Two Jewish Groups Condemn Escalation of Vietnam War, Demand Withdrawal of Troops

Two Jewish organizations have demanded that the US pull out of the escalating Vietnam war. A resolution of the national governing council of the American Jewish Congress, condemning the “massive escalation” of the war in Southeast Asia, urged the Nixon administration to set July 1 as the date for a complete withdrawal of all US forces and a cessation of hostilities.

The National Council of Jewish Women named no date but called on the US government to withdraw all American troops and to “immediately resume the negotiations in Paris in the hope that some agreement can be reached to end the senseless killing of innocent people.” Since the statement was drafted, negotiations have been resumed.

The AJ Congress said it was “deeply shocked” at the increased US military activities in Southeast Asia. “The increased engagement by US forces on the ground and in the air is viewed by the world as a stunning reversal of announced US policy and a betrayal of the repeated public pledge of withdrawal by this administration,” the resolution said.

“The only rational and moral course available to our country at this tragic moment is to proceed expeditiously with the complete removal of US forces from Southeast Asia as the only way of stopping the killing and securing a quick release of our prisoners,” according to the AJCongress.

The National Council of Jewish Women branded President Nixon’s decision to bomb the environs of Hanoi and Haiphong as military operations conducive to sparking a confrontation with the allies of Hanoi and a possible widening of the war. The women’s organization declared that the President’s action was contrary to his previously stated commitment to end the war through negotiations. On the contrary, “It is our view that these military operations imply a military solution to the war,” the NCJW said.