American Soldiers Taught To Face Pain

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31004, 9 March 1966, Page 20

American Soldiers Taught To Face Pain

(N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright) COLUMBUS (Georgia), March 8 It’s called Camp Happiness, but there are no happy campers —not when the “games” end in torture and legs are twisted until the pain is unbearable, the Associated Press reports Spawned by effective brainwashing techniques inaugurated by the Chinese Communists in the Korean conflict, Camp Happiness is designed to prepare soldiers for possible enemy treatment in Vietnam. The camp, a prison mock-up at Fort Benning near Columbus, is not escaped through death, or defection, although the soldier-students sometimes think that might be the only way out. “All of them are learning,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Fred Cleary, a veteran of Vietnam fighting. “Later on if they are captured, they'll know how to keep from being brainwashed.” Genuine Pain Officer candidates nearing graduation after 23 weeks of training quickly learn Camp Happiness will etch into their minds indelible memories of genuine pain. This was demonstrated on the latest “prisoners” when one spoke out of turn as the “comrade commander” was giving the new inmates his usual propaganda speech. “Nobody wants to see your

ugly face,” said the prisoner. The comrade commander, Captain J. C. Reid showed the prisoner that Camp Happiness is not a pleasant place. “Put this man on the pole," Captain Reid ordered. Guards grabbed the prisoner, twisted his legs around a pole, bent one foot painfully underneath him and then pushed him backwards. “Insolent capitalist pig,” growled one guard as the prisoner writhed in pain. I’ll Apologise” The other prisoners watched silently as the tortured prisoner groaned “Okay, I’ll apologise.” In Korea, American prisoners sometime cracked under the strain of Communist mental torture techniques. Some even defected. The Government decided that American soldiers had

been poorly prepared. Therefore, Camp Happiness was set up as one means of teaching soldiers what was expected of them. Although they spend only one day behind tfie barbed wire, the officer candidates receive a first-hand idea of the sort of treatment they can expect if captured. They experience the methods used to try to demoralise prisoners—weariness, hunger, continuous beating down of the will to resist, and even torture. This experience, along with knowledge of Communist aims and techniques, prepares the men mentally and physically to withstand the real thing. “Of course, they will be treated worse than this by the enemy,” said Captain Cleary, “but at least they know.”