Former official donated wartime papers to USC
Military officers discussed U.S. Army Gen. William Childs Westmoreland’s life in service at a lecture sponsored by USC Libraries Tuesday night.
Westmoreland, born in Saxon, S.C., served as the commanding general during the Vietnam War after former President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him as the Army’s Chief of Staff in 1968.
Westmoreland donated his papers from his tenure in the army to USC upon his death.
Every speaker, regardless of what they focused on, addressed Westmoreland’s speech — his impeccable articulation, wide vocabulary and poignancy when discussing such complex issues like military occupation and strategy in Vietnam.
Col. Paul Miles, who served on Westmoreland’s staff and earned a doctorate in history at Princeton University, spoke first and discussed the general’s outlook on civil–military relations, as well as his views on the military’s political roles.
Col. Gregory Daddis, a staff member at the U.S. Military Academy who’s writing a book on the Vietnam War, said language couldn’t describe the complexities involved in the war. Particularly, he discussed the label of “attrition warfare” given to the strategy the U.S. used in Vietnam.
Gen. Volney F. Warner, who served as an aide to Westmoreland, addressed the somber topic of the United States’s entering a war with Vietnam. He said the “domino theory” that North Vietnam’s communism would influence other countries was flawed and that the addition of a U.S. business partner in Southeast Asia was not worth the more than 50,000 America lives lost during the war.
On much lighter notes, Warner recalled fond memories of serving in the White House with Westmoreland, including when he got a call from the latter general’s wife asking them to do something about the two hippies playing music on her front porch.
The speakers praised Westmoreland’s service and the ability to always do his best given such complicated political and military situations.
The event was a family affair, as about half of the attendees in the first two rows were related to Westmoreland.
Originally planned for October, USC was forced to reschedule the event when Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast and prevented the speakers from traveling to South Carolina.
A companion exhibit to the event, “A Life Service: Selections from the Papers of Gen. William Childs Westmoreland (1914–2005),” is on display in the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library until 5 p.m. today.
Along with photographs and military documents, the selection features several of Westmoreland’s personal items, including a nameplate, event invitations, a Rolodex and uniform patches. The entire collection is housed in the South Caroliniana Library.