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 rllfarc 29, 1971 Approved For Release 2007/02/07: C1A-RDP74B00415R000600120015-3
. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE
The propos
mit the. court
lowances ` not
to provide an
increase in the p
ceivers and also
have been increase
by increasing the
rates for a trusteeare applicable
The proposed incrase in the custodial
rate would make it necessary for the
referee to enlarge t~e duties of the re-
ceiver in order to fa ly compensate him
quent to the enactment of the proposed
legislation
The above bill wjs approved by the
Judicial Conference ,f the United.States
at its October 1970 session
exceed $150 for a re-
for a trustee in those
distribution is too small
rendered
posed legislation, the
ers, the range of the
higher rates to the
istributions
Mr. BURDICK. Mr President, I intro-
duce for appropriate4reference, S. 1396,
to. amend the Bankruptcy Act to permit
fulltime referees in lankruptcy to per-
time referee in bankr"ptcy-may be ap-
pointed to. serve as a part-time magis-
trate," and authorizes' the Conference to
"fix the aggregate amount of compensa-
tion to be received f r performing the
duties of part-time magistrate and part-
time referee in bankruptcy" 28 U.S.C.
634. The act, however,! oes not authorize
a full-time referee in bankruptcy to per-
form the duties of a part-time U.S. mag-
istrate. In addition, Section 35 of the
tions for referees in b
in part that an indi
profit or emolument under the laws of
the united States or cif any State or sub-
division thereof other than conciliation
commissioner or spqpial master under
to this provision
ase of a part-time
end section 35 of
full-time referees
orm the duties of
porarily away from
ness or vacation. S
part-time magistrat
at a nominal salary
well perform. Secon
in the Magistrates A
combining a positio
eree in bankruptcy
full-time referees in
form magistrate duti
a full-time combinati
eree in bankruptcy.
roblem of a "back- tion in a war which has for years now
who,is in, or tem- eroded the moral sensibilities of our
is station on busi- Nation.
e courts have re- Our Vietnam policymakers under both
appoint a second Presidents Johnson and Nixon have as-
at some locations sured the American people that all we
to arraign defend- seek for South Vietnam is the right of
the absence of the "self-determination." But is "self-deter-
bankruptcy might United States spends millions of dollars
, certain language in promoting the interests of the Rovern-
with a position of their friend and protector? When the
ittees on Bank- repeated promises of free elections. I
and the Imple- think my colleagues are generally aware
in the interest of election campaigns. Does anyone believe
tration to permit that opposition candidates, assuming
nkruptcy to per- that genuine opposition candidates are
and to authorize allowed, will be given equal time and
television or in the other U.S.-financed
information programs, when the basic
purpose of all these programs has been
to win the Vietnamese people over to the
Thieu government's side.
It is all very well to call for free and
open elections; it is an appealing slogan.
But when it comes to specifics as to who
controls the campaign machinery, the
mass media, and the election process,
"free and open" is likely to look very
much like "government controlled." Lack
of credibility as to U.S. intentions has
always been a major problem in com-
municating with the other side. The con-
trast between what is said by our Gov-
ernment concerning free elections and
what we, in fact, do in promoting the in-
terests of President Thieu demonstrates
that the problem is far from being re-
solved. The United States should make it
clear to all concerned that it will take
a strictly neutral position in the coming
election in Vietnam. To do so it must
gear its activities to aiding the people,
not the government. One of the most
obvious ways to demonstrate neutrality
is to cease assisting the Thieu govern-
ment on propaganda programs.
Mr. President, since I was first elected
to the Senate, I have told the people of
Idaho that I would not support legisla-
tion which would authorize the Federal
Treasury to pay the campaign expenses of
nationally elected officials. I do not feel
that the taxpayers of this Nation should
S. 1397. A bill to amend the U.S. In-
formation and Educational Exchange
Act of 1948 to impose restrictions on in-
formation activities outside the United
States of Government agencies. Re-
ferred to the Committee on Foreign Re-
lations.
PROHIBITING THE UNITED STATES FROM ENGAG-
ING IN PROPAGANDA ACTIVITIES FOR FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS
Mr. CHURCH. Mr. President, last year
the Committee on Foreign Relations held
a series of hearings on the operation of
U.S. advisory and assistance programs
in Vietnam. The hearings revealed a
great deal concerning the nature and ex-
tent of our involvement in the internal
affairs of that country. Today, I wish to
discuss briefly one of the most insidious
of those programs and to introduce legis-
lation to correct the underlying policy.
I refer to the propaganda services which
our Government renders on behalf of
Vietnam.
Traditionally, American citizens have
viewed with great suspicion anything
that suggests the creation of an official
Government information agency. And
rightfully so. They realize that Govern-
ment information programs cannot be
divorced from political propaganda de-
signed to serve partisan or personal pur-
poses. Germany's experience under
Goebbels lingers in the American mem- support my campaigns or the campaigns
ory. of others for public office. I feel even more
Yet in Vietnam the U.S. Information strongly that our Nation's taxpayers
Agency, which was created to promote should not provide support to foreign
better understanding of our country political leaders in their attempts to gain
abroad, is now engaged in a massive favor with their own people.
campaign, using every tool of the com- I ask unanimous consent to have
munication arts; to sell the Thieu Gov- printed in the RECORD following my re-
ernment to the people of Vietnam. marks the transcript of the Foreign Rela-
Through television and radio, and news- tions Committee hearing of March 19,
papers, magazines, and leaflets by the 1970, concerning USIA operations in
tens of millions, the USIA is teamed Vietnam. Nowhere in that act is there
up with military psychological warfare authority, direct or indirect, for any gov-
specialists to inflict on the people of ernment agency to engage in a propa-
Vietnam the kind of official propaganda ganda compaign to increase understand-
system that we refuse to allow in our ing between a foreign government and
own country. It is the ultimate corrup- the people it governs. The simple fact is
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S 3975
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S 3976 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE arch 291 19M.
PUBLIC EDWARD S. NICKEL, DDIECTOR,
SAIGON. rials and our But, ~roduction tof media Mate-
that the U.S. Information Agency has TESoI MO Y OF
assumed authority not conferred on it
by the Congress. AND OTIS E. HAYS, OFFICE OF USIA ASSISTANT printed material,'~he GVN in the near future
I am introducing today a bill that will DIRECTOR FOR EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC will not be ably to take over all of our
Mr. NICKEL. Mr. Chairman, I would like present production. We believe this situa-
correct some of the abuses revealed in first to described briefly the office in Saigon tion will be partially offset when the radio
the hearing last year., The bill contains which I head. It is called the Joint U.S. Pub- and television networks are completed and
two simple Provisions: lie Affairs Office or JUSPAO. This Office, when more Vietnamese Information Service
First. It prohibits the U.S. Informa- which was established in 1965, includes personnel have been trained in face-to-face
tion Agency, or any other U.S. agency, American military and civilian personnel and communication techniques. We are planning
from assisting in the preparation or dis- its functions are: now to increase ti.is type of training.
semination of information for a foreign To provide policy guidance for all U.S. For some time the GVN has lacked trained
psychological operations in Vietnam. and experienced Personnel needed to sustain
government' and To provide media materials in support of effective information programs. Our training
Second. It requires that the USIA U.S. policy in Vietnam to the U.S. Informa- programs and support have helped alleviate
imprint, or the imprint of the appropri- Lion Agency for use in third countries, this problem to some degree. However, many
ate agency, appear on any publication To perfom the normal USIS cultural and of those trained have been drafted for mili-
prepared for distribution abroad. The information mission. tary service. Mass communications skills will
testimony last year revealed that the To provide assistance to the Government continue to be jn Short supply in South
USIA has published a number of prop- of the Republic of Vietnam (GVN) to im- Vietnam for some time,
aganda booklets in English concerning prove its public information programs. 1970 pacification and development program
Vietnam-but without any mark as to Assistance provided by JUSPAO Lately the GV14 has manifested an increas-
their origin. I will confine my statement to a deacrip- fug understandirg of the importance of de-
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. AL- tion of this last function. JUSPAO's efforts veloping better I "s of communication with
in this regard can be grouped in four cote- the people, especially those in rural areas.
LEN). Without objection, it IS so ordered. gories: The 1970 pacification and development pro-
(See exhibit 1.) First, assistance in the construction and gram expresses this awareness by making
Mr. CUURCH. Mr. President, the operation of mass media communication the goal of estab~shing an effective informa-
Smith-Mundt Act, the basic statutory facilities including the national radio net- tion system one pf its eight national objec-
authority for operation of the Govern- work and the national television network, tives. The realization of that goal could make
ment's overeas information programs, Second, assistance in the Improvement of an important contribution to successful com-
states that the objectives of the act are personnel, training, organization, method- munication between the Government and the
ology, and the equipping of the Ministry of governed.
,,to enable the Government of the United Information's field organization called the Other objectives of the 1970 plan are de-
States to promote a better understanding Vietnamese Information Service (VIS). signed to encourage increased participation
of the United States in other countries, Third, assistance In the production of in- by citizens in thi governmental process and
and to increase mutual understanding formation materials by the Government's to encourage loc$l initiative,
between the people of the United States mass media and by the Vietnamese Informa- Among the reform; elections at the local,
and the people of other countries." tion Service. plan are
Mr, President, it is a sign of the times Fourth, assistance through joint planning provincial, and #ational levels; recruitment
that the hearing which revealed the ex- and joint production of information mate- of citizens in local militia forces with arms
behalf rials by JUSPAO and the Ministry of In- provided by the, Government; and Govern-
tent of U.S.LA,'s selling efforts in formation to support the Government's paei- ment grants of Village self-help funds to be
of the Thieu government failed to bring fixation and development programs, used for development projects the villagers
any appreciable public reaction. Appar- Additionally, Mr. Chairman, JUSPAO indi- themselves desire. A large part of the GVN
ently, the war has so numbed the Amer- rectly influences the psychological warfare information effort in 1970 and U.S. support
ican conscience that it is incapable of activities of the Vietnamese Armed Forces for it Is being devoted to publicizing these
being shocked further over anything in- because we provide policy guidance for pry- programs and egcouraging the South Viet-
volving Vietnam. One of the most tragic chological operations to the U.S. Military namese citizens to participate in them.
aspects of the war is that we seem to have Assistance Command (MACV) which assists I would like tA describe some of our assist-
the Vietnamese Armed Forces in this field. ance projects and to indicate our plans for
lost our capacity for indignation and out- These categories of assistance cover a wide reducing them as the GVN assumes increas-
rage over our continued involvement in range of cooperative efforts to which the ing responsibility for them.
a lame-duck war which has never in- U.S. Government and the GVN contribute U.S. assistance in radio
volved our vital interests. The use of our staff, funds, and equipment. The number of Between the dears 1952 and 1964, the U.S.
taxpayers' millions to package and sell personnel and the amounts of money con- financed the pueahase of low- and medium-
the Thieu government, like a bar of soap, tributed .by each side have varied from year
to year. However, in the last year and a half power radio tr smitters to help the GVN to
to its own people, is the ultimate hypoe- we in JUSPAO have begun to establish ter- set up stations I n various parts of the coun-
risy. It should be stopped. minal dates for several assistance operations try or to increase the signal strength of
EXHIBIT 1 and to transfer greater responsibility for existing station. The cost to the United
States of this !equipment was about $1.1
VIETNAM: POLICY AND PROSPECTS, U.S. others to the Government of Vietnam. This million. Australia contributed a high-powered
ASSISTANCE ON INFORMATION MATTERS TTERS AND process is related to the overall effort to re- station through) the Colombo plan.
U.S. PSYCHOLOGICAL OR PROPAGANDA OPERA- place n the Increased contribution to the war effort
Vietnamese cont b union. However, the collection of stations was
TIONS, THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1970 with quite a network and its range was
The CHAIRMAN. The next witness is Mr. Reduction of JUSPAO contributions still Inadequatq. As the pace of the war
Edward J. Nickel, JUSPAO is presently In the process of de- stepped up 5 years ago, the United States
Swearing in of witnesses fining specific reductions In its contributions began a project aimed at providing the GVN
Mr. Nickel, in keeping with the procedure of personnel, money, and equipment. By with an integ ted radio network capable
followed in the previous hearings involving the end of the current fiscal year American of reaching 951 ercent of Vietnam's popula-
personnel brought back from Vietnam, In civilian positions will be reduced by 31 (from tion, rather than the 65 percent possibly
order that I show no partiality in this mat- 132 to 101); American military positions by reachable with ,varying quality signals and
ter, I will ask you and your associates who 11 (from 118 to 107); Vietnamese positions programing through the then existing group
may be called upon to testify to be sworn by 42 (from 385 to 343); third-country na- of stations. Feasibility studies were followed
at this point. Would you please stand and tionals by eight (from 12 to 4). As the GVN by preconstruction architectural and engi-
raise your right hand. absorbs more. of our currently joint opera- neering studies. These were almost com-
Do you solemnly swear that the testimony tions, more American positions will be elimi- pleted when the 1968 Tet attacks took place.
which you are about to give will be, to the nated. In those attacks transmitters at Hue and
best of your knowledge, the truth, the whole Our support in the information field should Ban Me Thuot ,,wwere badly damaged as were
truth, and nothing but the truth, so help be completely terminated by the middle of studios and other installations in Saigon
you God? 1912, Some projects will be completed ear- and Qui Nhon. 1
Mr. NICKEL. I do. her. For instance, the terminal date for the As a result Of those attacks, the United
Mr. OssORNE. I do. television project is June 1971. Radio con- States and GVI$ decided against construct-
Mr. HAYS. I do. struction will be completed in the spring of ing a 12-statiof network in favor of a net-
The CHAIRMAN. You have a prepared state- 1971. However, technical training needed to work of four stations of higher power. This
ment, I believe, Mr. Nickel? operate the new radio network will require an change was dictated by security and man-
Mr. NICKEL. I do, sir. -additional year. Power considerations. It was felt it would
The CHAIRMAN. Would you proceed, please, Our role increasingly will become more be easier to protect four installations than 12,
sir. and more an advisory one as our financial and also to staff them. The coverage of the
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Hard 29, 1971 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE
population would be the sanie In either
case-more than 95 percent.
That four-station network is now being
built and will be complete f year from now
at a cost of approximately $6.8 million in
U.S. funds. Technical training for operation
and maintenance of the new network will
Continue for 1 year after construction is com-
pleted.
An additional sum equivalent to about $1
million in GVN-owned but jointly controlled
counterpart funds is being used in the proj-
ect.
The rest of the GVN contribution to this
project is an indirect one, largely in the form
of its budget for radio operations, includ-
ing the salaries of a staff of 464 personnel. In
1965, that budget was the equivalent of
about $750,000. This figure has increased
steadily in the past 5 years. This year the
budget is the equivalent of about $1.7 mil-
lion.
We believe the quality of programing has
Improved during that period. More and more
the GVN officials concerned with radio have
become aware of the concept of providing a
service to the people. This has resulted in in-
creased use of radio broadcasting to engender
participation by the people in Government
programs ranging from land reform and Im-
proved agriculture to self-defense.
U.S. assistance in television
,In 1966 the United States agreed to in-
stall a four-station television network in
Vietnam. The GVN was committed to fur-
nishing land, buildings, staff and an op-
erating budget.
Telecasting initially was for 1 hour night-
ly to the Saigon area from an airborne trans-
mitter. Now ground stations in Saigon, Hue
and Can The. are on the air an average of 4
hours nightly. Between Saigon and Hue an
airborne transmitter provides coverage for
the coastal area. By early 1971, a fourth
ground station-at Qui Nhon-will have re-
placed the air operation.
The U.S. cost will total about. $8.2 million
when we phase out of the operation by
July 1, 1971. GVN counterpart funds amount-
Ing to the equivalent of about $2 million
paid for land and building costs. In addition,
the annual operating budget of GNV televi-
sion has risen from the equivalent of about
$400,000 Including salaries of 17 employees in
1966 to more than double that amount in-
cluding salaries of 139 employees in the
current year.
The CHAIRMAN. Could I ask for a point of
information? Do the GVN counterpart funds
arise from American imports?
Mr. NICKEL. In the original instance; yes,
sir
''he CHAIRMAN. Is there any real distinc-
tion in their impact upon American costs
between GVN counterpart funds and $1
mi lion?
lyfr. NICKEL. The difference, of course, sir,
would be that they are not directly appro-
priated funds.
The CHAIRMAN. No; but the total cost
really Is American; is it not? It is not GVN.
It is American costs expressed in two differ-
ent ways.
Mr. NICKEL. It would be derived from the
commercial import program.
The CHAIRMAN. OK.
Mr. NICKEL. A rigorous program of train-
ing In the difficult TV skills is being carried
out under Contract by the National Broad-
casting Co., International. Most of the train-
ing Is on vite in Vietnam. However, six en-
gineers who will constitute the GVN super-
visor engineering staff are being trained in
the RCA Institute In New York.
We estimate there are now 300,000 TV re-
ceivers in Vietnam, with a viewing audience
of about 2 million. Many sets are outside the
cities in the heavily populated flat delta
region where the signal is particularly good.
Of the programs presented by the GVN's
TV network, less than 10 percent are im-
ported. Ninety percent of the programing is
locally produced, either live or on film or
tape. As with radio, the television medium is
used extensively to explain GVN programs
to the people. Last September the GVN be-
gan a weekly program called "The People
Want to Know," during which officials and
other leaders are Interviewed by journalists
in the format of "Meet the Press."
U.S. assistance to Vietnamese Information
Service
A major part of our assistance is directed
to the operation of the Vietnamese Informa-
tion Service. This is the field arm of the
Ministry of Information, with officer staffs
at corps headquarters cities and in all prov-
inces and districts of the country. Starting
this year, the Ministry began an intensive
training program for additional personnel at
the village and hamlet levels. As these new
lower level personnel are trained, they are
now being placed under the operational con-
trol of the village and hamlet chiefs with
program support coming from district and
provincial VIS offices.
The job of the VIS is to use a wide range
of information and psychological techniques
to. support GVN programs as prescribed in
guidances from the Ministry in Saigon. The
techniques include the publication of dis-
trict newsletters and province newspapers,
leaflets and posters; the relaying of news and
commentaries and the playing of prerecorded
-tapes over loudspeaker systems in village and
hamlet centers; the showing of motion pic-
tures; visits to families in villages and ham-
lets to discuss GVN programs affecting them;
the distribution of national magazines and
other materials received from the Ministry
and JUSPAO; and the sponsoring with other
local officials of campaigns, public meetings,
exhibits and artistic and cultural
presentations.
From fiscal year 1955 through 1967, the
United States contributed an average of
$497,000 in dollar funds annually to equip the
VIS with audiovisual equipment, the vehi-
cles, the office machines, and other materials
necessary to carry out these programs. In
the succeeding 3 years the dollar expenditure
for this program has been $187,000 in 1968,
$85,000 in 1969, and $60,000 in the current
year. In the last 2 years we have gradually
transferred to the GVN full responsibility
for maintenance and replacement costs for
this equipment as well as for the operation
of repair centers.
During the same period, an average of the
equivalent of $200,000 annually was used for
the VIS from GVN counterpart funds. We do
not have adequate figures for the GVN's
budget for the VIS prior to 1964. However,
from that year to the present the budget has
averaged about the equivalent of $6.4 mil-
lion annually through 1970. The 1970 budget
is about the equivalent of $15 million, a sub-
stantial increase over previous years.
The CHAIRMAN. What caused that?
Mr. NICKEL. To a large extent, sir, an in-
crease in personnel, but there was also a real
increase In operations. There was a large
increase in local personnel with the improve-
ment of hamlet and village information pro-
grams.
U.S. Contact With VIS
Contact with the VIS is maintained both
in the field and in Saigon. In the capital it
is the function of several elements ofJUS-
PAO. In the field it Is carried out by 81
American civilian and military advisers lo-
cated in 34 of the 44 Provinces. These ad-
visers are detailed to the U.S. Military As-
sistance Command CORDS program and are
under the operational control of the Prov-
ince senior advisers at the Province level
and the U.S. Command elements at the vari-
ous corps headquarters. Just as the VIS
chief is required to participate with the
province chief and other GVN officials in
planning and operating GVN programs, so
S 3977
our CORDS psychological operations staff
perform a similar function within the U.S.
province team. The providing of advice and
support to the provincial VIS operation is
the principal duty of these American psy-
choh,gical operations personnel.
Thus, the American structure for informa-
tion operations parallels in broad outline
that of the GVN, permitting a degree of co-
ordination at all levels.
Efforts to Improve Efficiency of VIS
The efficiency of the VIS varies from place
to place. Where key officials are dedicated and
competent, operations are generally effective.
And there are a number of these. Where they
are not well motivated and energetic, the
programs suffer. And there are some of these
also. In the past year, two new approaches
have been undertaken by the Ministry of
Information with our cooperation to try to
improve the efficiency of the VIS. These are
the planning of a comprehensive series of
training courses for various levels of VIS
personnel and the regular holding of joint
meetings of Saigon and field personnel,
usually on a corps area basis. We believe these
two measures have had and will continue to
have a good effect on the VIS operation.
During the current year, we will use the
equivalent in counterpart funds of about
$63,000 to support the training program. We
are also providing the assistance of one
American adviser to help develop course ma-
terials.
JUSPAO's Liaison With Ministry of
Information
JUSPAO's liaison with the Ministry itself
takes many forms. At the top, I meet fre-
quently with the Minister and his senior staff.
At the planning level, JUSPAO policy officers
meet daily with Ministry officials to plan joint
campaigns, instructions, and guidances to
media producers and to field personnel. On
the media production side, our writers and
editors work together in the publication of
magazines, pamphlets, posters, loudspeaker
tapes, and radio programs.
I have tried, Mr. Chairman, to describe here
the evolution of some of the current major
,programs we are conducting to assist the
GVN in the information and psychological
fields. In the expansion of these programs
over the years, the American contribution has
been substantial. So has the Vietnamese con-
tribution. In the past 2 years, a considerable
portion of the load the United States was
carrying has been shifted to the GVN. We
plan to continue moving in that direction.
Thank you, sir; that is the end of my state-
ment.
The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. Nickel.
How long have you been in charge of this
program, Mr. Nickel?
Mr. NICKEL. Two years, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you live in Saigon?
Mr. NICKEL. I do, sir.
Magnitude of USIA Effort in South Vietnam
The CHAIRMAN. I believe you said there
were 132 Americans under your immediate
direction; in that correct?
Mr. NICKEL. We are reducing this year, sir,
by 31 positions from 132 American positions
to 101 American positions.
The CHAIRMAN. Is that in the office in
Saigon or how extensive is this?
Mr. NICKEL. Those are civilian USIA officers,
some serving in Saigon and some in the Pro-
vinces. I should add that we also have Ameri-
can military personnel serving with JUSPAO,
sir.
The CHAIRMAN. You mentioned that in the
Provinces you have military advisers who are
Americans. Is that right?
Mr. NICKEL. We have some civilian advisers
in the provinces but the bulk of them are
military, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. To get some idea of the
magnitude of the effort, take the present
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE Mach 29; 1971-
fiscal year of 1970. Is it correct to say that the
civilian positions are 132 or 101?
Mr. NICKEL. 101 civilian positions, air.
The CHAIRMAN. That Is in the current year.
Mr, NICKEL. Fiscal year 1970.
The CHAIRMAN. How many of these military
advisers are assigned to this work?
Mr. NICKEL. We have 107 military spaces in
JUSPAO, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. 208 is the total American
personnel?
Mr. NICKEL. 208 is the figure, sir.
The CHAIRMAN, What is the size of the
budget for the USIA operation in Vietnam?
Mr. NICKEL. The USIA budget for Vietnam,
sir, is $6.4 million.
The CHAIRMAN. Is that for the year of 1970?
Mr. NICKEL. For fiscal year 1970; yes, sir.
The-CHAIRMAN. Does that include construc-
tion or Is that only support of the personnel?
Mr. NICKEL. That is the USIA component
of the budget, sir. Construction would be
funded by an AID component of our budget.
I will give you these add-ons. We also have
42.4 million funded by AID and $2.1 million
funded by the Department of Defense, to
make a total budget available to me for
JUSPAO's operations of $10.9 million.
The CHAIRMAN. Would that include the pay
of the military men to whom you referred?
Mr. NICKEL. It does not include military
salaries. However, it does include USIA civil-
ian salaries.
The CHAIRMAN. The military salaries would
be in addition then?
Mr. NICKEL. They would be in addition, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you have any estimate
of what that would cost?
Mr. NICKEL. I have no estimate. but I could
furnish it for the record.
(The Information referred to follows:)
Pay and allowances of military in JUSPAO
(The military pay and allowances, as re-
ported by the four Military Services whose
personnel are involved, amount to $1.2 mil-
lion.)
The CHAIRMAN, What I am trying to get
and what we are interested in is the total
cost of this overall operation. It is the usual
basic material that we would like to have.
Mr. NICKEL. I could furnish the informa-
tion about military pay, sir.
Military personnel working in propaganda
yield
The CHAIRMAN. Do these personnel figures
include the personnbl in the military units
not associated with USIA who work in the
field of propaganda?
Mr. NICKEL. They do not, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you know how many
people are in that?
Mr. NICKEL. May I furnish that, sir. I-have
it, but I cannot put my hands on It.
The CHAIRMAN. Yes; you can -furnish it.
Could you give a rough estimate that you
can correct later?
Mr. NICKEL. Sir, I now have the informa-
tion. In 1970 there are 761 U.S. military
psyops filed personnel and 50 serving on staff
or as advisers to the Vietnamese, for a total
of 811.
The CHAIRMAN. That is very much larger
than your own operation; is it not?
Mr. NICKEL. That is right, sir.
Mission of Juspao
The CHAIRMAN. This brings up a further
question. What do you consider to be the
mission. of your operation? What are you try-
ing to accomplish?
Mr. NICKEL. My, principal mission, sir, is to
assist the Vietnamese Government in devel-
oping and conducting an effective program of
communications.
The CHAIRMAN. Your mission is to assist
the Vietnamese Government to create a sys-
tem of communications? It that it?
Mr. NICKEL. To assist the Vietnamese Gov-
ernment in developing a means of communi-
cating with the electorate and to provide
technical and professional advice.
The CHAIRMAN. What leads you to believe
that the purpose of our Government in es-
tablishing the USIA was to create an agency
to create a. means of communication for a
foreign government?
Mr. NICKEL. I would answer that Mr. Chair-
man, by stating that my operations are re-
sponsive to the instructions and directions
I receive from the Director of the U.S. In-
formation Agency and from the American
Ambassador in Sjtlgon.
The CHAIRMAN. Then you would charac-
terize your mission to be to carry out orders.
Is that the right way to put it?
Mr. NICKEL. In my position; yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. You have no idea what the
real mission of this operation is other than
to carry out orders?
Mr. NICKEL. I know what my instructions
are.
Authorization of Joint U.S. Public Affairs
Office Mission Questioned
The CHAIRMAN. This is a matter, I think,
of considerable interest. Let me refer to sec-
tion 2 of the basic legislation creating this
operation:
The Congress hereby declares that the ob-
jectives of this Act are to enable the Govern-
ment of the United States to promote a
better understanding of the United States
in other countries and to increase mutual
understanding between the people of the
United States and the people of other coun-
tries."
Do you think that language authorizes
USIA to create for another country a sys-
tem of communications for that government
and its people?
Mr. NICKEL. My organization, the Joint
U.S. Public Affairs Office, Mr. Chairman, was
established in 1965 by order of the President.
I would suggest that any justification of the
suitability of the mission we are performing
is something that should be addressed to the
people to whom I report. I would be very
happy to address this problem to them.
The CHAIRMAN. I think it would be very
interesting if you would. You say it was
created by Executive order. It was not created
by statute. There is no statute law authoriz-
ing you to do what you are doing; is there?
Mr. NICKEL. I said that the U.S. Public
Affairs Office was created as a result of Presi-
dential directive.
The CHAIRMAN. Yes. And In pursuance of
that action you have been directed by your
superiors to do what you are doing. So you
would not wish to undertake to say what this
whole operation is intended to accomplish
for the people of the United States; would
you?
Mr. NICKEL. I believe I said earlier, sir, that
my mission in Vietnam was in large measure
to assist the Vietnamese Government in de-
veloping and improving its means of com-
municating with its people.
Establishment of Ministry of Information
questioned
The CHAIRMAN. It occurs to me that in this
country there has always been not only a
great reluctance, but aversion, to the crea-
tion of a ministry of information in our
Government to inform our own people. Is
that not so?
Mr. NICKEL. That is correct, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Does the law not specifi-
cally forbid the USIA to indoctrinate or
brainwash, or whatever you want to call it,
the American people? Is that not so?
Mr. NICKEL. Clearly, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Are you not creating in
Vietnam just such an information agency?
The way you describe here what you have
done and are in the process of doing, it is to
create in Vietnam an agency to enable that
Government to control its people through
this device which we ourselves abhor in this
country? How does this seem to you to be
consistent with our own views?
Mr. NICKEL. I would suggest, Mr, Chairman,
that Vietnam is not unique in possessing a
ministry of info~irmation. I would also sug-
gest that in Vietnam, as in many other de-
veloping societie , there do not exist any
strong commercial or nongovernmental
media.
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. NICKEL, I am quite
aware that it is nit unique. In every dictator- -
ship I know of they have a ministry of in-
formation just like this. But we are told.
on the one hand; that we are seeking to es-
tablish the government of self-determination
and this leaves tle impression we are seeking
to establish a democratic system there.
I quite agree with you that information
agencies are typoal. They were typical of
Hitler's Germanyy and typical of nearly every
dictatorship and authoritarian government I
know of, but I ould not have thought we
would be a party to helping construct such
a governmental apparatus.
Mr. NICKEL. Are there not also some regimes
we regard as being democratic that have
ministries of information?
The CHAIRMAN; What, for example, would
be one from your point of view?
Mr. NICKEL. If a am not. mistaken, is there
not a French Ministry of Information?
The CHAIRMAN I would not know. Is there
one in Sweden, !which Is a country that I
think has achieved a high degree of democ-
racy or self-deterp ination if you like, or Eng-
land? I do not Ifecall that in England they
have a minister, of information whose job
it is to sell the people of England upon the
merits and virtues of that Government. I do
not recall ever having heard of it. France has
recently gone t~irough a rather unusual
evolutionary period, almost revolutionary
under De Gaulle; of course, and France may
be an example. I would not want to say for
sure. I do not know that,
GVN closing!; of private newspapers
How many prit?ate newspapers have been
closed by the Government of Vietnam during
the past year?
Mr. NICKEL. I could not give you the num-
ber, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. There have been several.
Mr. NICKEL There have been several clos-
ings.
The CHAIRMAN, You say there is not a
heavily developed private sector. It is largely
because that Government is so sensitive to
criticism that they close the private news-
papers whenever{ they criticize the Govern-
ment. Is that nota fact.?
Mr. NICKEL. There have been some closings;
yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN; Do you ever feel a bit un-
comfortable in being alined with a govern-
ment which is so clearly an authoritarian
government or do you feel perfectly com-
fortable in your relationship with that gov-
ernment?
Mr. NICKEL. I h sve no problems in perform-
ing my job.
The CHAIRMAN. You have no problems.
You feel perfectly at home?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
USIA pay and allowances in South Vietnam
The CHAIRMAN. Coming back to a more
pedestrian subject of the costs, could you
tell me what is the average pay of the
American employees of USIA in Saigon?
Mr. NICKEL. The average pay for a USIA
employee with 4USPAO, sir, including al-
lowances, minus{ housing, would be about
$28,900.
The CHAIRMAN. What is the total cost to
the Government of the United States for
those employees{ including everything? Do
they furnish housing?
Mr. NICKEL. Y4s, housing is furnished, sir.
I am unable to break out that figure for an
individual. Do you want the total cost?
The CHAIRMAN. Perhaps if you could tell
me your own. What is your pay and what
do your allowances amount to? You are the
Director?
Mr: NICKEL. That is right, sir.
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Moxrch `,29, 1971 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE S 3979
The CHAIRMAN. What is your total? What The CHAIRMAN. Is that information not you for instructing you not to reply to this
is the total cost to the Federal Government? available? question?
Mr. NICKEL. The combination of my salary Mr. QssoRNE. It can be made available. Mr. NICKEL. This question Is under con-
and allowances, again making no provision I do not have it available. sideration as to the possible security ele-
for my housing, is $45,473. The CHAIRMAN. Would you supply it for ments involved.
The CHAIRMAN. Plus housing? the record? The CHAIRMAN. Possible security involved.
Mr. NICKEL. Housing? Mr. OSBORNE. Yes, sir. You heard the previous witness, Congress-
The CHAIRMAN. Do they furnish you with (The information referred to follows:) man McCloskey; did you not?
a house? Newspapers Mr. NICKEL. I did, sir.
Mr. NICKEL. I am furnished with housing. suspended by GVN from 1968 The CHAIRMAN. You realize that this corn-
The CHAIRMAN. What would be the rea- through March 23,1970 mittee has some authority in the authoriza-
sonable cost of the house that is paid for During 1968 the Government of Viet-Nam tion of the funds for your agency; do you not?
by the Federal Government? Indefinitely suspended six newspapers. Six- Mr. NICKEL. I am very well aware of that.
Mr. NICKEL. That is right, the house is teen others were temporarily suspended, for The CHAIRMAN. We normally expect people
paid for by the Federal Government, an average of 35 days per suspension. in USIA to respond to questions about their
The CHAIRMAN. How much is that? You During 1969 through March 23, 1970, the operations if they expect this committee to
ought to know that. GVN indefinitely suspended 12 newspapers. authorize any funds for the agency. You real-
Mr. NICKEL. Let me see If I have that, sir. An additional 14 received temporary suspen- ize that, do you not?
The CHAIRMAN. You have been there for sions ranging from a few days to almost 11 Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
2 years. You have no idea what that would months, for an average of 46 days per sus- The CHAIRMAN. Does Mr. Shakespeare real-
be? pension. ize that?
Mr. NICKEL. My house, sir, is a U.S. Gov- The CHAIRMAN. I notice in the paper every Mr. NICKEL. I cannot speak for Mr. Shake-
ernment house, now and then there is a notice that X paper speare, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Is it a good house? has been closed by the government. I simply The CHAIRMAN. I want to make it clear that
Mr. NICKEL. It is comfortable, sir. have not made a counting of it, but I am I do not accept your reason for refusing to
The CHAIRMAN. Was it one that the Gov- under the impression there have been sev- answer. It Is a perfectly legitimate question.
ernment built or is it an old villa? eral.
Mr. NICKEL. It was there. It is a U.S. Gov-
Mr. NICKEL. I will supply it, sir,
ernment-owned house.
The CHAIRMAN. Of course the government
The CHAIRMAN. How many houses does the
controls the supply of newsprint and it is
U.S. Government own in Saigon? Do you
no problem for them simply to cut off the
know?
newsprint if they wish to close a newspaper.
Mr, NICKEL, I do not know that answer, sir.
IS that so?
The CHAIRMAN. Is it several?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes.
Mr. NICKEL, It is more than several.
USIA analysis of South Vietnamese public
The CHAIRMAN. It is more than several.
h
attitudes
T
en I would estimate your total cost
would be som
wh
t i
The CHAIRMAN. Does the USIA, Mr. Nickel
e
a
n the neighborhood of
at least $50
000
,
oar any other agency attempt to analyze
,
.
Mr
NICKEL
Th
ld
t
Vietnamese public attitudes periodically?
.
.
a
wou
seem right, sir.
Th
C
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
e
HAIRMAN. Are you furnished an auto-
mobile?
The CHAIRMAN. Have polls been taken?
Mr
NICKEL
Yes
i
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir; polls have been taken.
.
.
, s
r.
The CHAIRMAN
Ar
The CHAIRMAN. How is this done? It is done
.
e USIA officials in Sai-
o
i
by you directly or by contract?
g
n g
ven special pay equivalent to combat
pay for militar
l
?
Mr. NICKEL. By contract, sir.
y peop
e
Mr
NI
K
N
The CHAIRMAN. What organization has
.
C
EL,
o, sir. We receive a differen-
tial
done it?
.
The CHAIRMAN
Wh
t d
Mr. NICKEL. May I answer that, Mr. Chair-
.
a
oes it amount to?.
Is it 25 percent?
man, by saying that I have been Informed
Mr. NICKEL
Twent
-fi
that you have written the Director of the U.S.
.
y
ve percent.
U
S
Information Agency asking for information
.
. communications assistance to other
about our polling in Vietnam, that this is
countries
now under consideration, and that I would
The CHAIRMAN. If our Government decides
prefer to have the information come to you
that it is proper to furnish assistance In the
through that channel.
building of a propaganda operation for Viet-
The CHAIRMAN. I wrote that letter partly
nam, how does it decide in which country
to give you notice that this is a matter in
to do this? Is this the only country in which
which we are interested. I hoped that you
we have done this?
would be prepared to answer it this mo i
mean by sa
in
y
g
"
n
-
u
rn
ng, do not
Mr. NICKEL. Specifically have done what, Are you saying that this is a matter that able" that you do nor know?
Mr. Chairman? , affects our security and that you do not ThMr. No,
eNICKEL. CHAIRMAN. N. Do.
The CHAIRMAN. Have we created a com- wish to testify in open session on it? ates Th know latest either of your easoCi-
munications system which enables the gov- Mr. NICKEL. I prefer not to go beyond and M when the latest prll was tahey?
ernment to, as you say, communicate with stating, sir, that we do engage in r. NICKEL. I believe, sSr, that the are
^lling in y
Are we doing It or have we done ft fn Thai- Witness' instructions concerning ytestimony Witness' instructions concerning subject of
land. Does the USIA have a comparable about polling polling
operation in Thailand, may be not on as The CHAIRMAN. Have you been instructed The CHAIRMAN. I asked you if you were in-
large a scale but a lesser scale? strutted to tan w. T y a difference r
Mr, NICKEL. Certainly, as you sa t state to the committee that you will not intween str your aster ff you u know, and a are
Y. not to estify in open session on this matter?
e
comparable in order of magnitude. Mr. NICKEL. I am not able to discuss the know. I w not to tell he is you do not ant to The CHAIRMAN. Do we have a similar op- polling in open hearing, sir, what know. un s a make ref sing to ayar en
eration? The CHAIRMAN. Have you been instructed test pol are eta efusn to say when
Mr. NICKEL. I am not-I personally am not not to respond to questions about ollin ? the lateIC poll was taken?
aware that- P g? Mt. NICKEL. I am under instructions, sir,
The CHAIRMAN. Are an of Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir. not to d discuss uss this subject.
dates? y your asso- The CHAIRMAN. Who instructed you, sir? The CHAIRMAN. Then you do know when it
Mr. NICKEL. i am not aware and I do not Did Mr. Shakespeare tell you not to answer was, but you are under instructions not to
th IC associates are aware that we not such questions? If not, who did? discuss the subject. You are in effect tak-
doing any such thin Mr. NICKEL. I have been instructed by my isls the oquivalelt of the Fifth Amendment;
g re building t a Tw nre principal.
work or building a radio network. I cannot May I have just one moment, sir? is that EL. Mr. speak more directly to the specific programs, The CHAIRMAN. Certainly. You confer with Th NI CKEL. No.
sir. The CHAIRMAN. Why is that not correct?
Newspapers closed by GVN your
Mr. . In answer to your question, Sir lawyer if you like. You do not consider that the USIA is a sensi-
The CHAIRMAN', Before I leave that, you I 1 aveNbeen i struct d by the dir ctor of m Y , tive un NICKCKEL, EL N similar to the CIA; do you? Mr. said you did not know how many news- agency. Th N. siu
papers. Do either of your associates know The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Shakespeare has in- open and above board; are they not?ities are
how many newspapers the government of structed on this?
Saigon has closed in the last few years?. Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir. Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
Mr. HAYS. No, sir, The CHAIRMAN. You aro not authorized to
The CHAIRMAN. What gl'OUndS did he give engage in covert operations; are you?
You are engaged in an activity which is very
dubious in its authority under an executive
order, in any ease, and I think that you
should be very careful in refusing to answer
questions about these operations.
I would like to know how much you paid,
for example, for a contract to take a poll in
Vietnam and see how it compares to polls in
this country. Would you be willing to say
how much you paid for the poll?
Mr. NICKEL. I do not believe I am able to,
sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Who was the gentleman
who advised you not to answer? Was he sworn
also?
Mr. NICKEL. The gentleman with whom I
just talked did not advise me not to answer.
The CHAIRMAN. He did not?
Mr. NICKEL. I wanted to check something
with him. He is the General Counsel of the
U.S. Information Agency,
The CHAIRMAN. He did not advise you as
to your instructions.
It is very Unusual. I did not expect you to
refuse to answer these questions. One reason
why I sent the, letter inquiring about these
matters was, as I say, to alert the Agency that
we are interested in the poll.
When was the latest poll taken? Will you
refuse to answer that?
Mr. NICKEL. I find myself unable to answer
it, Me. CHAIRMAN,
The C
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S 3980 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE March 29, 19 71
Mr. NICKEL No, sir. In doing all of that, do you still say you do Mr. NICKEL. I presume this is discussed, but
The CHAIRMAN. Would you be willing to not know whether anything was put out on not by me, sir.
answer this kind of question? What was the the Chau case? The CHAIRMAN. You do not know of it. You
poll about? Did it ask about the attitude of Mr. NICKEL. If I may offer a brief explana- are not aware of any such advice?
the local citizens toward Americans? tion, sir, our relationship with the Ministry Mr. NICKEL. Not specifically; no, sir.
Mr. NICKEL. I find, sir, in line with my in- would deal with things like support of the The CHAIRMAN. You are not aware of any
structions, that I am unable to discuss the pacification program, but would not consist advice that was given to Mr. Thieu or any-
subject of polling. of liaison in terms 'of tactical matters. We one else in the higher echelons of the Gov-
The CHAIRMAN. You would not discuss as have never had occasion to discuss the Chau ernment as to the possible reaction in this
to whether or not the poll involved the ques- case with anyone in the Ministry. country of the mprisonment of Mr. Chau?
tion of the extent of the support of the The CHAIRMAN. Did our advisers or did you Mr. NICKEL. A$ I said earlier, I was not in-
Vietnamese people for the Thieu govern- advise against the public attacks on Chau by volved in the
CHAIRMAN. C4au case. I do not
It would not be know.
deep
ment? the Government media?
Mr. NICKEL. I do not believe, sir, in line Mr. NICKEL. I have never personally been involvement.
with my instructions, that I am able to involved in the Chau case in any way, sir. Has there ever been any discussion with
respond. The CHAIRMAN. Did any of your employees them about the impact in this country of
The CHAIRMAN. I may say before I leave under your direction give any advice what- his imprisonment of Mr. Dzu? Do you know
this subject, this is very unsatisfactory. I ever about the Chau case? about Mr. Dzu?
regret very much, and I hope you will tell Mr. NICKEL. I do not believe so, sir. Again, Mr, NICKEL. Yes, sir.
your superior, Mr. Shakespeare, that, speak- I wish to state that I myself was absent from The CHAIRMAN. You are aware of who he
ing for myself, I very much regret this atti- Saigon during most of this period, but I be- is?
tude. This committee is entitled to know lieve that they did not. Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
what the poll cost, what it asked, and what Kinds of advice given to GVN by JUSPAO The CHAIRMAN. Do you know what hap-
the results were. pened to him?
This is not a document, it seems to me, The CHAIRMAN. Does the Minister of In- Ali. NICKEL. Tics, sir.
that comes under executive privilege. It has formation in Saigon ever ask your advice The CHAIRMAN. Did you ever advise them
nothing whatever to do with the President about the formulation of his Government's as to what the reaction in this country is
directly. I mean it is not a confidential docu- public position on major issues? to his imprisonment?
ment. It is a matter that is paid for by the Mr. NICKEL. My discussions with the Minis- Mr. NICKEL. I :have never advised the Min-
public funds of the Government, and the ter in line with my. own responsibilities, sir, inter of Information about impact on U.S.
committee is entitled to actually have the are concerned more with the operations of public opinion.
poll, in my opinion, and we shall ask for it. the Vietnamese Information Service program The CHAIRMAN. Do any U.S. personnel ever
I regret he gave you such instructions, than with substance. assist Vietnamese officials in the writing of
II.S. ADVISORY WORK IN TV, RADIO, AND PRINTED The CHAIRMAN. Then are you saying you do speeches?
MATERIALS not give him advice about substantive meas- Mr. NICKEL. Certainly no one in my orga-
ures; is that right? nization, to the best of my knowledge.
Do the U.S. advisers work with the Viet- Mr. NICKEL. My advice is primarily opera- The CHAIRMAN. Are U.S. officials consulted
namese on matters involving TV and radio tional. by Vietnamese officials in the handling of
program content and makeup? The CHAIRMAN. Is it exclusively? statements that relate to U.S. policy?
Mr. NICKEL. Our advisers work with both Mr. NICKEL. No. We might, for example, Mr. NICKEL. I presume so, sir, but not
radio and TV. They occassionally are in- Mr. Chairman, discuss how best to promote within my cognizance so far as my orga-
volded in the format of a program. or to conduct information campaigns in sup- nization is concerned.
The CHAIRMAN. Do they work with them port of the People's Self-Defense Force, and The CHAIRMAN. YOU do not know anything
in the preparation of printed information matters like that which fall within the paci- about it anyway?
materials? fication and development program. Mr. NICKEL. No, Sir.
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir. I think I should point out that I am not U.S. personnel located at Ministry of
Gun media's treatment of Tran Ngoc Chau responsible, Mr. Chairman, for our press Information
case operation in Vietnam. That responsibility The CHAIRMAN. Are any Americans at-
The CHAIRMAN. Was the case of Tran Ngoc falls to a colleague of mine who is the special tatted directly to the Minister of Informa-
Chau reported over the Vietnamese radio and assistant for press affairs to the Ambassador. tac a office?
television stations? As the director of JUSPAO I do not speak Mr. NICKEL. We have one or two Americans,
Mr. NICKEL. I can only assume it was I for Embassy on press affairs name? Mr. Chairman,; who are physically located
would have to retire to an assumption be- The CHAIRMAN. What is his in the Ministry of Information headquarters
cause I was not in Saigon at that particular ThMr. NICKEL. e CHAIRMAN. Is he in Saigon now? building for liaison purposes. They are not
time, Mr. Chairman. attached directly to the office of the Minister.
The CHAIRMAN. Are you familiar with the Mr. NICKEL. He is in Saigon, sir. The CHAIR. N. What is their function?
Chau case? The CHAIRMAN. Have you discussed with Mr. NICKEL, hey perform liaison in terms
Mr. NICKEL. I have read about it; yes, sir. the Information Minister the South Vietnam- of our overall rd visory efforts. I believe the
The CHAIRMAN. Do you know Mr. Chau? ese refusal to attend the opening of the ex- thrust of your question was whether any
Mr. NICKEL. I do not, sir. panded Paris talks? of my officers are attached directly to the
The CHAIRMAN. Do either of your asso- Mr. NICKEL. I did not, sir. office of the Minister. No one serves directly
ciates know whether or not the radio and The CHAIRMAN. Did you discuss with him on the Minister's staff. sir.
television stations of Vietnam carried any what the official reaction to the death of N. There is no such thing as
news about Mr. Chau? Ho Chi Minh would be? The an adviser tot CHAiRMa IvTher er of Information?
Mr. HAYS. No, sir. Mr. NICKEL. We had some discussion with Mr. NICKEL.! e have advisers to various
The CHAIRMAN. You do not know? the Ministry of Information about this mat- elements of th? Ministry. There is no adviser
Mr. HAYS. No, sir. ter; yes, sir. to the Minister sir.
The CHAIRMAN. You do not know? The CHAIRMAN. What was your advice to
Mr. OSBORNE. No, sir; I do not. them with regard to how to treat the death U.S. advisers to elements of ministry of
information
The CHAIRMAN. Were any printed materials of Ho Chi Minh?
put out by the South Vietnamese Govern- Mr. NICKEL. We agreed, sir, that a maxi- The CHAIRMAN. I do not know enough
anent on this case? mum effort should be made to inform the about it to make a distinction. Could you
Mr. NICKEL. I do not know, sir. I can find enemy forces in Vietnam of Ho's death. We tell us the distinction'? I mean advisers to an
out. also agreed that our treatment should be element. What is an element? It is a per-
The CHAIRMAN. In your statement you say straight information, and that there should son; it is not You advise people; do you
"JUSPAO's liaison with the ministry itself not be any exultation in our output to the not?
takes many forms." That is the Ministry of enemy forces. Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
Information. Advice concerning impact of GNV policy The CHAIRMAN. What do you mean by
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir. on United States that?
Mr. NICKEL.! We have advisers who work
The CHAIRMAN. You say: The CHAIRMAN. Do you or any of your of- with the radii; i network. We have advisers
"At the top, I meet frequently with the ficials ever advise President Thieu or other who work witjl the TV network.
Minister and his senior staff. At the plan- GVN officials on the potential impact in other The CHAIRMAN. What do they do?
ning levied, JUSPAO policy officers meet daily countries of policy matters, particularly Mr. NICKEL. We have advisers who work
with Ministry officals to plan joint cam- about the potential impact in the United Information Service.
paigns, instructions and guidances to media States of GVN policies? with The the the Vietnamese About what do they advise
producers and to field personnel. On the Mr. NICKEL. I do not advise Vietnamese them? CHAIRMAN they not out w them they a vis.
media production side, our writers and edi- officials about the impact on the United olmc Do about U
tors work together in the publication of mag- States or the impact on American public p advice, sir, is
azines, pamphlets, posters, loudspeaker tapes, opinion, sir. Mr. concerned NICKEL: with improving Most of their r operational S is
and radio programs." The CHAIRMAN. Does anyone?
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'March 29, 1971 _ CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE
eiency of the various elements of the Infor- The CHAIRMAN. There are no aerial drops
matron Ministry. being made of printed material?
The CHAIRMAN. How do you improve the Mr. NICKEL. That is correct, sir.
efficiency without any attention to the sub- The CHAIRMAN. Have there ever been any
stance which they are using? Do you mean made in the past?
to say they are concerned only with the tech- Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
nical operation of the broadcast system? The CHAIRMAN. Could you give a brief de-
Mr. NICKEL. No, sir. With respect to the scription of their magnitude and purpose?
Vietnamese Information Service, for example, Mr. NICKEL. I could supply that for the
our advisers would be concerned with dis- record, sir, I cannot describe the magnitude
cussing with their Ministry counterparts how of them since they were discontinued some
best, for example, to support and promote time ago.
the various objectives of the pacification and The CHAIRMAN. When were these air drops
development ,program. terminated?
Handling of Mylai massacre Mr. NICKEL. At the time of the bombing
The CHARMAN. How has your Agency han-
dled The CHAIRMAN. They ran coincidentally
the Mylal massacre theme during the with the bombing in the north; that right?
past several months? Mr. NICKEL. They took place at the same
Mylai Mr. NICKEL. incident b by y taking ,ng sir, the phasosition handled that a the time. They were not operationally-
serious investigation is underway by the U.S. The CHAIRMAN. NO, I mean they went on
at the same time.
Government and that if a crime has been Mr. NICKEL. And they were discontinued at
committed, the U.S. Government will try the the same time.
personnel concerned. In other words, we have (The information referred to follows:)
not in any way attempted to be evasive. We Beginning in 1905, propaganda leaflets were
take the position it is under investigation released .from aircraft operating over North
and we have to wait. and see what the in- Viet-Nam, or were dropped over waters out-
side the boundaries of North Viet-Nam and
The CHAIRMAN. What has been the posi- wind-drifted into the country. Until March
tion of the Vietnamese information Service 31, 1968, this program was designed generally
regarding these incidents? to convince North Viet-Nam-both people
Mr. NICKEL. I think the Vietnamese Infor- and regime-the North Vietnamese aggres-
mation Service position has been very simi- sion in South Viet-Nam would fail, to mo-
lar to ours, sir, tivate North Viet-Nam to seek peaceful set-
The CHAIRMAN. Did the USIA or other tlement of the conflict, and to warn the peo-
American advisers offer advice to the Gov- pie to stay away from military targets be-
ernment of South Vietnam about the han- cause they were subject to air strike. At its
tiling of this matter? peak, the program Involved some 25 million
Mr. NICKEL. Our policy people in JUSPAO leaflets per month.
discussed it with the policy people in the
Following the partial bombing halt an-
Ministry of Information with respect to the nounced on March 31, 1968, leaflet targets
guidance that should be given to the psyop were restricted to those south of 20 degrees
media. North Latitude. The primary objective of
The CHAIRMAN.' Did the Vietnamese Gov- these leaflets was that of keeping the people
1 the i ernment play down the Incident as being of in the area aware of efforts by the Govern-
mportance
. ment of Viet-Nam and the United States to
Mr. NICKEL. It has been treated in the bring about a negotiated settlement of the
Vietnamese press. I am unable to say myself conflict.
whether the Vietnamese Government played After the total bombing halt of November
It down, air. It ~certainly has been mentioned 1, 1968, the leaflet program over North Viet-
been em. - - -- -as Cost of U.S. propaganda operation
hasized or was it deemphasized as in Vietnam
a matter of great significance?
Mr. NICKEL. It certainly has not been em- The CHAIRMAN. I am not sure this question
phasized, sir, has been quite clarified. Is it fair to say your
Treatment of'Communist massacres at Hue operation in all phases of the information,
The CHAIRMAN. How has the USIA treated psychological warfare program in Vietnam
costs approximately $10 million? Did you say
the Communist massacres at Hue in the pro- it cost about $10 million?
gram aimed at the Vietnamese people Mr. NICKEL. I said that the money that fell
through leaflets, newspapers, or television? within my area of responsibility was $10.9
Mr. NICKEL. We have done our best to million.
assist the Vietnamese in telling the story of The CHAIRMAN. It does not include the
the massacres at Hue, sir. military?
The CHAIRMAN. Has the USIA Itself In its Mr. NICKEL. It does not include the mili-
own pamphlets, newspapers and programs tary.
emphasized the massacre at Hue? The CHAIRMAN. The military I remember
Mr. NICKEL. We in JUSPAO have provided now you said had 800 people against your
material to USIA for use by USIA posts in 81?
other countries, sir. Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
North Vietnamese Affairs Division of JUSPAO The CHAIRMAN. I guess if yours is $10 mil-
The CHAIRMAN. What is the function of the lion, theirs is $80 million, Is it fair to say we
North Vietnamese Affairs Division of spend $80 million or $100 million on prop-
JUSPAO? aganda?
Mr. NICKEL. The North Vietnamese Affairs Mr. NICKEL. I would hesitate to answer
Division of JUSPAO, sir, is a staff office which that.
seeks to keep abreast of the propaganda de- The CHAIRMAN. What?
specu-
velopments involving the North. It is con- late Mr., on NI what at t t I wont is, air. to even specu-
'eerned with release to the media of certain The CHAIRMAN. Would la iryou .
enemy documents. It also releases material Mr. NICKEL. ICKEL. I ut have e no base venture a guess?
of a more general nature about certain en- just on which
emy attitudes, activities, and practices. to make such a judgt hgment.
The CHAIRMAN. We would like very much
Psychological operations against North to have an Idea of the total cost. Of course,
Vietnamese I realize trig Pentagon has an enormous pro-
The CHAIRMAN. Are any psychological op- paganda operation in many places far greater
er$tions being carried out against North Viet- than yours. I wondered whether you could
nam at the present time? give an estimate.
Mr, NICKEL. With respect to the operation Radio broadcasting beamed to the North
that I am responsible for, sir, I know of noth- Did I understand you to say that radio
Ing but radio broadcasting. broadcasting is not beamed to, the North?
S 3981
Mr. NICKEL. I did not say. Some of it is,
sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Some of It is, presently.
Mr. NICKEL. Yes.
Radio Free Asia
The CHAIRMAN. Do you have anything
whatever to do with Radio Free Asia?
Mr. NICKEL. No, Sir. .
The CHAIRMAN. Did you ever hear of it?
Mr. NICKEL. I think I have. I am not sure of
the title.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you know what it is?
Do you know where the broadcasts come
from?
Mr. NICKEL. No, I do not.
The CHAIRMAN. Do they not come from
Korea?
Mr. NICKEL. I personally am not familiar
with that.
Mr. CHAIRMAN. To your knowledge, can you
hear them in Vietnam?
Mr. NICKEL. I am not aware of that.
The CHAIRMAN. If you can, you do not
know it.
Mr. NICKEL. I do not.
The CHAIRMAN. I do not either, but we have
seen these letters soliciting donations to
Radio Free Asia. They state that they beam
radio programs all over Asia. I do not know
that they say specifically Vietnam. I do not
know whether they do either. It came to my
attention a few weeks ago. You do not know
whether you make any contribution to that
operation or not.
Mr. NICKEL. We make no contribution, sir.
GVN spending on psychological warfare
The CHAIRMAN. Do you know how much
the Vietnamese Government spent on their
psychological warfare in the current year
and last year, either one or both?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The Ministry of information, sir, in its
current fiscal year budget is spending $19.7
million.
The CHAIRMAN. $19.7 million?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Is that budget this current
year, 1970?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. IS that up or down? What
was it compared to last year; do you know
it?
Mr NICKEL. That is up, sir. Last year it was
$9.6 million, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. From $9 to $19 million in
1 year?
Mr. NICKEL. That is right, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. How do you account for
such a large increase?
Mr. NICKEL. I believe I mentioned earlier,
sir, that there was a sizable increase in per-
sonnel which accounted for a good part of
this increase from $9 to $19 million, but not
all of it. There was also a substantial in-
crease in program money.
The CHAIRMAN. How much of that do we
furnish, directly or?indirectly?
Mr. NICKEL. The $19 million which I cited,
sir, is from the GVN's regular budget. There
are no counterpart funds in that.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you know how much is
planned for next year?
Mr. NICKEL. No, sir.
JUSPAO budget for fiscal year 1971
The CHAIRMAN. Do you know how much
you have or are planning for fiscal year 1971
for your operations?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir. We plan to have a
budget figure of $8.4 million, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. For next year?
Mr. NICKEL. Next year.
The CHAIRMAN. That again does not in-
clude the military or any allied?
Mr. NICKEL. It does not include the mili-
tary, although it does include, as I believe
you are aware, the AID and DOD funds that
are available to JUSPAO.
DISTRIBUTION OF FILM, "THE SILENT MAJORITY"
IN VIETNAM
The CHAIRMAN. Has the film, "The Silent
Majority" been distributed in Vietnam?
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Mr. NICKEL. It has, sir.
The CHAIRMAN, By you? By the USIA?
Mr. NICKEL. We made it available to Viet-
namese television and to the National Mo-
tion Picture Center of Vietnam. It was
shown on the GVN television network and
in commercial theaters.
The CHAIRMAN. Would you estimate how
many Vietnamese have seen it?
Mr. NICKEL. I will supply an estimate, sir.
(The information referred to follows:)
NUMBER OF SOUTH VIETNAMESE WHO HAVE
SEEN "THE SILENT MAJORITY"
In South Vietnam, the GVN's Ministry of
Information (MCI) Was the sole distributor
of the film "The Silent Majority." MOI esti-
mated that 1.2 million persons saw the show-
ings of the film on the national television
network, and that an additional 300,000
urban viewers saw the film in theaters in six
major cities, for an overall total of 1.5 mil-
lion.
The CHAIRMAN. It would be apparently a
very substantial amount.
Have you any measure of public reaction
to that film?
Mr. NICKEL. We did not undertake any
specific evaluation.
The CHAIRMAN. Has anyone that you know?
Mr. NICKEL. I am not aware that anyone
did.
USIA POLLS CONCERNING ATTITUDES TOWARD
UNITED STATES
The CHAIRMAN. Coming back for a moment,
it inspires me to ask a further question
about the polls, Have you been instructed
to decline to discuss the polling in Vietnam
or all polls-any poll in any other country?
Mr. NICKEL. Well, the only polling that
would come within my purview would be
that in Vietnam, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. The USIA takes polls in
other countries; does it not?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, Sir.
The CHAIRMAN. They are about public at-
titudes toward the United States and Its
policies? That has been a practice for a long
time; has it not?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, Sir.
The CHAIRMAN. You do not know about
them and cannot testify about them; is that
right?
Mr. NICKEL. When I say I do not know
about them, I mean that I just do not know
in detail anything about them and obviously
could not speak to what they were about,
sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Were you in the USIA be-
fore you went to Saigon?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, Sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Where did you serve before
that?
Mr. NICKEL. In Japan, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. In Japan?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. While you were in Japan,
did you take polls there?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Are you at liberty to dis-
cuss the polls you took in Japan?
Mr. NICKEL. No, Sir.
The CHAIRMAN. You are instructed not to
discuss them; is that it?
Mr. NICKEL. I am instructed not to discuss
polls.
The CHAIRMAN. It is very unusual. Where
did you serve besides Japan?
Mr. NICKEL. I have served in Burma, and
I have served in Washington, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you take polls in
Burma?
Mr. NICKEL. To the best of my recollection,
I do not believe we did, but that was some
years ago.
The CHAIRMAN. You do not believe you did?
Mr. NICKEL. I just cannot give you a defini-
tive answer.
Is USIA taping proceedings?
The CHAIRMAN. Is the USIA taking a tape
of these proceedings?
Mr. NICKEL. I am unaware if they are tap-
ing these proceedings.
The CHAIRMAN. You would know if they
are; would you not?
Mr. NICKEL. Let us just say that I am un-
aware if they are.
The CHAIRMAN. I wondered how efficient
they were in reporting all these matters.
Publication of "Vietnam Today"
How many newspapers, magazines or other
periodicals does the United States publish or
print that are aimed at Vietnamese audi-
ences?
Mr. NICKEL. We publish, Mr. Chairman,
or should I say we assist the Vietnamese in
publishing, a pacification newssheet, a weekly
called "Vietnam Today," in 600,000 copies
per issue.
The CHAIRMAN. 600,000?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Is that a newspaper type
of publication?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. 600,000 copies are pub-
lished weekly?
Mr. NICKEL. 600,000 copies.
The CHAIRMAN. Is that given away? What
happens to it? I was interested.
Mr. NICKEL. It is given away, sir. It is dis-
tributed through the Vietnamese informa-
tion service and it is more or less a vehicle for
the Central Pacification and Development
Council. In others words, it concentrates on
developments in the pacification field.
The CHAIRMAN. It is printed in Vietnam-
ese?
Mr. NICKEL. Printed in Vietnamese, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Is the cost of printing that
a part of your budget?
Mr. NICKEL. The printing cost is part of
my budget.
The CHAIRMAN. What would it cost a week
to put out 600,000 copies of that?
Mr. NICKEL. $2,400.
The CHAIRMAN. Where is it printed?
Mr. NICKEL. Printed in Saigon, sir. Part
of it-I might say that half of the printing
now is handled by the Ministry of Informa-
tion and half is handled by the USIA.
The CHAIRMAN. Does the USIA have a
printing plant in Saigon?
Mr. NICKEL. JUSPAO has a small printing
plant.
The CHAIRMAN. JUSPAO. Is it large enough
to print this?
Mr. NICKEL. This is not printed entirely by
JUSPAO. Half of the circulation-in other
words, 300,000, sir-his printed by the Ministry
of Information printing plant, and the other
half by JUSPAO.
The CHAIRMAN. Who determines the ma-
terial that goes into this publication?
Mr. NICKEL. Most of the editorial work on
this newspaper now is done by the Ministry
of Information, sir.
Publication of "Free South"
The CHAIRMAN. There is another news-
paper called "Free South."
Mr. NICKEL. That is right, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Is it published biweekly?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. HOW many of those are
published?
Mr. NICKEL. This Is published in an edition
of 1.3 million copies. It is a small 8 by 10
sized newspaper. It is air dropped into con-
tested areas.
The CHAIRMAN. Being published twice a
week that 2.6 million a week; is that correct?
Mr. NICKEL. I am sorry, sir; it Is published
every 2 weeks, not two a week.
The CHAIRMAN. Every 2 weeks?
Mr. NICKEL. Every 2 weeks, sir.
Publication of "Rural Spirit"
The CHAIRMAN. I notice here another one
called "Rural Spirit." Are you familiar with
that?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. What Is that? Describe it.
Is it a magazine?
Mr. NICKEL. 'L-The Vietnamese name for
Rural Spirit is i, tuong Que. It is a magazine
designed largely for rural audiences, and it
is to a great a tent! agricultural in its ap-
proach. It ha4 a monthly circulation of
565,000, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. How many pages is a typi-
cal issue of thati magazine?
Mr. NICKEL. T#Iirty-six pages.
The CHAIRMAN. Thirty-six pages. Is it slick
paper or what?
Mr. NICKEL. Np; it is not slick.
The CIIAIRMAI. Is it a picture magazine?
Mr. NIcKEL. It has some illustrations, but
it is not basically a picture magazine.
The CHAIRMA B. Where is it printed?
Mr. NICKEL. It is printed in Manila at our
regional serviceicenter.
The CHAIRMAN. Printed in Manila?
Mr. NICKEL.', At the U.S. Information
Agency Regionl Service Center. We have
a large printing plant there.
USIA printing plant in Manila
The CHAIRMAN. Do we have a large printing
plant there? ...I
Mr. NICKEL. Z;eS, sir,
The CHAIRMAN. What countries does it
service?
Mr. NICKEL. t serves for the most part,
sir, USIA posts in the East Asia and Pacific
area.
Size of circulation of "Free South" and
r`Rural Spirit"
The CHAIRMAN. Would you say that the
Free South newspaper has the largest cir-
culation Of any newspaper in Asia outside of
Japan and Inai4land China?
Mr. NICKEL. Well, it is a magazine. I just
would not be able to make that judgment.
It has a very high circulation, if you discount
Free South which---are we talking about
Huong Que?
The CHAIRMAN. Take both of them. One
is a newspaper and one is a magazine?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Would you say they have
the largest circulation of their kind, both
magazine and i ewspaper, in Asia outside of
Japan and mainland China?
Mr. NICKEL. could not make that judg-
ment. They certainly are the largest in Viet-
nam.
The CHAIRMAN. You do not know of any
that is larger; do you?
Mr. NICKEL. I do not know, Sir.
USIA printing plant in Manila
The CHAIRMAN. Did you answer the ques-
tion of what countries the printing office in
Manila serves? Does it serve all countries in
Asia? Could youl tell us how large that oper-
ation is?
Mr. NICKEL. It exists to provide backstop-
ping for our USIS posts in Asia, Mr. Chair-
man. If you would like specific information
on the plant, I shall see that the appropriate
parties in my agency furnish it.
(The information referred to follows:)
USIA'S REGIONAL SERVICE CENTER IN MANILA
USIA's Regional Service Center in Manila
has three main functions: (1) producing
publications originated by USIA in Washing-
ton for distribution to USIS posts in Asia;
(2) producing! publications originated by
USIS posts in Asia for their own use; and (3)
editing and producing regional publications.
Products include magazines, photo news-
paper inserts, leaflets, posters and "fast pam-
phlets." The latter, frequently full texts of
Presidential statements, are keyed to major
foreign policy events in which the time ele-
ment is important.
Among the 11 American and 231 Filipino
employees currently at the Regional Service
Center are editors, artists, photo specialists
and skilled printing technicians. The esti-
mated operating budget for FS 1971 is $2,-
W,000, which Includes printing service per-
formed for other U.S. Government agencies
on a reimbursement basis.
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--Morel 29, 1971 CONGRES- L
Magazine entitled "The Face of Anguish,
Vietnam"
The CHAIRMAN. Is this magazine I have
here, The Pace of Anguish, Vietnam, an issue
of the Rural Spirit?
Mr. NICKEL. No, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. This is not its name; is it?
What is this issue? It is a picture magazine;
I think it came from you.
Mr. NICKEL. I do not-I cannot recognize it.
The CHAIRMAN. No; this comes from Free
Asia Press, Manila, I am sorry. Is that part
of our operation?
Mr. NICKEL. I do not recognize the maga-
zine, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Since you are in the busi-
ness, maybe I will give it to you and ask you
to see if you can identify it for us. It does
not seem to be identified. I do not know what
the Free Asia Press Is. It is a very elaborate
magazine and beautifully done. Who would
you say is the sponsor of that?
Mr. NICKEL. I would just say that-I have
-never seen it, and it does not appear to me
to be one of our products.
The CHAIRMAN. Who would publish such a
magazine except us?
Mr. NICKEL. I do not know.
Publication and distribution of, "Who are
the Vietcong?"
The CHAIRMAN. Here is another one. It has
no Identification whatsoever. It is called,
"Who Are the Vietcong?" Have you ever seen
that pamphlet?
Mr. NICKEL. That is ours.
The CHAIRMAN. It is not identified. There
Is nothing in it, I am told by the staff, that
would identify it as being your publication.
Is that the normal way we operate? We do
not identify our publications?
Mr. NICKEL. No; I would not say that is
normal.
The CHAIRMAN. What proportion would
you say are attributed to us and are identi-
fiable as our publications and what propor-
tions are not?
Mr, NICKEL. It would be very hard to give
a percentage. It is an English language pub-
lication, I believe, Senator. I would feel com-
fortable in saying that most of our English
language publications are attributed.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you know where this
was distributed? Was it distributed in South
Vietnam?
Mr. NICKEL. Since it is an English language
version, sir, I would assume that some num-
bers were used in South Vietnam, but I would
also assume that the English language ver-
Bion was prepared for use primarily outside
of Vietnam.
The CHAIRMAN, In the United States?
Mr. NICKEL, No; not in the United States.
The CHAIRMAN. Where outside of Vietnam?
Mr. NICKEL. For use by posts other than
Vietnam.
The CHAIRMAN. By the USIA?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir,
The CHAIRMAN, You prepared it in Saigon?
Mr. NICKEL, It was-may I Inquire?
The CHAIRMAN. Do you want to look at it
or are you familiar with it?
Mr. NICKEL. May we see it, sir? The reason
I am pausing is because I am not sure wheth-
er it was a JUSPAO publication or a USIA
publication.
I can find out for you, sir, and supply the
information.
The CHAIRMAN. But it is a pamphlet which
you prepared and published?
Mr. NICKEL. We are sure it is a pamphlet
in which we were involved, But whether
JUSPAO prepared it or USIA prepared it, I
do not know.
The CHAIRMAN. Would that kind of maga-
zine be printed in Manila rather than In
Saigon?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes; it would be.
The CHAIRMAN. Where would it be distrib-
Uted? It would not be distributed in Japan;
would it?
Mr. NICKEL. That would depend on what
posts Ordered it, sir. Japan certainly would
not use large numbers in English.
The CHAIRMAN. Will you be able to find out
where that was printed and for whom and
where it was distributed?
Mr. NICKEL. I will see that information is
developed.
The CHAIRMAN. Will you supply it for the
record, please?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, Sir.
(The information referred to follows:)
PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF "WHO ARE THE
VIET CONG7"
The pamphlet "Who Are the Viet Cong?"
was initially prepared in English by USIA in
Washington for overseas distribution as part
of USIA's worldwide information program.
Texts and photos were initially sent to
USIA's Regional Service Center (RSC) in
Manila, where 10,250 pilot copies were
printed in August 1966. Some 10,000 of these
were printed for USIA, for distribution to
USIS posts ordering them. There were addi-
tional printings at RSC Manila for USIS
posts in Saigon, Canberra and Tel Aviv in
1967.
JUSPAO prepared a Vietnamese language
version which was printed at RSC Manila
in several press runs from December 1966 to
March 1967, in a total of 300,000 copies. This
version was distributed in South Viet-Nam.
Is any unidentified material distributed in
United States?
The CHAIRMAN. Is any material of this kind
without identification ever distributed in the
United States?
Mr. NICKEL. No, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. YOU are sure about that?
Mr. NICKEL. I am sure to the extent that
I am very well aware of the need to keep it
out of the United States, and we are always
cognizant of this restriction.
The CHAIRMAN. If it is not identified, how
would you keep it out? What is to prevent
someone from distributing it here when
there is no way of telling who printed it
where it came from except to the initiated?
Mr. NICKEL. In terms of USIS use of ma-
terials of this sort, all USIS posts, and all
USIS personnel would be aware of the neces-
sity to avoid its introduction Into the United
States.
Booklet entitled "Vietnam: The View Beyond
the Battle"
The CHAIRMAN. On a recent visit to Saigon,
two members of the staff of this committee
were given this booklet called, "Vietnam, the
View Beyond the Battle." Are you familiar
with it?
Mr. NICKEL. I have seen it.
The CHAIRMAN. This was part of the ma-
terials in a welcoming kit.
Mr NICKEL. Yes, Sir.
The CHAIRMAN. When you say you have
seen it, who published it? Did you publish it?
It also does not have a date on it
Mr. NICKEL. I believe it was printed at our
regional service center in Manila.
The CHAIRMAN. It is a very elaborate mag-
azine wtih extremely fine workmanship in
its maps and photographs. There is a mag-
nificent photograph of Thieu and By and
President Lyndon B. Johnson taken in
February of 1966. It does not say itself when
it was printed. Can you tell us when this
was printed?
Mr. NICKEL. I believe, sir, that was printed
at our regional service center in Manila. I
believe it was a USAID project, and the cost
of printing-
The CHAIRMAN. Was it prepared at your
request for distribution in Vietnam?
Mr. NICKEL. I believe it was prepared by
a contract writer for AID and I believe print-
ing was at AID expense. However, I make that
statement subject to check.
The CHAIRMAN. I asked the AID Director
the, day before yesterday if he had ever seen
S 3983
it. I thought perhaps it was his, but he had
no knowledge of it. He said he had never
seen it and knew nothing about it.
Mr. NICKEL. I_believe, sir, it was printed 2
or 3 years ago.
The CHAIRMAN. He said he knew nothing,
about it, and he left the impression that he
did not think It was an AID project. Again
I raise the same question because it is such
a fine piece of work. What is the purpose of
publishing in English such a fine magazine
and what is the distribution of it? Could you
find that out on this one too?
Mr. NICKEL. I will find out on that, sir.
(The information referred to follows:)
PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF "VIETNAM: THE
VIEW BEYOND THE BATTLE"
In 1967, because the Government of Viet-
Nam wanted to tell to its citizens the story
of developing nationhood in South Viet-Nam
and because USAID especially was provid-
ing advice and assistance in the develop-
ment, JUSPAO was requested to prepare a
one-time publication, "Viet-Nam: The View
Beyond the Battle." Information and photos
were furnished by the GVN and USAID, with
JUSPAO assuming coordinating responsi-
bility for text, editing, layout and printing.
The Vietnamese language publication was
printed in 100,000 copies at USIA's Regional
Service Center (RSC), at JUSPAO's request,
for distribution in Viet-Nam.
An English language version was also
printed in 68,500 copies. They were ordered
by and shipped to JUSPAO and to USIS posts,
at Manila, Djakarta, Bonn, Wellington, Can-
berra, Kuala Lumpur, Lusaka, Lagos, Stock-
holm, Taipei, Georgetown, Quito, Tel Aviv,
Beirut, Rangoon, Cuva, Copenhagen, Bern,
Kabul, Brussels and Reykjavik.
From the JUSPAO supply, some 5,000 copies
were provided to USAID for use in a briefing
kit for distribution to visitors, journalists,
incoming USAID officers and other persons
inquiring about USAID'e activities. Until
early 1968 the U.S. Mission Press Center in
Saigon, which operates 'ender American Em-
bassy supervision, distributed copies to news-
men.
Why are magazines unidentified as to source?
The CHAIRMAN. I do not quite understand
why magazines of this kind are not identified
as to source. It obviously raises a very inter-
esting question. -
Mr. NICKEL. I will furnish the information
to the committee.
(The information referred to follows:)
"EXPLANATION OF LACK OF ATTRIBUTION OF
PUBLICATIONS
"As was pointed out in Mr. Nickel's open-
ing statement, one of the roles performed by
JUSPAO is' assistance in the production of
information materials by the GVN. In 1967,
when "Viet-Nam: The View Beyond the Bat-
tle" was first printed, the GVN did not have
the capacity to produce magazines of this
type. In developing this particular project
with and for the GVN, JUSPAO decided that
this and similar publications might also have
an audience in third countries as well. If at-
tribution were given rightfully to the GVN,
such attribution could limit USIS use over-
seas. On the other hand, if attribution were
given to USAID or JUSPAO, it could limit or
embarrass the GVN's use of the publication
in Viet-Nam. As has been noted earlier,
JUSPAO assisted the GVN by providing
100,000 copies of the publication in the Viet-
namese language. Accordingly, a decision was
made not to positively identify this type pub-
lication with either the GVN or U.S. agencies,
thereby permitting all interested parties to
distribute it through their own outlets."
Publication of attributed and unattributed
magazines
The CHAIRMAN. DO you know who would
make the contracts for the publication of
such magazines? Put it this way: Has USIA
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ever ilaade a Contract for a similar magazine
even though It is not this one? Have you ever
asked the regional office, to publish for your
purposes an unidentified magazine?
Mr. NICKEL. Let me answer that by say-
ing we would ooeasioaally use contract per-
sonnel to prepare products for us, but the
use of a contract writer would not in any way
be related to the decision as to whether the
product would be attributed or unattributed.
I do not myself know why this publication
is not an attributed product.
The CIIAIaMsat. Does your office ever ask
for magazines similar to this from the re-
gional once in Manila?
Mr. NICKEL, We occasionally order pub-
lications from the regional office in manila,
The CHAIRMAN. When you do, do you spec-
ify whether they are to be attributed to you
or not? Is that decision left up to the
regional office?
Mr. NICKEL. If they are in English, sir, and
they already exist, they already are either at-
tributed or unattributed, so we would not
get involved In the attribution, I think I am
correct in assuming that most are attributed.
If we are doing Vietnamese versions of basic
English language publications that originate
at the Manila plant, then it would be up to
JUSPAO to decide whether we wanted them
attributed. '
The CHAIRMAN. On what basis do you de-
cide whether it is attributed to you or not at-
tributed to you? What is the criteria?
Mr. NICKEL. Well, speaking for myself
alone-
The CHAIRMAN. You ought to speak for the
Agency. I do not want you to speak only for
yourself, but you can do both.
Mr. NICKEL. If you will allow me to
speak-
The CHAIRMAN. Speak for yourself and then
speak or the agency. That is right.
Mr. Sd'IKEL. In making the decision as to
whether something is to be attributed or not,
I generally follow the policy that anything
that is explaining some aspect of U.S. policy
orU.S. society, should have attribution to the
United States. In fact, attribution adds to the
credibility of it.
Ihe CHAIRMAN. How do you decide when
not to attribute It? What Is your objective?
Mr. NICKEL. Let use put it this way. I have
another area of operations in Vietnam where
I am engaged in helping the Vietnamese pub-
lish materials. Obviously, I do not attribute
such materials to my own organization.
South Vietnamese publication of materials in
English
The CHAIRMAN. They would not publish
materials in English; would they?
Mr. NICKEL. They publish some materials in
English.
The CHAIRMAN. Do they?
Mr. NICKEL. A few, for use abroad.
The CHAIRMAN. For use where?
Mr. NICKEL. Well, for use abroad.
The CHAIRMAN. In the United States?
W. NICKEL. Yes.
The CHAIaaAN. Really?
Mr. NICKEL. But these are not materials I
am Involved in:
The CHAIRMAN. But they do publish mate-
rials in English that are then distributed in
the United States?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, occasionally, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. I did not know that. Of
how many do you know?
Mr. NICKEL. I would have to determine that.
The CHAIRMAN. Have yotf any examples of
it?
Mr. NICKEL, I have no examples with me,
sir.
The CHAIRMAN. What would be the objec-
tive of such publications? To what are they
directed?
Mr. NICKEL. Well, when I say for use in the
United States? they publish on their own
behalf without assistance from us some mate-
rials for use overseas. They publish these in
French and in English, and I can only as- the order of classical Vietnamese drama.
sume that some of the material they publish When I say opera, I mean classical Vietnam-
In English, unilaterally, is made available ese opera which is not unrelated to Chinese
to their Embassy in Washington. opera,
Now, I want to make it very clear, Mr. The CHAIRMAN. Do we determine the sub-
Chairman, these are aspects of their opera- ject matter ofia magazine of that kind?
tion that I am not officially Involved In; I Mr. NICKEL.This particular magazine is
provide neither support for, nor assistance directed at culture-drama teams which per
in any way. form in the provinces, and in general per-
The CHAIRMAN. And no advice? form almost life vaudevillians, if I might use
Mr. NICKEL. And no advice. the term, Mr. Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN. They do it all on their The CHAIRMAN. What is the objective of
own? our sponsoring;such a magazine? What do we
Mr. NICKEL. That is right, sir. seek to accomplish in publishing such a
The CHAIRMAN. Could you supply for the magazine?
record some recent examples of publications Mr. NICKEL. We seek to provide program
that the Vietnamese Government has made material that s nationalist in its direction
in English? because these culture-drama teams play a
Mr. NICKEL. I will, sir. role in support of the Government.
The CHAIRMAN. Give us a few examples The CHAIRMAN. Do you think this kind of
during the last year to see what they are a role would agree with Vice President Ag-
doing. new's idea of *hat a magazine or a publica-
(The information referred to follows:) tion ought to do? He would not criticize the
GVN publications in English kind of publications we put out in Vietnam?
Sample materials provided through the
Embassy of Viet-Nam include "Fighters for
Peace," "Communist Atrocities During the
Latest Offensives," and "Viet-Nam Bulletin."
Other publication
Mr. NICKEL. !I prefer not to comment on
the Vice President.
The CHAIRM*N. If I understood his views,
they were that magazines and newspapers
ought to support the Government and, there-
fore, he would approve of this type of publi-
The CHAIRMAN. With regard to these other cation. It seem(-. to me it is perfectly obvious
publications, we mentioned three, I believe, he would.
the Rural Spirit, which has 565,000, and the I am not quuite sure myself though what.
Vietnam Today, with 600,000, and the Free justifies the spending of American money on
South with 1.3 million per edition. the cultural aIld drama magazine. Not that
Mr. NICKEL. That is right, sir. I have any aversion to culture and drama,
The CHAIRMAN. There are nine other pub- but I did not *now that we were competent
lications which I will not take the time to go to tell the Vietnamese about culture and
into at length. I will name them and I think drama in Vietnam,
these are correct. This is material which we Mr. NICKEL. Well, of cour
obtained in Saigon. The CHAIRMAN. We have a hard time know-
A magazine called Mother Heart. Long Me ing what is culture and drama in Washing-
is the way you pronounce it In Vietnamese. ton.
It is published bimonthly in 200,000 copies Mr. NICKEL. Of course, Mr. Chairman, the
per issue. JUSPAO staff that works on this magazine
There is a magazine called Culture-Drama is predominantly Vietnamese,
published bimonthly, 12,000 per issue. The CHAIRMAN. I see. You think it is so
Magazine entitled "Mother Heart" constructed and edited that it would appeal
n
~
What is "Mother Heart"?
Mr. NICKEL. Long Me, sir, Is a publication
of the Ministry of Chieu Hot. We provide
considerable assistance to the publication.
We print it. It is designed to explain and
promote the Chieu Hoi program largely in
the sense of informing families of prospec-
tive Chieu Hot ralliers. .
The CHAIRMAN. This is intended for the
Vietcong whom you want to come over; is
that right?
Mr. NICKEL. No; it is intended for families
on the South Vietnamese side who may have
relatives serving with the enemy. It provides
these families with better information about
the program. Also, one of its secondary ob-
jectives is to supply more information about
the program to the Vietnamese officials who
themselves are concerned with Chieu Hoi.
Magazine entitled "Culture-Drama"
The CHAIRMAN. What is the magazine Cul-
ture-Drama about?
Mr. NICKEL. It is known as the Van Tac Vu
magazine, Mr. Chairman. It is a magazine
designed to provide program material-
songs, skits, and general raw material-
for a great number of culture-drama teams
which exist in Vietnam. The culture-drama
form is a very attractive one.
The CHAIRMAN. Culture-drama has nothing
to do with the theater, I guess.
Mr. NICKEL. It is folk theater touring--
The CHAIRMAN. Is there a theater in
Saigon?
W. NICKEL. There is opera, renovated op-
era, classical.
The CHAIRMAN. Do they have a local opera
company?
Mr. NICKEL. There are performances.
The CHAIRMAN. Are they traveling people
that we bring in?
Mr. NICKL'L. No, this would be more on
t
to the effete, i ellectttal snobs of Saigon .
Mr. NICKEL. I would say that it appeals to
the performers; and culture-drama teams in
the provinces of Vietnam.
Posters, pamphlets and song sheets
The CHAIRMAN. Of what are posters IR-8
and IR--5 on ripe examples? This is about the
miracle rice.
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir. Those would be
posters.
The CHAIRMAN. Is that a one-shot prop-
osition, one poster?
Mr. NICKEL. One poster.
The CHAIRMAN. 50,000 copies?
Mr. NICKEL. It is not a fixed periodical.
The CHAIRMAN. It is hot a recurring poster
or is it?
Mr. NICKEL. It is not recurring, but obvi-
ously our interest in I15-8 is such that over
a period of time we could do many posters
on IR-8.
The CHAIRMAN. We have another poster
entitled, "Our ]Project Has Been Completed."
Is that a recurring poster or a single shot?
Mr. NICKEL. I would assume that is a
single shot?
The CHAIRMAN. Is it 60,000 copies?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Then you have a poster
called, "The Government of the Republic
of Vietnam Hetps Refugees Return Home,"
That again is just another poster?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMANr. Thezi there is a pamphlet.
"Security Laws. Proteci the Citizens."
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. That is 50,000 copies. Is
that only for that purpose?
Mr. NICKEL. That would be a one shot
pamphlet, yes, air.
The CHAIRMAN. Then we have song sheets.
One is called "!Spring of Hope" and one is
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 "Marti 29, 1971 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - S1 N A i t
called "Native Spring." What is
tive in printing song sheets?
Mr. NICKEL. That song sheet was probably
,a' product that was issued by the Ministry
of Information in connection with the Tet
observation. As you know, Tet is quite a
festive holiday in Vietnam, and the songs
were probably connected with the celebra-
tion of that holiday.
Number of posters produced in Fiscal Year
1969
The CHAIRMAN. Could you tell us how
many different posters were put out last
year?
Mr. NICKEL. I can only give you an overall
figure on posters, Mr. Chairman-a total of
'1.73 million copies in fiscal year 1969. That
would be for individual units.
The CHAIRMAN. Individual units of posters.
Mr. NICKEL. 1.73 million pieces of paper,
every one of which was a poster. I cannot
give you the circulation or the production
,per poster. I cannot say 50,000 of this or
70,000 of that.
The CHAIRMAN. To illustrate the point, you
put out 15 posters consisting of 1.7 million
issues. Is that about right?
Mr..NICKEL. Those are not the figures, but
that is the logic.
The CHAIRMAN. I know they are not the
figures.
Mr. NICKEL: That is the logic.
The CHAIRMAN. That is what I meant. You
could not estimate how many posters there
were, not individual pieces but how many
different posters there were?
Mr. NICKEL. I find that very difficult.
Publications of all kinds put out in a year
The CHAIRMAN. Would you estimate how
many publications of all kinds you put out
in a year? Would it be 10 million or 50
million publications of all different kinds,
including all these magazines and posters
and newspapers? The newspapers alone run
into several million weekly; do they not?
Mr. f'ICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. I wondered if you had an
estimate to give us some idea of the volume
of our activity.
Mr. NICKEL. 24 million plus, sir. That would
be magazines, newspapers, posters, and
pamphlets.
Leaflets dropped by the military
The CHAIRMAN. Would the pamphlets in-
elude the leaflets dropped by the military?
Mr. NICKEL. That does not, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you have any estimate
how many there are?
Mr. NICKEL. That would be somewhere in
the vicinity of 1.5 billion, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Billion?
Mr. NICKEL. Billion. '
The CHAIRMAN. My goodness; 1.5 billion by
the military?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Who prints those? Where
can they get so many printed? That seems
Incredible.
Mr." NICKEL. They would be primarily dis-
tributed by the military.
"The CHAIRMAN. Are these printed in that
regional office in Manila?
r he No, sir.
`fine CHAIRMAN. Does the military have its
own printing plant?
Mr. NICKEL. I was a bit hasty. Let me be
more precise. Some might be printed in
Manila. Many might be printed by the mili-
tary on Okinawa. Could you say whether any CIA personnel
re heSA asove
using V_ c . a
a
ing plant on Okinawa? Mr. NICKEL. Comment on such a question;
that provides support for the psychological
program in Vietnam. appropriate officials, Mr. Chairman.
,The CHAIRMAN. Is it comparable to the The CHAIRMAN. All right.
size of yours in Manila? Language facility of USIA personnel in
Mr. NICKEL. No, sir. Vietnam
The CHAIRMAN. It is not as large? Could you tell me what percentage of USIA
Mr. NICKEL. No, sir. personnel in Vietnam speak Vietnamese?
The CHAIRMAN. Is the USIA plant in Manila Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
a very large one? The CHAIRMAN. At three level or better.
Mr. NICKEL. It is a substantial modern
plant.
The CHAIRMAN. Is it capable of printing a
magazine as large as, say, Time magazine or
Fortune or Newsweek?
Mr. NICKEL. It is difficult for me to answer.
I am not aware of what capacity it would
have for volume. I would think that tech-
nically it could do the job.
Other printing by the military
The CHAIRMAN. Does the military, in addi-
tion to the 1.5 billion leaflets, also print maga-
zines and publications similar to this? Does
it print anything similar to this anywhere?
Mr. NICKEL. It would be very unlikely to
print a pamphlet like that. I believe they do
print an employee relations magazine for
the Vietnamese employees for the military in
Vietnam. But to the best of my knowledge,
Mr. Chairman, that is the only publication
of that type that the military publishes.
Lack of attribution of "Vietnam: The View
Beyond The Battle"
The CHAIRMAN. I do not know who did this,
but that is one of the finest pictures of its
kind I ever saw of the people in the rice pad-
dies. As a technical matter, regardless of its
content, you could well take credit for it
because it is a very fine production. I think
it is a very attractive thing. Did I show it
to you to see if you could identify it, or did
you? I do not remember. Do you want to
look at it and perhaps you can tell me?
Mr. NICKEL. I .am. familiar with it. I have
seen it.
The CHAIRMAN. You have seen it.
I have so many publications here I can-
not keep them all straight.
I am told by the staff that the USIS press
said this morning, after they checked it, that
it was printed in March 1967. I still am
puzzled about this question of attribution.
A magazine of this kind is such an imposing
production that it is rather a shock to find
there is no way of telling who printed it and
where and when it was printed. Yet it is
on a subject which apparently either we or
the Government of Vietnam would be the
only ones really interested in doing it. So I
can see now that it was. I would suggest, for
whatever it is worth, that it helps our credi-
bility to identify and to claim it as our own
when it is. I do not think that the world as
it is today is going to be very impressed by
our trying to avoid responsibility for the
publication.
Press credentials granted to four security
agents in Saigon
Did your office have anything to do with
the recent granting of press credentials in
Saigon to four security agents?
Mr. NICKEL. No, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. It is not your responsibil-
ity. Do you know anything about that epi-
sode?
Mr. NICKEL. I am familiar with the gen-
eral newspaper accounts of that.
The CHAIRMAN. Then I suppose you have
friends who were aware of that in Vietnam?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Could you tell me in what
mission these people were engaged for which
they wanted such credentials?
Mr. NICKEL. I have no knowledge of that,
sir.
The CHAIRMAN. You have no knowledge
Are CIA personnel using USIA as cover?
I am not
ployees.
S 3985
Mr. NICKEL. Six Percent.
The CHAIRMAN. HOW many speak French
at the three level or better?
Mr. NICKEL. I am sorry, sir. I gave you a
percentage figure. I did not mean it to be
a percentage. Six employees speak Viet-
namese at the three level or better.
The CHAIRMAN. That is approximately 6
percent; is it not?
Mr. NICKEL. It also works out to approxi-
mately 6 percent, but it is not a percentage
figure. The figure for French would be 24.
The CHAIRMAN. That is at the three level
or better?
Mr. NICKEL. Yes, sir.
Language facility of JUSPAO personnel
The CHAIRMAN. What about all JUSPAO
personnel?
Mr. NICKEL. All JUSPAO personnel in
terms of three or better or what, sir?
The CHAIRMAN. Yes.
Mr. NICKEL. Well, I am addressing the
civilian component of JUSPAO. There are six
people who speak Vietnamese and 24 who
speak French.
The CHAIRMAN. What about the 800 mili-
tary you mentioned? Do you know anything
.about them?
Mr. NICKEL. I do not.
The CHAIRMAN. You do
ures on them.
Journalists' trips to Vietnam sponsored
by USIA
Does the USIA finance or sponsor in any
way trips to Vietnam by Journalists from the
United States?
Mr. NICKEL. The U.S. Information Agency,
sir, does have a third country journalist
program.
The CHAIRMAN. Could you indicate the
magnitude of that? How many journalists
in the course of a year?
Mr. NICKEL. I would be very happy to sup-
ply that for the record. It is a program ad-
ministered out of the headquarters in Wash-
ington, and I cannot speak to the details, sir.
(The following information referred to
follows:)
USIA third
country journalist program,
fiscal year 1969
"For the record, the program involved 15
foreign. journalists during Fiscal Year 1969,
and an anticipated equal number during the
current fiscal year."
The CHAIRMAN. I want it both ways. I
want trips from the United States to Viet-
nam of American journalists and also from
other countries to Vietnam.
Mr. NICKEL. I believe, sir, that this pro-
gram is only concerned with third cou.itry
journalists to Vietnam.
The CHAIRMAN. YOU
States?
Mr. NICKEL. Not American journalists.
The CHAIRMAN. Then the answer to my
first question is no. They do not sponsor
U.S. journalists to Vietnam; is that correct?
Mr. NICKEL. That is correct, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. They do sponsor foreign
journalists to Vietnam?
Mr. NICKEL. That is right, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Could you say what is the
purpose of this program? Why do you sponsor
foreign journalists to Vietnam?
Mr. NICKEL. To enable them, sir, to come
and see for themselves the developments in
that country. This is done in many in-
stances for journalists from publications
which could not afford to or would not send
their correspondents to Vietnam.
The CHAIRMAN. When they arrive in South
Vietnam, does your agency take care of them,
meet them and make arrangements for their
visit?
Mr. NICKEL. They are accredited, and they
receive the same facilitation from the Mis-
sion Press Center, Mr. Chairman, as any ac-
credited journalist would receive.
The CHAIRMAN. I realize that, but in ad-
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE ltlarrch 29!' JIM
M
dition there is the fact that you sponsored
them and paid for their passage. Do you also
take care of them and give them any special
treatment or are they just allowed like any
other journalist?
Mr. NICKEL. We give them special treat-
ment when they ask for it, special treat-
ment of the same kind that we would give
any journalist in Vietnam who so requested
it.
To really get to the thrust of your question,
Mr. Chairman, it is up.to them. They come
out; they are accredited; they are there like
other journalists and their programs are
theirs to arrange.
The CHAIRMAN. If they are not familiar
with the place, I would assume in the nor-
mal course of events you would take them
around and show them the places of interest.
I would have thought the answer was yes.
It would seem to me a rather dubious invest-
ment to bring a journalist from Europe or
Africa and then let him go on his own.
Mr. NICKEL. The answer is yes. I just want-
ed to make It clear that 'what is offered them
is what Is available for all the journalists
in Vietnam.
Justification for USIA third country four-
nalist program questioned
The CHAIRMAN. I have some difficulty, I
may say, In reconciling this activity with the
mission of your agency that you describe.
I cannot quite fit this in as to how we are
justified as a government and as a people to
support this activity. I wish you would en-
lighten me a little as to the reas_.iing justi-
fying this activity of bringing foreign jour-
nalists to Vietnam to view the--
Mr. NICKEL. I think this is another matter,
Mr. Chairman, which I will have to refer to
my superiors and I am sure they will furnish
a justification for it. I say that because it sv
a program that is not within my purview in
terms of responsibility.
(The information referred to follows.)
Third country journalist program
"This activity, known within USIA as the
third country journalist program, was begun
in 1965 and is currently actl,.ye. The record...
of the Committee will reflect that, in hear-
ings on news policies In Vietnam on August
17, 1966, the Agency provided a legal memo-
randum justifying this program. That record
also indicates that the Committee obtained
an opinion from the Comptroller General of
the United States on the program that found
the expenditure of funds for this program to
be proper."
The CHAIRMAN. I see. In other words, this
is carried on, but you have no responsibility
for doing it. The decisions are all made here.
You would have to ask Mr. Shakespeare
about that; is that what you said?
Mr. NICKEL. I am not sure that it would be
Mr. Shakespeare, but certainly one of my
principals in Washington.
The CHAIRMAN. I just use him. He is the
nominal head of the Agency. it is quite right
he might not know about it, but someone at
that level would know. But you would not be
willing to share with me your views about the
justification for such a program.
Third country journalists' briefing and
interviews
When these people arrive there, are they
normally given briefings by the American
officials?
Mr. NICKEL. If they so request.
The CHAIRMAN. Is it normal that they do
request such a briefing?
Mr. NICKEL. I would say not necessarily, Mr.
Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN. NO?
Mr. NICKEL. it is very hard to categorize
journalists in that regard.
The CHAIRMAN. Do they normally expect to
see military officials or the people in the Em-
bassy? What would you say was the norm?
Mr. NICKEL. Many of them, Mr. Chairman,
would like to interview senior officials in
Vietnam, I 'would say, by and large, they are
no more successful or no more unsuccessful
in arranging interviews than the average
journalist who is accredited in Vietnam.
Witness' instructions concerning polcy
questions
The CHAIRMAN. In this matter, do your
instructions with regard to the polls also in-
clude policy questions? Were you instructed
not to discuss policy questions with the com-
mittee?
Polling by Oliver Quayle
The CHAIRMAN. Have you ever heard of Mr.
Oliver Quayle? Does that name means any-
thing to you?
Mr. NICKEL. The name does not sound com-
pletely strange, but frankly I cannot associate
it with anything.
The CHAIRMAN. You associate Mr. Quayle
with something else; do you? That word used
to be common, but I have not heard it in that
-connection for a long time. They have de-
veloped new words. He is a well-known figure
in U.S. circles and has often done work test-
ing public opinion. In fact there is an article
in this morning's paper. One of the well-
known columnists apparently has been down
in Alabama with him this week. I happened
to see it this morning.
I wondered if you knew whether he had
ever visited Vietnam while you were there.
Apparently not. You are not acquainted with
his work?
Mr. NICKEL. No, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. He has done considerable
work in this country on the testing of atti-
tudes and opinions, and I think one of the
columnists sometime back mentioned that
he thought Mr. Quayle had made a poll in
Vietnam. Whether he made it at the USIA's
request is another matter. We will try to
find that out from your superiors.
(The information referred to follows.)
Polling by Oliver Quayle
"U.S. Information Agency records indicate
that USIA has never commissioned Mr. Oliver
Quayle to conduct a public opinion poll in
Vietnam."
Orientation of USIA offices from countries
other than Vietnam
Are USIA officers assigned in countries
other than Vietnam ever sent to Vietnam for
brief visits at Government expense?
Mr. NICKEL. USIA officers?
The CHAIRMAN. Yes.
Mr. NICKEL. Yes; we bring some USIA of-
ficers to Vietnam for orientation,
The CHAIRMAN. Could you indicate about
how many during the course of a year are
brought to Vietnam for the purpose?
Mr. NICKEL. I do not have specific figures
but, during the period I have been there, we
have brought groups of five officers, I would
say, to Vietnam two or three times a year for
orientation.
The CHAIRMAN. That means 15 or 20 officers
altogether?
Mr. NICKEL. That is right.
The CHAIRMAN. What countries did they
come from while you were there?
Mr. NICKEL. They came from a variety of
countries.
The CHAIRMAN. Europe?
Mr. NICKEL. Europe, South America, and
East Asia.
The CHAIRMAN. The purpose of this orienta-
tion Is for them to go back and do what?
Mr. NICKEL. Its purpose is to give them a
firsthand appreciation of the situation in
Vietnam.
The CHAIRMAN. Is it in order to aid them
in spreading the word when they get back to
their posts?
Mr. NICKEL. In order to enable them to bet-
ter speak to the situation.
Effect of USIA third country journalist
program
The CHAIRMAN. With regard to the news-
papermen, what has been the effect and the
result of this program? Even though you did
not inspire it nor originate it, do you know
whether when they return to their respective
countries they report and write their articles
ins very syn.pakhetic way to our purposes in
Vietnam? y
Mr. NICKEL. t do not know enough about
it, sir, to be able to characterize it.
The CHAIRMAN. If they do not, it does not
seem justified to carry on the program. Is
there no followlip to find out how they react?
Mr. NICKEL. 'there is.
The CHAIRMAN. There is a foliowup?
Mr. NICKEL. There is. sir, but the follow-
up does not fall into my area of responsibility
The CHAIRMAN. I see. lou do not know, but
clearly they could want to check to see it
these people reacted in the proper way and
if they appreciate the courtesies you have
extended them.Would they not?
Mr. NICKEL. I, am sure that our people are
well aware of what was written by news-
papermen who have participated in this pro-
gram.
Program of bringing government officials to
Vietnam
The CHAIRMAN. Were you there when Mr.
Moshe Dayan came to Vietnam?
Mr. NICKEr.. No, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Was that before your tour
of duty?
Mr. NICKEL. That was before my time.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you know anything
about the proglam of bringing government,
officials there? You do not know about that?
Mr. NICKEL. NP, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. It is not your respon-
sibility.
Mr. NICKEL. It is not mine, and I am not
aware of any.
The CHAIRMAN. You do not know about it.
Western influence on South Vietnamese
culture
There was it recent publication in the Viet-
nam Embassy here in Washington which con-
tains an article on what is happening to Viet-
namese cultured This is from a statement of
the Minister of Culture on which I would
like to have you comment. It says and I
quote:
"Few of these young city people know
much about their own culture except for the
well-known festival such as Tet or the Mid-
Autumn Festival," says the scholar versed
in eastern and western cultures. "It is not
that they don't!. care. But access to western
ways is easier than access to traditional Viet-
namese culture. * * *"
Radio and television are the media mainly
responsible for' the changes. As a Saigon
University coed says, "Probably 80 percent
or even more of the young people In Saigon
prefer western music and art. We like the
music especially. Few of us understand our
own culture, mainly because we have never
had the opportunity to study its features.
But the westerni forms can be seen and heard
daily on the American forces radio and tele-
vision stations.' And now even Vietnamese
radio and television have programs devoted
to western music."
Would you say that is an accurate descrip-
tion'of what hat taken place in Saigon?
Mr. NICKEL. certainly access to Western
culture is there. The communications ex-
plosion, I would say, Mr. Chairman, has had
its effect in Vietnam as elsewhere. The youth
of Vietnam like the youth of other countries
have been attracted by Western forms. On
the other hand,; in the countryside of Viet-
nam, the Vietnamese cultural impact is very
pronounced and very visible. I would say
from my own view that the cultural problem,
the problem of cultural identity in Vietnam,
is probably not much different from the prob-
lem of cultural identity that you find in most
developing nations today.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you mean most devel-
oping nations or only those in which we have
a large presence?
Mr. NICKEL. Perhaps I will amend that to
say many developing nations. It Is largely a
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29, 1971 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE
problem of what I call the communications
explosion.
The CHAIRMAN. Is there any indigenous
competition in Saigon to the television and
radio systems which we have established?
Mr. NICKEL. Well, Mr. Chairman, on Viet-
namese television, I believe that probably
the most popular program offered during a
week's schedule is a night devoted to Viet-
namese opera, which is distinctly Vietnamese
in form and a very inherent part of their
own cultural pattern. You find youngsters
-as well as elderly Vietnamese clustered
around the sets watching it.
Impact of U.S. presence on Vietnamese
culture
The CHAIRMAN. Do you think that the im-
pact of the U.S. presence in Vietnam on the
Vietnamese culture has been a favorable one?
Mr. NICKEL. I would answer that, Mr.
Chairman, by saying that whenever you in-
troduce a half million foreigners into a
country of a population of 17 million, there
are going to be dislocations and some of the
dislocations are going to be cultural.
The CHAIRMAN. Are you saying that the
presence of a half million soldiers is a greeter
influence than the presence of the USIA with
Its great publications, its newspapers, maga-
zines, pamphlets, and posters? Which do you
think is the greater influence on the Viet-
namese culture?
Mr. NICKEL, What I am saying, Mr. Chair-
man, is that the presence of a half million
foreigners in a nation of 17 million people
Is bound to have some impact, some cultural
impact.
The CHAIRMAN, Supposing you did not have
any USIA, do you think there would be a
great impact if the foreigners were engaged
primarily In fighting out in the rice paddies?
Title Language
,All I mean Is that it seems to me you prob-
ably are responsible for a greater part of the
impact than the soldiers.
Mr. NICKEL. I would not discount the ef-
fect of the presence of a half million people.
The CHAIRMAN. I am ont discounting it.
I do not suppose there are any easy criteria
by which we can measure that.
Mr. Nickel, it is getting late. I must say,
outside of those areas in which you have
been instructed not to answer my questions,
you have been very forthcoming and I think
,it has been a very Interesting hearing. It
seems to me that you have demonstrated
beyond a doubt that the presence of the
Americans is overwhelming. It has almost
submerged the indigenous traditions and
culture, at least in Saigon, although not in
some of the remote. areas where I suppose it
is different. But I hardly know how they
could resist it, .and maybe that Is a good
thing. I do' not know. I guess that is for his-
tory to determine.
I appreciate very much you and your col-
leagues coming here to the committee.
Questions on U.S. Information Agency Polls
We will take up with your superiors the
question of whether or not we are entitled to
the information about polls. I must say it
is hard for me to find a justification for
secrets in an agency for Information created
and paid. -for by the American people. I
thought It. was to instruct everyone. When
we risk you what you are doing, it seems to
e it is a little incongruous for you to say,
"We can't tell you about that." We expect
that from something like the Q4, but I was
a little surprised to have it coming from an
information agency. I had not thought of It
in that connection, but I realize you are not
the, policymaker nor the highest responsible
official and I do not criticize you for it. If
you have been told to do that, I do not want
you to cut your own throat out in the open
here before the committee. We will talk to
Mr. Shakespeare about It or someone else
in his agency.
Thank you very much, Mr. Nickel.
Mr. NICKEL. Thank .you very much.
S 3987
(Whereupon, at 1:15 p.m., the committee compare with a year ago? How many will
subject to `the call of the Chair.) there be a year from now?
,
adjourned
(The following are answers by the U.S. In-
formation Agency to additional committee
questions:)
USIA REPLIES TO SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS
-COMMITTEE STAFF QUESTIONS
1. What is the current USIA policy with
regard to having in its libraries in Viet Nam
books that are critical of U.S. policy in Viet-
Nam? Would you name some of the books
currently stocked that are critical of U.S.
Policy?
The U.S. Information Agency's policy with
regard to critical books in Vietnamese libra-
ries is one of presenting the issues, both pro
and con, to interested readers.
Some typical titles on this subject in-
cl ude the following: J. W. Fulbright, The
editions) ; and Robert Shaplen, The Lost Re-
volution. In addition the libraries have bal-
anced collections of periodicals, many of
which regularly have contents critical of
U.S. policy, including New Republic, Nation,
Harpers, Look, Life, Foreign Affairs, News-
ian Survey
,
A
s
i
ew,
Saturday Rev
Time
ek
,
,
we
New York Times Magazine; and the New
Yorker.
2. Have any films produced by the Viet-
namese Government been brought to the
United States for showing? If so, provide the
details.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent
the following GVN-produced 16 mm films
to the GVN's Embassy in Washington and to
the GVN's permanent observer to the United
Nations since January 1969:
"Carnage at Hue" 1----- English_____ 1 print...-. 1 print.
"Viet-Nam News Maga- ___do_______ 2 prints____ 2 prints.
sine."
"Love and Hatred "_-______do------- 3 prints---- None.
"Viet-Nam Fights and Vietnamese_ 1 print----- None.
Builds."
"Back to the Father- ___do_______ None______ 1 print.
land."
1 In addition, approximately 28 prints of "Massacre at Hue,"
vihich is the same as "Carnage at Hue, " were sent by the GVN
to various U.S. civilian groups at the latter's request.
3. (a) Have there been any studies made of
the relative effectiveness of GVN and Viet
Cong political propaganda? (b) If so, what do
they show as to the effectiveness of the
various methods of propaganda used by each?
There is no record of any comparative
studies. Typical Viet Cong propaganda stud-
ies report themes but no comparative eval-
uation.
4. How many TV sets are there in Viet-
Nam-in Vietnamese hands?-How many are
owned by the Vietnamese Government? How
many were paid. for by the United States?
The GVN estimates that there are 300,000
television sets in use by the Vietnamese. The
GVN owns 4,832 sets, of which 4,582 were
USG-funded-1,082 for the Republic of Viet-
Nam's Armed Forces (RVNAF), and 3,500 for
viewing program.
5. How many TV crews does the USIA oper-
ate in Viet-Nam? What use is made of their
production?
USIA does not have any TV crews in Viet-
Nam. JUSPAO, however, does have six mo-
tion picture cameramen on its payroll, and
they are available to produce materials for a
TV clip service. Since January 1, 1969, JUS-
PAO has produced 108 TV clips for distri-
bution to USIS posts in 36 countries. When
clips are considered to. have application to
Vietnamese audiences, they are offered to
Vietnamese TV.
6. (a) How does the number of personnel
now attached to the (1) USIA, (2) JUSPAO,
and (3) in military psychological operations
GVN Observer
Embassy to U.N.
Estimate,
1969
1970
1971
(1) Personnel--USIA element:
American civilians___________
1130
299
888
Local and 3d country
nationals_________________
9397
6347
8347
(2) Personnel -JUSPAO:
American civilians___________
1132
6101
690
Local and 3d country
nationals7_______________
397
347
347
American military personnel--
118
107
107
Total -------------------
647
555
544
(3) Personnel--Military psychologi-
---
1 Includes 30 AID-funded, 6 DOD-funded, and 2 VOA-attached
officers.
2 Includes 24 AID-funded, 2 DOD-funded, and 1 VOA-attached
officers.
8Includes 14 AID-funded and 2 DOD-funded officers.
4 Includes 133 AID-funded personnel.
s Includes 117 AID-funded personnel.
6 Includes USIA element and 2 MACV civilians.
7 USIA element.
r 1971 personnel level is still in the planning stage where
some reduction is being considered.
6. (b) What percentage of all USIA per-
sbnnel overseas are in Viet-Nam?
5.04 percent of all USIA American and local
overseas personnel are in Viet-Nam.
6. (c) How many JUSPAO employees are
in Saigon and how many are in the field?
Of the total of 555 personnel, 389 are in
Saigon and 166 In the field:
American civilians________________
American military personnel-------
Local and 3d country nationals-____
78 23
34 73
277 70
7. Is the USIA consulted regularly con-
cerning future military operations, with a
view to obtaining its assessment of the ef-
fect of such operations on Vietnamese
attitudes?
In Saigon, the Director of JUSPAO as a
member of the Mission Council has the op-
portunity to advise the Ambassador and
fellow Mission Council members of possible
effects on Vietnamese attitudes of planned
general and specific military actions.
8. The information booklet entitled
"JUSPAO Viet-Nam" states that "It (JUS-
PAO) also produces for field use leaflets, pam-
phlets, newspaper articles and photographs,
posters, magazines, loudspeaker tapes, mo-
tion pictures, and radio and television pro-
grams. These items are variously distributed
by hand, disseminated from airplanes or
broadcast by the GVN, the U.S., and other
free world nations."
8. (a) What was the total number of pieces
printed or produced last year for each of
Leaflets_______________ 36, 000, 000 10, 000, 000 5, 000, 000
Pamphlets_____________ 13, 500, 000 3,000,000 1,500,000
Newspaper articles ------ 6,000 3,000 3,000
Photographs----------- 66,000 36,000 36,000
P sters______________ _ 17, 800, 000 8, 000, 000 6,000,000
Msgazines_____________ 19,900,000 9,600,000 7,800,000
Loudspeakertapes______ 11,819 7,310 None
Motion picture prints--_- 1,514 655 600
Radio programs --------- 1, 271 1,048 450
Television programss__.. 27 72 None
1Thp gstimates~prov.itleil in the Mar, 19, 1970, testimony
were based on volume of U,S, support for the GVPI printed
media program,
5JUSPAO provided scripts and culture-drama team support to
GYM television,
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S 3988 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE
8. (b) Do these totals include the propa-
ganda materials put out by the U.S. military
forces? If not, how much did the military
produce last year? Where are these materials
printed?
Military production, for which JUSPAO is
not responsible, last year Included:
Leaflets--------- 7.8 billion I___ 7th PsyOP Group, Okinawa.
Do ---------- 2.4 billion 1,__ 4th PsyOp Group, Vietnam.
Pamphlets------- 0.5 million____ 7th PsyOp Group, Okinawa.
Newspaper Not
articles. applicable.
Photographs ---------- do___.--
Posters.......... 15.8 million--- 4th PsyOp Group, Vietnam.
Magazines----__. 1.9 million-___ 7th PsyOp Group, Okinawa.
Loudspeaker 1,327-------- 4th PsyOp Group, Vietnam.
tapes.
Motion picture Not
prints. applicable.
Radio programs__ 208 ---------- 7th PsyOp Group, Okinawa.
Television pro- Not
grams. applicable.
Two posters in Vietnamese________________ 1968
Paper flags, ROK. GVN, and United States__. 1968
Booklet, in Korean_______________________ 1969
Poster, in Vietnamese----__- ____________ 1968
1 The estimate provided in the Mar. 19, 1970, testimony was
based on GVN, not United States military publication programs
8. (c) Does JUSPAO print materials of the
Vietnamese government? How much of the
GVN printed propaganda is printed in its
own plants?
It is estimated that during FY 1970, ap-
proximately 70 percent of JUSPAO's printing
output provides information support to GVN
programs. Of the GVN's total support re-
quirements, JUSPAO estimates that the GVN
produces about 46 percent of the materials.
8. (d) Does JUSPAO produce materials for
use by the Korean and Thai forces in Viet-
Narn? Has it ever produced any materials
relating to allegations of Korean atrocities
against civilians?
JUSPAO does not regularly produce ma-
terials for use by Korean and Thai forces.
However, records list the following printed
products:
Quantity How used
30;000 By Koreans troops.
12, 000 Do.
15, 000 By Korean troops involved in the Chieu Hoi program.
50,000 By Vietnamese Information Service to reveal Thai assistance to
Vietnam.
JUSPAO has not produced any materials
relating to allegations of Korean atrocities.
8. (e) How many publications, in English,
concerning Viet-Nam have been produced by
USIA and are currently in stock? Please pro-
vide copies of these publications, informa-
tion on the distribution and the cost of each.
USIA has one such publication in stock,
"Vietnamizing the Search for Peace," printed
in 20,000 copies of which 19,270 were distrib-
uted to 13 USIS posts in East and South
Asia, and the remaining 280 copies held in
stock. In addition, JUSPAO has one English-
language publication in stock, "Viet-Nam
1970," printed for the GVN in 20,000 copies
by the Regional Production Center, Manila.
Distribution was made to the GVN Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and 29 GVN diplomatic
posts (excluding Washington), 11,800; GVN
Mis stry of Information, 6,500; 29 USIS posts
where there are GVN diplomatic posts, 475
for information; RSC reserve stock, 1,000;
JUSPAO reserve stock, 225.
Cost of "Vietnamizing the Search for
Peace" is .7 cents per copy, and "Viet-Nam
1970" is 20 cents per copy.
8. (f) How many of these publications do
not bear the USIA imprint? Why?
"Viet-Nam 1970" does not bear the USIA
imprint but rather that of the GVN Ministry
of Information. The publication was origi-
nally published in Vietnamese (100,000
copies) at the GVN's request for GVN use;
the subsequent English language verision was
likewise printed for GVN use.
9. (a) What facilities does the Armed
Forces Radio and Television Network main-
tain in Viet-Nam?
pn kilowatts]
4(adio/ Radio/ Television;
Location AM power FM power ER power
QuangTO ------..--- 1 ------ -- 40
Danang--------- --___ 10 25 40
Chu Lai------------- I ----------- 40
Pleiku_____---- ---- 10 25 40
Qui Nhon -------- --- 10 25 40
Toy Hoe-` ------- ------------ ----------. 40
NhaTrang----------- 10 25 40
Saigon --------------- 50 100 240
Can The ------------------------------------- 11
Armed Forces TV stations average 12 hours
of daily operations. Three of the GVN TV sta-
tions average four hours daily; the fourth
station (Saigon) averages five hours.
9. (c) How many Vietnamese watch the
Armed Forces TV network compared with the
number who watch the GVN station?
A comparison has not been established.
10. (a) How much has been spent, or is
planned to be spent, by the USIA and other
U.S. agencies, to help build the physical
plants for the GVN radio and television, film,
printing and other information programs?
Since 19$5 and projected to the completion
of the current GVN projects, U.S. agencies
have spent or plan to spend the following
amounts: 4-station radio network, $6.8 mil-
lion; television network, $8.2 million; motion
picture center, '$2.5 million; information
printing house, $234,000; other physical
plants, none.
10. (b) How much has the GVN put up for
each of these categories?
Actual amounts earmarked for physical
plants for GVN media facilities are not iden-
tified per se in the GVN budget. However,
for the period since 1965, the following
monies, including those for any physical
plants, have been spent or earmarked for:
radio, $8.3 million; television, $4.2 million;
motion picture center, $2.7 million; informa-
tion printing house, $1.8 million; and Min-
istry of Information General Directories and
the Vietnamese Information Service, $47.6
million.
11. (a) What was the total amount spent
last year by the United States on all phases
of the information and psychological scar-
fare program in Vietnam, including the costs
for all aspects of military psychological op-
erations? How much will be spent this year?
Next year?
Joint U.S. Public Affairs Office con-
trolled programs ---------_-- .___ 13.3 12.1
U.S. military programs ----------- 14.6 10.7
Total--------------- ------ 27.9 22.8 ___
Estimate-
1969 1970 1971
9. (b) How many hours is the Armed Forces - -
TV station in operation daily compared with 11971 funding level is still in the planning stage where some
the operating hours for the GVN station? reduction is being considered.
5-3
March 29, .1971
11. (b) How much did the Vietnamese gov-
ernment spend on these programs last year?
How much is planned for this year?
[in millions]
Category
1969
Ministry of Information-]-----
RVNAF Psy War activities-__-_-
Total_____________________
14.5
Lstimale.
1970
I No detailed breakout of GVN funds expended for 1969 is
available. However, officipls estimate that the amount is approxi-
mately the same as programed for the current year.
12. (a) How many U.S. personnel work
directly in or with GVN agencies concerned
with propaganda or information matters?
JUSPAO-------------- 167 107
USMACV----------- 167
Total__________________ 67 274
1 This total includes 16'. NBC/I contractual personnel.
12. (b) How many Americans work In the
GVN radio network?
Three JUSPAO advisors. In addition, there
is one technical, advisor assigned to the
RVNAF radio braich.
How many Americans work in the GVN
television activities?
Sixteen eontraetuaI advisors (National
Broadcasting Confpany, Inc.) and three other
JUSPAO advisors, In addition, there Is one
technical advisor assigned to the RVNAF tel-
evision branch.
How many Americans in GVN films?
Two JUSPAO advisors.
13. What Is the; purpose and scope of oper-
ation of "psychological operations officers"
attached to U.S. advisory teams in the pro-
vinces? How many are there?
They advise Vietnamese Information Serv-
ice (VIS) and Vietnamese Army political
warfare (Po1War)!, units in the provinces on
effective coordinated information/psycholog-
ical operations irk support of national and
local Pacifiicatioa and Development goals.
There are 34 civilians and military "psycho-
logical and military "psychological opera-
tions officers" attached to U.S. advisory
teams in the provinces to concentrate on
the functions of the GVN civilian informa-
tion services; an additional 43 military offi-
cers serve as advisors to the GVN military
political warfare cadre.
14. What control, if any, does the USIA
have over the activities of the five Army tele-
vision camera crews operating in Viet Nam
that produce materials aimed at U.S. tele-
vision audiences?
None.
15. Have the Vet-Nam Information Serv-
ices and other Viet-Nara agencies dealing
with propaganda ,matters been receptive to
USIA advice?
They have been;; generally receptive to ad-
vice in program,' training, and engineering
matters. Advice in administrative matters
has been less effective.
16. (a) How many members of Viet-Nam's
National Assembly have come to the United
States in the last two years? How many have
had all or part of: their expenses paid for by
the United States?
During the past! 2 years, 3 Vietnamese sen-
ators and 42 deputies visited the United
States. Ten senators and 10 deputies traveled
In whole or in part at U.S. Government
expense. Of these 20, six senators and five
deputies were provided domestic travel ex-
penses and per diem from the Department of
State in response to invitations issued by
members of the U: S. Congress.
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