1:31:03
Only Americans can do that.
1:31:06
We get really stoned.
1:31:08
Then, you know,
like who cares about the war?
1:31:11
Gentlemen...
1:31:12
and ladies...
1:31:15
as you know, General Westmoreland
has returned to Washington...
1:31:18
and General Abrams has replaced him
as commander of ground forces.
1:31:23
This reorganization is part of
the president's Vietnamization strategy.
1:31:29
Now, the new second in command,
General Weyand...
1:31:32
is here to brief you on the
implementation of this phase of the war.
1:31:37
Excuse me, Ambassador.
With Abrams in and Westy out...
1:31:39
is this an official admission
that Westmoreland's strategy...
1:31:42
was a failure?
1:31:43
General Westmoreland was promoted.
1:31:46
Ladies and gentlemen,
we now believe...
1:31:48
that South Vietnamese are ready
to take on a primary role...
1:31:51
in driving back
the enemy's forces--
1:31:54
their divisions, North Vietnamese
regulars across the western border.
1:31:59
Is this an American withdrawal?
1:32:00
In no way could this be interpreted
as a withdrawal.
1:32:03
It's a change of strategy...
1:32:05
and I have appointed the former
Lieutenant Colonel John Vann...
1:32:08
whom you all know--
1:32:09
please come up here--
1:32:12
to act as my deputy
for military functions.
1:32:14
He will help me implement
this strategy.
1:32:17
He will serve as a commanding general
for the central highlands region.
1:32:21
Please, General,
help me clarify this.
1:32:23
You're placing a U.S. civilian
in command of South Vietnamese troops...
1:32:27
in the central highlands,
which is a fairly sizable area...
1:32:30
while the rest of the U.S. troops
pull back?
1:32:33
We're not pulling back.
The South Vietnamese are moving forward.
1:32:36
Doesn't "Vietnamization"
mean withdrawal?
1:32:39
Well, that's what we're trying
to explain to you...
1:32:41
if you just pay attention.
1:32:43
John, haven't you always advocated that
the U.S. take control here in Saigon?
1:32:47
That's correct. But Tet has proved
that the South Vietnamese...
1:32:50
are capable and willing
to take control of this war.
1:32:53
The American people
have been completely demoralized...
1:32:57
by recent developments.
1:32:59
Not at all. On the contrary,
our intelligence, in fact, indicates...