Library - Pamphlets

left and by Americancivilians in Europe had, with very rare exceptions, been directed at their own constituencies or groups and had ignored the US armed forces. Untilthen European groups had been separated from the American armed forces by the language even in England - English is not American. Early American anti-war groups in Europe (US Campaign in Berlin, PACS in Paris, Stop It in London) had, at that time, concentrated on tourists, students and Christians. Due probably to the RA (volunteer) predominance in the American 7th Army in Europe, early Frita was not, as in the United States and in Vietnam, preceeded by any widely known Rita. If there were any Fort Hood 3 in Mannheim Stockade, they were squashed silently, without immediate successors. The first major European Frita activity was the WRI (War Resistors International) leaflet written by British civilians: "To American Soldiers in Europe". This leaflety was distributed first by European civilians to airmen in Britain, GIs in Germany,. GI reaction at that timne was often hostile; then, on some occasions, native police protected Fritas from servicemen.This Frita activity was carried on by a few dedicated and courageous individuals. It had more or less stopped by the time the next phase got off the ground. Phase 2: The first known Europe-based rita activity, late in 1966, began when GIs who had already deserted more or less accidentally contacted, first Europeans, then UIS citizens, asking for and receiving aid. Phase 3: was rendered directly necessary and possible by the arrival of the first political deserters. Fritas and Ritas fought for and obtained legal residence status for GIs. They got papers. Phase 4: While fighting for papers, Fritas and Ritas also began organized publicity campaigns to let a) tyhe native left; b) the GIs and c) American civilians know "where its at". Up until fall '67, it was necessary for both Ritas and Fritas engaged in publicity work to remain anonymous, for even when assylum of some sort or another had been granted, oit had often been accomapnied by prohibition of political activity. Many interviews by unnamed GIs were date-lined only: somewhere in western Europe. But these interviews were broadcast, printed

 Resistance in the United States Armed Forces 

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