WHEN LABOUR took office in 1964 the situation in Vietnam had changed In 1954 the French had been routed at Dien Bien Phu and driven out. But American imperialisan had since stepped in to fill the breach.
The Wilson Government, like its 1945-51 predecessor, placed itself on the side of imperialism against the revolutionary strugglos of the colonial masses. Without compunction or shame it dutifully defended every outrage and atrocity committed by the US. The depths of obscenity were finally plummied when Cabinet Minister George Brown uttered bis repugnant apologetics in defence of the atroce tics pod massacres of My bat The ominous words of Harold Rilen at the Trades Union Congress in Seprember 1964 foreshadowed what would underte Labour's attitede to the Vietnam war when be told them: You can get inte pawn. bus then don't talk of on independent foreign pllicy.
IN PAWN British capitalism was curtaunly in pawn, and the Labour Government cravenl held out its begging bawi to Washington. In Teturn ie offered connivance in L5 imperialism's counter revolutionury war aganst the peoples or taoco in trie pertod 1968-1977 the British Govern ment expected to spend L1200 million on WERE MA WEARIS HIM INSER conomists of the Government knew that one of the ways to heif plug the hole on Bastar s anance of pastcols was to get in on the Vielaam war, Companies Like Rolls Royce, EliotiAutomation, Posy, Hawker Siddeley. Handley Paco, Short Brothers & Harland. British Hovercraft Comperstion and Decca Noriestor all did got in on the net. Enc ma coresee popus or toe laud chinese peasants courled for nothing agains; the rattle of dollars that flowed into the colters of British capitalism. a socialise ideas, George Hecks fold the Mouso of Corsons on 22 o-uary 1968 Although lier Majesty's Goverment do arms soid to the USA, it continues to be our policy not to seil arms specifically for use ia Viernam.
faced evasion, as was proved by the joint Roll: Reyce-General Mators contract to supply their Spey engines for the Line Temco Fought Corsair L5 Navy attack plane. This was the plane widely used ing Die Vietnamese.
by debris Brilish fragmien were aser to help in that operation.
Quessons by let Labour MPs ic the House of Commons on the spit of acci licity. Woen John Mendekan tilled a question to the Forden Secretary on the Nover noted for accuracy or adhereno not place any revinctions or conditions pn up questions.
This was gothing tore than a hane.
from 1967 onwards for bombing and stralBribsi assistance was not simply res Viecnam, tricted to military hardware, However. When the IS now we clearine estuaris blocked for Vietnam were met with downright dup uac of the Skyvan tronsport plane, it was divurted to the Minister of Tochnology. Tois made the question elgible only for a written answer, aud oxeluded any followDEFENDED Wilson defended the US right down the line. In a letter dated 16 Februnry 1969 to ut the situation in Wietr am were Jo created by the action taken by the United States and South Vietnamon aireratl mainst birtain military targets in Noriti When Professor Nguyri Var Hiou Mr. Dish Ba The and Mr. Pham Van Choune from the liberation Tonces in South Vietons wanted to como to Britain, the Labour Home Secretary Frank Soskice curtly refused them perpussion to enter the contry. Ray Jenkins, Sockie's saccessor at the Home Office, also refused to grant visas ta people frura North and South Vietnam claring that 'it would not he in the national interest.
Wilson, who bas always excelled bimself in duplicity and hates to let the chance of a good smear campuign go hegging, sur passed himself in this respect at die Labour Pacty Conference in 1965. Rounding on apponents of British complicity in Vietnam, he told them, the right place to take that hariner is the Chinese Embassy Wilson compeniently snored the lact that there were no Chinese troops in Vietnam-but talking about socialist principles.
In those als yours from 1964 to 1970 the Labour Government pedilled its arms to slake up the imperialst butchery. tos Ministers bod for imporialism anut shams Jessly slandered the heroic struggia of the freedom fighters in Vietnant.
la 1945 it bad been the Attlees and the Bevins, In 1964-30 it was the Wüsons, the Jenkinses and the Stewarts In both cases dici commitmen, to capitalisma demonstrated the hankruptey and treacher of social democracy,