Two items: a color semi-glossy 8 x 10 photo of General William Westmoreland at his desk, signed in black felt tip, "W. C. Westmoreland"; and an ALS, signed "W. C. Westmoreland," one page both sides, 7.25 x 10.5, personal letterhead, July 25, 1985, addressed to "Ron" and marked "Confidential—eyes only" in the upper border, reading, in part: "Let's face it, the CBS broadcast was a farce—inaccurate and dishonest. Anyone who followed the case carefully and had enough background to understand what it was all about knows it. Much has come out since the case was discontinued that make that point and much will surface in time. History will be the judge—not a flash-in-the-pan so called documentary. Brief replies to your questions:
Wallace—An arrogant reporter who did not check on Crile. He was himself ambushed by his own carelessness and is embarrassed.
Crile—The real dishonest, devious, unethical one. He expected to make a big name for himself and a fortune.
Adams—A young man who thought he knew and understood everything but knew little since he was devoid of experience. Could not see 'the forest for the trees.'
McChristian—A man disoriented by Crile with distorted information. Very ambitious. Sour because he was not promoted to higher rank.
Sauter—A man protecting his position in CBS. Devious. Unknowledgeable about the case.
Hawkins—A man brain washed by Sam Adams and intimidated by him. No mind of his own. 'Caught in a cross fire and boxed in.' An admirer of McChristian who built up his ego.
As for McChristian and Hawkins, they are best ignored. Their fellow officers are disgusted with them. Let them stew in their own juice, as a matter of principle. I divorce myself from any concerted action against them. I recommend against any action of any kind." In overall fine condition. A fascinating letter from Westmoreland regarding the CBS documentary The Uncounted Enemy: A Vietnam Deception, produced by George Crile III and narrated by Mike Wallace, which 'asserted that in 1967 intelligence officers under General William Westmoreland, the commander of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MAC-V), had manipulated intelligence estimates in order to show far fewer communist personnel in South Vietnam than there actually were, thereby creating the impression that the Vietnam War was being won.'
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