A further document relating to the history of Aberdeen YCND (mid-1960s vintage) has come to light in the form of the leaflet transcribed here. Current world events suggest that, although the base at Edzell is no more, some at least of the leaflet's content may be only too relevant today.
TO U.S. PERSONNEL (EDZELL)
This weekend
while we are fasting in protest against your Government’s policy in Vietnam,
and while you are celebrating Christmas with your families, there is occurring
a truce of two days duration in that war-torn country. After the truce is over the
war will be resumed with ever greater ferocity. More civilians will be
accidentally killed by American troops, more members of the N.L.F. have their
flesh seared by Napalm and their crops poisoned by the chemicals which are in daily
use in Vietnam.
All over the
world people are crying out in protest against the crimes being perpetrated in Vietnam
by the American Government, in the names of freedom
and humanity. We have come here to add our voices to this protest. To
appeal not to those of you who are so blind and so unassailable in your
bigotry, so hate-filled that you would gladly kill us as well as slaughter the Vietnamese,
but to those of you who have misgivings about the war. The war being waged in
your name, the war that is CRUEL, ILLEGAL and IMMORAL.
There are
many amongst you who see through the lies put out by your Government, who know
that the people of South Vietnam are not heroically resisting Communist aggression
but are fighting a foreign invader from 5,000 miles across the sea. Who would
agree with former President Eisenhower when he said, “I have never talked or
corresponded with a person knowledgeable in Indo-Chinese affairs who didn’t
agree that had elections been held as of the time of the fighting, possible 80%
OF THE POPULATION WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR THE COMMUNIST HO CHI MINH” (White House
Years, 1953-6, p.372). But who do not draw his conclusions, namely that they
should not be allowed to take such a
course as it would prejudice America’s access to supplies of certain minerals and
raw materials in South East Asia. The Vietnamese are suffering not because they
are being invaded by Communists, but because of the GREED of certain sections
of American society, who are finding war “GOOD BUSINESS”. But war is not good
business for the young Americans who through their daily contact with the
horror that is Vietnam lose all regard and respect for human life. They are becoming
hardened to cutting people down like cloth dummies as they flee, frantic,
helpless. ALREADY VIETNAM IS A SCAR ON THE AMERICAN CONSCIENCE THAT CAN NEVER
HEAL.
During the days
we are here you will see us fasting. Many of you will manage to shrug your
shoulders and call us commies but others will know this is not so, you will be
unable to ignore us and disregard our leaflets.
We in
Britain can only do two things. The first is to stop our Government supporting
America in Vietnam. This is difficult because, as Dean Rusk puts it, “AMERICA SUPPORTS
THE POUND AND BRITAIN SUPPORTS THE AMERICANS IN VIETNAM”. The second thing we
can do, and what we have in fact come here to do is to ask you to DISENGAGE
YOURSELF FROM THE AMERICAN MILITARY MACHINE of which you are a part, TO PUT
ASIDE ALL CONSIDERATIONS OF JOB AND FAMILY – TO DESERT.
This is a
difficult step to take, requiring courage, but as the great Pacifist thinker
Tolstoy said, “Not billions of roubles, not millions of soldiers, no
institutions or wars have so much power as the simple declaration of a free man
that he considers something to be right or
wrong.” WE ASK YOU TO MAKE THIS DECLARATION.
The war continues,
the war ESCALATES, WE GIVE YOU A WARNING. This conflict will lead to World War
III unless stopped soon. In this you and your families will CERTAINLY DIE, and
the attack which Edzell base will draw upon itself will kill by fire and
fallout a large number of the population in Dundee and Aberdeen. By leaving the
American forces you would be helping in some measure to avert this terrible
prospect and also to bring about a lasting peace in VIETNAM.
CHRISTMAS 1966
THIS FAST IS SUPPORTED BY THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS –
[All supplied with Aberdeen addresses]
YOUTH FOR PEACE IN VIETNAM
Y.C.N.D.
COMMITTEE OF 100
“MEGATON” GROUP
Further information:-
http://www.ivycom.com/edzell/site/ - for background on the base.
https://lenathehyena.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/scotlands-radical-youth-1960s-scotland-ban-the-bomb-and-anti-vietnam-movement-in-aberdeen/
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| Captured American tank on display to tourists in Vietnam, summer 2017 |
