from: Industrial Worker, March, 1972, page 5
Today's GI is more concerned with staying alive than with taking chances. Many GIs are just simply refusing to go out on patrols in which they are asked to risk their lives. Many are in some of the top units in Vietnam. A good example of what I'm talking about was the assault a couple of years ago on Hamburger Hill, when after the third attempt to take it and the loss of several lives, they simply refused to go up the hill.
Along with all of this is the increasing number of fraggings that are taking place. Fragging has become a standard response of the Army's little people--the grunts and rear-area GIs--to any harassment or unpopular missions imposed by their superiors. "Frag 'em" means to threaten, intimidate, or if necessary kill the officer responsible with a fragmentation grenade. Interestingly enough, though, the threats are turning into action. A number of GIs place bets to see who will pick off their NCO. In units where grenades are withheld they still manage to find them.
Many GIs fed up with the war are simply deserting their units or refusing to fight. The South Vietnam People's Liberation Armed Forces have adopted the following policy:
1. Not to attack those anti-war US servicemen--individuals or groups--who demand repatriation, oppose orders of the US commanders, and abstain from harmful action against the People's Armed Forces.
2. To give proper treatment to those US servicemen--individuals or groups--who in action refrain from opposing the PLAF, and those who carry with them anti-war literature.
3. To stand ready to extend aid and protection to those anti-war US servicemen who run away for their opposition to orders, to harsh discipline, and to the discriminatory policy in the army.
4. To welcome and give good treatment to those US servicemen who cross over to the South Vietnamese people and People's Liberation Armed Forces.
5. To welcome and to grant appropriate rewards to those US servicemen individuals or groups who support the National Front for Liberation and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam.
Knowing all this, the US government still refuses to end the war and bring the GIs home where they want to be.
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