Radio Hanoi
From: Robert Whitehurst <whthrst@bellsouth.net>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: vsg@u.washington.edu
Date: Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 8:21 PM
Would anyone have any idea if there was a regular schedule for broadcasts from Radio Ha Noi in 1970…were there certain hours and days when news was broadcast, for classical music, for Vietnamese folk music, etc??
Many thanks…Rob Whitehurst
--------
From: Sidel, Mark <mark-sidel@uiowa.edu>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 7:05 AM
Attachments: winmail.dat
If anyone currently in Hanoi is in touch with Do Xuan Oanh, or with his son Do Le Chau at the Consulate in San Francisco, either one of them would likely know the answer to this or how to find out very quickly. Best wishes....
Mark Sidel
Professor of Law and Faculty Scholar
Lauridsen Family Fellow
University of Iowa
--------
From: ryan nelson <sociolgst@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: sociolgst@yahoo.com, Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 10:17 AM
From some of the material I’ve viewed, when not being jammed by the U.S., at times moments of opportunity or conflict dictated Radio Hanoi programming; however, I’ve found some literature that provides evidence of a schedule.
I’ll start with the least credible but somewhat helpful source, view John Upton (VVAW). “Radio Hanoi Tapes Found In Barn.” 1997.
http://www.vvaw.org/veteran/article/?id=271.
Viet Nam Generation Journal’s “Voices from the Past: The Search for Hanoi Hannah, Part I” says U.S. soldiers would regularly listen to Hanoi Hannah around 10:30 p.m.
<http://www3.iath.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Texts/Scholarly/North_Hanoi_Hannah_01.html>
American Ex-Prisoner of War
by Hatch et al cites Hanoi Hannah voice regularly delivering propaganda and Congress related anti-war news from the U.S. at 7:00 a.m.
<http://books.google.com/books?id=b1x4r60xIboC&pg=PA73&dq=Radio+Hanoi+news+war&lr=&as_brr=3&sig=4rQwZqGn0IpHby-S5FeUOQXDNGE>
Thigpen, Jerry L. The Praetorian STARShip: the untold story of the Combat Talon. 2001. Air Force University. p. 115.
During an expanded, propaganda heavy PSYOPS campaign called ‘Tempo Surge’ during the ’72 Paris Peace Talks Radio Hanoi devoted blocks of air time to informing the population how to counteract the operation. I doubt much music was played by Radio Hanoi during the counter-operation. J
According to David E. James’ Power Misses: Essays Across (Un)Popular Culture, “’Hanoi Hannah’ mixed hard rock with propaganda. Some of this material has been recovered and assembled into a series of radio documentaries, ‘Vietnam: Radio First Termer,’ by Alexix Muellner of Interlock Media Associates.
Revolutionaries of the World Unite!
Though I’m not able to verify with scholarly literature the DRV’s official intent (yet), in an attempt to form rapport with U.S. G.I.s, in particular counter-culture minded and African American soldiers, on March 8, 1971, Jimi Hendrix's Woodstock rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” was broadcast by Radio Hanoi. Radio Hanoi welcomed with open air waves the presence of African-American (recorded or live) voices. Voices documented on Radio Hanoi broadcasts during the war include exiled in Algeria Black Panther minister of information Eldridge Cleaver, Kansas City, Missouri Black Panther Party associate and New-M.O.B.E. member Rev. Phillip Lawson and Diane Nash Bevel’s (the latter two voices recorded while on visit). (Note: Bevel, a founder of the S.C.LC. and S.N.C.C., the wife of Rev. James Bevel. The reverend played a significant role in organizing a groundbreaking anti-war demonstration, a M.O.B.E. April 15, 1967 march led in part by Dr. M.L.K. Jr. King’s presence at the march less than two weeks removed from delivering his “Beyond Vietnam” speech.). The DRV loved their oppressed African-American revolutionary brothers and sisters so much they promised to release some U.S. P.O.W.s if the U.S. government dropped all felony charges against Panther Party founders Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale (I laughed out loud when I read that). In fact, a myth, most likely propagated by the DRV, surrounds the treatment of African-American soldiers by Vietnamese communist forces, one which claims A.A. soldiers to have been given special treatment (to be treated better) during times of combat and capture. If anyone has knowledge relative to the myth I’d appreciate a literature recommendation or thoughts.
I kind of went off on my own little thing for the last piece as I’m a fanatic for U.S. Cold War era social movements history. Providing further information on the DRV/African-American connection proved too good to pass up. For more information on the relationship, from which most of the piece is based, view James E. Westheider’s Fighting on Two Fronts: African Americans and the Vietnam War. <http://books.google.com/books?id=IS_MgHE35BIC&pg=PA156&dq=eldridge+cleaver+radio+hanoi&sig=UcaiE-t83iEolMTMj7x28eWeUro#PPP1,M1>.
Rob, another helpful resource might be McCabe, Peter. 1971. “Radio Hanoi Goes Progressive Rock.” Rolling Stone. 18 March, p. 8. (Where to find a place with a Rolling Stone archive I don’t know. I imagine Berkeley. When you arrive on campus: follow Mario Savio’s gold cast shoe prints in the sidewalk until you reach Claes Oldenburg’s ‘Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks’ sculpture, take a left. Caution, politely decline offers of liquids from people wearing t-shirts featuring Timothy Leary’s face or slogans. Also, avoid invitation for discussion on the true philosophical meaning of Pink Floyd’s masterpieces The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon by anyone who smells like an art teacher’s jacket. Any conversation you end by saying “Bob Dylan is a god” or “Down with the odious machine” will facilitate easy escape from social situations in order to reach the library. Once past the renegade theatre, Digger like faustian production featuring surreal effigies of Presidents Bush and Johnson and the Devil, turn right. The library is just past the tangerine trees. And remember, just in case the name comes up, Abbie Hoffman is a man, not a woman.
For more a helpful tool to aid in your research about Radio Hanoi view the Google books search<http://books.google.com/books?q=Radio+Hanoi+news+war&um=1&lr=&as_brr=3&sa=N&start=40>
Peace in Viet Nam
Please forgive any grammatical errors
Ryan Nelson
--------
From: Stephen Denney <sdenney@ocf.berkeley.edu>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: sociolgst@yahoo.com, Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Was Hanoi radio ever jammed by the U.S.? I had not heard that before.
- Steve Denney
--------
From: DRA1333@aol.com <DRA1333@aol.com>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: vsg@u.washington.edu
Date: Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Rob,
The Foreign Broadcast Information Service would have (or at least have had) that information, if one could figure out how to contact them. Suggest Google for starters, though the BBC might also be able to provide that information.
Best,
Dottie Avery
--------
From: ryan nelson <sociolgst@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: sociolgst@yahoo.com, Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: vsg@u.washington.edu
Date: Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 2:46 PM
"Was Hanoi radio ever jammed by the U.S.? I had not heard that before." - Steve Denney
(Upon further review)
Well, Upton's piece claims in passing U.S. jamming took place. I found no other evidence to support the claim. It looks as if I ignored my own warning about the VVAW article not being credible. Thank you for bringing the matter to my attention, Stephen. Why did the U.S. not jam Radio Hanoi? Or did they try? One might assume some wacky CIA jamming program was at least formed.
Ryan
--------
From: Judith Henchy <judithh@u.washington.edu>
Reply-To: Judith Henchy <judithh@u.washington.edu>, Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: sociolgst@yahoo.com, Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 3:01 PM
Perhaps they were more interested in monitoring it as a source than jamming it.
Judith Henchy
--------
From: Stephen Denney <sdenney@ocf.berkeley.edu>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: sociolgst@yahoo.com, Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 3:18 PM
I have not heard of jamming of Radio Hanoi, but am not ruling it out completely. It just seems unlikely since our government's Foreign Broadcast Information Service was publishing daily monitored broadcasts from Vietnam (and every other part of the world); also perhaps there was not much concern that this radio broadcast would demoralize U.S. soldiers; and jamming it might be seen as counter to our principle of free speech and opposing jamming of radio stations we have supported, such as Radio Free Europe.
On a slightly related note, at the Vietnam symposium at Texas Tech last week, some news reporters who had covered both Vietnam during the war and Iraq today commented on how much more freedom they had to roam around the countryside and report on the war in Vietnam. See:
http://lubbockonline.com/stories/031408/loc_257719519.shtml
- Steve Denney
library assistant, U.C. Berkeley
------------------------
From: Robert Whitehurst <whthrst@bellsouth.net>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: vsg@u.washington.edu
Date: Mon, Mar 24, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Well, I thank everyone for all the answers, and the enjoyable tour of the Berkley Campus supplied by Ryan Nelson [by the way I am old enough to know that Abbie Hoffman is not/was not female]. I have another question along those lines: frequent mention has also been found of “Liberation Radio” and I understand that it was supposed to be the voice of the NLF. I have always assumed and have read that it was part of and was pretty much was run by Radio Ha Noi, but wonder if there was any difference in programming between the two in the late 60s and early 70s ??
Thanks for the attention…Rob Whitehurst
--------
From: David Marr <dgm405@coombs.anu.edu.au>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Mon, Mar 24, 2008 at 7:55 PM
Both American and British intelligence monitored DRV and NLF broadcasts assiduously, and the US intercepts eventually made it into two different size FBIS periodic translated compendia. By wading through FBIS a researcher can find interesting nuances by place and time, but that's part of Kremlinology Vietnam style which few people consider worthwhile any more. Or does the younger generation have some new questions to ask of these mountains of intercepts?
David Marr
--------
From: Stephen Denney <sdenney@ocf.berkeley.edu>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Mon, Mar 24, 2008 at 10:01 PM
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts is still available via Lexis-Nexis; FBIS is now World News Connection, but WNC carries very little news from Vietnam sources. JPRS (Joint Publications Research Service) stopped publishing around 1996. I believe JPRS was the most useful for the lengthy documents it translated, such as Vietnam's Criminal Code and other legal directives; and also the entire issue of Hoc Tap and Tap Chi Cong San; and some important works such as Tran Van Tra's history of the Vietnam War, vol. 5. I understand that what BBC is doing now may be largely superseded by the fact that this news is readily available directly from Vietnam, and maybe JPRS is not as necessary as it once was for foreign researchers, but still it is valuable for historical purposes.
FBIS and JPRS were made available on microfiche to libraries which were federal depositories; they were also cut and pasted by Doug Pike (and me during the years I worked for him at the UC Berkeley Indochina Archive) and I believe these clippings are now largely available online at the website of the Vietnam Center of Texas Tech: http://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/index.php
The JPRS translations of Vietnam from the early 1980s through early 1990s can also be found at the website of the Defense Technical Information Center, http://www.dtic.mil/
- Steve Denney
--------
From: Stephen Denney <sdenney@ocf.berkeley.edu>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Mon, Mar 24, 2008 at 10:18 PM
To clarify, the materials of Doug Pike that are now at Texas Tech cover the pre-April 75 period, so it would be these FBIS and JPRS materials of his collection that are or will be online at the TTU Vietnam Center website.
- Steve Denney
--------
From: Daniel C. Tsang <dtsang@uci.edu>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Tue, Mar 25, 2008 at 10:51 AM
Thanx Steve. The DTIC site is quite useful. Here for example are search results of full-text docs relating to "Vietnam Strategic Hamlets" : http://www.dtic.mil/dodsrch/search?template=%2Fdtic%2Fsearch%2Fresults-template-all.html&cr=customresults_dod.xml&hl=y&c=464DC8DF644962BBAA47D115E86EA68D&c=41F52911D50A5415&c=DD0C976002CAEB35&c=C92F583E2FD6E53B&c=5EF526FDCBB753A6&c=69A6EE7DB95A7791&c=C5C8242C85E9B392&c=12AC457CE2B5F28B&c=7B711C9E935D47D2&c=CAB345CEEFB1340B&c=D27AE6F2C80BEC86&searchview=7FBC4E26E505DA989E1DD0291FE4E9A8B35994E533FE494E&sort=&changequery=1&q=Viet nam+strategic+hamlet
dan
--
Daniel C. Tsang
Social Science Data Librarian
Bibliographer for Asian American Studies, Economics,
Political Science, and Film & Media Studies (acting)
468 Langson Library
University of California, Irvine