Young Socialist Forum
Articles on Vietnam, 1964-65
Until 1966, the publication Young Socialist Forum was the only
public face of the Young Socialists: most of the group’s members were in
the NDP’s youth organization, variously known as the New Democratic Youth
or Young New Democrats. Most of YSF’s writers and editors had been
expelled from the NDP/NDY—others, who were still NDY members, used
pen-names.
From 1963 until August 1965, YSF was a small-format (8.5x11) 4-
or 8-page newspaper, published every second month. Its small size (made
necessary by the group’s limited resources) limited its ability to deal at
length with many topics. Nevertheless, YSF devoted considerable
space to Vietnam, even before the emergence of the antiwar movement.
Until the fall of 1965, the anti-Vietnam-war movement in Canada was
small, and most demonstrations attracted only the traditional "peace
movement" and left-wing organizations. The following articles, published
in Young Socialist Forum between the summer of 1964 and the summer
of 1965, illustrate how the Trotskyist movement explained the war and the
need for antiwar action, to high school and university students during
that "pre-movement" period.
Young Socialist Forum, Summer 1964
Get U.S. Troops Out of Vietnam
By John Riddell
The U.S. government has been filling the headlines with its warnings
that it will risk nuclear war rather than give up its attempt to
"liberate" Vietnam. What Is the American army doing in Vietnam? Early in
June American troops moved into an area of South Vietnam whose inhabitants
were suspected of sympathy with the rebels: The Vancouver Sun
report reads:
"Armed helicopters poured 3,000 rockets into villages along the
river. They burned to the ground every but they could find. Sampans
were sunk and bullock carts were smashed. Some 700 women, old men and
children were driven from the area … About 1,000 tons of rice were
destroyed. Thousands of animals were slaughtered or carried off. A 20
mile stretch ... was left scorched and barren."
This was the first incident of the new American "scorched earth"
policy; only a single incident of a war where the U.S. government has
taken on a whole nation, and seems determined to destroy this nation with
all the horrors of Hiroshima and Auschwitz rather than end its
intervention.
The war in Vietnam has a long history. The Vietnamese first won their
independence in 1945, when they drove out the Japanese and set up an
independent republic. The French army moved in quickly, and seized
control. It took 9 years of fighting before the French were decisively
routed at Dien Bien Phu and forced to negotiate a peace. The resulting
Geneva agreements partitioned the nation provisionally and provided for a
free election within three years to determine the future of the whole
nation. An International control commission, of which Canada is one of
three members, was set up to ensure the withdrawal of all foreign troops
and the enforcement of the Geneva agreements.
This was a substantial victory for the Vietnamese; there was little
doubt that in free elections the nation would have voted to end French
rule and institute some form of socialist government. It was at this
point, however, that the United States intervened. The American government
had refused to sign the peace agreement, and now began to move arms and
personnel into the south. Their puppet-dictatorship in the south refused
to permit the elections, and the war broke out again—this time against
American imperialism.
The U.S. has tried just about everything in its war in Vietnam. It
tried to force two thirds of the population into "strategic hamlets"—which
differ from concentration camps only in that inmates are allowed to leave
to work in the fields during the day—under armed guard. Most of the camps
have been destroyed by Viet Cong attacks in union with the villagers
inside. The U.S. brought in helicopters—and the wrecks now litter the
jungles. In the past year they have backed three dictatorships, each as
unpopular as the one before. They have attacked the forests with chemicals
and the villagers, with napalm bombs—60% of "Viet Cong" casualties are now
inflicted by American troops. As it became obvious that the rebels were
winning the war, they threatened to extend It by invading independent
North Vietnam, When this had no effect, they threatened war with China.
These threats were based on charges of foreign Intervention which have a
strange ring; as Democratic Senator Wayne Morse has pointed out, the only
foreign troops in Vietnam are the Americans themselves.
The Vietnamese are fighting for their independence and their right to
determine their own future. The U.S. has declared itself ready to plunge
the world into war to prevent this. Where does Canada stand? As a member
of the Geneva commission, Canada is obliged to prevent foreign troops from
entering Vietnam. The only foreign troops in sight are 15,000 Americans.
Has the Canadian government made any protests? New Democratic Party leader
T. C. Douglas has demanded in parliament that Canada dissociate itself
from the American imperialist policy. Canada’s prince of peace,, Pearson,
refused to do so. In fact, Canada’s representatives on the Geneva
commission have persistently refused to take a stand against American
intervention.
Canada must act to stop the war in Vietnam! As a member of the Geneva
commission, Canada must demand withdrawal of American forces, and assert
the right of the Vietnamese to determine their own future!
Young Socialist Forum, February 1965
U.S. Bombing of Vietnam Risks World War
Canada Plays Phony Role
By The Editors
American warplanes have repeatedly bombed North: Vietnam, The White
House threatens to continue these acts of war indefinitely. The attacks
are in response to the growing success of the rebels in the Vietnamese
civil war, and their closely approaching, victory—not, as the U.S. states,
in "retaliation" for North Vietnamese "instigation" of Viet Cong attacks.
The evidence of mass support for the National Liberation Front (Viet
Cong) is overwhelming. Even the most biased observers report that villages
considered "safe" by the South Vietnam government continually turn out to
be full of the Viet Cong and their supporters, that government troops and
their American "advisors" continually complain that they can’t tell the
ordinary peasants from the rebels, that rebel fighters display tremendous
courage in the face of murderous American military equipment, that the
government troops are unwilling to fight the rebels, and that the Viet
Cong control over 80% of the country.
The rebels represent land reform and socialism: an end to the rampant
starvation and squalor, rapid industrialization, and social progress. The
Khanh dictatorship cannot grant any of these. And no amount of bombing of
North Vietnam can step the struggle so firmly rooted in the south.
The Canadian government is deeply involved in the situation: It has
contributed equipment and money to the corrupt South Vietnamese
dictatorship. As a member of the International Control Commission, it is
committed to supervising the Geneva 1954 accord, which states that there
are to be no foreign armed forces in South Vietnam. and no foreign
intervention in the affairs of the Southeast Asian nations. Yet it has
blatantly closed its eyes to the American military buildup in South
Vietnam, and the vicious war being conducted there entirely on the
initiative of the Western powers. Nor has it said a single word of protest
against the American bombings of the neighboring nations of Cambodia,
Laos, and .North Vietnam—whose sovereignty the ICC is also supposed to be
supervising.
On Feb. 10, Pearson attempted to whitewash the American action. He
warned against criticizing the bombings; terming them "retaliatory or
deterrent reactions against Communist Viet Cong attacks." And he spoke of
the danger of Chinese domination of the area. This supposed danger seems a
bit ludicrous when one recalls that the only foreign troops in all
Indochina are American! And that the South Vietnamese people support the
Viet Cong!
Young people everywhere must protest both the American actions and the
Canadian government’s complicity. Already numerous student groups have
voiced their opposition; NDY clubs have demonstrated on the issue. Yet the
NDP is silent—-no prominent NDPer has clearly stated opposition. NDYers
across the country must call on the party to take a stand-American
withdrawal from Vietnam, and exposure of the role of the Canadian
government.
Young Socialist Forum, February 1965
U of T Opposes Vietnam Raids
by Art Young
TORONTO—The U.S. bombing mission on North Vietnam sparked sharp
opposition all across Canada. Perhaps the sharpest reaction came from the
University of Toronto. Within 24 hours of the attack, at an emergency
meeting, a broad ad hoc committee was formed, and a demonstration planned
for the next day. After the meeting, John Roberts, students’ council
president, said "any action such as this which constitutes a threat to
peace must be of grave concern to all of. us." Prof. Willmott declared
that "the extension of a civil war into an international war is not the
kind of retaliation a nation does over seven men. There seems to be a
prevailing mentality in the U.S. that proper retaliation for one American
killed is the killing of numerous colored people."
The day of the demonstration, the campus paper Varsity, exhorted
students to attend the protest. In a hard-hitting editorial, it declared:
"The latest U.S. action, like the U.S. military presence in Vietnam
beforehand, is wicked. The latest attack constitutes a crisis, and
makes total war the more probable.
"Every Canadian, every U of T student, is threatened by this
danger. Every Canadian, every U of T student, is guilty of this
wickedness until he speaks out against it. ... The war in Vietnam is
your war, unless you disavow it"
Over 300 students turned out to the demonstration, which featured a
number of speeches, and sharp heckling by outnumbered
counter-demonstrators. The 300 carried two slogans: "End the war in
Vietnam" and "Students protest U.S. action." After the picket, the ad hoc
committee carried the issue back to the campus, with the launching of a
petition calling on the Canadian government to oppose the American
intervention, and the holding of frequent open meetings to debate the
Vietnam crisis.
Young Socialist Forum, Early Summer 1965
Vietnam Struggle: Nuclear War Next?
by Art Young
The deepening crisis over Vietnam continues to: bring the world closer
and closer to the nuclear brink. The pretext of "retaliation" has now been
dropped and bombings of North Vietnam are occurring on a round-the-clock
basis. There are more than 40,000 U.S, troops in South Vietnam—more than
twice the strength of four months ado. Fiendish new weapons are now being
tried out: gas, firestorms, rifles which have such impact they tear off
entire limbs, and bombs which scatter razor sharp metal over wide areas.
There is increasing talk of further escalation—the bombing of Hanoi, an
attack on China; and the use of nuclear weapons.
All this is being done very carefully. Every new step is calculated,
its effectiveness and the reactions to it are noted, and the next step
planned. The White House strategists are estimating just what they can get
away with, how many people they can slaughter safely, how close they can
come to total nuclear annihilation. All in a vain attempt to intimidate
the Vietnamese people.
But events have proven that the Vietnamese will not slacken their
struggle. They are determined to overthrow the American puppet regimes, to
choose their own destiny, to begin the modernization of their nation, They
see the industrialization and land reform which have taken place in North
Vietnam—and in the south, areas under Viet Cong control have begun to
institute land reform.
These heroic revolutionaries, winning their arms from the American
forces, struggling against the most fiendish products of modern
technology, are not giving up. On the contrary, all reports show that they
have met the U.S. military buildup with a firmer determination to conquer,
with new offensives.
The U.S. calculates that China will not intervene to aid its neighbour
and ally, North Vietnam, while it is being laid waste. That is far from
certain. It hopes that China will remain passive in the face of the
mounting American military buildup in South Vietnam. But that buildup is a
direct military threat to the Chinese people. For there is no guarantee
that Johnson will not decide to further escalate the war, since the
present level of escalation has not paralyzed the Vietnamese revolution.
Circles in the U.S., the same people who were labeled crackpots six months
ago when they called for bombing of North Vietnam, are now demanding an
attack on China.
But any attack on China would have disastrous consequences. No American
government has ever embarked on a war with so much criticism in its own
country as Johnson now faces. The Chinese army is the strongest anywhere
in Asia, and it is backed up by a well-trained militia which numbers in
the tens of millions. It is more than a match for any American land army.
The Russians would almost certainly be forced to come to the aid of their
ally, and with that action, the world would have more than one foot in a
nuclear grave.
There can be no guarantee of peace while the U.S. continues to hoist
the spectre of total annihilation over any struggle for social betterment.
That spectre will not stop the colonial revolution, for .it is far better
to die struggling for a better life than to die of starvation
It is our task to support the Vietnamese struggle, to stop the drive to
nuclear war. We must call for the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from
Vietnam. If the Viet Cong wish to negotiate that is up to them. But
clearly the Americans have no right to maintain troops there.
The time for action is now. If 20,000 American students can march on
Washington to end the Vietnam war, surely Canadian youth can do no less.
Young Socialist Forum, Early Summer 1965
Editorial: NDP Must Speak Out!
One of the most amazing brings about the Dominican and Vietnam crisis
has been the lack of organized opposition in Canada, the lack of a
sustained and coordinated campaign for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. What
protests there have been in Canada have been staged by the small peace
groups, and socialist forces. That’s not to underrate the importance of
these actions, but to point out the failure of the force that should
really be acting in the situation, the group which could mount an
effective campaign, and cause the Washington warlords to think twice about
what they are doing—the NDP, Canada’s labor party, the political
expression of the labor movement of this country, the party of the working
people of Canada. With a word from the parliamentary leaders, there would
be sizeable demonstrations in all the major Canadian cities,
demonstrations that would have powerful impact, that could galvanize
public opinion against the war, that could really launch a sustained
campaign.
Worse than the lack of a call for public demonstrations is the total
failure of the NDP even to clearly protest in Parliament. There have only
been weak mutterings from some of the "left-wing" MPs. Even from a purely
opportunist viewpoint—and this seems to be the only viewpoint that matters
to the party brass—a protest would help to build the party. For events
have shown the large reservoir of public indignation which the NDP could
tap by a clear demand for withdrawal of U.S. troops. Votes, Tommy, votes
for your much-heralded June election; image-building, you know.
That’s why we’re so heartened by the plans of the left NDYers to stage
a real fight at the coming convention, to demand the adoption of a clear,
consistent program for a socialist Canada, and also for an unequivocal
opposition to U.S. imperialism. In effect they are attempting to get the
NDP-NDY to realize its tremendous potential, to make it an effective
opposition to the crimes being continually plotted in the White House.
We; hope that in the meantime, before the convention, the leaders of
the NDP will decide to speak out. As "the Toronto campus newspaper the
Varsity said during the last Vietnam crisis, "this is your war, unless
you disavow it." Well, Mr. Douglas?
Young Socialist Forum, Early Summer 1965
World Protests Viet War
by N. Dunfield
Demonstrations against the Vietnam war are mounting around the world.
On Easter weekend, 50,000 Londoners heard Labor Party MP’s denounce their
own party’s unquestioning acceptance of U.S. actions and call for
unconditional withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam. At a rally in
Washington, 20,000 students backed similar demands.
Canada too has demanded an end to U.S. intervention. In Toronto 600
marched, in Vancouver 150; Montreal, London, Ont., Winnipeg all saw
protests. The Canadian revulsion at American policy is part of a worldwide
reaction.
Not unusual was the demonstration of some 1,000 youth in Frankfort,
Germany on March 27 at which several of the youth were brutally beaten by
the police for their participation. Japan is undergoing an even greater
ferment because American bases -there are’-being used ;for maneuvers in
Vietnam, and Japan naval forces are supplying both men and ships.
Consequently, on April 26, about 25,000 snake-danced, sat down on streets
and battled 4,500 riot cops in a demonstration against the U.S. embassy to
demand that the U.S. troops leave Vietnam immediately. Further
demonstrations in Japan have demanded that the Japanese government no
longer allow the Americans to attack Vietnam from Japanese bases and that
the Japan-U.S. security pact of 1960 be ended:
The British Foreign Secretary’s May Day speech was broken up with
shouts of "Hands off Vietnam" and "Condemn the Napalm Bombing." He was
unable to finish.
The tremendous success of the student March on Washington raises to a
new level the American protests. Teach-ins (all-day and all-night
discussion sessions) are being organized on all the major campuses to
discuss and protest the Vietnam war. Johnson is feeling the pressure, for
he has decided to send State Department propagandists to the campuses to
attempt to convince the student opposition, or at least to silence it. But
this will undoubtedly backfire, for the propagandists will soon find that
all the arguments are against the war, and nothing will aid opposition to
it more than the opportunity to discuss the issues.
In Canada our task is no less clear—to mobilize the strongest possible
opposition to the U.S. actions, to increase the pressure on Pearson to
condemn the brutal war of extermination which could lead to the total
eradication of mankind from the face of the earth.
That the protest movement can influence American policy is shown in the
comment of the Washington Correspondent of the Los Angeles Times:
"The worry among officials here is that adverse American reaction to the
crisis will either collapse the present U.S. policy or at least force the
,president to shift his position somewhat."
Let’s hear it louder—hands off Vietnam!
Young Socialist Forum, Summer 1965
Editorial: U.S. Must Withdraw Troops
Month after month, the Americans continue their murderous war in
Vietnam. The deadly bombings of North Vietnam have continued, aiming at
targets closer and closer to the Chinese border. Meanwhile American combat
troops have moved into direct attack in the South, leading in wholesale
slaughter of the civilian population. And In courageous defiance of the
whole military might. of American imperialism, the National Liberation
Front still moves forward, expanding the territories under its control.
The National Liberation Front (the "Viet Cong"), it now the only viable
government in the south, ruling over the larger part of the country,
collecting the taxes and exercising the functions of a government, while
carrying out some of the basic reforms necessary for social progress.
French and American colonialists have never granted the Vietnamese the
luxury of "free elections." Yet the Vietnamese have voted just the same,
giving their lives by the millions in a twenty-year war of liberation to
put in power a government of their choice.
It is to overthrow this government that the Americans bomb closer and
closer to the Chinese border, risking nuclear war to perpetuate their rule
and exploitation over the peoples of S.E. Asia.
The answer to the Vietnamese war will not be found in big-power
negotiations to impose some compromise on the unwilling Vietnamese. Not,
will it be found in armed intervention by the UN or any other of the smoke
screens used by American imperialism to cover violations of national
sovereignty. The only solution can be the withdrawal of the U.S. armed
forces, to leave the Vietnamese free to determine their own future.
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