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WHERE OUR NATION STANDS AT HOME AND ABROAD
15
14
WHERE OUR NATION STANDS AT HOME AND ABROAD
The reporters were willing, but the hearings-most of them closed-revealed
that some people always-and without justification-se bogeymen under the
bed in such circumstances.
little or nothing. Fortunately, some of them were not closed to Wisconsin Repre-
sentative Melvin Laird, chairman of the House Republican Conference.
THE EARLIER STATEMENTS
Taking the President at his word, Laird tried to do his homework by question-
Pentagon Comptroller Robert Anthony. "When I asked him where the Viet-
Eisenhower doubts that either Communist China or the Soviet Union would feel
nam war cost estimates were that the President referred to," Laird said, "Anthony
ing
they had anything to gain worth taking the risk.
replied that there is nothing in the hearings that would tell you the cost of the war
Apprehension that Eisenhower might be advocating use of nuclear weapons
in
in Vietnam."
Vietnam was voiced in some quarters after remarks he made September 30 in
In July, budget figures were released indicating the cost in fiscal 1966 was $5.8
Chicago and October 3 in Washington.
billion, or about $500 million a month. In September, however, the Treasury
In Chicago, the former President said he would "take any action to win" in
acknowledged that the cost had soared to $1.2 billion a month.
Vietnam. Asked then to elaborate, he replied:
Even this much higher figure, though, is only camouflaged. Those closest to
"I'm not sure. I'm not familiar with all the political considerations. If they
the situation secretly admit that Congressman Laird's estimate of $2 billion a
gave me the problem, I'd take any action to win.'
month is probably closer to the mark.
In Washington 3 days later newsmen again sought amplification.
Defense Secretary McNamara has said that the "incremental costs of South-
"I would do anything," said Eisenhower, "to bring the war to an honorable
east Asia operations" are about $1 billion a month, which would mean $12 billion
solution as rapidly as I could."
a year. If Laird is right the cost will rise to at least $25 billion next year.
Asked whether he would automatically preclude the use of nuclear weapons if he
"The issue we are going to try to develop is the credibility of this administra-
were President at this time, Eisenhower replied: "I would not automatically
tion as regards the war," Laird says, and he flatly charges that "deception is being
preclude the use of anything."
used on the amount of money being expended in Vietnam."
Eisenhower's remarks prompted Senate Democratic Leader Mike Mansfield to
The hard facts will have to come out soon, for the administration is faced with
call on the former President to spell out just what he had in mind-to say spe-
the urgent need of coming to Congress for supplemental Vietnam funds, and the
cifically whether he was advocating use of nuclear weapons and-or-an increase
guessing is that they will exceed $10 billion, and possibly much more.
in the U.S. manpower commitment to Vietnam. The Montana Senator said
the
Nation's voters were entitled to know in this congressional election year.
Johnson, asked for comment on Eisenhower's remarks, told his news conference
last week: "I would say it is the policy of this Government to exercise the best
[From The Washington Star, October 10, 1966]
judgment of which we are capable in an attempt to provide the maximum de-
EISENHOWER URGES VICTORY BUT WOULDN'T Use A-Bombs
terrence with a minimum of involvement. The easiest thing we could do is to
get into a larger war with other nations."
(By Marvin L. Arrowsmith)
Johnson obviously -was talking about the possibility of direct involvement of
Red China and the Soviet Union.
GETTYSBURGH, A.-Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower still insists
At the time it was uttered Eisenhower took no public note of the criticism
"we must do whatever is necessary to win" fast in Vietnam. But he calls it silly
some Congress Members fired at him because of his remarks about taking any
for anyone to conclude this means he favors U.S. use of nuclear weapons there.
action needed to win in Vietnam.
The five-star general who led allied forces to victory in Europe in World War II
The old soldier is known to feel intensely, however, that these Members ought
says it is an entirely different kind of war in Vietnam-a guerrilla type which
to remain silent on military strategy and tactics, and leave such matters to the
exposes friend and foe alike to any weapons used.
President and his military advisers.
Only President Johnson, Eisenhower adds, ultimately can call the signals on
As for Johnson's news conference statement, Eisenhower would add-as Johnson
grand strategy.
has on other occasions-that U.S. military, political, and economic objectives
Eisenhower says his only advice is that it ought be a strategy aimed at winning
ought to be achieved as swiftly as possible, and the war then ended to put a
quickly and putting an end to loss of American lives-a strategy which he does
stop to U.S. casualties.
not think would involve Red Chinese intervention.
Eisenhower holds that whatever is necessary to win these U.S. goals must be
But to anyone who got the idea-and some did-that in recent remarks he
done. And he holds, further, that Johnson will do it.
favored using nuclear weapons to achieve a swift victory, Eisenhower has this to
say:
"This is silly. How would you use nuclear weapons in Vietnam? I ask: Do
you have any idea?
'Personally, I would say whatever the President finds out he must do, I shall
not
criticize him. I do not know whether this war is going to escalate or de-escalate
or anything else.
"I do know we must do whatever is necessary to win as quickly as possible.
If
not, the war will grow in costs, both in money and lives, and the Nation's morale
will be lowered.'
THE MORALE FACTOR
And he says:
"The morale of a nation is just as important a factor-probably a more impor-
tant factor-in determining its capacity to lead as is its military or economic
strength."
Eisenhower will observe his 76th birthday at his farm here Friday.
The former president cautions fellow Republicans seeking election to Congress
November 8 against trying to make an issue of administration policy in Vietnam.
He thinks such an effort would bc very risky from a political standpoint, and that
domestic issues such as spending and inflation danger offer GOP candidates much
better opportunity to capitalize at the polls.
As for the aggressive win-thc-war tactics he advocates, Eisenhower foresees no
likelihood of such a course bringing Red China or the Soviet Union into the con-
flict in full military support of the Communist North Vietnamese. He holds
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"ocrText": "WHERE OUR NATION STANDS AT HOME AND ABROAD\n15\n14\nWHERE OUR NATION STANDS AT HOME AND ABROAD\nThe reporters were willing, but the hearings-most of them closed-revealed\nthat some people always-and without justification-se bogeymen under the\nbed in such circumstances.\nlittle or nothing. Fortunately, some of them were not closed to Wisconsin Repre-\nsentative Melvin Laird, chairman of the House Republican Conference.\nTHE EARLIER STATEMENTS\nTaking the President at his word, Laird tried to do his homework by question-\nPentagon Comptroller Robert Anthony. \"When I asked him where the Viet-\nEisenhower doubts that either Communist China or the Soviet Union would feel\nnam war cost estimates were that the President referred to,\" Laird said, \"Anthony\ning\nthey had anything to gain worth taking the risk.\nreplied that there is nothing in the hearings that would tell you the cost of the war\nApprehension that Eisenhower might be advocating use of nuclear weapons\nin\nin Vietnam.\"\nVietnam was voiced in some quarters after remarks he made September 30 in\nIn July, budget figures were released indicating the cost in fiscal 1966 was $5.8\nChicago and October 3 in Washington.\nbillion, or about $500 million a month. In September, however, the Treasury\nIn Chicago, the former President said he would \"take any action to win\" in\nacknowledged that the cost had soared to $1.2 billion a month.\nVietnam. Asked then to elaborate, he replied:\nEven this much higher figure, though, is only camouflaged. Those closest to\n\"I'm not sure. I'm not familiar with all the political considerations. If they\nthe situation secretly admit that Congressman Laird's estimate of $2 billion a\ngave me the problem, I'd take any action to win.'\nmonth is probably closer to the mark.\nIn Washington 3 days later newsmen again sought amplification.\nDefense Secretary McNamara has said that the \"incremental costs of South-\n\"I would do anything,\" said Eisenhower, \"to bring the war to an honorable\neast Asia operations\" are about $1 billion a month, which would mean $12 billion\nsolution as rapidly as I could.\"\na year. If Laird is right the cost will rise to at least $25 billion next year.\nAsked whether he would automatically preclude the use of nuclear weapons if he\n\"The issue we are going to try to develop is the credibility of this administra-\nwere President at this time, Eisenhower replied: \"I would not automatically\ntion as regards the war,\" Laird says, and he flatly charges that \"deception is being\npreclude the use of anything.\"\nused on the amount of money being expended in Vietnam.\"\nEisenhower's remarks prompted Senate Democratic Leader Mike Mansfield to\nThe hard facts will have to come out soon, for the administration is faced with\ncall on the former President to spell out just what he had in mind-to say spe-\nthe urgent need of coming to Congress for supplemental Vietnam funds, and the\ncifically whether he was advocating use of nuclear weapons and-or-an increase\nguessing is that they will exceed $10 billion, and possibly much more.\nin the U.S. manpower commitment to Vietnam. The Montana Senator said\nthe\nNation's voters were entitled to know in this congressional election year.\nJohnson, asked for comment on Eisenhower's remarks, told his news conference\nlast week: \"I would say it is the policy of this Government to exercise the best\n[From The Washington Star, October 10, 1966]\njudgment of which we are capable in an attempt to provide the maximum de-\nEISENHOWER URGES VICTORY BUT WOULDN'T Use A-Bombs\nterrence with a minimum of involvement. The easiest thing we could do is to\nget into a larger war with other nations.\"\n(By Marvin L. Arrowsmith)\nJohnson obviously -was talking about the possibility of direct involvement of\nRed China and the Soviet Union.\nGETTYSBURGH, A.-Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower still insists\nAt the time it was uttered Eisenhower took no public note of the criticism\n\"we must do whatever is necessary to win\" fast in Vietnam. But he calls it silly\nsome Congress Members fired at him because of his remarks about taking any\nfor anyone to conclude this means he favors U.S. use of nuclear weapons there.\naction needed to win in Vietnam.\nThe five-star general who led allied forces to victory in Europe in World War II\nThe old soldier is known to feel intensely, however, that these Members ought\nsays it is an entirely different kind of war in Vietnam-a guerrilla type which\nto remain silent on military strategy and tactics, and leave such matters to the\nexposes friend and foe alike to any weapons used.\nPresident and his military advisers.\nOnly President Johnson, Eisenhower adds, ultimately can call the signals on\nAs for Johnson's news conference statement, Eisenhower would add-as Johnson\ngrand strategy.\nhas on other occasions-that U.S. military, political, and economic objectives\nEisenhower says his only advice is that it ought be a strategy aimed at winning\nought to be achieved as swiftly as possible, and the war then ended to put a\nquickly and putting an end to loss of American lives-a strategy which he does\nstop to U.S. casualties.\nnot think would involve Red Chinese intervention.\nEisenhower holds that whatever is necessary to win these U.S. goals must be\nBut to anyone who got the idea-and some did-that in recent remarks he\ndone. And he holds, further, that Johnson will do it.\nfavored using nuclear weapons to achieve a swift victory, Eisenhower has this to\nsay:\n\"This is silly. How would you use nuclear weapons in Vietnam? I ask: Do\nyou have any idea?\n'Personally, I would say whatever the President finds out he must do, I shall\nnot\ncriticize him. I do not know whether this war is going to escalate or de-escalate\nor anything else.\n\"I do know we must do whatever is necessary to win as quickly as possible.\nIf\nnot, the war will grow in costs, both in money and lives, and the Nation's morale\nwill be lowered.'\nTHE MORALE FACTOR\nAnd he says:\n\"The morale of a nation is just as important a factor-probably a more impor-\ntant factor-in determining its capacity to lead as is its military or economic\nstrength.\"\nEisenhower will observe his 76th birthday at his farm here Friday.\nThe former president cautions fellow Republicans seeking election to Congress\nNovember 8 against trying to make an issue of administration policy in Vietnam.\nHe thinks such an effort would bc very risky from a political standpoint, and that\ndomestic issues such as spending and inflation danger offer GOP candidates much\nbetter opportunity to capitalize at the polls.\nAs for the aggressive win-thc-war tactics he advocates, Eisenhower foresees no\nlikelihood of such a course bringing Red China or the Soviet Union into the con-\nflict in full military support of the Communist North Vietnamese. He holds"
}