I may be the only one in the world who had ever come p with this explanation, but I interpret “The End” as a melancholy reflection on the coup d’etat that overthrew the government of President Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam on November 1, 1963, that was backed by the US government.
The singer starts out by describing the situation South Vietnam finds itself in in the fall of 1963—a developing country in dire need of foreign economic and military aid At the same time, it faces an existential threat from the Communists who seek to pull it into the Soviet bloc. However, its defense is in the hands of a corrupt military elite that would rather plot coups than defend the country. The singer also believes South Vietnam will be better off remaining allied with the West.
He then describes the coup itself, led by General Duong Van Minh—and the killings of Diem, his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu, and others. The song concludes on a note of pessimism as the singer predicts the demise of the Republic of Vietnam and hints that he himself will go underground or into exile.
Here is some of the symbolism that I have noted:
- This is the end—South Vietnam’s days are numbered
- My only friend—Journalist Marguerite Higgins, a defender of President Ngo Dinh Diem
- Elaborate plans—efforts to make the Republic of Vietnam a success
- Never look into your eyes—protagonist is preparing to flee into exile or underground
- Stranger's hand--foreign aid
- Desperate land--South Vietnam
- Roman wilderness of pain--government-by-coup-d'etat of the sort that plagued the Roman Empire for centuries
- children are insane--South Vietnam's coup-happy military elite
- King's highway--Route 1, the "street without joy"
- Weird things inside the gold mine—the US State Dept. or CIA
- summer rain--South Vietnam's summer monsoon
- West—The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization. (SEATO)
- the snake--the Warsaw Pact
- ancient lake—the Soviet bloc
- seven miles—the seven members of the Warsaw Pact
- he's old...--Nikita Khrushchev or Ho Chi Minh
- blue bus--military vehicle in which Diem and his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu were held before they were killed
- killer--General Duong Van Minh, organizer of the coup d’etat
- ancient gallery--the CIA or USIA
- hall--the presidential palace
- sister--Tran Le Xuan, Diem's sister and Nhu's wife--or Marguerite Higgins
- father--Ngo Dinh Diem
- brother--Ngo Dinh Nhu
- mother--Tran Le Xuan (South Vietnam’s “First Lady)
- You'll never follow me—protagonist heading into exile