By 1966 the tide was turning against the war.
By 1966 the tide was turning against the war.

March 11, 1966 -Confrontation On Capitol Hill

As the War in Vietnam dragged on, support even among members of the Senate and House was flagging. When Secretary of State Dean Rusk went to Capitol Hill to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he was confronted, almost from the get-go by ranking members including Senator J. William Fulbright, over just what the plan was for Southeast Asia.

Here is a brief rundown on the Hearings themselves:

At the beginning of 1966, the number of U.S. military personnel in South Vietnam totaled 184,300.  South Vietnamese military forces totaled 514,000 including the army (ARVN) and the Regional Force and Popular Force (the “Ruff-Puffs”) militias.  The North Vietnamese People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) numbered 400,000, most still in North Vietnam. 50,000 PAVN cadre and soldiers infiltrated South Vietnam during 1965. Group 559, charged with transporting supplies down the Ho Chi Minh Trail to supply PAVN troops in both South Vietnam and Laos, numbered 24,400 personnel. The U.S. estimated the number of Viet Cong (VC) and PAVN soldiers in South Vietnam at nearly 280,000 by June 1966, including part-time guerrillas. A pause in the bombing of North Vietnam by U.S. warplanes had been announced by President Johnson on 24 December and remained in effect.

Over six hours of non-stop grilling took place on this day. The general mood, not only on Capitol Hill but America in general was, enough was enough. More of the same was promised the following day.

And even then, the War dragged on.

Here are highlights of the days testimony as presented by NBC Radio on March 11, 1966.