Content note: Border of drawn skulls around text addressed to enemy soldiers. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Hỡi các Sĩ-Quan và Binh-sĩ thuộc Trung-Đoàn 4 Chủ-Lực (To the Officers and Soldiers of the 274th Main Force Regiment), leaflet ATF-115-71
Two-sided text leaflet inside a border of red skulls, addressed to officers and soldiers of the 274th Main Force Regiment. It lists, in bullets, that the reader lacks medical care and food, that weapons rust, that leadership has failed and political cadres lack enthusiasm, and that he will win no victory and find no peace even in death. The tell: only one-sided deficiencies are listed, framed with death imagery.
- Date
- August 24, 1971
- Period
- Cold War
- Made by
- 1st Psychological Operations Unit, 1st Australian Task Force (Nui Dat), for the South Vietnamese Chieu Hoi programme
- Region
- Oceania
- Country
- Australia
- Medium
- Leaflet
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Mcmahon Government
- Leader
- William Mcmahon
- Audience
- Enemy forces
- Theme
- War and the military
- Event
- Vietnam War
- Techniques
- Fear appealCard stacking
- Source
- Unidentified Source blurred: contractors, cutouts, buried disclosure
- Source
- Australian War Memorial (Official Records, 1st Psychological Operations Unit leaflets), retrieved October 2, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain per holder (AWM: 'Copyright expired. Permission for reproduction not required'; issued 1971)
1st Psychological Operations Unit, 1st Australian Task Force, 1971; Australian War Memorial RC02918 (ATF-115-71).
Text on the object
[Side 1] Hỡi các Sĩ-Quan và Binh-sĩ thuộc Trung-Đoàn 4 Chủ-Lực !!! - CÁC BẠN ĐANG THIẾU THỐN SỰ CHĂM SÓC THUỐC MEN. - CÁC BẠN ĐÃ GẶP SỰ KHÓ KHĂN TRONG VIỆC TIẾP TẾ LƯƠNG THỰC. - ĐÓ LÀ SỰ THẤT BẠI TRONG VIỆC LÃNH ĐẠO CỦA CẤP CHỈ-HUY CỦA CÁC BẠN. - CÁN BỘ CHÍNH-TRỊ CỦA CÁC BẠN THIẾU SỰ NHIỆT TÂM ĐỂ DIỀU KHIỂN CÁC BẠN. [Side 2] Hỡi các Sĩ-Quan và Binh-sĩ thuộc Trung-Đoàn 4 Chủ-Lực !!! - NHỮNG VŨ KHÍ CỦA CÁC BẠN BỊ RỈ-SÉT VÌ KHÔNG CÓ PHƯƠNG TIỆN ĐỂ BẢO TRÌ. - CÁC BẠN TIẾP TỤC BỊ ĐE DỌA BỞI QUÂN ĐỊCH. - CÁC BẠN SẼ KHÔNG CÓ ĐƯỢC MỘT SỰ CHIẾN THẮNG NÀO, SỰ HY SINH CỦA CÁC BẠN CŨNG SẼ TRỞ THÀNH VÔ NGHĨA, VÀ TRONG TINH THẦN CỦA CÁC BẠN CŨNG SẼ KHÔNG TÌM ĐƯỢC HÒA BÌNH. 115/71.
[Side 1] O officers and soldiers of the 4th Main Force Regiment [AWM: 274th] !!! - YOU ARE SHORT OF MEDICAL CARE. - YOU HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY IN SUPPLYING FOOD. - THAT IS A FAILURE IN THE LEADERSHIP OF YOUR COMMANDERS. - YOUR POLITICAL CADRES LACK THE ENTHUSIASM TO DIRECT YOU. [Side 2] O officers and soldiers of the 4th Main Force Regiment [AWM: 274th] !!! - YOUR WEAPONS ARE RUSTING BECAUSE THERE ARE NO MEANS TO MAINTAIN THEM. - YOU CONTINUE TO BE THREATENED BY THE ENEMY. - YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY VICTORY, YOUR SACRIFICE WILL BECOME MEANINGLESS, AND IN YOUR SPIRIT YOU WILL ALSO FIND NO PEACE. 115/71.
Both sides read from the AWM scans. The AWM identification strips ('AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL' and the accession number) at the foot of each scan are part of the scan and are omitted. The hosted image places the two sides of the leaflet one above the other (or side by side), joined by FRAME from AWM's two scans of the same object. Translation is FRAME's own literal rendering, machine-assisted and not verified by a fluent reader; AWM's English translation was consulted.
