The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam

by Max Boot

U.S. Ambassador Myron Cowen, a lawyer turned diplomat, knew where to give the credit. “Through a combination of guile, good luck, and brute force, Magsaysay and Lansdale inflicted severe defeats on the Huks,” he wrote to Secretary of State Acheson on September 19, 1951. [Lieutenant] Colonel Lansdale has been the right hand of the Secretary of National Defense Magsaysay and he has in a large measure been responsible for Magsaysay’s success in breaking the backbone of the Huk military forces and in dispersing the Philippine Communist organizational setup. It is inconceivable to me that the Philippine situation would be as favorable as it is without Colonel Lansdale’s superb performance. He has lived day and night with Magsaysay at very real risk to himself. He has guided and advised him. He has provided a driving power and when necessary a restraining one and furthermore he has been a better source of intelligence than all the rest of our intelligence efforts put together.