DEDICATED TO THE PROPOSITION THAT IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, THE PUBLIC WOULD BE INFORMED OF AND WOULD DEBATE THE REAL REASON FOR THE US-VIET NAM WAR
Though many people view the United States as a beacon of freedom, thousands of US consular reports, long silent in the National Archives, reveal an opposite side: US leaders did business in Viet Nam during 1875–1954, enabled by French invasion force. After France got kicked out in 1954, US leaders started their own war to seize control, in order to resume that business. They never disclosed the early involvement to the public.
Impact on US democracy. The false position damaged the public during the war, and it also provides false reasoning that has long supported resource control wars overseas.
Members of the public from all walks of life went to war. But none had a chance to debate the unknown truth: Should US soldiers be attacking the Viet people, who were fighting against colonial activity in which US leaders had been involved for decades? Because of the unknown parts of that puzzle, many US soldiers died, many were wounded for life, families were damaged, and society split.
Since the war, US leaders have said in error that the US entered Viet Nam to defend against communism. Even today, that supports similar misleading claims that our coups and wars are anti-terrorist. But like in Viet Nam, most are for resource control. Even today, leaders who may not know the truth of Viet Nam, build a bigger military-industrial complex based on the falsity.
Quantum Leap in Public Knowledge of Early Business Activity. In 1889, a US consular office opened in Viet Nam, enabled by a French colonial invasion. By the 1890s, sales of US oil and wheat flour “enjoyed great favor,” a consul wrote. Consuls searched for business opportunities. They sent reports on diverse matters such as bi-weekly rice reports; monthly reports on commerce and industry; the building of roads and canals; and development of rubber plantations, eyed as US auto industry sales skyrocketed in the 1920s.
Cover sheet of a “Summary of Business for Quarter ending March 31st 1894,” from the US consul in Sai Gon, Viet Nam. United States Consulate (1957). Despatches from United States consuls in Saigon, 1886– 1906. Washington: National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration, Reel 1, chronological, unnumbered.
Citations for most facts in this newsletter appear in Corporate Tsunami in Countryside Paradise: 1875–1900 Origin of US War in Viet Nam, by Brian D, Roesch, Voter Knowledge Press. It is based on the consul reports.
Prof. Noam Chomsky calls Corporate Tsunami in Countryside Paradise “very significant work.”
Prof. Tran Ngoc Them in Viet Nam calls it “a great book.
In 1898, as innocent Viet Nam’s veins were cut open and its lifeblood flowed, consuls for nine European countries and the US operated in Viet Nam. The US business grew through the Roaring Twenties. And, by 1939, the US received 12 percent of the exports from Viet Nam, France’s most lucrative colony.
“Roaring” took on a different meaning in Viet Nam. Ruling by terror with superior European-style arms saved money for the colonials: With terror, a relatively small number of soldiers was needed to keep order. Widespread malnutrition stalked Viet Nam’s countryside—well over 90 percent of the nation—because, after harvests, the French exported most of the rice. In one farming village, the infant brother of 11-year-old Ho Chi Minh died of malnutrition. A high infant mortality rate drew satire from world-class author Andre Malraux in his 1925–26 Sai Gon newspaper, L’Indochine Enchainee, until the colonial rulers kicked him out. The malnutrition alone makes it no surprise that virtually everyone supported a resistance war.
Unmentioned, But of Major Significance. Virtually all Viet people held a deep love for their ancient rice farming culture, based on harmony among people and Nature. This ancient way began 5,000 years ago with the birth of the Viet race. Viet Nam, on the geographical edge of monsoon Asia, enjoyed an exceptional combination of monsoon rains, beneficial winds, fertile soils, and villagers eager to contribute their farm work in harmony with these natural forces.
A spiritual basis for harmony developed. Archaeology and other records reveal that the importance of harmony generated many enjoyable aspects of village life. These included music, poetry, theater, and above all, people seeking harmony with all others in the village.
Red River Delta 1991, watering rice field, photos by author
Foreigners wanted to invade and destroy this way of life? A tradition developed of defeating all invaders, even from much larger countries.
Finally, the overwhelming majority of Viet Nam’s people—patriots—led by Ho Chi Minh, defeated the invasion in 1954. But US leaders inserted soldiers in 1954 and started their own war, seeking to seize control to extend their decades of business that had been enabled by force.
Searching & Finding US Leaders’ False Statements. Drafted in 1970, Brian Roesch figured that the government knew more than the hippies. The government said “North Viet Nam” was sending a communist invasion. The government showed statistics. So, Brian trained as a helicopter gunship pilot. The 1972 withdrawal from Viet Nam led to him serving in Thailand, 1974–75, not in combat. There, the Bangkok Post reported that Viet Nam had long defended against a brutal French colonial invasion. Brian wondered, ‘What else, if anything, had the US government not told the public?’ ‘What, if any, involvement did the US have with France, its long-time ally?’
Photo of Brian D. Roesch, early 1970s, as helicopter pilot
After returning to the US, Brian worked as a criminal defense trial lawyer and spent decades digging for whatever was the answer to those two questions. For, the government had displayed the nerve to send millions from the public to fight, without telling them that Viet Nam had long resisted a brutal invasion. The truth, whatever it was, deserved to be found and told. The search carried him to Viet Nam several times.
In the US, a librarian showed Brian a clue about early consular activity. That led to the discovery of the thousands of consular reports. More research produced facts that pin down the official version as fiction. For example, no nation ever existed that called itself “North Viet Nam” or anything close. This is proven in Corporate Tsunami and will be shown in a later issue of this newsletter. But to this day, US leaders claim it existed.
A Quantum Leap in Understanding What Happened When US Soldiers Ran Into Patriotic Viet People. In the following short video clip from Oliver Stone’s Platoon, Charlie Sheen says, “The enemy was in us.” Such trouble simmered because US leaders plunged soldiers into villages in which they did not know the truth: that the people were fighting back against the colonial invasion in which US leaders had been involved during 1875–1950s. Uninformed, different soldiers reacted in different ways. Conflicts between soldiers erupted, some depicted in Platoon. Because of the consular papers’ spotlight, this lesson of history is available today to US soldiers and voters. The public can debate the trouble US soldiers face around the world, wherever many people are reacting by fighting back against US leaders’ resource control wars.
On Youtube, “Platoon ending scene—Chris Taylor’s speech HD.” To watch the video, either double-click on the arrow, or paste into Youtube: Platoon ending scene—Chris Taylor’s speech HD
This newsletter will appear each Saturday at about 7 a.m. US Eastern Time. Each issue will contain:
an unknown or little-known aspect of the real reason for the war
an effect of that reason upon current events such as coups, wars, and a high rate of birth defects into 2021, from Agent Orange/dioxin/toxins.
at least one recommendation for a video, audio, or reading.
I hope you will continue to read this newsletter and to tell others about it. You are invited to reply to it, and to join in any discussion that may develop. You can subscribe to this newsletter by clicking on Share and sending an email.