Cambodia and Viet Nam
POW WOW 45-200 · St. Louis, Missouri
- Artist
- Art Damouth
- Title
- Cambodia and Viet Nam
- Release
- Cambodia and Viet Nam / I Love You So
- Label
- POW WOW # 45-200
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Genre
- Country · Country
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
The song "Cambodia and Viet Nam" (Pow Wow # 200) wanted to end the war and bring home the soldiers because "it's not right" that they "shoulder the burden alone", and that the young boys have "not had a chance to live". This is another interesting example of a country track the did not take a strong patriotic line. It is also interesting to note that Damouth included Cambodia in the title and lyrics of the song, an area that is largely ignored in songs about the Vietnam (like Laos). During the process of Richard Nixon's strategy of "Vietnamisation" - the gradual withdrawal of American forces and the strengthening of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam - Nixon and Kissinger actually expanded the war, in contradiction to the "Guam" doctrine. On the battlefield Nixon expanded the war on two key occasions; firstly in April 1970 with the Cambodia incursion; then in February 1971, when ground troops were sent to Laos. Nixon’s incursion into Cambodia from April to June 1970 triggered Congressional action to limit Nixon's war powers and caused major demonstrations across the US - including the Kent State killings.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Unknown - 'Cambodia and Viet Nam' b/w 'I Love You So' (Pow Wow 45-200) credits both sides to writer Arthur Damouth Jr. and was produced by Roland Janes at Sonic Studio, Memphis; no biographical documentation of Damouth found. [Source: Discogs]