Letters: May 3, 1968

Lyndon's General

Sir: Your cover article on General Creighton Abrams [April 19], if written 100 years ago, could almost word for word describe General Grant—tactics, strategy, personality—even the cigar, the horsemanship, and the West Point class standing. Grant is still probably the greatest general ever to wear an American uniform. It took him one year after achieving command to end the Civil War. It took only six months to ensure the re-election of a troubled President who at that stage thought himself a failure, and who now is regarded by most as our greatest American.

DORIS STERN

Tucson, Ariz.

Sir: My hat is off for your sterling performance in writing and reporting. For the first time, the other side of the Tet offensive has been released to the much-propagandized public. For the first time, you haven't nailed the armed forces or the Administration to the wall over our policy in Viet Nam. Keep it up and tell it like it is.

WILLIAM R. RITZ, '70 Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pa.

Sir: Battlefield success depends in large measure upon allowing professional generals to captain the military operation once the politicians have made the decision to fight. Once decided, further intrusion by politicians and diplomats creates more confusion than forward motion, loss of surprise, and a mucky situation such as we now have in Viet Nam. You just can't decide for a general where and when he will bomb or how he will attack. These are his valuable resources which spell success or defeat; timing is crucial. It's surprising that Westmoreland has done so well under the circumstances. And good luck to you, General Creighton Abrams.

HARLAN G. KOCH San Francisco

Those Peace Talks

Sir: Our national leaders have told the world that we will go "to any spot on this earth" in search of peace in Viet Nam [April 19]; yet the Administration immediately rejected Pnompenh and Warsaw as possible sites for talks. Lyndon Johnson's hands are irrefutably sullied with the blood of every American boy killed in Viet Nam from the time of that rejection until the day that peace talks do finally begin. Let the people of the world know that it is not all of America but only her highest leaders who quibble over "diplomatic etiquette" while men die.

HAYWOOD TORRENCE JR., '71 Harvard College Cambridge, Mass.

Sir: How can the people of this country so easily forget what happened in Korea? There is a definite lesson to be learned there before we enter peace talks with the North Vietnamese. Many urge that we begin negotiations immediately, wherever they be held. In Korea, the conference site was thought to be of little significance; yet to the Koreans it meant a great deal. They knew that if they could obtain small concessions from us before talks began, they would be able to achieve more and larger concessions from us once they were under way. If our Government desires that Viet Nam be another Korea, then it should agree to any locale. Hopefully, they have a better settlement in mind, and will stick to their guns.

KENNETH GOLDBLATT

Philadelphia

Verdict on Violence