to decide their own future without foreign pressure or interference, that the people of South Viet Nam need no liberation, that they are already free, with institutions chosen by majority rule, these are the points that need to be made continuously and persuasively.

The myth of cadre and party infallibility must be attacked over and over again by contrasting word with deed or fact. We must ask insistently whether the NVA soldier knows the real purpose of the three-man cell and the constant self-criticism sessions, namely to make him into a tool of his leaders and trick him into casting aside those doubts and hopes that do not correspond with the aims of the party. We must reassure him that his doubts and hopes are right that they are shared secretly by a majority of his comrades and openly by most of the world, and that the goals of the party are wrong, disruptive of harmony, destructive of family life, cruel, unjust, and therefore doomed to failure.

We must counter the mental conditioning against surrender or defection as a dishonorable act and the concomitant fear of mistreatment at GVN/U.S. hands, which have been drilled into NVA troops by their cadre. To do this effectively, we must provide potential ralliers both with a framework of sound rationalizations and detailed instructions on giving up the fight. We must persuade the NVA soldier that to surrender or rally will be neither dishonorable nor personally detrimental to him, on the contrary, that ending the bloodshed and suffering both individually and collectively, can only benefit the Vietnamese people.

Attacking Vulnerabilities

The vulnerabilities to be exploited are covered in some detail by the individual themes given below. In general they include separation from families, lack of mail, the daily hardships and risks which are particularly harsh on the unseasoned young troops now being brought into battle, poor or nonexistent medical care, and the wide contrasts between what they are taught to believe by the cadre and what they experience or see for themselves.

Now that there are indications that soldiers with relatives in the South are beginning to appear among the infiltrators, our range of PSYOP appeals should include some messages assuring reunion with these family members. A concerted effort should be made to identify NVA Hoi Chanh with relatives in the South and to obtain family reunion photos for use with these leaflets.

Different approaches should be used for PSYOP messages along the infiltration route and those to NVA units within the RVN. Trail leaflets might suggest ways to avoid service such as symptoms of grave sickness, straggling and desertion while still in North Vietnam.

THEMES

Attacking Vulnerabilities

Sympathize with the NVA soldier on the hardships he must undergo in

the South, give him credit for his courage and steadfastness, but prove to him that he has been misled, that the cause for which he is fighting is not just and not deserving the sacrifice of his young manhood. Couple with Chieu Hoi message.

Illustrate that NVA forces in the RVN face a formidable Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) defense force, highly motivated because they are not attacking anyone else's territory but defending their own, equipped with the most modern weapons, aided by the most powerful nation in the world in an unbeatable combination. To avoid the death or mutilation which will become inevitable the longer he remains with the NVA or VC, offer the NVA soldier the advantages of the Chieu Hoi program.

Convey as often and as persuasively as possible the story of defeats suffered by NVA units in South Vietnam. Give credible details of these defeats and ask the recipient of the leaflet to reflect on his own whether or not the cadre are lying to him. Again, couple with surrender or Chieu Hoi appeals.

In case NVA soldiers do not have the opportunity to surrender or rally in the heat of battle, suggest that they permit themselves to be captured and provide full information on the treatment of prisoners of war by the GVN, including scrupulous observance of the Geneva Convention, ample food and medical care, educational and sports programs, mail privileges, Red Cross inspections and gifts, and eventual repatriation.

Remind NVA soldiers that they are wasting the best years of their lives away from families and friends in North Vietnam. Recall that the first NVA infiltrators were told in 1963 that South Vietnam would be "liberated" in that year. Pose the question of whether their sacrifice is justified and offer the Chieu Hoi program as an alternative.

Sympathize with the NVA soldiers' lack of working mail communication with their close families back home. Pose the question of whether the cadres do not want to keep them isolated from the world in order to shut out all unfavorable news and control them even more completely. Talk knowledgeably about their worry concerning the safety of relatives in the north, reiterate that only military targets are bombed by U.S. planes to make NVN stop its invasion of the South, but that the U.S. is cognizant that civilians living or working near military objectives may inadvertently suffer. State that their decision to rally or to get captured is an honorable way to shorten this bloody internecine war.

During future Tet seasons, utilize photos of ex-NVA soldiers enjoying life with a family in the South, grouped around a festive Tet table. Point up the complete disregard of the NVA/VC for Tet and its meaning as seen in the treacherous 1968 Tet offensive. The special family significance of Tet continues to have a hold on the emotions of NVA

members, and its celebration in the free South should be stressed. Offer the Chieu Hoi program as their way to a brighter future.

Attacking the Indoctrinated Response

The entire mental conditioning of NVA troops, pursued through political indoctrination sessions, the three-man cell system, and constant exhortation by the cadre, aims at achieving automatic responses reflecting the communist party view of world issues. This rote learning becomes a powerful cohesive element. It can be chipped at only by repeated discoveries that what has been studied and accepted as gospel truth does not accord with visible facts in the soldier's personal experience. We probably cannot hope to substitute printed arguments for personal experience, but can reinforce the secret doubts that may have been nagging typical target audience members.

We have to build confidence and reassure NVA soldiers that the secret doubts they have been harboring are correct and that they are secretly shared by their comrades. The three-man cell system is a cruel and dishonest game, we should tell them, to have them suppress legitimate doubts and make them putty in the hands of the cadre. Again, the Chieu Hoi program is a way to reassert that they are human beings instead of machines without a will of their own.

The themes of colonialism, U.S. aggression, SVN misery and exploitation, the hireling nature of the GVN, are the kinds that are drilled daily into NVA troops to trigger parrot responses and automatic rejection of contrary evidence. Our messages must whittle away at each of these themes.

We need to remind the NVA soldier continuously that although he is being told he is in South Vietnam to "liberate" his southern compatriots, the people do not need or want the kind of liberation he is ordered to bring them. He should be aware that he is rejected by the people whom he is sent to "liberate."

PSYOP messages should stress that the United States is not in South Vietnam for a colonialist purpose, but only to help the elected government to defend itself against aggression and the imposition of a communist system rejected by the majority. The United States is in Vietnam at the invitation of the GVN. It will leave when the GVN no longer requires U.S. assistance to defend itself and requests the departure of U.S. troops. United States leaders have stated America's intention to withdraw as soon as practicable after a settlement is reached with Hanoi.

The GVN and the United States have tried every possible way to get Hanoi to the conference table, but Ho Chi Minh and his government have not responded.

RVN prosperity and the development of representative institutions which give every man an opportunity to work, learn, and earn according to his free will and his personal ability instead of forever being told what to do, should be emphasized over and over agian with photo illustrations where appropriate.

Repetitive use of messages showing plenty of consumer goods in the hands of the RVN people, such as private vehicles and appliances, plentiful food, entertainment and educational opportunities instead of the deprivation and drastic controls that are the rule in North Vietnam, should raise the question of which system performs better for the people.

Examples of the SVN National Assembly taking independent steps, reprimanding the government, or causing changes in government plans can be used to drive home odious comparisons with the totalitarian institutions of North Vietnam. Again, we should ask and answer: which regime serves the people better?

TRANSLATION PROBLEMS*
BY RICHARD H. ORTH

Although bilingual interactions will often escape precisely accurate translation, there are a number of steps the psyoperator can undertake to overcome or minimize this problem. When the population studied speaks a foreign language, the problems of translation have to be faced. While it will not always be possible to obtain perfect translations, the PSYOP officer should strive to reach a reasonable approximation and to avoid known pitfalls. In some cases, the PSYOP officer may be fluent in the foreign language. In many instances he will have to rely on other U.S. Army or indigenous personnel who speak the local language or dialect. Some of the problems involved in translation and some solutions that have been developed by various researchers are considered below.

Problems of word meaning. In translations one seeks to get across the identical meaning from one language into another. There are several hurdles to the accomplishment of this end. A word may have two or more meanings. A word's meaning is affected and may be altered by the context. Words may carry the general meaning but differ in intensity-for example, "very good," "excellent," "outstanding." A word or statement carries with it a certain feeling tone and implied values and assumptions of which an outsider may not be aware.

Possible solutions to problems of word meaning. To counteract the above problems, the following methods have been developed on the basis of field experience. Two or more persons translate an item independently of each other so that any discrepancies can be checked and resolved.1 "Back translations" are made. This means that in addition to the original translation from English into a foreign language, a retranslation is made by another person or persons into English. The original text and the "back translated" text should be practically identical in meaning. Any differences should then be resolved. Translators should be especially sensitive to the intensity of a word. If time is available the translated wording can be tried out on some foreign nationals, and the interviewer may question them to see whether intended meanings come across. When *Original essay by Richard H. Orth.

words and statements imply more than the direct literal translation, these implications must be spelled out.3

Problems of spoken versus written language. In every language, there are differences between the spoken and the written language. Such differences may reflect distinct functions; for example, the formal literary language may be used in legal and governmental relations, while the villagers discuss their problems among themselves in the vernacular or a dialect. Social class factors may be involved in the choice of words. Terms appropriate for legal matters may be quite unsuitable for a frank and unrestrained interview. In addition, certain items may be incomprehensible to local people. Although a word is listed in the dictionary, it may not be familiar to the rural dwellers. Such abstract concepts as "prestige," "problem," and "loyalty" may be meaningless to many rural people.

Possible solutions to problems of spoken versus written language.To overcome the above difficulties, some solutions have been offered in social science literature. The use of persons familiar with the language or dialect is recommended. A try-out of the items is indicated with some persons who are as familiar as possible with the local language usage. In general, it would be well to keep in mind that rural people usually are not too familiar with the literary language. Therefore, it would be a good rule of thumb to use simple words and sentences in the translated text. Another practical solution is to use an illiterate translator immersed in the local culture who translates to a literate translator who in turn can write down the translation. When unfamiliar concepts, for example, "prestige" or "loyalty" are to be translated, one may find a simpler synonym or define the term in simpler words."

Problems of social context. The meaning of a word is affected not only by its place within a sentence or statement but also by the social and situational context in which it is spoken.

Possible solutions to problems of social context. To overcome these problems, it is advisable where possible to use personnel who have bicultural experience and can perceive the effects of the situation and the cultural setting of the words.7

Problems due to interviewers. Interviewers may influence the responses to a questionnaire or interview not only by their use of language but also by their personal effect on the respondent. For example, when city students from the capital are used to interview rural people, they may evoke a negative or suspicious set among the latter.

Possible solutions to problems due to interviewers. It has been proposed to have a native interviewer, even if he is illiterate, pose the questions and have the outside researcher (for example, a student) write down the responses. Another possiblity is to give a tape recorder to an illiterate local interviewer.