Indoctrination!

This is coolbert:

"The moral is to the physical as three is to one" - - Napoleon.

From a previous blog entry:

"There was also the ideological training. They [members of the Waffen SS] were taught why they were fighting"

"Similar to the practice of the various Soviet and Chinese Red communist armies and even the Marine Raiders under Evans Carlson. Political indoctrination! WHY WE FIGHT being stressed."

Here is another attempt at political indoctrination of troops. As espoused by the American Major General Edwin A. Walker.

Indoctrination of an anti-communist sort. At the height of the Cold War. Backfired on the general. Resulting in the resignation of a very seasoned and skillful combat officer.

"Major General Edwin Anderson Walker (November 10, 1909 – October 31, 1993) of the U.S. Army was known for his right wing political views and for being a target of Lee Harvey Oswald."

"During World War II, Walker commanded a subunit of the Canadian-American First Special Service Force [FSSF] in the invasion of Anzio, Italy in January 1944. In August 1944, the FSSF landed on the Hyeres Islands off of the French Riviera, taking out a strong German garrison."

"Walker again saw combat in the Korean War, commanding the Third Infantry Division's Seventh Regiment, and was senior advisor to the First Korean Corps"

Walker was a man with a very distinguished war record, both in World War Two [WW2] and Korea. Saw tough combat, leading with elan' special operations forces [FSSF]!!

"In 1959, General Walker was sent to Germany to command the 24th Infantry Division. In 1961, however, he became involved in controversy. Walker initiated an anti-communist indoctrination program for troops called 'Pro Blue' (due to Free World troops being coloured blue on maps) and was accused of distributing right-wing literature from the John Birch Society to the soldiers of his division."

"Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara relieved Walker of his command, while an inquiry was conducted, and in October Walker was reassigned to Hawaii to become assistant chief of staff for training and operations in the Pacific. Instead, Walker resigned from the Army on November 2, 1961"

The Kennedy administration felt that Walker had stepped over a line. Indoctrination of this sort is not desired within the U.S. military. Has the "smell" of authoritarianism about it? Something [political indoctrination] that is used by totalitarian regimes is NOT something the U.S. government can allow or condone?

[please recall that even up unto WW2, military officers eschewed voting!! An informal practice career officers had agreed upon to totally eliminate even the slightest semblance of political involvement!!]

It is reputed that Walker was also the target of Lee Harvey Oswald. Early in 1963, it is alleged, Oswald took pot-shots at Walker, the intent to kill this "fascist". Walker was living in Dallas and had certainly gotten the attention of a lot of folks with strong and extreme political opinions. The man who killed Kennedy ironically was also out to "get" Walker??!!

[the picture of Walker accompanying this blog entry shows Walker while he was at the rank of Colonel. A much earlier incarnation!]

coolbert.