Nguyen van be as propaganda hero of the North and South Vietnamese governments: A case study of mass media conflict

Abstract

Nguyen Van Be was a typical Vietnamese fighter who fought for both Vietnams. For the North, he was a departed ammunition carrier later made into the legends only propagandists could weave through radio, film, and print media. But, one Be of the same likeness, family background, and experiences was discovered in the custody of the South Vietnamese, who promptly put the live “hero” on display to world and Vietnamese media. The lines were drawn and the battle of the leaflets, radio broadcasts, broadsides, and mass meetings began. In this case study, the mechanisms which proliferated Be's heroism, the dearth of heroes on both “sides,” and an assessment concerning the effectiveness of such activity for the purpose of encouraging defection among enemy ranks are discussed.