As revealed by john marks in the search for the manchurian candidate formats. John prados, author of presidents secret wars this definitive account of the phoenix program, the us attempt to destroy the viet cong through torture and summary execution, remains sobering reading for all those trying to. Counterinsurgency lessons from vietnam for the future pdf. The douglas valentine vietnam collection at the national security archive in washington, dc, has been open and used by researchers since early 2007. Today douglas valentine, author of the phoenix program and the cia as organized crime joins us to discuss what the phoenix program is and why its resurrection is so ominous. The strength of the pack the personalities politics and espionage intrigues that shaped the dea. Interview 1248 douglas valentine on the resurrection of. Amazingly, it took years for the cia to suspect that valentine had no intention of writing a sympathetic account of their crimes in vietnam.
Mar 14, 2018 douglas valentine discusses his recent article inside the cias use of terror during the vietnam war and his book the phoenix program. Shadowproof is a financially independent news organization. To avoid abuses such as phony accusations for personal reasons, or to rein in overzealous officials who. He is now advocating for a rebirth of the us infamous phoenix program to target the isis terrorists the us created, and he is advising trump from the shadows. In 1966 saigon station chief john hart assigned brickham to deputy ambassador robert komers staff. The phoenix program by douglas valentine overdrive rakuten. The phoenix program and the sla douglas valentine, mae. According to valentine, the cia is the organized crime branch of the u.
The phoenix program and contemporary counterinsurgency. The phoenix program was a program designed and coordinated by the united states central. The company has long promised that its phoenix program will restore profitability and close the gap by tightly integrating its retailing and ecommerce channels. At this20 point a detailed picture of the estimated seventy thousand vci was emerging, targeting was becoming specific and scientific, and results were20 improving.
Author and journalist douglas valentine states that central to phoenix is the fact that it targeted civilians, not soldiers. Valentine nonetheless affords an intriguingly detailed history of counterinsurgency efforts during americas postww ii involvement in indochina. The phoenix program was first published twenty four years ago, fourteen years after the congressional investigations that exposed and swiftly washed it from public memory. Designed to destroy the vietcong infrastructure and ostensibly run by the south vietnamese government, the phoenix programin fact directed. The phoenix program, revisited abcs of american interrogation methods abcs of american interrogation methods by douglas valentine weekend edition may 1517, 2004 counterpunch contents the pics piccs inside a pic the militarys side of the story adapted from chapter 5.
Douglas valentine is the author of four books of historical nonfiction. Erik prince tells stephen bannon that the phoenix program needs to be brought back notorious mercenary erik prince is advising trump from the shadows. The first book to shed light on and analyze the details of the whole operation. Going back to the 1950s valentine traces attempts by saigon. The program was designed to identify and neutralize via infiltration, capture, terrorism, torture, and assassination the infrastructure of the national liberation front of south vietnam nlf or viet cong. A cia operation, the phoenix program aimed at destroying the vietcong infrastructure. The hotel tacloban, the phoenix program, the strength of the wolf. The first book to shed light on and analyze the details. Phoenix terms like highvalue target and neutralization are now as common as phoenix strategies and tactics.
The phoenix program took place under special laws that allowed the arrest and prosecution of suspected communists. A shocking expose of the covert cia program of widespread torture, rape, and murder of civilians during americas war in vietnam, with a new introduction by. The phoenix program for the unacquainted was a cia generated operation that sponsored mass arrests. Indeed, the cia, which furnished much of the staff for the program, tried. One day later, on march20 5, 1968, with the pentagon, hence the armed forces of vietnam, now embracing the cias controversial phoenix program, prime minister nguyen20 van loc ordered the activation of phung hoang committees at all echelons,20 and he appointed dang van minh chief of a special phung hoang task management bureau. The number killed if proportionate to population, would total over 200,000 americans deliberately assignated over a threeyear period, were phoenix in practice in the united states. The other was the phoenix directorates first manual of20 procedures, outlining the program from saigon down to the dioccs.
Douglas valentine on the phoenix program then and now. Read the phoenix program pdf by douglas valentine open road distribution an important work. Already years late, many expect the company to announce another program delay in its analyst earnings call next month. This study helps balance claims about the programs effectiveness against charges of its brutality and its political costs. Author and journalist douglas valentine states that central to phoenix is the fact that it.
Interview 1248 douglas valentine on the resurrection of the. John prados, author of presidents secret wars this definitive account of the phoenix program, the us attempt to destroy the viet cong through torture and summary execution, remains sobering reading for all those trying to understand the vietnam war and the moral ambiguities of americas cold war victory. Douglas valentine on the phoenix program then and now youtube. Douglas valentinesthe phoenix program is vital for understanding the history of terrorism and its role in political warfare. This covert operation was responsible for the killing, imprisonment, or torture of countless vietnamese in the name of neutralizing the viet cong infrastructure. Look around on linked page, until you see the download section. The phoenix program by douglas valentine 2 editions first published in 1990 not in library. The wars in afghanistan and iraq have refocused attention on past u. Designed to destroy the vietcong infrastructure and ostensibly run by the south vietnamese government, the phoenix programin fact directed by the united statesdeveloped a variety of counterinsurgency activities including, at its worst, torture and assassination.
After having read douglas valentines essay on how the phoenix is coming home to roost via homeland security on his website, i decided to look into his book, the phoenix program. The phoenix program by douglas valentine, paperback. The phoenix program was launched on august 1, 1968, after the tet offensive in order to eradicate the communist infrastructure. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. More than 50,000 south vietnamese died as a result of the phoenix program and it paved the way for cia support for abuses in south and central america for the next 30 years. John prados, author of presidents secret warsthis definitive account.
The program was, at the time and still is controversial. Douglas, you refer to the cia as the organized crime branch of the u. Douglas valentine discusses his recent article inside the cias use of terror during the vietnam war and his book the phoenix program. The phoenix program and the vietnam war john prados. Aug 01, 2000 after having read douglas valentine s essay on how the phoenix is coming home to roost via homeland security on his website, i decided to look into his book, the phoenix program. Historian douglas valentine states that central to phoenix is the fact that it targeted civilians, not soldiers. Books by douglas valentine author of the phoenix program. May 29, 2015 he provides a brief history of the vietnam warera counterinsurgency program and explains how phoenix is being implemented today both internationally and domestically. Pics in the phoenix program, douglas valentine ny, wm morrow, 1990. Douglas valentines book the phoenix program gets the evolutionary information regarding this program correct. Former phoenix and cia director william colby contended in. A crude, onesided appraisal designed to prove conclusively that the phoenix programamericas antiterrorist program in vietnamwas an instrument of unspeakable evil.
The phoenix program by douglas valentine overdrive. Instead, it consisted of two principal elements supported by a third nonphoenix effort. Designed to destroy the vietcong infrastructure and ostensibly run by the south vietnamese government, the phoenix program in fact directed by the united statesdeveloped a variety of counterinsurgency activities including, at its worst, torture and assassination. Aug 03, 2000 buy the phoenix program by valentine, douglas isbn. The predecessors to the phoenix program included, pt4 and icex, both cia programs designed to coordinate and plan attacks on the vci. The secret history of americas war on drugs, and the strength of the pack. Under komers direction, brickham through late 1966 and june 1967 created icexside, renamed phoenix. Buy a cheap copy of the phoenix program book by douglas valentine.
He is the author of the novel tdy, and a book of poems, a crows dream. Valentine collected throughout his personal interviews with former cia and u. Dec 02, 2010 the phoenix program and the sla douglas valentine, mae brussell posted in uncategorized by ce399 on 02122010 the implication or latent threat of force alone was sufficient to insure that the people would comply cia director william colby. Buy the phoenix program by valentine, douglas isbn.
Nelson brickham was the senior cia officer in charge of foreign intelligence field operations throughout south vietnam, 19651966. The phoenix program and the sla douglas valentine, mae brussell posted in uncategorized by ce399 on 02122010 the implication or latent threat of force alone was sufficient to insure that the people would comply cia director william colby. Indeed, the cia, which furnished much of the staff for the program, tried to suppress this book when it was written in the 1980s. Most of the suspects picked up and detained as part of the phoenix program were murdered and never seen again or eliminated in their homes and villages in the countryside. While there have been many books written about the phoenix program, valentines book is much more thoroughly researched than the other books. Few other historical accounts provide as much detail on how the u. And the process of institutionalizing the phoenix program, conceptually and programmatically, is just beginning. The phoenix program by douglas valentine lobster magazine. Douglas valentines the phoenix program is the only book based on extensive interviews with phoenix operatives. The phoenix program was in theory an antiterrorist program, designed by the cia to target viet cong officials and sympathizers. Contrary to both extreme views of phoenix, the historical record shows that phoenix was neither wildly successful nor a massive assassination program. Besides his comprehensive, journalistic coverage of the details involved with the program, unafraid to uncover the deeds of all sides involved, two things impressed me.
Whereas the earlier programs had been unabashedly american operations, the phoenix program actually attempted to involve the south vietnamese in the planning and operations. Douglas valentine books list of books by douglas valentine. In cooperation with authorjournalist douglas valentine, cryptocomb is publishing over 8gbs of audio recordings that mr. The phoenix program by douglas valentine between 1967 and 1973, the united states undertook the most ambitious and far reaching operation of the vietnam war. The phoenix program, by douglas valentine at american. The phoenix program and contemporary counterinsurgency rand. The phoenix program by douglas valentine, paperback barnes. In the darkest days of the vietnam war, americas central intelligence agency secretly initiated a sweeping program of kidnap, torture, and assassination devised. All of our funding comes from small donations made by.
The collection contains the research material, including original handwritten interview notes and government documents obtained through foia requests, for my book the phoenix program. Douglas valentine on the resurrection of the phoenix. The collection contains the research material, including audio files of interviews with senior cia and military officers in the phoenix program, original handwritten interview notes, and government. Publication date 19680101 usage public domain mark 1. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Douglas valentine on the resurrection of the phoenix program. Primary text documents for douglas valentines seminal look at cia covert operations during the vietnam war, the phoenix program. Jun 10, 2014 douglas valentine is the author of four books of historical nonfiction. All of our funding comes from small donations made by readers like you. Morley safers attack in the new york times,2 this essential study of us political warfare has been reissued as an ebook. The strength of the wolf by douglas valentine 2 editions first published in 2004 not in library.