The Long Road Home: U.S. Prisoner of War Policy and Planning In Southeast Asia - Vietnam, Ross Perot, John McCain, Jane Fonda, Borman Mission, Raids, PW/MIA Family Assistance

This history of Washington's role in shaping prisoner of war policy during the Vietnam War reveals the difficult, often emotional, and vexing nature of a problem that engaged the attention of the highest officials of the U.S. government, including the president. It examines frictions and disagreements between the State and Defense Departments and within Defense itself as a sometimes conflicted organization struggled to cope with an imposing array of policy issues: efforts to ameliorate the brutal conditions to which the American captives were subjected; relations with families of prisoners in captivity; the proper mix of quiet diplomacy and aggressive publicity; and planning for the prisoners' return. At a pivotal juncture the Department of Defense exerted a major influence on overall policy through its insistence in 1969 that the government "Go Public" with information about the plight of prisoners held by the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong. There is evidence that this powerful campaign contributed to the gradual improvement in the treatment of the prisoners and to their safe return in 1973. The detailed account of negotiations with the North Vietnamese for the withdrawal of American forces from South Vietnam makes clear how important in all U.S. calculations was securing the release of the prisoners.

The Long Road Home is a companion work to the book on the prisoner of war experience in Southeast Asia — Honor Bound by Stuart I. Rochester and Frederick Kiley.

Chapters: 1. Prisoner of War Policy Before Vietnam * 2. Organizing for Policy Decision and Planning * 3. The Department of State and Prisoner of War Policy, January 1964 to May 1966 * 4. Climax and Decline of the War Crimes Trials Issue * 5. Action on Other Fronts: Efforts to Obtain Release of Prisoners * 6. Efforts to Ameliorate the Conditions of Captivity * 7. Casualty Reporting, Notification, and Assistance to Next of Kin * 8. Changing Attitudes Toward the Code of Conduct * 9. Early Repatriation Planning * 10. Emergence of the PW/MIA Task Group/Task Force * 11. The Go Public Campaign * 12. Other Defense Actions and Initiatives * 13. A Bitter Lesson * 14. Repatriation Planning: A Central Issue Resolved * 15. Repatriation Planning: Rehabilitation and Readjustment * 16. Repatriation Planning: Public Affairs and Conduct in Captivity * 17. Mail and Packages * 18. Information and Assistance for PW/MIA Families * 19. The National League and Other Family Organizations * 20. PW/MIA Legislation and Benefits * 21. Negotiations for Peace * 22. Operation Homecoming * 23. Conclusion

The Geneva Conventions Korean War Experience * The Defense Advisory Committee * The Code of Conduct and Its Implementation * The Training Issue * Resolution of the Training Issue * DoD Discontent with State PW Activities * Informal Interdepartmental Relations * A New Level of Activity—the Emergence of Harriman * Decision to Establish a Prisoner of War Policy Committee * Organization and Working Methods of the DoD PW Policy Committee * Scope and Accomplishments of the Policy Committee Under Warnke * Initial Perception of the PW Problem * Department of State Organization for PW Affairs * The Problem of Executions Commands Attention * The ICRC and the Application of the Geneva Convention * The Threat of War Crimes Trials Becomes More Definite * Ambassador Harriman Takes Over * The Hertz Case * The Vogel Affair * Reciprocal Release * Repatriation of Sick and Wounded * Internment of Sick and Wounded in Neutral Territory * Exploration of Other Routes * The Clandestine Approach: The BUTTERCUP Channel * Ransom * The Involvement of American Peace Activists * Prisoners' Mail * Packages for Prisoners * U.S. Measures to Counter Exploitation of Prisoners * Protesting Mistreatment: The Stratton Incident * Hanoi Rejects Inspections * Prisoner Identification