Vietnam nuclear theory repeated

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32536, 20 February 1971, Page 17

Vietnam nuclear theory repeated

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) CHICAGO, Feb. 19. Professor Hans Morgenthau of the University of Chicago last night reiterated his charge—labelled “ridiculous” by' President Nixon—that the Administration was moving towards the use of tactical nuclear weapons in South Vietnam.

Professor Morgenthau said that he had learned that nuclear weapons had in the past been sent to South Vietnam and subsequently removed.

The charge, referred to by the President during a news conference this week, was made by Professor Morgenthau in the lead article of the February 20 issue of the “New Republic” magazine.

In the article, Professor Morgenthau argued that President Nixon was committed to win the war, could not win it through the conventional use of armies, and therefore was becoming more interested in using tactical nuclear weapons. At his news conference President Nixon said: “I am not going to place any limitations upon the use of air power except, of course, to rule out a rather ridiculous suggestion that is made from time to time—l think the lat-

est by Hans Morgenthau—that our air power might include the use of tactical nuclear weapons. “As you know,” the President continued, “this has been speculated on for a period of five years, and I have said for a period of five years that it is not an area where the use of nuclear weapons in a:.y form is either needed or would be wise.”

On hearing this, Professor Morgenthau responded that in spite of the declaration, President Nixon had considered using nuclear weapons in South Vietnam in the past —indeed, quite recently—and might change his position in the future.

“What he said might be true today, but whether it is true tomorrow we do not know,” he said. He said that President Nixon had recommended in 1964 that nuclear weapons be used in the war, and that the Administration recently had considered theii use.

Professor Morgenthau, a professor of international relations, added: “I have it on very good authority that at one time there were nuclear weapons placed in Vietnam and these were later removed.”

He said that he could not say when these weapons allegedly were sent to South Vietnam or when they were removed, but he believed he knew the exact number of such weapons involved.

In his article, Professor Morgenthau argues that "the Administration’s position points ineluctably toward the use uf nuclear weapons in South-East Asia.” He wrote: “The Administration is committed to leave Indo-China only after it has won a victory., It has not won that victory with the conventional means thus far employed. It is not likely to win it in a tolerable period of time through the continuing employment of conventional means. . . .”

Professor Morgenthau told the “Chicago Sun-Times”: “You have to reduce the casualties (for political reasons). You have to make the appearance of getting out and still having won.

“If you cannot win with manpower, then you have to try to win with technology.”