The_Eyes_of_Buddha

Cloak and Dagger is an NBC radio series, a foreign intrigue adventure adapted from the book Cloak and Dagger by Corey Ford and Alistair McBain. Ford also was host of the series. Cloak and Dagger was broadcast from May 7 to October 22, 1950, as part of "a mystery block with several other shows of far inferior quality". The program was sustaining for all 22 episodes.

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
We delay the start of this programto bring you a special bulletin from the
NBC newsroom in New York. Here'sthe latest on Korea. Seoul has been
raided by American and Australian warplanes.They shot down two enemy planes, one
of which was marked with a Russianred star. A spokesman says that we
have made one hundred and forty tworaids against enemy targets in both South and

(00:25):
North Korea in the past twenty fourhours. American officials say there is a
serious threat from red ground forces southof Seoul. Keep tuned to your NBC
citation for the later news. Areyou willing to undertake a dangerous mission behind
the enemy lines knowing you may neverreturn alive? What you have just heard

(00:57):
is the question asked during the warto agents of the ordinary citizens, who,
to this question answered yes. Thisis cloak and dagger, black warfare,

(01:23):
espionage, international intrigue. These arethe weapons of the OSS. Today's
adventure the Eyes of Buddha, concerningan American OSS agent who went deep into
enemy territory to enlist the help ofa nation which had declared war on the
United States, is suggested by actualincidents recorded in the Washington files of the
Office of Strategic Services, a storythat can now be told. In nineteen

(02:00):
forty four, the tiny Kingdom ofSiam was officially at war with the United
States. So there I was inMarch of that year in an official Siamese
plane, on my way to askSiamese help in rescuing an American flyer from
the Japanese. Sound crazy, Youain't heard nothing yet. The Siamese character

(02:22):
beside me had received his master's degreeat Yale and his PhD at Harvard.
Major Lao dal Priyordi Pak. Idecided to call him, Louis, Look
down, Lieutenant Bumman, out ofyour window? Eh, what about it?
In those green forests, as youmay know, still roam the ancient
peacocks and the sacred elephants of Siam. Louis, I may as well tell

(02:42):
you right now there are four thingsI know definitely about your country. What
are these? My friend? TheSiamese twins were named bang in Chang,
Siamese cats have blue eyes. Somebodywrote a book called Anna and the King
of Siam. And what is thefourth tan Yak Dai fuying Mai. The
one line I know of your language, which translate it means do you want
to meet a girl? Yes?Well, rest easy. There will be

(03:05):
no need for you to speak moreof the language. Must a ghost have
need of words? Once we arriveat Bangkok, you will be spirited from
one place to another, my friend, as a ghost. Fasten your seat
belt. Kindly fasten your seat belt. We are coming into the Dan Muang,
Fie. So far this has beentoo easy. From Rang going to

(03:27):
a secret airport in Siam, oryou pick me up on this plane,
and here we are in Bangkok.Is this another hidden the field? Louis
No, not exactly. But doyou mean not exactly? Oh? I
should say there are about eight hundredJaps on hand about the field. Huh.
Fasten your seat belt. Lieutenant Burman, the official sium. His plane

(04:00):
with the sacred white elephant painted onthe side, slid right across the field
and taxi passed hundreds of JAP soldiersguarding the runway. The hangar door at
the west side of the field open. The ground crew rolled the plane in,
then the door slid closed again,as if we had been swallowed up.
Luie and I climbed out of theplane. Lieutenant Bauman, this is

(04:21):
Lom. He will drive us tothe OSS hideout in Bangkok, where you
will meet the Regent of Sayan,the leader of the underground. Here are
you, Doula? I do verywell. Alm suggests we wait a few
minutes before leaving, or is anythingwrong? Suggests you wait here? I
will return tell you when it issafe to leave. The two Japanese officials

(04:44):
in car right outside. We waited. We were swattering hot in there.
By the time Lam came back afew minutes later, my shirt was ready
for the ringer. All's gone.Now is safe. We will leave by
side door. Come quickly. Caris outside. You'll see Lieutenant Boman.

(05:09):
Thus far your mission is proceeding successfully. Better not talk too soon a week.
We haven't reached the hideout yet.Perhaps you are right, Ah,
proceed lum Plum drove us right throughthe downtown district of Bangkok toward the Palace,

(05:35):
which is being used as underground headquarters. As we drove through the streets,
I could see jab pillboxes and theinternment camp and everywhere around us walking
the streets, guns and their hosters. We're Japanese. Then we turn it
a busy intersection, and it happenedlom, What is it? What is
wrong with that? Han? Ido not know, Major, I do

(05:57):
not know. You stuck well,not stuck. Oh great, everybody's turning
around to look at us. Can'tyou do anything about that little horn?
A little horn? Quiet? Talkingto it isn't going to help. Lomp,
stop and youan'k got the wires?A little hornish, do not blow?
Do not blow. This is veryunfortunate, my friend. You have
a gift for understatement. Lump,lump. We are causing too much attention.

(06:19):
Do as the American says, ahorn, police, I beg of
you. Quiet, nice, alittle horn, a pretty little horn.
Lomp, stop the car and pullout the wires. Oh there's no need,
Major, It has stopped by acell. All I had to do

(06:39):
was speak nicely to it. Ohmy aching bag. Hey, this is
quite a place. Marble floor iswinding staircase just like the movies. Where'll
I tell my wife about this?The palace, set back only a little

(07:01):
way from the street, has beenunderground headquarters for two years. At all
hours of the day, Japanese soldiersmarch up and down in front of it,
yet none of them know what isgoing on inside. Well, you
can be sure of one thing,Louis, What is that? Lieutenant?
I won't tell them after you,my friend, the servants have prepared dinner
for us. You must be hungry. We will eat. Only. A

(07:29):
couple of miles away were camps whereAllied prisoners lived on little more than bread
and water. Yet here I wasan American, right under the noses of
the nips, consuming a dinner thatbegan and ended with iceed beer and included
roast duck and freshwater prawns, salad, curried beef, dried fish, topped
off with large bowls of fresh bananasand pieces of samow, a Siamese improvement

(07:53):
on grapefruits. Ah, have youhad enough to eat, Lieutenant? Would
you care for something else? Oh? No, no, thanks, Louis,

(08:13):
I've had more than enough. Buyecoffee? Coffee? Hey? That
what's his name? By? Heisn't very talkative? Is he a good
choice? We feel for a sevantin underground headquarters. He hears nothing and
repeats less. Baye is a deathmute. Tell me, Lieutenant Bumman,

(08:35):
what did you do before the war? He Oh, I was a stun
pilot. I barnstormed all over thecountry. And old crates and jennies,
anything that had wings. I gota trunk full of ten medals for almost
getting my neck busted. I'll seenow. Like Louis, I admire good
pilots. And one of General Chanel'shot flyers is a prisoner of the jets
somewhere around here. If anybody's goingto get him out, I'd like to

(08:58):
be the one to try. Wewill see to it that you get your
chance. Then when is the Ragentcoming? I'm anxious to meet him.
Oh, he will be here aftermidnight. After midnight, yes, you'll
see. This is the evening ofthe Japanese Admiral's birthday. It was necessary

(09:18):
for the Regent of Siam to bethere out of friendliness. Of course.
About twelve thirty he arrived. Hewas dressed elegantly in a white silk coat
and white pongee trousers. On hishead was a delicately embroidered turban. This

(09:39):
was Luang Pradit Mano Darme, Regentof Siam and head of the Siamese underground.
I trust you will forgive me forbeing delayed. Oh that's all right.
The Japanese Admiral would never have forgivenme for leaving his party. Major,
some more brandy for the lieutenant,of course. How about your mission?

(10:00):
Well, several months ago, oneof General Chanel's best pilots crashed on
the Burmeciam frontier. Other members ofhis flight reported that they saw the plane
go down you settle in the spreadingbanyan tree, but they didn't see it
burn. So the presumption is heis still alive somewhere in sayam ey SA's
it. Major, in the morning, drivers returned to Colonel Sanguin at Camppanchada.

(10:26):
Yes, excellent, I think ColonelSanguin will be in a position to
get the information you are after.That's great er, your excellency. This
may be a little out of order, but yes. Don't you ever get
the feeling you're walking around with yourhead and the noose? Ha ha ha,
A very good question. Well put, I imagine I am a great

(10:46):
mystery to the Americans of the oasis. No doubt they feel mystery shrouding our
whole people. After all, youare supposedly an ally of the Japs.
Supposedly we are an independent nation.Lift in it. Our people are proud
and freedom loving. Siam sits inthe heart of Southeast Asia an inscrutable Buddha.

(11:09):
The Japanese overran our borders, andfrom our capital in Bangkok, declared
war on the United States. Thegreen flames of the jungle consumed us.
So the Buddha sits arms folded onits bronze breast, its face expressionless,
but the eyes of the Buddha wink. Is that it the eyes wink left

(11:33):
in it. Its ears are tunedto the enemy, and the jeweled lips
whisper. There are fifty thousand Japanesehere in Siam, my friend. We
will continue to wait and watch andlisten until they are driven out. The
next morning, Louis and I withLum, driving shut out for Campunjara.

(11:56):
Ever since my arrival in Bangkok,I had the feeling I sitting on a
powder keg that was able to gooff any minute. Driving through the streets
and broad daylight didn't make me feelany better, but I figured the Siamese
knew what they were doing. Thistime. Nothing went wrong with the horn,
but something else happened that gave mequite a turn. It sounds fantastic
and it was, but it reallyhappened. A jap MP directing traffic held

(12:20):
up his hand, and the officialcar we were riding in stopped. I
didn't like stopping. I felt betterwhile we were on the move. Then
all of a sudden, I sawa JAP soldier looking curiously in the window,
staring at my occidental face. Welooked at each other for a few
seconds. Neither of us said aword. Then the car moved on.

(12:50):
Louis Louie. That JAP soldier hesaw me, I know, even with
the civilian hat and his shirt overmy uniform, he couldn't have mistaken me
for a Siamese, no doubt ifhe saw me. Put your mind and
he is my friend. I'm surehe doesn't believe what he thought he saw.
And if later he convinces himself itwas true and goes to his commanding

(13:11):
officer, he will lose face fortelling so ludicrous a tale. You mean,
they won't believe him. Oh,come now, Lieutenant Bourman, what
would an American be doing in Japaneseoccupied Siam driving along the streets in full
daylight? Ridiculous? Don't you thinkyou have come to the right face,

(13:41):
Lieutenant Berman. Well, I'm gladto hear that. Colonel Sangue, I
have heard of the flyer you seek. I know the prison camp in which
he is now being. Hey,that's great when we start, and not
so fast to lieutenant. We mustmake plans first. This is not a
matter to be undertaken right there.We will have dinner first, and then

(14:03):
we will discuss the problem. Dinner, Colonel's sang one. I've been wined
and dined ever since I got thebank cock, but I haven't done a
thing. Ah, my wife,Tara. We will dine, then we
will talk. Father. Does myEnglish surprise you? Lieutenant Burman? I

(14:28):
was educated in America. I ama graduate of Wellesley College. It was
not your English which made the lieutenantobserve you with such interest, My dear,
it is your appearance. Am Inot correct? You're very correct?
Colonel. You have an extremely attractivewife. Thank you. Both. My
husband's lavish compliments embarrassed me occasionally.I suppose they are to be expected after

(14:52):
only two months of marriage. Twomonths. Well, congratulations, it is
I who am to be congratulated.More coffee, Lieutenant Colonel sang Juan Colon,
is that man dad? O?Way? What happened? He car
Japanese Colonel Kishinami with many soldiers whatcould he want here? He requests an
audience with you, Tenant, there'sno time to lose that screen. Quickly

(15:16):
go behind it and pray to thegreat Buddha. He does not stare on.
And you major sit here in thelieutenant's place. Pretend it's your place.
Quickly, quickly. Nobody had totell me to be quick. I
got behind the bamboo screen, andLouis slid into my chair at the table,

(15:37):
and he stood up immediately with sanguanas. Kishinami came in a great
ornate sword swinging from his side.He stood so close to me I could
have reached out and touched that sword. Would you care for some coffee,
Colonel Kishinami? No? Oh,thank you. O'Connell sang one. I'm
here, I'm official business. Ah. Yes, what can I do to

(16:00):
help you? Oh? We havediscovered a clandestine airfield in this territory.
Surely it is not so close tothis camp without your knowledge? Airfield?
Oh, certain, certainly it wasconstructed as a temporary emergency landing field some
years ago. It has been infrequentlyused. Ah. Observation shows it to

(16:26):
be in excellent condition and indicates constantactivity. Wow, I cannot believe this,
Let me accompany you and see thisairfield. Taba, my dear,
you will forgive me. Of courseI will be here. It happened so
fast I couldn't believe my eyes.As the Siamese colonel turned to sacod bye

(16:48):
to his wife, that treacherous jabsword was whipped out and Sanguan was very
neatly decapitated. The heading sang Onemust have been the signal for the Japs
soldiers in the room to take outtheir guns. But before they could do
anything with them, Tabah sprung aKishian army and with a meat knife from
the table, stabbed him through theheart. A neptisorder tried to get at

(17:11):
her, but Louie got him first. Then that polic cake I'd been sitting
on really went off. With theirleader killed, They did not have much

(17:32):
heart left for the fight. Theyare gone now. But Louie, I
don't understand it, Lord, Iwhat brought on the assassination of the colonel?
That phony errand he came on withjust an excuse to get in.
It is possible that the order hascome for the total subjugation of our people
by the Japanese. If true,it is open war from now on?
Will there be another attack tonight?You think? If so, we are

(17:52):
armed and ready. There is nothingto do. But wait, what about
Tava? Is there anything I cando for No? She is one of
my kind. It is best tolet me console her. Lieutenant, thank
you on her behalf for your kindness. Married two months, What a loudly
shame. Go to your quarters.We will wait. Nothing further occurred that

(18:21):
night, but none of us slept. In the morning, a big black
official limousine drove up. It wasthe Regent of Siam. I have received
an apology from the Japanese government forthe incident last night. They are quite
adept at apologizing. My husband hasbeen killed and you call it an incident,
excellency, Yeah, how about that. It is my belief that the

(18:45):
order for the subjugation of Siam hadbeen issued by the Japanese high command and
rescined it because they did not believethe time appropriate. But what about last
night, excellency? Evidently, throughsome oversight or the difficulties of communication,
Colonel Kitshendami had not been warned thatthe plan was off. It is my
belief that all will be quiet nowfor a while. Shall we sit quietly

(19:08):
once more and wait for them toattack us again. While our backs are
turned. There are many of usin the underground. Papa is right,
Let us attack and let me avengemy husble. Listen, listen, Wait
a minute. You've played a waitinggame so far. Wait a while longer.
I know the fuse is burning close. But wait. That time is
past, lieutenant, and the openact on your part will really make the
Japs cracked down. Right now,Siam is the best listening post the Allies

(19:30):
have in the East. Believe me, Washington knows what it is doing.
You are a better help that way. The Lieutenant is right. We will
continue to be a docile puppet's stateand sell out the enemy to the Allies.
But your EXI see, we willwait. I have myself promised President
Roosevelt that we Siamese will continue tobe loyal and silent. We will wait

(19:56):
until we are told otherwise. Didyou get the information you came after,
Lieutenant? No way, eh,Colonel san Juan was going to give it
to me before I know the campyou are looking for, Lieutenant. I
will tell you what you want toknow. The Japanese prison camp at Korati

(20:26):
is only about five minutes strip now, Lieutenant, the object of your mission
ends there. We're taking a longchance, Louis, you are the one
who is taking the long chance.You think it will work, though,
don't you? I can only say, I hope when I turn you over
to the Japanese commander as a prisoner, there is a strong possibility you would
be thrown into the same stockade asthe American flyer for whom you are looking.

(20:49):
And if I'm not just being insidethose gates will give me an opportunity
to find out exactly where he is, and I camp you find him,
we will, Lieutenant of the Rest, I hope I can count on trust
us there, Major Prioritypak from theregion I had a prisoner for in not

(21:11):
too very well. Has I amindeed indebted to you for bringing this prisoner
to me, Major, I havebrought him in not to with the complements

(21:33):
of the region of Siam. Isit not to be expected since Wes Siamese
are the allies and the friends ofthe Japanese. Of course, of course
you will be cooperative and answer myquestions. You understand, I don't know
any answers. How did you gethere? He just told you. My
plane crashed near the border, right, What was your mission? I'm a

(21:55):
neighbor, Vidual. Why are yourhead up a secret airport and Siam?
Which one? Where is it?Who is your contact? Crazy? I
have any contact? I tell you, I just crashed like some American is
going to be stubborn knife fear measure. Give him time. He will break
down. They all do. Unfortunatelythey do not. The American flyer we
have had in turned here for somemonths has insisted all our efforts to obtain

(22:18):
the truth. Is it not possible? He has told you all he knows.
Or come come Meta. Your simisare too trusting. Perhaps Colonelina too,
Perhaps you are right American. Iwill have you taken to the stockade.
Well, I ask you, good. Look at the other flyer,
look well at him. Know thatour worst fed away you if you do

(22:40):
not co operate, I don't.Yes, Condelina too. Though this president
in the stockade on the west sideof the camp, I will deal with
him later. I tried to hidethe way I felt about being thrown together
with the very man I had comeall the way to Siam for fine.

(23:03):
I walked past Louis without looking athim, but out of the corner of
my eye, I saw that hisface was coolly impassive. You out with
your my cat. Took me acouple of minutes to get used to the
darkness, and then the darkness tookform and I saw a figure huddled in
a corner, an emaciated, beardedfigure wearing an American uniform. Lieutenant Davis.

(23:27):
Who's that? Who are you?Friend? American? Are you all
right? Can you hear me?Can you understand me? I've come to
get you out of here? Comehere closer, let me see you.
You are an American. I don'tbelieve it. Colonel inner Tool told me

(23:49):
to take a good look at you. I am now. I'd like to
go back and take a good swingat him. You heard dad? What
are you doing here? Who areyou? Lieutenant Berman of the Oasis.
General Cherauld asked me to find you, find me, get me out of
here. Listen, listen, don'ttalk, don't talk, just listen to

(24:11):
me. He listened all right,and even in the semi darkness, I
could see the light come back intohis eyes. At the idea of getting
out of that place. At aboutseven o'clock in the evening, the jack
guard outside the stockade was changed.The new sentry brought us in some food

(24:34):
here. Heed this It is thebest I could do. Lum, Is
it really you? Oh? Thisis well? I hoped. The Japanese
guard whose place I took us whereinto pay attention to a little bribe.
The Japanese soldiers are so on thepaid, you know, Lieutenant Davis,
this is Lum, a Siamese,a friend. Can you get us out

(24:56):
of here? We have a plan. When the moon is low, I
will turn my back, and youtoo will make a run for it,
trying to escape. I'll never makeit, no, of course not.
You will be shot in the attempt. I'm killed. Sorry, Lum,
I don't think much of that idea. Have you got the other I have
no finish? Listen, listen,I will only pretend to shoot you.

(25:18):
You will only pretend to die.The Japanese soldier who was bribed and one
other who has accepted our money,will get you quickly. Stand over you.
A Siamese doctor in the camp willpronounce you dead. Leave the rest
to us. It won't work,It won't, Lieutenant Davis. The Siamese
say it will work. Give hima chance. When the moon was Low,

(25:42):
and the signal from Lom we brokeout and made a run for it.
Stop. When we heard the shots, we throw ourselves face down on
the ground and held our breaths stretchedout like that without moving, our eyes
closed. Every thing that happened aroundus after that seemed to be a crazy

(26:02):
dream. I should will regret,I fear, Colonel no too, they
are already sorry. What did yousay these Americans? Colonel Leo too?
They are both very dead. That'swhat shall we do with them? Colonel?
Are what you order us do withthem? If they are don't bury

(26:23):
them? Of course, they cometo the cemetery and bury them. Now
that our plan has worked with TennantBurman, I may as well tell you

(26:45):
I was never sure it would turnout his successfully, But Lower you did
have this spain already and warming upat the cemetery. We Siamese are eternal
optimists. The braves are dug inmajor or what shall we do? We
will say goodbye to our friends theAmericans first lung. Then we will go
back and throw the dirt over theempty graves in case Colonel Enotu comes to

(27:07):
inspect them a plane. To geton the plane again. Part of this
place plane down, had I prayLieutenant Davis, that you will both return
to our land one day in happiertime. I assure you are the greater
welcome and far greater hospitality. Andnow goodbye and a pleasant journal. Just

(27:30):
before we took off, Major Loudohby our d park presented each of us
with a green velvet box. Inthem were coverings of pure gold and pounded
ruby dust with the initials a Mfor the boy King Ananda may Doll and
a golden crown for the mark ofthe dynasty, a royal present from the
King of Siam. As we lookeddown, we could see long of the

(28:06):
two frive Jack soldiers with Louis directingoperations, shoveling the dirt in over our
graves. Thus, on April eighteenth, nineteen forty four, Lieutenant Davis,
the missing pilot of the Flying Tigers, was rescued from the Japanese prison camp
and rejoined his unit, and onceagain the report of another OSS agent closed

(28:27):
with the words mission accomplished. Listenagain next week for another true adventure from
the piles of the OSS on Cloakand Dagger Heard and today's Cloak and Dagger

(28:56):
Adventure were Grant Richards, Everett Sloan, Ralph Bell, Ray Krooger, Raymond
Edward Johnson, Eileen Heckert, CarlWeber, Martin Balsom and Jerry Jarrett.
Script was written by Winifred Wolf andJack Gordon. Music was under the direction
of John Gart. Today's True OssAdventure was based on the book Cloak and
Dagger by Cory Ford and Alistair mcbain. This has been a loose g

(29:18):
Con production in association with Alfred Hollanderand was under the direction and supervision of
Sherman Marx. Next Here High Adventurethem the Big Guy on