Follow us on twitter. Announcer military assistance command in vietnam were often small groups of u. S. Army teams does assigned to small areas supported only by South Vietnamese forces. Two recently had a reunion in charleston, south carolina. Up next, drawing upon their own experiences, two Vietnam Veterans get talk about efforts to assist agricultural rita veldman. Officials felt this would draw local support to u. S. Backed forces command away from the communist north. All right, that is a hard act to follow. Im going to be more academic, maybe. Only have the one and . Lide lets see if i can make this thing work. Lets review a little bit of the basic geography. Some of us may have forgotten. That is smack them in the delta. The mequon river, the mainstem of the north, the other river on the south. Headquarters to the delta south. There. Tioned up where the position was was about there. Four districts. , around the city. Wide base area, which was the security problem. Thecenterpiece of much of activity. Both military and economic the veldman. Militarystory of and Economic Development. The Development Program that im going to talk about. One quarter of one Million People. 50,000 of them live in the province capital. Ethnicre entirely vietnamese. Perhaps 1 each cambodian, and chinese. About half of the population were buddhism. Most of the rest were other varieties of buddhist. About 6 for the eclectic sect. About 3 for christian, almost entirely catholic. A tranquil place during french colonialism, but the 1930sepression of the provided Fertile Ground for revolutionary sentiment, particularly where there was a higher percentage of absentee ownership. French and vietnamese elites sometimes living in saigon. As in other countries, were susceptible to revolutionary ideologies. These movements began to show up in the delta as early as the 1920s. Particularly during the 1930s. World war ii, with the defeat of the french by an asian race, strengthened nationalist and communist groups with the vietminh under ho chi minh being the strongest overall. In other parts of the central and western delta, they were challenged politically, militarily and economically. By the rapidally growth of the ofeligionist sect considerable sophistication, and a political movement. And are reformed simplified, there are a lot of buddhism. It lacks the ornate and expensive ritual of mainstream buddhism. It was founded by a charismatic in the nextdoor province in 1939. He was viewed as a living buddha. He was sent to preach in poetry and heal the sick. The french considered a pay political threat the french considered him a political threat, and locked him in a psychiatrist. He escaped. Hisnese occupiers found nationalism politically convenient and permitted him to preach during wartime years. The group grew to some 200 adherents in the central delta, and established what amounted to a local government before the french attempted to reestablish control in the postwar period. Delta withed in the the complex threeway struggle. French, vietminh and were shifting alliances in terms of military control of land and people. They represented a threat to the tminh, this admitted the circumstances which we benefited a great deal from in our day. It was both a sophisticated and popular religion with a set of competing warlords excepting taxes from a peasantry. Consoled controlled the city for parts of the french period. In the aftermath of the french defeat, other factions sought to retain control and sought saw an enormous rise from the saigon government. For their services against the vietminh. Men was able to subdue these warlords, and other groups. They used a mix of direct luke perry assault, and a hearts and minds strategy can fit suggested in part by everett lansdale, who had been instrumental in the feet of the philippine communist insurgents. Men was able to reestablish and go effective ,ontrol over much of the delta and bring many howe units. Essentially purchasing their support. Some units, however, including who was brought into the fold only in 1965, with the assistance of an american advisor. Stories. Nd larry have i hope they will share them. Some of the former units were among the best fighting forces in the province. There was tension between the catholicism,omote and those who sought to keep and promote their faith. Political and military tension and conflict. That was eventually brought nominal degree. Iner the falls of the regime 1963, the social and political structure that paralleled saigon became more open. The Central Government was astute enough not to recognize that cooption was the best approach. The political geography is directly reflected the importance of the group. Communists had begun to establish themselves in the southern wonton village as early as the 1930s, they released their control to the point where they controlled three quarters of the district by the mid 60s. Mid 1960s. Reform,onducted land thegained support by giving holdings of absentee holders to the farmers on the land. They did not tech they did not talk about future collectivization which led to mass starvation in 1975. As it was fought over in the mid1960s, particularly with the deployment of airpower including b52 strikes, the area became a moonscape. Lines of water filled craters visible from the air. Houses belted back into the landscape. Suffering on the land that provided them sustenance command from the communities that were there cultural world. They became refugees, on more than one occasion moving to the northern part of the district, and even to saigon. Battalions, the 857 in the 859, and other units, called the area home and were usually at full strength. Forces, rfvernment and pf lacked the manpower to make their presence felt in several parts, particularly 300 0300 in january, they attacked their field. Coming out of the wide base area. They took most of the city and penetrated deerfield perimeter where fighting continued for six and as asserted cookes washers manned the perimeter with air support. Aboutis a marvelous story the good shepherd, the catholic orphanage for vietnamese girls located miller,tain robin checking with the nuns, when the line went dead on the second downhe grabbed a stripped a huey that was in for maintenance, and a couple of mechanics, and flew a few meters, landed inside the courtyard of the nursery. The orphanage. Parker ratlines who interviewed, got out and organized the nuns, 16ecting them as miller flew stories back and forth, lifting out withns and nuns gunships providing air cover. That escaped the worst of the fighting in 1968. The vc attacked the home of the ardent ninth division commander, they were wiped out. In tone did the vc make significant gains, taking six of the seven government outposts, and holding the district town for five days. The district compound was bordered in a nine hour ground assault. Was beaten assault off by u. S. Navy pvrs and army omni helicopters. They moved a couple of kilometers north. They gave more refugees than had been the case before it i hope some of the people that were around for that during that will share some of this. This is all secondhand information. On my part. Battlesre several during the remainder of 1968, including a fight on the west leg. Sailors killed. Three members of team 65 were killed including advisors, within their cheap caught fire. Took fire. The correlation of court of the correlation of forces begin to change. One battalion went to saigon and never came back. The 857 battalion, itself understrength. We have conducted a major mobilization in the period, with a large past and of Territorial Forces and popular forces, which made it possible to employ Additional Units and outposts. Personallyt chief recruited several hundred men and incorporated them into units. Ninth Infantry Battalion conducted sweeps of the south and built a road. Outposts were built at each of the four southern villages and at the base. Served on those outposts. 13 rf companies were assigned. A civil government was established. This is where i came in. I was a very green Second Lieutenant. I was assigned to the province as phoenix advisor. I got to know some of the state Department People like david pilot. Who was a he was a u. S. Information agency officer. I was looking towards the state department and a career afterwards, so i expressed for the work. Surprise, i was asked if i would be willing to go to as the first Area Development officer. The first guy to be working fulltime on Economic Development and government programs. My brief included the spectrum of Economic Development. Since i had a rather cushy and reallyb, i thought, do i want to go . But i said yes. This assignment was approved by john, in spite of the directive ,rom the saigon level of macv the officers work needed to be taken off. On one occasion, i had to physically hide from a visiting phoenix team coming down from saigon because i was carried on the but the district phoenix , today gilbertne who unfortunately didnt make it, but i did not do that job at all. Confusion. Acute oh well. [laughter] i was given a usaid scout, and told to move down to the district team. Helping refugees return to their former homes was a centerpiece in our efforts. Particularly so into tone. Had 25,000 refugees over the ports of a couple of your spirit refugees have been registered by the government and were given 10 sheets. 10 sheets of roofing 10 and very arctic foodstuffs various other foodstuffs. Our chief did not have a good reputation. Himself alding substantial house in the suburbs , and i would not be surprised usaid elder materials went into his house. Nonetheless, we got a lot of material out to the people rebuilding their homes around the province. Billd an ag advisor named williams. He was a hands dirty, grassroots, corners farmer. Efforts, heajor purchased nonheavyduty crackers capable of breaking up the soil, and literally plowed up. It was hired cruise and pf soldiers. It was mine clearing equipment. And good oldfashioned bayonets. He also introduced the numerical rice that permitted double withing and double yields 120 day growing period. They were quick to adapt these when they saw what they could do, and the demonstration that we sponsored, the vc after initial propaganda, these scenes would make the seeds would make you sit darrell sterile or some such, they went silent on it. Land reform was another major thing. The land to the tiller program initiated in 1969 was among the most effective land Reform Efforts of done anywhere. Title to the actual cultivators, restricted ownership. To itompensation of landed the amount couldbsentee owners retain. Half of all ricegrowing land in the mequon delta was redistributed under the lands of the tiller program. Intended i attended festive ceremonies, handing out deeds. We built roads. While we were unable to keep the wide roads open in the 19691970 provincehe rest of the rose to be quite secure. Traffic continued into the i up to saigon. S or two tore a time pick out a food a few million to get more roads. Many tons of gravel to put on market roads. Successorm quinn, my as the development guy, came to be the district Senior Advisor. In thelding experience mekong delta was put to use in the 1990s when he was u. S. Ambassador to cambodia. Education. There were theoretically five years of mandatory schooling. Aspirational in rural areas. The 611yearold population was in school. In the south, we had to start over from scratch. A schoolhouse with two rooms, concrete floors, cinderblock walls, tin roof cost 300,000 about 2500. One of my regular jobs is to inspect the half a dozen or so that we built. We saved money. Vietnamese education was monitored by supported by the advisory inspecting the school. The fact that we put a dent in the concrete with my combat boot , i looked for the village chief and kicked them out. We monitor elections. We monitor ward elections. Vietnam has a strong tradition assassination by the vietminh and the vietcong. We are established establishing local government began in 1967. Ed led to Council Elections and 31 of 36 villages. Shortly after, elections were held in the 103 of 129 hamlets. 1969, the south had been repopulated enough to hold elections. Down there, election turnout was high. Over 75 . Reflecting both real political engagement, and an degree and a degree. Candidate was benefited by the Central Government. The chief and district chief did monitor the process. Issues tended to be localized and focused on welfare and economic concerns, as opposed to broader national, or political concerns. The party and affiliated. Andidates did well they practiced the policy of separating god and caesar. They were given a modest pot of money in the form of a checkbook for local developer projects. 1969ions were held later, for a province counsel whose function was advisory, richard rather than legislative. Antep toward democracy, and achievement. Needless toy say, these efforts were generally ignored in the ken burns docudrama. After six months, i was pulled back. As Assistance Development advisor, that new life development. Working for a Foreign Service officer, mike became the refugee advisor. Months, my tour for six and stayed until november 1970 the cambodia novation occurred in april 1970. That are medically improved the security at the delta. The nva units that had begun to infiltrate the delta in mid 1969, and particularly the were cut off from their supply lines, and had to disperse in smaller units my and slow their operational tempo. In 1970, the u. S. Military withdrawal accelerated. 1969, arrived in april of u. S. Troop strength was at its peak, 543,000. When i left 19 months later, it was half of that. Teams were, for the most part, withdrawn. Bob mentioned that by 1972 or some such, he basically had three provinces by himself. Continuedty situation to improve through 1971, up to 1972. You can drive around the why. The arvin one all major battles. In the mequon delta between 1969 in 1974. 1972, the paris accord violated before hanoi before the ink was before the and military assistance continued. Watched 13r, hanoi launched 13 divisions into the south. They were defeated by massive u. S. Air support, but no american ground forces. In the subsequent three years, congress, which had supported the war for over a decade, prohibited military and economic aid to saigon, an act of abandonment repeated in iraq in 2011 which led to the rise of isis, and is happening again in syria. Invasion975 overwhelmed the south. In and for heroes of the final days. Helping evacuate those who had cast their lot with americans. The aftermath was a sad story of communist, specifically targeted retribution. Peoplenst not only the associated with the saigon government, but what amounted to ethnic cleansing, approaching the level of genocide against the chinese. An estimated 65 an estimated 75,000 died in hanoi plus gulags. Possibly figure was 1000. Acts in his warped perspective, rather than as National Policy directed from the top down. Ahere between acre quarter Million People died in the south china sea. A quarter million figures from the u. N. Hi commissioner are the rest. They go to half a million. Accompanied collectivization in the south. Ive never seen a good estimate for how many thousands tens of thousands died from starvation in the post1975 period. Thisssion continues to day. If you go back to vietnam, as they did in 2013, things appear relatively prosperous at first glance. On closer inspection, vietnam is not matching the economic success as the rest of southeast asia, and has liberalized politics less than china has. Once ubiquitous throughout the good as who we know from my day. They are gone. Today, prosperity and democracy were made for the people of vietnam. Thank you. [applause] joeefore i turn it over to ortega couple questions, i have to make a plug for my book. War and reconstruction in the all proceeds go to team river runner, a veteran Service Organization that i have been spending some time with for the last decade or so. We take wounded warriors, we started in walter reed physical therapy pool in 2004. Put them in rafts, kayaks, and get them out on rivers, including whitewater stuff. Cliniceeks ago, we had a for seven blind or visually impaired veterans on the Potomac River in d. C. , guiding them under voice command. I have worked with up to triple amputees in kayaks. We do good stuff. The books are over there yeah if you would like to buy one, take a check and make it out to team river runner. You a receipt for tax purposes. Thank you. Any questions . Cost of that school was 2500 . For a two room schoolhouse, yes. To room, sounded like a pretty good deal. What with that same school, do you have any idea, what would it cost you to build that today . Dont i really dont know. One thing that i did notice when i went back to vietnam in 2013 was those small, two room cinderblock schoolhouses were gone. Story stucco tile roof, 10 room schoolhouses in so there has been iopments in the delta drove around the base area in 2013, but i could not give you a figure. Soldiers, former soldiers over there now building schools, most of them probably know that, and you plug your book. If i may plug a magazine that has always been reporting on these people who are doing the building, a lot of you may know this, but the and of america, which you might want to consider getting yourself a light membership. Im not trying to steal your thunder, but this is the best 50 you could invest for a life membership. You get this every couple of months, and this group does more congress thans in any other organization that i know. Im not mistaken now, Vietnam Veterans of america has been doing some School Building , cambodia as well as vietnam, and yet another organization i think somebody is going to talk about at some point today is counterparts, a group of american advisers, has done the same kind of thing. Absolutely. All right. Thank you. Good job. [applause] lets bring joe up. When i was talking to michael , he asked me to explain a little bit about the different inzations in court, soup. The cords alphabet david gave a talk on said act sudek. Lets see if i can advance. We want to cover a few things, unravel the alphabet soup with some background and insight into classification and development definitions and experiences in sudek in 1970. As most of you know, there were two different organizations in vietnam. One was usually thought of, the United States fighting forces, commonly called ursrv. Team 60rs were flight and the advisers to the president ial staff like team 65. However, i would like to give on the biggest advocate for classification efforts to win the hearts and minds of the countrymen. His name was John Paul Van, who mr. Tracer spoke of an gordon spoke of him also a little bit. To give you some background, he was an Army Infantry lt. Col. , advisor in 1962. He became concerned with the way in which the war was being prosecuted, and particularly the bloctrous battle of en while he was directing the battle from a spotter plane overhead. It was the first major battle won by the vc. He attempted to draw attention to the problems through such methods as New York Times reporters, directing much of the irony towards the macv commander. They completed his assignment and left the army within a few months, having completed 20 years of service. He then returns to vietnam in march 1965 as an official of the agency for international development, or usaid. He wasis assignment, made deputy for several operations in revolutionary Development Support for cords in the third core tactical zone of vietnam, which consisted of the 12 provinces north and west of saigon, the part of South Vietnam most important to the u. S. Cords was an integral group that ds, the cia usai and the state department, along with u. S. Army personnel to provide needed manpower among other undertakings, cords was responsible for the phoenix program, which involved the nutrient was a neutralization of the viet cong, which will be presented later. Served cords three, the commander of all the civilian and military advisers in the third core tactical zone, until november 1968, when he was assigned to the same position, in the provinces south of saigon and the mac on delta mequon delta. This is about the time he came into sudac. Notidea was that you could win a guerrilla war by dropping bombs from the air. You might kill some of the enemy, but you will alienate the people. You are there trying to help and they will turn against you. He was the main architect of the vietnam is asian pacification vietnamization pacification program. Facetoface, and to do that effectively, you need local soldiers to assist you. If the locals are properly led and equipped, they will do the job. This was the idea for the mobile advisory teams, that will be discussed by jim russo next. Define pacification. That is a process of establishing or reestablishing effective local government within a political framework of a legitimate Central Government, and its constitution. It includes the provision of sustained incredible territory security and the involvement of the people, as well as the initiation of selfsustaining and expanding economic and social activities. As a Second Lieutenant infantry officer, i was originally assigned as the deputy district Senior Advisor to the district. This was the district of the town, as well as the provincial headquarters. After about six weeks, mr. Tracer asked me to join the provincial staff. Two of these pacification activities where the cadre and the psdf, for which i was the advisor. The cadre, the Rural Development in 1965 andd organized into paramilitary groups, was charged with motivating and organizing the , to assume that their own selfdefense and to raise the Living Standards of the villages. The cadre was young men who were probably better educated than the soldiers and were supposed to be idealistic. They were in the platoon size units and they were supposed to go out and bring security and development to the people. It was a way they could get out of being in the army. Logistic support of the World Development cadre were those generally funded through the u. S. International development , and the department of defense realignment program. Ammunition, petroleum, lubricant, oil, and maintenance, which was provided by the South Vietnamese army, support was provided through provincial warehouses operated by the Internet Agency for international development. At times, u. S. Army vietnam requested support on a reimbursable basis. A may 7, nine may, 1967 revolutionary development established civil operations and revolutionary Development Support on the corridors. Almost all of the pacification programs came under cords. Took control of new life development, national police, and the program, the open Arms Campaign to encourage communist personnel in South Vietnam to the fact. The cias Rural Development , macv, civil action and Civil Affairs and the joint u. S. Public Affairs Office of psychological Field Operations also fell under cords. Responsibility for reports, evaluations, and field inspections from all agencies. Of government placed control the Rural Development cadre under the village government in 1969. Cadre in previous years had been used with some effectiveness as a substitute for local governments, placing tom under village government prevent a conflict of control at the village and hamlet level. It gave Village Councils additional manpower to carry out new programs delegated to the councils. With the improved security and numeral areas obtained by 1971, the republic of vietnam reorganized the rdc into smaller groups of 10 persons to create 50 of all villages in South Vietnam to have groups. Is it back on . [inaudible] [laughter] oh. I . Re was [inaudible] no, lets see. The village chief in their small groups assistant, locally rd worked to improve the sanitary conditions in the rural hamlet as well as developing better government and infrastructure. Psdf, the peoples selfdefense force, concurrent with the post1968 test expansion of the Vietnamese Armed forces for significant increases in the paramilitary forces. Expansion in supported levels occurred in the local militia, which rose from 1,000,069 to more than 4 million by 1970. It should be noted that the militia forces were at best parttime personnel in their organization, the peoples selfdefense force represented an attempt to involve all levels of the population in the war effort, whatever their military value. Juneeneral mobilization of 1968 call for drafting 17yearold boys and men from 39 to 43 into civil selfdefense units. South vietnamese government announced a general mobilization ofthe interim period mobilization by decree came to an end. , they would serve indefinitely as long as a state of war existed. Males between the age of 16 and 50 would be mobilized. Those between the ages of 18 and 38 would serve in the armed forces. Other age groups would serve in the new peoples selfdefense force of parttime local militia. The government now have the confidence and the stability to enact and enforce the strong in most cases, the draft was not necessary for young boys and older men were quick to volunteer to have a voice in their local organization and in many organizations, teenage girls and women, who were not subject to draft, volunteered in such numbers that they constituted the majority of the members of the peoples selfdefense force. In sudac, psdf received training locally and in two other province centers. After a visit to one of the Training Centers with my memo toart, i sent a John Paul Van through mr. Trac ster, encouraging all psdf advisors go visit the trainees at the training center. I remember how i enjoyed visitors in basic training, which was not long before. I also accompany the group that away. Ome 65 miles another has vocation effort was u. S. Medical assistance. The increase in military medical resources, which accompanied the inldup of u. S. Combat troops 1965, permitted an extension of an effort to improve the health of vietnamese civilians, in conjunction with the buildup, the services were directed to prepare aid for the civilian Health Program in vietnam, the new program which initially employed army personnel, military, medical teams, and direct aid to civilians was the military provincial health milptance program, or hap. The first teams went into operation in vietnam in november 1965. Each team was composed of three positions, one medical administrative officer, and 12 enlisted technicians. The team was assigned to a vietnamese provincial hospital, where it worked under the supervision of the provincial chief of medicine. Barely 1966, 6 teams were centers,ng in these and the decision was made to add 15 teams to the program. The number increased to eight army, seven maybe, and eight air force milphap teams. Sense to both provincial and district dispensaries, the unit is provided continuity in medical care, permanent civilian medical facilities and in some cases replacing vietnamese medical staff. Teams assisted in clinical, medical, and Surgical Care and provided a permanent source of support for local public Health Programs with the corporation of chiefs of medicine in the provinces, the teams established a program of evacuation for for those vietnamese and american medical institutions which had a greater capacity for extended treatments. The teams were reorganized in 1969 to make them more responsive to the requirements of the varying sizes of the medical installations to which they were assigned. The reorganization provided more surgeons and nurses with levels of skill appropriate to the medical facility in which they were serving. By the end of 1970, the program supported more than 30 health dac. Itals, one in su a major objective was to improve the medical skills of the vietnamese. In 1970 loan, more than 700 vietnamese nurses received training in hospitals supported by these teams. Through this type of training, the program advanced towards its primary goal and development of an independent selfsustaining Health Service program in vietnam. Sudac, major Bill Hardcastle was the lead surgeon. There was also lieutenant james dalton, who i believe was an anesthesiologist and sergeant brinz advised on the Health Inspections and issues. If you ever asked him for a direction, it would either be from a bakery, restaurants, what ever, any facility he had inspected. Any questions . Im sure theres people in the audience that can answer them if i cannot. I hope you got a little bit of background, if you did not know about it previously. [inaudible] with regards to Public Health and the use of agent orange for defoliation, i remember seeing the why, when it was just or, and i am surprised was there any residual Health Issues related to our use of agent orange for defoliation in that region . I do not know. I can answer that question. There are some statistics around that i do not know it we what they are, but the number of in southfects vietnam were astronomical after the use of agent orange. In early 1970, instead of using agent orange in our area, they brought in big barges and large plows. Of us got all covered in it and it was in the water and agent orange has a halflife of radioactive isotopes, so we have all had some pretty significant exposure. Two things. You was the time period were i was there december 1969 to december 1970. And in regards to the agent orange business, if you go to the federal administration and tell them you think you have been exposed to it, the first thing they will do is hand you a map of vietnam and they will have some areas that are darkened. That is where the vi recognizes the v. A. Recognizes that agent orange was used. Also have to have issues that the doctor will verify and be able to get on the agent orange registry. But you have to first get past the counselor. Yes. Yes . Air966, the milphap , the guy in charge ran a huge Training Program in the province to train midwives. Was that his initiative or was that part of what chords and most people were doing . I do not know. E7 thathere was e6 or did a lot of pediatric work at the hospital. I heard Bill Hardcastle, and i was friends with him. I saw bill when he was on leave i hadn the states after gotten back. I was down at fort benning and he lived nearby. We were together and i saw him about eight years ago in atlanta when i was there. 2018,sed away in february but he was the surgeon that said most of the vietnamese doctors were basically residents, their education. I spent quite a bit of time with a milphap team for some reason i guess because bill had gone to tulane and i had gone to tulane also, we were familiar. Inspected, as mat brinz know why that name stands out, but it did. I went through some slides recently to prepare for this program and saw his name on some slides that i had taken. That was one. But they did a lot of the checks for the restaurants and the bakeries and everything in sudac, trying to make sure it was a healthy operation. Then they would go out on, into some of the villages and hamlets as well as. Were quite a few midwives, but i do not know who , thehat or if the province medical province chief had that going. It was a u. S. Initiative. I did not know if it was something he had come up with on his own or if it was part of a larger program. The u. S. Is doing that now and the step down of medical care that is happening now. Of i cant think Nurse Practitioners and physicians assistants. Just the point of fact one of the air force medics on his team was the First Student ever selected for the physicians assistant program. He was number one at southern california. Wow, ok. I would like to know [inaudible] [laughter] i would just like to know what kind of symptoms would a person affected from agent orange have . What kind of symptoms . What was it . What kind of symptoms . The agent orange had a bunch of symptoms. Skin was number one, and there are a whole variety of cancers. Anyone in here who has not had prostate cancer, trust me, you will. That is a guarantee. Maybe you ladies will not. Ok. All right, great. Great job. Thank you. [applause] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2019] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] history tv on cspan3 looks at the impeachments of president s nixon and clinton. Today starting at 6 00 p. M. On oral histories, former u. S. Representative trent loft and reflect onold smith their experience serving on the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment inquiry of president richard nixon. Had an was a guy who influence on my decision to run for office, he was helpful in my winning and i looked up to as a president , and i then wound up having to sit in judgment on him and eventually having to say that i would vote for an article of impeachment. At 8 00, we look at the impeachment of president bill clinton. I think you denigrate the role of the senate, which has an important adjudicatory role, to waive the evidence, to study what it wants and agree and disagree. And then, our Founding Fathers made it extraordinary difficult to eliminate a president of office by requiring a two thirds vote, and that is why i have always said, unless this is done bipartisan way and tragically there is no bipartisanship here but i am hopeful if it gets to the senate, there would be bipartisanship. No that, there will be [crosstalk] nationsre our passed on American History tv nations past on American History tv. As we take book tv in American History tv on the road, with the support of local Cable Television providers, we have visited 24 cities in the last year. Over the next two hours, we will look at highlights from some of these steps. We begin our special feature in rapid city, south dakota. The black hills of south dakota are a very sacred area. Hills, i believe at one time or another there is a piece of the rest of the world here. Ofwe are in the epicenter sometimes testy relations ee