The Phoenix Program"Between 1967 and 1973, the United States undertook the most ambitious and fareaching operation of the Vietnam War. Coordinated by the CIA, staffed by American and Republic of Vietnam soldiers and police officers, and implemented by notorious 'counterterror' and 'hunter-killer' teams, Phoenix was the final solution to the problem posed by those Vietnamese civilians who supported the armed Vietcong insurgents. In the end, hundreds of thousands of Vietcong sympathizers were apprehended by Phoenix teams and sent to secret police interrogation centers throughout South Vietnam; an estimated forty thousand Vietnamese were killed; and countless atrocities (including the My Lai massacre) were perpetrated in the name of 'neutralizing' the Vietcong 'infrastructure'. Although epic in scope and significance, Phoenix never before has been analyzed in detail -- not even during congressional hearings held in early 1970s -- nor have the facts ever before been recorded for public consideration. The Phoenix Program is nothing less than a meticulous historical narrative of Phoenix, from its roots in earlier programs through its tragic conclusions. Based on extensive research over four years, Douglas Valentine's work includes interviews with over one hundred participants in Phoenix: former and present CIA officers, heads of station, deputy directors and directors, as well as officers and soldiers from every branch of the U.S. military"--Dust jacket. |
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Acampora agency agents American arrested ARVN assassination assigned attack began Binh blacklists Brickham cadre captured Census Grievance Chieu Hoi CIA officer CIA's civilian commander Communist Cong CORDS Corps COSVN counterterror Da Nang defectors deputy Dillard DIOCC district Donohue enemy Evan Parker Field Police Fulcher guerrilla hamlet ICEX III Corps infrastructure Interrogation Center interview John Johnson Khiem killed Komer Lansdale liaison MACV managed Milberg Minh Muldoon Nang National Police Nguyen organization pacification paramilitary Phoenix advisers Phoenix coordinator Phoenix Directorate Phoenix operations Phoenix program Phung Hoang PIOCC political prisoners problem province chiefs province officer PRU adviser Quang region reports Robert Saigon Scotton South Vietnam Special Branch Special Forces staff targets teams terror Thieu things told U.S. Army U.S. military units VCI suspects Viet Vietcong Vietminh Vietnamese village Vung Tau wanted Wilbur William Colby