“Both,” Cherry said. El Paso’s voice in his ear was both soothing and interesting. Cherry flashed on Silvers each time the night became quiet and he longed to keep El Paso speaking.
“Okay, Brother. Did you know Uncle Ho had many of his political enemies put to death while he was coming to power in the 1940s. He once said, ‘All those who do not follow the line which I have laid down will be broken.’ In ’45 and ’46 he purged the anti-communist nationalists, the Dai Viet, and the Catholics and he directed the Viet Minh in the South. Diem was a popular nationalist back then. Uncle Ho tried to have him assassinated. He wasn’t successful but he was in having Ta Tu Thau rubbed out because Ta was head of a rival communist faction. The Viet Minh almost took over the South at that time but the Brit
