We Seek No Wider War Lyrics - Phil Ochs

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 people 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