Frank Discussion on VNN
From DNguyen@KQED.org Fri Apr 29 17:11:11 2005
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:10:51 -0700
From: Nguyen Qui Duc <DNguyen@KQED.org>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Subject: [Vsg] frank discussion on VNN
If you can read Vietnamese, here's a frank discussion on how Viet Nam has to be more equipped to speak the truth and tell a better story. Frank criticism of the leadership.
http://www.vnn.vn/bantrontructuyen/2005/04/415361/
Note the discussion on how the coverage of the anniversary of end of the war is now using the word The Governent of the Republic of South Viet Nam rather than "the puppet regime."
From tonthat@homemail.com.au Fri Apr 29 17:44:26 2005
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 10:44:01 +1000
From: Quynh-Du Ton-That <tonthat@homemail.com.au>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: [Vsg] frank discussion on VNN
Thank you Duc, for posting the link. Talawas currently has a number of interesting discussions as well, several articles on my 30-April mostly by artists and writers, and discussions on Vietnamese literature as well. Worth a look for those who read Vietnamese. www.talawas.org
Du
From andrew@ffrd.org Mon May 2 00:33:59 2005
Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 14:26:22 +0700
From: Andrew Wells-Dang <andrew@ffrd.org>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: [Vsg] frank discussion
From my own incomplete reading of the Vietnamese press over the last month, it seems that there has been substantially more discussion of different aspects of the history of the war and post-war period as well, compared to, say, the 25th anniversary in 2000.
(1) There has been a lot more coverage of Americans. Major newspapers like Lao Dong and Tuoi Tre have run an article or interview on a US veteran, journalist, professor, or political figure talking about the history and lessons of the war on nearly a daily basis for the past month. Most are new information, a few are old (ie translated excerpts of McNamara's "In Retrospect"), with a particular emphasis on veterans. The list reads like a virtual Who's Who of Americans involved with Vietnam, as selected through particular Vietnamese eyes.
For instance:
Peter Yarrow: Tuoi tre 3/30
Jane Fonda: Lao Dong 4/8, Tuoi tre 4/8-9
Ted Engelmann: Tuoi tre 4/11, Lao Dong 4/28
Barbara Gluck: Tuoi tre 4/12, 4/27
Mike Boehm: Lao Dong 4/13
Colin Powell: Thanh Nien 4/13
Oliver Stone: Lao Dong 4/14
Tom Hayden: Lao Dong 4/15
Philip Caputo: Lao Dong 4/19
Andrew Carroll, Jim Murtaugh: Lao Dong 4/20
Sandy Northrup: Tuoi tre 4/25
John Galloway: Lao Dong 4/25
Seymour Topping: Lao Dong 4/29
(2) There have been more voices from southern VN--especially in the HCMC media. Tuoi tre ran detailed series on pre-1975 student movements in Saigon, defectors from the Saigon army to the NLF, and former southern military or government officials who have returned to Vietnam. Not all voices are represented, but more it seems than in the past.
A few examples:
Operation Babylift: Lao Dong 4/12
Nguyen Huu Hanh: Tuoi tre 4/15-16
Student movement: Tuoi tre 4/20-23
(3) Probably the most significant discussion has been over the role of the "third force" and figures like Duong Van Minh in the end of the war. Former PM (and Cu Chi Tunnel leader) Vo Van Kiet has given several interviews asserting that Minh did a service for Vietnam by ending the war when Saigon and much of the southern infrastructure were intact. As in Le Xuan Khoa's case, these views were challenged by more conservative leaders, in this case Defense Minister Pham Van Tra who argued that the war was over in any case and what Minh and others in the south did was of little importance in determining the outcome.
See Quoc te 3/31, Tuoi tre 4/15, Viet Nam News 4/22, Lao Dong 4/27.
The original in Vietnamese is at http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/Tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=74587&ChannelID=3, with some interesting comments from readers appended at the end. The English translation is at http://www.thanhniennews.com/features/?catid=10&newsid=6165.
All of these articles are available on the web in Vietnamese. Unfortunately, few of them are translated into English. (Viet Nam News often seems to reflect a smaller range of views than the local press, interestingly enough.) I'm sure I'm missing some other articles of interest, these are just a few examples I've come across.
--Andrew
Andrew Wells-Dang
Regional Representative
Fund for Reconciliation & Development
86 ngo 100 Tay Son
Hanoi, Vietnam
tel. (04) 533-0649 / (090) 424-5461
From DNguyen@KQED.org Mon May 2 01:11:07 2005
Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 01:10:13 -0700
From: Nguyen Qui Duc <DNguyen@KQED.org>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Andrew Wells-Dang <andrew@ffrd.org>, Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>, Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Subject: RE: [Vsg] frank discussion
I agree with Andrew and I am tempted to venture that:
a. there has been more coverage of Viet Kieu, in and out of the country, including numerous pieces about Viet Kieu both in Europe, US and in Viet Nam--this includes a series on VTV 1 on Viet Kieu from Virginia to California, a first;
b. the general tone is still about the victory but yet more conciliatory, and there seems to be a readiness to admit that victory is to be tempered by a recognition that steps are still to be taken to further improve conditions;
c. a lot more prominence has been given to so-called southern third force. Former anti-Saigon students and anti-war movement leaders were quite present in the celebrations in Hue -- some of these discredited or forgotten over the years by the party;
d. there has been a willingness to present varying viewpoints from veterans and the people in old as well as current leadership positions.
If you're interested in Viet Kieu demonstration in DC please see:
http://www.april30.org/buoitrua.php
http://www.april30.org/buoichieu1.php
http://www.april30.org/buoichieu2.php
http://www.april30.org/buoichieu3.php