Blowtorch: Robert Komer and the making of Vietnam pacification policy

Parameters, Autumn, 2005 by Frank L. Jones

A month later, in a cable to Johnson, Komer apologized to the President for the long period in which he had not provided him with a status report. "If I have not been much in evidence, it is because I have been trying to operate full tilt--as a flood of traffic and resulting anguished screams will attest." Komer had already earned the moniker "Blowtorch" from Ambassador Lodge. Lodge had likened Komer's demands for progress to having a blowtorch aimed at the seat of one's pants, and Komer reveled in the appellation. Komer continued his message by providing a flank assessment to Johnson. The civil side was a "mess." Again, he pointed out the military's dominance in Saigon, the weak and apathetic South Vietnamese government, the inability of the US civilian agencies to operate at the high tempo that war required, and Lodge's ineffectual leadership of the US pacification effort. Komer argued that a military buildup would prevent a disaster but would not guarantee victory in a "political war." Further, he saw adverse side effect's to the military buildup: "anti-Americanism induced by the visible military presence and pressures of inflation." Yet he remained determined that Porter and he would "bring order out of chaos on the civil side."

Komer offered several recommendations that the Pentagon would not find appealing. Lodge needed to insist on better balance between the military and civil efforts and press for military assistance, such as in-country airlift for moving USAID supplies to the rural areas, and helping with the port congestion. Komer believed that eliminating the Viet Cong influence in the countryside and limiting inflation were the highest priorities. He urged the President to press these points on Lodge and to support Komer's position in the inevitable fights with the Pentagon over them. (20) The President acted as Komer requested when Lodge returned to Washington for consultations shortly thereafter, and Komer reiterated his concerns at a National Security Council meeting a few days later, going as far as to say that pacification "has been out-run by our search and destroy capability." (21) He had the President's ear when at a 16 May meeting on Vietnam he outlined for the President his concerns and recommendations to have DOD take steps to reduce the inflationary impact of military outlays and take over port operations from USAID to move materiel. Johnson's response was simply to get "recommendations and let's move" on these points. (22) Komer subsequently sent a cable to Porter informing him of the President's direction. (23)

Komer understood Johnson's psychological need for information on the progress being made on pacification. He sent a flurry of memoranda to Johnson in May and June outlining the issues and his intended actions. The President's response was favorable: "Bob, I applaud you, good. Keep it up & Keep it Hot." (24) Johnson's words were an unmistakable indication as to why the President had selected him, but Komer recognized the memoranda for what they were, merely a device to keep Johnson informed. Johnson never issued any orders from the memoranda or his trip reports; but then again, he never did so with any of the reports he received from other senior officials either. (25) Komer was on his own.