Phạm Văn Lê, dí-danh Phạm-Văn-Thao (Returnee Pham Van Le, alias Pham Van Thao), Chieu Hoi leaflet 1971
Two-sided leaflet. One side is a boxed photograph of a man with a name headline and alias; the other is a handwritten letter to comrades of Long Dat and Xuyen Moc districts saying he followed the Viet Cong from the 1960s, was ill-treated, rallied on 10 August 1971, no longer fears death, and naming nine people by first name and number to come back. The tell: a named returnee addresses individuals by name and ties rallying to avoiding death and seeing family again.
- Date
- August 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
- TestimonialFear appeal
- 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 RC02923 (not numbered).
Text on the object
[Side 1] [boxed photograph of a man] PHẠM VĂN LÊ dí-danh PHẠM-VĂN-THAO. [Side 2, handwritten] Cùng các đồng chí thuộc Huyện ủy Long Đất và Huyện Xuyên Mộc. Tôi là Phạm Văn Thảo bí danh Phạm Văn Lê, Phó Ban nông hội Huyện Long Đất. Tôi đã theo Việt cộng từ năm 196[illegible] và đã chịu nhiều gian khổ, đói khát, thế mà Việt cộng vẫn ngược đãi tôi. Tôi nhận thấy mình đã đi lầm đường, nên vào ngày 10 tháng 8 năm 1971 tôi tìm đến Huyện Xuyên Mộc xin chiêu hồi, Chánh phủ quốc gia đã tiếp đón tôi rất nồng nhiệt. Hiện giờ tôi không còn lo sợ chết chóc nữa. Tôi thành thật kêu gọi 7 Loan, 10 An, 2 Vũ, 2 Quang, 6 Thành, 9 Hoàng, 7 Thắng và 8 Bình, 3 Bố hãy mau trở về với Chánh phủ Quốc gia để khỏi bị chết chóc và được gặp lại gia đình. Phạm Văn Lê
[Side 1] [boxed photograph of a man] PHAM VAN LE alias PHAM-VAN-THAO. [Side 2, handwritten] To the comrades of the Long Dat District Party Committee and Xuyen Moc District. I am Pham Van Thao, alias Pham Van Le, deputy head of the Farmers' Association of Long Dat District. I followed the Viet Cong from the year 196[illegible] and endured much hardship, hunger and thirst, yet the Viet Cong still ill-treated me. I realised I had gone the wrong way, so on 10 August 1971 I went to Xuyen Moc District to ask to rally, and the National Government received me very warmly. Now I no longer fear death. I sincerely call on 7 Loan, 10 An, 2 Vu, 2 Quang, 6 Thanh, 9 Hoang, 7 Thang and 8 Binh, 3 Bo to return quickly to the National Government so as to avoid death and meet your families again. Pham Van Le
Read from the AWM scans, AWM identification strips omitted; two sides joined by FRAME. Handwriting read with AWM's English translation as a guide. Translation is FRAME's literal, machine-assisted rendering, not verified by a fluent reader.
