[andyfox]

"The Viet Cong strategy was to terrorize the people into cooperating."

Here is what a hamlet chief, appointed by the Diem government, the government we supported, said about his village in 1959:

"The Vietcong were very smart. If they knew that Binh's family had been ill-treated by the government, they would work on that weak point. Perhaps Binh had had money extorted by an official--in his heart he had to feel resentment. So they would come by from time to time and say, "You see how bad the government is, it calls itself nationalist, but in the end it steals your money . Are you just going to do nothing?" So, like fanning a flame, Binh's resentment would grow to anger, and his anger to hatred, and his hatred to revolt. Or maybe Xoai would be building a house. The Vietcong would come by and help him put it up, meanwhile talking about their life--no pay, living in the swamps, being shot at all the time. Naturally, Xoai would take pity on them, so the next time they came by and asked for a meal, he would invite them in. But when they took a meal it was not like our soldiers' way: burst in, demand food, sit around while it was being fixed, eat, and finally grab a couple of chickens and run off. Instead, the VC would go into the kitchen, clean the rice, and while they were waiting for it to cook, they would sweep the house, wash the dishes, and set the table. When the meal was over, they would clean up, and then thank everyone politely. So the owner of the house would think, 'The [government] soldiers come in here as if they owned the place, but this other fellow is very polite and helps me out'. Naturally, he let the Vietcong eat at his house all the time. That is how the Vietcong gained the people's support. They simply built on the opportunity we gave them."

A government National Assembly candidate:

"The election was very dishonest. Information and Civic Action cadres went around at noon when everyone was home napping and stuffed the ballot boxes. If the results still didn't come out right they were adjusted at district headquarters. [Didn't anyone complain?] Everyone was terrified of the government. For example, the principal of the local school failed to campaign "actively" for the government candidate. He was reprimanded severely and transferred somewhere else, and his family got in a lot of trouble too. [Was there torture?] Of course there was. The Cong An beat people and used the 'water treatment'. [The "water treatment" consisted of forcing water down a person's throat or else holding his head under water.] But there was nothing anyone could do. Everyone was too terrified."



"We know which technique was more effective."

Indeed.