45c.
Pilot in underwear "Don't give a native cause to
fear you. Fear makes him
hostile. Smile frequently.
45d.
Pilot on ox-cart "Don't be afraid to be an
object of amusement to the
natives. Be ready to
entertain with songs, games
or any tricks of cards, coins
or strings which you may
know.
45e.
Girl with pilot "Leave the native women alone
at all times.
45f.
Pilot receiving first aid, pilot "Treat your new friends like
in operating room, on a human beings. Don't look down
stretcher with oxygen mask on them. Don't laugh at Them,
or make fun of them. Don't
bully or drive them. Natives
suffer from diseases which
you can catch. Avoid physical
contact without seeming to
do so.
45g.
Vietnamese carry pilot issue Be generous, but not lavish!"
46. Soldier packs pilot issue - Music -
47. carries bundle across yard - Music -
48.
Thorsness declares X: Major Thorsness, what were
you thoughts when you took
off your flying suit and were
handed these, let's call
them pyjamas? How does a
high-ranking officer feel
about such a change of
clothing?
Thorsness: Humm. Well, one feels that,
first off one accepts
reality. It's a fact that I
was shot down and it's a fact
that I was captured and
as a prisoner of war here,
it's a fact that my treatment
is entirely up to my captors
and whatever they do with me,
I have no control over it.
X: Permit me to interrupt. You
said just now that you are
here as a prisoner of war.
But do you actually have the
right, according to
international law, to claim
the status of a prisoner of
war?
Thorsness: In my mind yes. I feel that I
am.
X: Have the United States of
America declared war on the
Democratic Republic of
Vietnam?
Thorsness: To my knowledge they have
not. So far as I know
there has been no formal
declaration of war between
the United States and the,
and North Vietnam.
49.
Shively declares X: Lieutenant Shively, the
United States of America has
never declared war on the
Democratic Republic of
Vietnam, is that right?
Shively: No, sir, as far as I know
they have never declared war
on North Vietnam, no sir.
X: Now, we know from what you
have told us that you have a
master's degree in
international affairs. Do you
see any consequence,
with a view to international
law, for yourself as an
inmate of a prison camp here
in the DRV deriving from the
fact that war has not been
declared?
Shively: Well, sir, as far as the
Geneva Declarations are
concerned, I don't think that
we are actually considered
prisoners-of-war, because
there has been no declaration
of war. It kinda, kind of
leaves us that are captured
out in the cold. We don't
know status.
X: According to international
law, a war is preceded by an
official declaration of war.
There are other definitions
for the actions you have
waged and are still waging
here: namely piracy, and the
pirate.
Shively: I would imagine that. I know
that's how the Vietnamese
people look at us here, sir.
X: Not only the Vietnamese, but
also the major part of the
world, and, I think, quite a
few citizens of the United
States of America.
Shively: Yes, sir.
X: And if you now wish to start
from the standpoint that you
yourself cannot claim to be a
prisoner of war in the sense
of the Geneva Convention,
what is your opinion of your
treatment?
Shively: Sir, I have been treated very
well. Ah, I was greatly
surprised at how well I have
been treated, as I said bef
ore, I was, had not expected
to be treated so well at
all. I had expected perhaps
to be thrown into a dark hole
somewhere, and kinda
forgotten about, if not
killed immediately, I thought
that if I was kept alive,
that I probably wouldn't be
fed very well, would just
have enough to sustain life
and that be about all, but to
the contrary, I've been
treated very well. The wounds
I received during my ejection
from the aircraft have been
treated, I eat well,
regularly, good meals, even
allowed cigarettes daily to
smoke, get good clothes, good
shelter, so on like this,
sir. I have been treated, I
consider, very fairly.
X: Lieutenant Shively, how do
you explain the fact of your
-- and I use your words, fair
treatment? It seems to me
that the Vietnamese would
have every reason to revenge
themselves for everything
that has happened and is
still happening.
Shively: Sir, I, I can, it's hard for
me to explain why the people
would treat me well after the
damage and suffering that
I've caused. I think it is
probably, basically the
generosity of the Vietnamese
people and their desire for
me to understand their point
of view and perhaps and some
way for me to understand, and
think about the suffering
that I have caused, and to
show my desire to be forgiven
by the Vietnamese people for
what I've done, sir.
X: Lieutenant, you are
experiencing in practice an
example of socialist
humanity. The President of
the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, has
stated that the people here
are capable of
differentiating between real
criminals in the background,
who hold the decisive
positions of government, and
their tools who carry out
their plans by dropping bombs
and firing rockets. You are
enjoying here more or less
the advantages of this
socialist concept which does
not absolve you of guilt or
minimize your actions, but
does differentiate in each
case between the initiators
of a policy and their mere
tools.
50.
Risner declares X: Colonel Risner, do you get
enough to eat here in the
prison camp? And how about
the quality of your food?
Risner: Yes, yes, we are very well
fed, we are well fed.
51.
Thorsness declares; X: Major Thorsness, do you
holds burnt rice in his hand know what that is that you
have there in your hand?
Thorsness: Well, it is, it appears to be
rice, I, I don't know, it
looks like rice, maybe. No, I
don't know for certain what
this is.
X: You were right; it is rice
that was burnt during an
air-raid on an agricultural
area.
52.
Hand of Thorsness - Music -
with burnt rice Commentary: No one will ever eat this
burnt rice. Rice is the basic
food in Vietnam.
53.
Rice bowl heaped full Those who burnt the rice have
learned how valuable it is.
54.
Prisoners picking up They eat with gusto
their rations
55.
Pilots eating and it doesn't stick in their
throats.
56.
Risner declares X: Colonel, can you also read
things or sometimes listen to
the radio?
Risner: Oh, sometimes we hear the
"Voice of Vietnam". And, yes,
we have been availed
opportunity to read various
things and articles
since we have been here.
57.
Pilots in camp reading room
Commentary: The reading room of a prison
camp. With his face to the
camera: Navy pilot Commander
Kay Russell.
58.
Take-off from aircraft carrier On May 19, 1967, he took off
from the aircraaft carrier
"Bon Homme Richard" in
the direction of Hanoi.
59.
Russell reading, close up He is one of 10 pilots shot
down on this day over the
North Vietnamese capital.
60.
Zoom. Book and hand Russell's present problem:
close up there are too few crime
stories in the camp library.
61.
Slogan above window This is also important
reading: "Let the Vietnamese
problem be settled by
the Vietnamese themselves!"
62.
Alvarez declares X: Lieutenant Alvarez, during
your period of captivity
here, have you received any
news about the baseball
standings in the United
States?
Alvarez: Yes, we had some information
on how baseball is going in
the States. Through local
radio, I believe. Voice of
Vietnam.
Hubbard: This, ah, this is to deal
with the enemy?
X: Yes, that has something to do
with the enemy. American
soldiers are taught there how
they are allegedly to be
treated in case of communist
captivity.
Hubbard: I never, I've never received
any training of this type. I
don't . . . I went through
survival school, but they
didn't, nobody ever did this
to me. In fact, I think, I
would have been pretty upset
if anybody had tried to do
this to me.
X: I'd like to ask you a few
definite questions. Is your
situation here as a prisoner
comparable with the situation
depicted in these pictures?
Did someone here in North
Vietnam
[sequence jumps from #62 on page 16 to 90-95 and back to #63 on page 17]
90.
Illustrated photo step on your stomach as shown
here in these pictures?
91.
Hubbard declares Hubbard: No, nobody's ever jumped on
my stomach that I recall.
92.
Illustrated photo X: Were you tied to a stake and
exposed to intense heat of
the sun for hours on end?
93.
Hubbard declares Hubbard: No, sir.
94.
Illustrated photo X: Did you have to kneel down on
a log until you collapsed?
95.
Hubbard declares Hubbard: No, sir.
63. Three pilots marched Commentary: These three inmates live in to garden detail a cell of the "Hilton Hanoi".
64.
Pilots digging garden Although these high-ranking
Air Force and Navy officers
are not forced to work, they
are pleased to have the to
have the opportunity
to get in a little physical
activity. Here, they are
working a garden for soup
vegetables.
65.
Slogan on wall "Good order and discipline!"
-- their own order of the
day.
66
Stratton & Hegdahl Here commander Stratton and
sweeping yard the sailor Douglas Brent
Hegdahl are maintaining the
cleanliness of the camp.
67.
Hegdahl alone Hegdahl is the only American
draftee in custody in the
DRV. The sailor fell
overboard from a warship
where he was serving
as a draftee, and was
fished out of the water a
short time later by
Vietnamese fishermen. Now
Hegdahl is sharing the life
68.
Stratton of the captured air pirates.
69.
Cement holes in Hanoi Author's The streets of Hanoi have
Commentary: gaping holes: Concrete rings,
submerged in the ground.
70.
Production of cement These rings are vital
rings in the streets of products. The need is great.
Hanoi They are formed in factories
such as these, outside and on
the streets where they are to
be used.
71.
People squatting at the When the alarm is sounded life
edges of the holes: circulates circulates closely
Reading, and talking people, around these dark holes. When
traders, sleeping, waiting people the enemy approaches, heavy
lids lie at hand, ready to be
raised to close the holes.
72.
One-man holes in camp, Commentary: Nor are the captured American
beside them Stratton and pilots unprotected when their
Hegdahl buddies come flying in. They
have everything available that
the Vietnames have. When the
guards shout out "May bay My"
--- that means Americans
planes -- everyone knows
immediately where he has to
go: in the individual man
holes.
73.
Stratton or in the self-built air-raid
in front of bunker shelters.
Author's
Commentary: They have the
chance to survive --
74.
Stratton & Hegdahl in shower They can take a shower --
75. Washing They have soap for washing --
76. Pilots collecting They have enough to eat --
77.
Smoking They receive a few cigarettes
regularly.
78.
Reading They are permitted to read --
79. Bed Each of them has his own bed
80. Bearded pilots doing And anyone who desires to do garden work so can grow a beard.
81.
Pilots in yard This is "Hilton Hanoi":
certainly not a rosy reality
for fastidious tastes but
certainly human.
82.
Marching training company And now we will show you film
scenes circulated in the USA.
American soldiers are
undergoing special training
here
83.
Billboards in training camp before being sent to Vietnam:
preparation
84.
Marching training company for "communist captivity".
85.
Instructors dressed as Vietnamese American instructors have
dressed up as Vietnamese with
straw hats, they are wearing
simulated insignia and have
the flag of the enemy on
their backs.
86.
In the camp: "communist" slogans This is the milieu in which
the US variant of modern
fascism complacently puts
itself on show.
87.
In the camp: Commentary: Push ups on posts over a mud
Instructors torture soldiers. puddle. The arms are pushed
Scenes correspond to text aside.
"Captured" Americans are
questioned.
Evil-smelling substances
intensify the procedure.
The dirt treatment.
Interrogation at the
bottom of a musty hole.
Noise torture. Anyone
subjected to this for
more than 20 minutes suffers
total physical collapse.
"Captured" Americans must
move themselves forward at a
crawl. At the end of their
course they fall into a hole
where sand fills their
noses, mouths and eyes.
Depressive games designed to
break the will of the
prisoner.
A man is locked in the
pillory. Obnoxious
liquids are poured on his
head to attract flies
and other insects.
Americans at the moment of
"capture": from the very
first minute on, they are
beaten.
Heads in sacks indicate the
possibility of an impending
execution.
88.
Magazine is flipped open, Author's Large illustrated magazines
photographs laid out Commentary: have also published photo
series of this training camp
for American soldiers. We
took a series of such
photographs with us to
Vietnam.
89.
Hubbard declares, X: Will you please do me a
examines photos favour and carefully examine
these pictures and then try
to express your thoughts to
us. For your clarity I wish
only to tell you that these
are photographs from the
French illustrated
"Paris-Match" and the West
German illustrated "Stern".
Hubbard: This, ah, this is to deal
with the enemy?
X: Yes, that has something to do
with the enemy. American
soldiers are taught there now
they are allegedly to be
treated in case of
communist captivity.
Hubbard: I never, I've never received
any training of this type. I
don't know . . . I went
through survival school, but
they didn't , nobody ever did
this to me. In fact, I think,
I would have been pretty
upset if anybody had tried to
do this to me.
X: I'd like to ask you a few
definite questions. Is your
situation here as a prisoner
comparable with the situation
depicted in these pictures?
Did someone here in North
Vietnam.
90.
Illustrated photo step on your stomach as
pictures? shown here in these
91.
Hubbard declares Hubbard: No, nobody's ever jumped on
my stomach that I recall
92.
Illustrated photo X: Were you tied to a stake and
exposed to intense heat of
the sun for hours on end?
93.
Hubbard declares Hubbard: No, sir.
94.
Illustrated photo X: Did you have to kneel down on
a log until you collapsed?
95.
Hubbard declares Hubbard: No, sir.
96.
Illustrated photo X: Did you ever have Vietnamese
guards wearing these
wide-brimmed straw hats on
their heads?
97.
Hubbard declares Hubbard: No, sir, I never, well, I've
worn one of these .....when
I was captured they gave me
one of these little hats to
keep the sun off my head.
But that's the only time
that I have ever seen one.
X: Were you thrown
98.
Illustrated photo to the ground by one of your
guards and choked
99.
Hubbard declares until your eyes popped out
of their sockets?
Hubbard: I, I, not that I know of,
sir. I do not know sir.
100.
Torkelson declares, Torkelson: It looks like they are trying
examines photos to portray the, the that we
should expect to be treated
over here, and, if we are,
and I was shot down and
captured. Ah, it looks like
they're trying to teach them
how or what to expect when
they are shot down.
X: That's right, and since we
are of the same opinion, I'd
like to ask you a couple of
precise questions about your
imprisonment here:
101.
Illustrated photo Did someone tie you to a
stake and leave you standing
in blazing sun light as ist
102.
Torkelson declares shown in one of those
photographs here?
Torkelson: No, they did not.
X: Did someone force you to
kneel down on a
log with extended arms
103.
Illustrated photo until you collapsed?
104. Torkelson declares Torkelson: Ah no, I didn't, I wasn't.
X: Did anyone step on your
stomach
105.
Illustrated photo as is portrayed in one of
these pictures?
106.
Torkelson declares Torkelson: No, they did not.
107.
Illustrated photo X: Were your Vietnamese guards,
with whom you talked, wearing
straw hats such as these?
108.
Torkelson declares Torkelson: Ah no, they didn't have hats
like these.
X: Then these photographs
obviously depict
more or less the cliche'-idea
of a communist
opponent spread among the
American armed forces. Or do
these photographs reflect
even a iota of reality?
Torkeson: Ah, well, no, they haven't
treated me like in the
pictures portrayed here.
109.
Shively declares, X: Lieutenant Shively, can you
explain what is examines
photos going on here?
Shively: I, I am not sure, but it
looks like, a some
kind of a guerrilla training.
Perhaps, a simulated prisoner
of war camp, or something
such as this. It looks from
the photos that this ist an
army, army-type thing.
X: Yes, you are absolutely
right. It is a training camp
near Columbus in the United
States and members of the
American armed forces
are given special training
there to prepare them for the
possibility of captivity in
Vietnam.
Shively: Yes sir. The only training in
a prisoner of war kind of
situation I took at, sted Air
Force Base, has a survival
school there in which they
had a simulated prisoner of
war camp set up.
110.
Illustrated photos X: Well, I want to ask you this:
As a captive here, did anyone
step on your stomach?
111.
Shively declares Shively: (laughing) No sir.
112.
Illustrated photo X: Did someone force you to
kneel down on a log so long
that you collapsed?
113.
Shively declares Shively: No sir, no sir.
114.
Illustrated photo X: Did someone bind you to a
stake in blazing sunlight and
wait for you to break down
physically?
115.
Shively declares Shively: No sir. They certainly did
not.
116.
Illustrated photo X: And did your Vietnamese
guards wear pointed sun hats
like those to be seen in
these pictures?
117.
Shively declares Shively: No sir, no sir.
X: Then the psychological advice
given American soldiers about
captivity seems to digress
sharply from reality?
Shively: Yes sir. It is certainly farm
from what I had been taught
to expect once I was on the
ground, sir.
X: Now, try to explain that.
Doesn't it have something to
do with the fact that the
opponent is made to look
extremely malicious, or in
other words, satanic, in
order to increase morale
among the troops? Shively:
Sir, that could very well be
part of it. They certainly
don't want to teach us to
like the enemy and I think
another part of it is that
they really don't know what
kind of treatment to expect
and I think they are trying
to prepare a man for the
worst, prepare him for the
worst possible situation and
then if it isn't that bad, he
will feel somewhat better
about the whole situation.
X: On that, I disagree with you.
I rather think that part and
parcel of the standard idea
of communism is to say that
inferior people rule there.
Shively: Yes, sir. I feel that most
people in the United States,
myself included, feel that if
we should ever fall into the
hands of the communists
when we are fighting against
them, then we will certainly
be able to expect very bad
treatment. Yes, sir, I think
most soldiers, most pilots,
most people in the United
States generally, have this
concept.
X: That is the concept of
anti-communism.
Shively: Yes, sir.
118.
In the camp: Commentary: This is how the human brain
Instructor bangs soldier's must be treated If it is to
head against wall absorb anti-communist
thinking. The Pentagon kills
two birds here with one
stone: On the one hand the
communist enemy is made to
look monstrous, and on the
other, the American soldier
isosystematically brutalized.
119.
Shively declares: X: Lieutenant Shively, you gave
us a very impressive
description of your
experience in detention here
and concluded that it was
quite different from that
which you had expected. It
was all very convincing and
came like a shot. And so I
would like to ask you a
question, a very direct
question: did you learn to
give such answers? Have you
been brainwashed, to use a
word coined by officialdom of
the USA? You know what I
mean?
120.
Fade:
Shively to decapitated - Music -
NLF fighter, zoom to full
photo. The picture is expanded.
121.
Torkelson declares X: There is ample evidence that
captured members of the
National Liberation Front of
South Vietnam are brutally
tortured and murderet
in South Vietnam. Do you
approve of this?
Torkelson: Ah well, ah, I don't think of
course that this is
necessarily right, but I
think it is inevitable
that it will happen in a
situation like this.
122.
Repeatscene with Commentary: "It is inevitable that it
decapitated heads will happen in a situation
like this" -- says American
First Lieutenant Torkelson.
123.
Torkelson declares X: Lieutenant Torkelson, an
Americn office in Saigon has
on display the car of a Viet
cong prisoner bottled in
alcohol. Do you think this is
true?
Torkelson: Ah, it is possible, yes. 124. Photo: Commentary: Mascot of the US 1st Cavalry US soldier holds Division. skull with cigar and hat
125.
Skull fades out the skull of a fighter of the
South Vietnamese National
Liberation Front.
126.
SS death head Another Nuremberg is in the
making.
127. Photo series: - Music - US soldiers in South Vietnam with captured and dead NLF fighters; torture and interrogation scenes.
128.
Thorsness declares Thorsness: Yes, sir, I, ah, I am
satisfied with the manner or
the way I have been treated
since my capture. The people
that captured me treated me
quite well. Shortly after
capture I was given food and
I was given water, and I have
not been starved, not been
deprive d of my basic needs,
ah, food, clothing or shelter
and I'm, I can say, I am not
dissatisfied. Obviously
whatever you have you want
more, that's human nature.
But my basic needs have been
satisfied. And we are allowed
to wash and a place to eat
and sleep, so I'm, I am being
treated quite well, as far
as, as far as I am concerned.
129.
Risner declares X: Colonel Risner, are you
currently suffering from an
illness?
Risner: I, it's strange that you
should ask, but yes, I have a
very active kidney stone and
for the past thierty days or
more intermittently I am in
very intense pain and I have
received medical attention
for it to assist me during
the time of pain. I've also
received medicine for
sickness at the time since I
have been a prisoner.
X: We saw immediately that, in
contrast to the other pilots
with whom we have spoken, you
don't exactly radiate
healthiness; you have shadows
under your eyes and are very
pale. Is this because of your
illness?
Risner: It perhaps does, ah, of
course, despite the fact that
the Vietnamese authorities
have, they have actually made
an effort which I appreciate,
but they have made an
effort to help me maintain a
good state of health, and
despite that my situation is
not conducive to happiness of
course, and eben though we
are well fed and we are even
sometimes given vitamins
perhaps the diet has
something to do with it. I
don't really know what causes
it to look like this, but
perhaps my sickness has had
somethng to do with my looks,
yes.
130.
Pilots in camp decorate Commentary: Here captured pilots are
X-mas tree celebrating Christmas in a
Vietnamese prison camp.
During Christmas 1967
American airplaines also
dropped their bombs on the
DRV:
131:
Nativity scene "From Heaven above. . . .
132 Bomb explosions "To Thee I Come."
133.
Hubbard declares Hubbard: Yes, sir. We had a Christmas
tree and a small nativity
scene set on the table, with
a cross at Christmas time,
and I was allowed to visit a
minister Easter time.
X: Lieutenant Hubbard, do you
have the opportunity to
exchange letters with your
family?
Hubbard: Yes, sir. I have written to
my family several times and I
have received two letters
from my family.
134.
Alvarez declares X: Lieutenant Alvarez, during
your long period of captivity
have you contacted your
relatives at home?
Alvarez: Yes, I've, I had contact.
Letters, written
letters from my family.
X: How many ? I mean how many?
Alvarez: I have written, I have
written about 20
letters in almost 3 years.
X: And how many did you receive
from your relatives?
Alvarez: From my family, my parents
and my wife I have reseived,
I'd say, about 40 letters.
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