NORTH VIETNAMESE REACTION TO OUR PSYWAR CAMPAIGN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-26-1-6-5
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: June 8, 2011
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: August 11, 1972
• Content Type: MEMO

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MEMORANDUM
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
ACTION
SECRET/SENSITIVE
August 11, 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR: HENRY A. KISSINGER
FROM:
SUBJECT:
RICHARD T. KENNEDY
JOHN H. HOLDRIDGE
North Vietnamese Reaction to Our
Psywar Campaign
The memorandum for the President (Tab A) reports on three
unsolicited testimonials from the Hanoi leadership on the
effectiveness of our psywar campaign. The first was obtained
through FBIS (Tab B). Mr. Helms provided the others in a
memorandum to you (Tab C). These items, particularly the
directive from the DRV Premier's office, provide the firmest
evidence to date that our efforts are having the desired effects
on Hanoi.
RECOMMENDATION:
That you sign the memorandum for the President at Tab A.
_.?
NSS Review Completed.
--65GRPW/SENSITIVE
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'MEMORANDUM
SECRET/SENSITIVE
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
6096x
V
TRE PRESIDENT HAS SEENI
"INFORMATION
August 14, 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT
FROM: HENRY A. KISSINGER
SUBJECT: North Vietnamese Reaction to Our
Psychological Offensive
We are receiving increasing evidence that our psychological
offensive is producing the desired effects on Hanoi.
The DRV Premier's office recently issued a directive stressing
that the information task "must be aimed at completely smashing
the enemy's psywar and denying fa/se, harmful rumors in time,
especially in municipalities, cities, heavily populated areas
and areas where fighting is fierce." The directive urged the
Information Branch to:
"step up word-of-mouth propaganda on current events and
policies among cadres, Party members and the masses in
coordination with guiding and organizing readings of news-
papers and listening to our radio."
"reestablish mobile information teams at the village,
district, province and city echelons."
"steadfastly maintain the state-built radio network and
maintain and develop radio relay stations for cooperatives
where conditions permit. Meanwhile, attach importance to
rudimentary broadcasting and motivating means such as
megaphones and loudspeakers."
-- "develop news bulletins, slogans, banners, propaganda draw-
ings and maps of victories."
Mr. Helms reports on two additional testimonials to our psycho-
logical offensive: The July 1972 issue of a monthly Party
journal warned that "The U.S. imperialists are stepping up
psychological warfare, using very crafty maneuvers."
11.4m1.
"Their crafty maneuver consists of mixing true news with
distorted news and giving us the impression that they have
SECRET/SENSITIVE
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t:
released the news . . . Thus they use small capital to
gain gr,;at profit . . . As a result of the telling and
retelling of lies, white is turned into black and listeners
will be deceived or struck with doubt. Even if listeners
believe enemy news, with some-reservations, the enemy will
still benefit."
"Another crafty maneuver is the sending of spies to spread
rumors in order-to deceive honest people who will, in turn,
disseminate .the false news. The news whispered by our
people and cadres can help deceive people more effectively
than the news released by enemy radio stations."
The journal recognized that "some people ard unaware of all
the enemy schemes and maneuvers and of the need to fight the
enemy while keeping quiet. Thus they are deceived by the
enemy and have sometimes inadvertently offered to be
propagandists for him."
Radio Hanoi broadcast a warning on August 9 that "The U.S.
puppets . . are resorting to psywar farces and cheap tricks
that cannot fool our people." It stressed that "One must
absolutely not listen to radio broadcasts of the U.S. imperi-
alists and their henchmen, not read enemy leaflets and not
keep enemy psywar items." It urged that psywar items be
collected immediately and burned or destroyed. "With respect
to honest people who by mistake listened to enemy radio broad-
casts or who have kept enemy leaflets and psywar items, we
must try to explain to them, then criticize them and persuade
them not to do it again."
_
Mr. Helms states that "it would appear that some elements of
our total mix of intensified activities are tweaking tender
nerves. It is refreshing to see them complaining about our
using 'very crafty maneuvers.'"
SECRET/SENSITIVE
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FBIS 20
DRV PREMIER ?S OFFICE ISSUES DIRECTIVE ON COMBATING 'ENEMY
PSY WAR'
SI11112 HANOI NHAN DAN IN VIETNAMESE 5 AUG 72 S
(TEXT) THE PREMIER'S OFFICE RECENTLY ISSUED A DIRECTIVE
ON REORIENTATION OF THE INFORMATION TASK IN -THE NEW SITUATION.
THE DIRECTIVE POINTED OUT: THE INFORMATION TASK MUST BE
VIGOROUSLY REORIENTED TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO UNITE IN COMBAT
AND PRODUCTION AND TO ACTIVELY ADVANCE SO AS TO OUTSTANDINGLY
FULFILL TASKS REGARDING NATIONAL DEFENSE, ORDER AND ?SECURITY
COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION AND AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL
PRODUCTION THE INFORMATION TASK MUST MAKE ACTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS
.SO .AS TO ENABLE EVERY CITIZEN TO UNDERSTAND CLEARLY AND IN TIME
OUR SITUATION, TASKS, STRONG POSTURE AND GREAT SUCCESSES,
THE ENEMY 'S DEFEATED POSTURE AND HIS CRIMES AND SCHEMES AND
THE POLICIES AND MEASURES TO DEFEAT THE U .S . AGGRESSORS.
IT ALSO MUST BE AIMED AT COMPLETELY SMASHING THE ENEMY'S
PSYWAR AND DENYING FALSE, HARMFUL RUMORS IN TIME*, ESPECIALLY
IN ? MUNICIPALITIES, CITIES HEAVILY POPULATED AREAS AND AREAS
WHERE FIGHTING IS FIERCE.
THE PREMIER'S OFFICE URGED ALL ECHELONS OF THE INFORMATION
BRANCH TO CARRY OUT THE FOLLOWING CONCRETE TASKS:
--DEEPLY AND BROADLY STEP UP WORD-OF-MOUTH PROPAGANDA ON
CURRENT EVENTS AND POLICIES AMONG CADRES, PARTY MEMBERS AND
THE MASSES IN COORDINATION WITH GUIDING AND ORGANIZING READINGS
OF NEWSPAPERS AND LISTENING TO OUR RADIO.
IT IS NECESSARY TO REESTABLISH MOBILE INFORMATION TEAMS
AT THE VILLAGE DISTRICT PROVINCE AND CITY ECHELONS. THESE
TEAMS WILL HAVE AN ASSAULT ROLE IN PROPAGANDA AND A LORE ROLE
IN STEPPING UP THE INFORMATION AND MOTIVATION MOVEMENT.
--STEADFASTLY MAINTAIN THE STATE-BUILT RADIO NETWORK AND
MAINTAIN AND DEVELOP RADIO RELAY STATIONS FOR COOPERATIVES
WHERE CONDITIONS PERMIT. MEAAHILE ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO
RUDIMENTARY BROADCASTING AND MOTIVATING MEANS SUCH AS
MEGAPHONES AND LOUDSPEAKERS.
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--4DEVEL0P NPIWS -IJAPTINS 9 1:1..OGANS 9 RAvuE;ns 9 Mk AG ANDA
bRAWINGS AND MAPS Oi VICTORIES. STEP UP MINOR EXHIBITIONS AND
THE USE OF PROJECTORS.
--ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO COORDINATING WITH VARIOUS BRANCHES
IN SATISFACTORILY ORGANIZING FORMS OF MOTIVATING THE MASSES,
SUCH AS DRILLS TRAINING, EXERCISES AND ACTION WEEKS WITH
PRACTICAL SLOGANS AND STRUGGLE OBJECTIVES.
INFORMATION .ACIIVITIES MUST BE SIMPLE, CONCISE, WIDESPREAD
AND CONSISTENT WITH. WAR CONDITIONS .
--STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP OVER THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THESE TASKS. LEADING ECHELONS MUST SET FORTH REGULATIONS TO
1-ELP INFORMATION CADRES UNDERSTAND IN TIME THE SITUATION AND
THE PARTY AND STATE'S POLICIES. IT IS NECESSARY TO PERIODICALLY
?REVIEW THE INFORMATION TASK, TO SET FORTH GUIDELINES FOR IT
AND TO QUICKLY STRENGTHEN THE INFORMATION NETWORK AT ALL LEVELS
WITH ATTENTION BEING PAID TO THE DISTRICT AND LOWER LEVELS.
IN THE PROVINCES, MUNICIPALITIES AND DISTRICTS WHERE THE
INFORMATION ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN UNITED WITH -THE ORGANIZATION
WATCHING OVER CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, IN ADDITION TO COMRADES
WHO ARE DIRECTLY CHARGED WITH THE INFORMATION TASK THERE MUST
?BE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF SPECIALIST CADRES FOR INFORMATION
ACTIVITIES, IN .LOCALITIES . THAT STILL MAINTAIN THEIR. OWN
INFORMATION ORGANS, IT IS NECESSARY TO. APPROPRIATELY STRENGTHEN
THESE ORGANS IN ORDER TO CARRY OUT MORE SATISFACTORILY THE
INFORMATION TASK IN THE NEW SITUATION, IT IS NECESSARY TO
ADOPT MEASURES TO POSITIVELY STRENGTHEN INFORMATION ORGANIZATIONS
AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL AND INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES, TO ENTRUST
QUALIFIED CADRES WITH. THE INFORMATION TASK AND TO CHOOSE A NUMBER
OF PARTY MEMBERS AND YOUTH MEMBERS TO SERVE AS A NUCLEUS. FOR THE
INFORMATION NETWORK AT THE BASIC LEVELS? IT IS NECESSARY
TO MEET IN TIME THE DEMANDS IN. MATERIAL SUPPLIES., MEANS 9
BUDGET AND NECESSARY REGULATIONS FOR THE INFORMATION TASK.
THE PREMIER 'S OFFICE REQUES_TED THAT ALL CENTRAL-LEVEL
BRANCHES CONCERNED AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE ECHELONS
BE CLEARLY AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INFORMATION TASK
IN THE NEW SITUATION, THOROUGHLY IMPLEMENT THE VIETNAM WORKERS
PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE'S AND THE GOVERNMENT 'S PREVIOUS
DIRECTIVES AND RESOLUTIONS ON THE INFORMATION TASK, AND MAP
OUT PLANS TO SERIOUSLY IMPLEMENT THE PRESENT DIRECTIVE.
11 AUG 1313Z PK /MA
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CENMAL INTELLIGENC74: AG5NIC?(
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
10 August 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR: Dr. Henry A. Kissinger.
Assistant to the President for
-
National Security Affairs
SUBJECT : Unsolicited Testimonials from Hanoi
NIP
1. In a recent publication,* we mentioned the Hanoi leadership's
II. . . unusual case of nerves over U.S.
psychological warfare tactics. In its
determined effort to distinguish U.S.
spsywar arguments from its own version
of the hard facts, it seems to betray a
concern that the people themselves may
begin to miss the distinction. "
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2. The comment quoted was based on a series of passinrg and
pointed references to our psychological Warfare efforts that have
appeared in Hanoi's press and radio output over the past several weeks.
These remarks, even though glaneing, were noteworthy because over
the past decade or so, Hanoi has hardly ever deigned to acknowledge
that a U.S. /GVN psychological warfare effort existed. The. intensification
of effort undertaken in response to the President's instructions of
18 May 1972 is thus clearly beginning to have'sorne impact.
3. Since the above quoted comments were written, we have
received further unsolicited testimonials from the leadership in Hanoi
testimonials that are notably more fulsome than any we have ever
received before. Appended for your information are the two most
*The Annex ("Hanoi Levels with the People") to the 2 August 1972 edition
of our daily Developments in Indochina.
SECRE'l
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telling. The first is taken from the .summary of the 9,.August edition
of the Army's daily newspaper (Quan Doi Nhan Dan) broadcast over
Hanoi radio. (We will send along the full text of the second page of
"articles and stories" as soon as it becomes available.) The second
is an excerpt from an article entitled "Preserve State Secrets and
Struggle Against Enemy Psychological Warfare" appearing in the
July 1972 edition of a monthly Party journal Current Events.
4. It would appear that at least some'elements of our total mix
of intensified activities are tweaking tender nerves. It is refreshing
to see them complaining about our using "very crafty maneuvers. "
Attachments
SECE.ET
Richard Helms
Director
2
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Excerpt from a July 1972 Thoi Su Pho Thong ("Current Events" -- a
North Vietnamese monthly journal) article entitled "Preserve State
Secrets and Still. ggle Against Enemy Psychological Warfare."
"In this modern war, along with waging military warfare,
the U.S. imperialists are stepping up psychological warfare,
using very crafty maneuvers. Radio Saigon, the VOA, the
BBC and other stations of the imperialists and their henchmen
have daily released false news to distort our victories and
conceal the setbacks of the U. S.-puppet% and have fabricated
stories about North Vietnam.
. ?"
"Their crafty maneuver consists of mixing frue news with
distorted news and giving us the impression that they have
released the news quickly and objectively. Thus they use
small capital to gain great profit. The guideline of the
enemy's psywar organs is: make listeners believe true news
released on one occasion so that they will believe false news
on another occasion. As a result of the telling and retelling
of lies, white is turned into black and listeners will be
deceived or struck with doubt. Even if listeners believe
enemy news, with some reservations, the enemy will still
benefit.
"Another crafty maneuver is the sending of spies to spread
rumors in order to deceive honest people who will, in turn,
disseminate the false news. The news whispered by our%
people and cadres can help deceive people more effectively
than the news released by enemy radio stations.
"Our people and cadres have constantly heightened vigilance.
However, some people are unaware of all the enemy schemes
and maneuvers and of the need to fight the enemy while keeping
quiet. Thus they are deceived by the enemy and have sometimes
inadvertently offered to be propagandists for him.
"To strictly preserve military, economic and ideological
secrets, to remain vigilant and to expose and smash in time
all enemy allegations and propaganda maneuvers is a duty to
be fulfilled by each citizen and each cadre in order to contribute
to the victories in our anti-U.S. national salvation undertaking. "
SECEET
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ip SECRET IF
DRV Paper Warns Against Psychological Warfare
S090301 Hanoi Domestic Service In Vietnamese 2235 GMT 8 Aug 72 S
11-9 August Quan Doi -Nhan Dan (People's Army Review)!
(Excerpt) To retrieve their defeats in bgth zones of our country,
the U.S.-puppets are resorting to psywar farces. _ But their cunning tricks
can never fool our people. To denounce these cheap enemy psywar
farces, the paper publishes on its second page many articles and stories.
The article "what must we know about the enemy's psychological
warfare?" includes four parts: 1) what-is psychological warfcre?
2) what are the psywar plots that the U.S.-puppets have often used
agail,L3 I the northern part of our country? 3) what are the contents of
the U.S.-puppets' psywar propaganda? and 4) what should each of us
do to oppose the enemy psychological warfare?
After dealing with the first three parts, the paper thoroughly
discusses the tasks tope done to oppose the enemy psychological
warfare: one must absolutely not listen to radio broadcasts of the U.S.
i_mperiLdists and their henchmen, not read enemy leaflet's and not keep
enemy psywar items. When the enemy drops psywar items and leaflets,
we must immediately try to collect them and burn or destroy them. We
must closely watch and prevent bad elements from secretly listen' ing
to enemy radio broadcasts, ,from keeping and hiding enemy leaflets and
psywar items, or from using them to spread false news to disturb
public security.
With respect to honest people who by mistake listened to enemy
radio broadcasts or who have kept enemy leaflets and psywar items,
we must try to explain to them, then criticize- them and persuade them
not to do it again.
.SECRET)
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