War of Numbers by Sam Adams

Author:Sam Adams [Adams, Sam]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781586422028
Publisher: Steerforth Press
Published: 2012-03-13T04:00:00+00:00

Regulars: 119,000

Service Troops: 37,500

Guerrillas: 80,000

Military Total: 236,500

Political Cadres: 80,000

In other words, the agency had gone along with MACV’s mimeographed bargain—and then some. The militia had marched out of the estimate in exchange for only fifteen thousand guerrillas, not the great many more that Colonel Hawkins and I agreed there were. The service troops, although higher than MACV’s earlier number, were still “scaled down” on the order of 50 percent. Even the regulars had dropped a couple of thousand, with no mention whatsoever of the possibility of missing sappers. Finally, the political cadres had flown off to a separate perch.

The agreement paid the political cadres special heed. Under no circumstances, it said, were they to be “included in an aggregate” (meaning, added) to their military colleagues, particularly in “Washington publications” which dealt with the Vietcong, such as Fourteen Three. Furthermore, the cadres’ definitions “needed considerable refinement.” (something I agreed with), but “when this necessary work is completed, the political figure in its present form will disappear.” Poof! Carver’s copy of the agreement concluded with the hope that General Westmoreland “would extend to General Davidson and all of his able, most impressive staff, the thanks of the entire Washington delegation for their effective comprehensive briefings and other invaluable contributions to our joint endeavor.”27

“Thanks of the entire delegation!” I sputtered, and tore off to locate Carver, so he could exclude me from the thank-you note. I couldn’t find him. Later in the day I tried to enter the MACV Order of Battle Section to find out what the analysts thought as against the lieutenant colonels. I was stopped at the door. “New policy,” a guard said; “No civilians allowed on the premises.” Another member of the CIA group, the Estimates staffer Bill Hyland, tried to explain: “Sam, don’t take it so hard. You know what the political climate is. If you think they’d accept the higher numbers, you’re living in a dream world.”

That evening Bobby Layton of the Collation Branch held a party for the CIA delegation (minus Carver), saying: “You people could probably use one—let off steam, that kind of thing.” I belched smoke like Old Forty-four. I pounded the table, cursed the military, and drank way too much Scotch. At one point, I announced: “Only officer in the entire U.S. Army’s worth a damn is Colonel Hawkins.” That was untrue, and I knew it. There were plenty of others, including Major Blascik.

I had a hangover the next morning, but nonetheless felt better. Maybe the party had done some good. After all, I told myself, nothing’s in concrete. The numbers won’t become official until Helms signs off on Fourteen Three, and that was a bridge we hadn’t come to. There would have to be at least one “cleanup session” (as the last one was usually called), probably two, and I could use the occasion to tell the estimates board what had gone on at the conference. I decided to stop by the Collation Branch to apologize to Bobby Layton for the night before.

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