Vietnam: A Television History; Interview with Edward Geary Lansdale, 1979 [Part 1 of 5]
Description:
General Edward Geary Lansdale was an advisor to French forces on special counter-guerrilla operations against the Viet Minh. From 1954 to 1957 he was in Saigon and served as an advisor to the American-backed government of South Vietnam. Lansdale recalls his experience fighting communist groups in the Philippines and credits that success for his being called to duty for Vietnam. Lansdale discusses the differences between fighting in the Philippines and Vietnam. He recalls that the Vietnamese had a strong distrust for foreigners and this resulted in a distrust of the government. However, Lansdale contends that it was not a mistake to support the French in Vietnam during 1950 as the French had been our allies in World War II and the United States had close cultural and economic ties with France. Lansdale also recalls his time as a special advisor to Ngo Dinh Diem. Lansdale explains at length the problems Ngo Dinh Diem had, such as being steeped in a Vietnamese Mandarin tradition that created his disengagement with the people and their needs. Lansdale also gives his opinion of Madame Nhu as a tragic figure who was extremely misunderstood.