Phil Ochs: We Seek No Wider War

Over the ashes of blood marched the civilized soldiers,
over the ruins of the French fortress of a failure
over the silent screams of the dead and the dying
saying please be reassured, we seek no wider war.

The treaties were signed, the country was split into sections
but growing numbers of prisons were built for protection
rapidly filling with people who called for elections
But please be reassured, we seek no wider war.

Ngo Dinh Diem was the puppet who danced for the power
The hero of hate who gambled on hell for his hour
Father of his country was stamped on the medals we showered
but please be reassured, we seek no wider war.

Machine gun bullets became the bloody baptizers
and the falcon copters don't care if someone's the wiser
but the boy in the swamp didn't know he was killed by advisers
So please be reassured, we seek no wider war.

And fires were spitting at forests in defoliation
while the people were pressed into camps not called concentration
and the greater the victory the greater the shame of the nation
but please be reassured, we seek no wider war.

While we were watching the prisoners were tested by torture
and vicious and violent gasses maintained the order
as the finest Washington minds found slogans for slaughter
but please be reassured, we seek no wider war.

Then over the border came the Bay of Pigs planes of persuasion
All remaining honor went up in flames of invasion
But the shattered schools never learned that it's not escalation
But please be reassured, we seek no wider war.

We're teaching freedom for which they are yearning
While were dragging them down to the path of never returning
But, we'll condescend to talk while the cities are burning
But please be reassured, we seek no wider war.

And the evil is done in hopes that evil surrenders
but the deeds of the devil are burned too deep in the embers
and a world of hunger in vengeance will always remember
So please be reassured, we seek no wider war,
we seek no wider war.