. I wish they had been the ones to go to Kent State. But I am interested in Bruce's connection between King's entry into the anti-war movement, and an increase in troop mutiny. IIRC correctly, King's first opposition to the war was an economic grounds: guns in Vet Nam meant fewer resources for domestic programs. Eventually, IIRC, his opposition grew to include moral and international relationship issues. Cheers, L > -----Original Message----- > From: Ray Evans Harrell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 1:25 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Bruce Leier; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [Futurework] FWD: The King They Still Won't Talk About > > > Lawry, > > Mutinies were not limited to fragging in Vietnam. The Old Guard Third > Infantry refused to carry loaded weapons in the student demonstrations in > Washington and were confined to barracks as a result. They > brought in the > 101st Airborne from Fort Bragg who had people that would have > loved to shoot > an Ivy League student. But we all knew about the drugs, > Hepititus C and > the Fragging of Officers by dissodent minorities ruled by White Officers. > I was told stories that ran from Helping the poor fight the Dirty > Commies to > our using torture against kids for information. > > I must say one thing at this point. I was not impressed with the people > passionately against the war only to stop marching once the draft was > removed. > > REH > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Lawrence DeBivort" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Bruce Leier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 11:21 PM > Subject: RE: [Futurework] FWD: The King They Still Won't Talk About > > > > Very interesting, Bruce. I wasn't much aware of troop refusing > orders in > > the manner you describe, or King's influence on that. It is quite > possible > > for the early activists to see King as a late-comer to the anti-war > effort, > > and that he nonetheless helped swing a critical mass against > the war. Can > > you say much more about this? E.g., was it black troops that refused to > > budge? Mixed race refusal? > > > > Kissinger does not credit troop mutiny with their final recognition that > the > > US had to get out (not that I give much credit to anything Kissinger > says), > > but can you tie the troop mutinies you refer to more closely to > the Nixon > > administration politics? If troop mutiny was a factor, would > they not have > > wanted to pull out before the mutiny spread or became publicly known, > rather > > than drag it out for the 3-4 years that they did, incurring an > additional > > 50,000 casualties? > > > > Again, thanks for the information. > > > > Cheers, > > Lawry > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Bruce Leier [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 1:09 PM > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Subject: RE: [Futurework] FWD: The King They Still Won't Talk About > > > > > > > > > I don't have the time to respond to this completely, but... > > > Bruce Leier > > > > > > > > > > > 1. King came very late to the anti-Viet Nam war issue. The movement > > > was, by > > > > the time he did, already in full swing and King was viewed as a > > > latecomer, > > > > drafting safely in behind millions who had already committed > > > themselves > > > > publicly to opposition to the war. It is not that his voice wasn't > > > welcome > > > > and eloquent, it just came much too late to be decisive or even > > > important. > > > > Once in, he did deliver some eloquent speeches against the war, and > > > this is > > > > what we remember today because they are handy, powerful and > beautiful. > > > > > > > [Bruce Leier] > > > I believe he was much more decisive than you state. He came in just > > > before the most significant sit-downs started. I am speaking > about the > > > troop sit-downs that really ended the war. Troops went on > patrol to the > > > edge of the jungle and refused to go any further. I have friends who > > > have stated that MLK was very influential in their decisions to adapt > > > civil disobedience to Nam warfare. When Nixon knew the > troops were not > > > fighting any more he decided to get out. > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Futurework mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework > _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
