NVA/VC POLICY TOWARD AND TREATMENT OF ALLIED PRISONERS OF WAR AND DEFECTORS

Created: 12/30/1966

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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NORTH VXRMM (WW) and

SOUTH VIETNAM (SVN)

OWi: NVA/VC Policy Toward and

Treataent of Allied Pit* sonars of Har and Dwfeeto.ro

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i 'ID PLACE 6

f'AlISniON 1 SAIGON, VietnaB

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DATE OF HEPORTi O.AGES1 L

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Then:ofinibe NVA/VC policy toward tho treatment ofs wellSVN and Allied prlson.iro of war which distinguished botwson thosefactedC "liberated" area, those who defectedattleion, those who surrendered voluntarily during battle and thosa who wereprisoner involuntarily during battle. Defectors to "liberated"aore bs walconed, buVcarvCully watched to establish theirides,

: >factors in battle were to ba given slnilar treatment. Tho5'" who sura ft.dared during battle were classified according to the cirounotances under which they surrendered -and wor*accordingly but in no oase woro urisonera supposed to bo ill-treated or have thoir personalfS.fntfjdf This policy wa^ not, howovor, adhered to, and priacrtors wero oftoi enrturod by platoon "and company cadres who also took thoir peMOMl. Slnoa combat units wero forced to movo frequontly FXW'a wore

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turned over to local authorities who adhered mare strictly to the official policy regarding treatment of priiwner-. All. pilots were imprisoned in one compound in HANOI where thoy rooeived good food into NVA troops, adequate clothing ond medicines and recreational facilities.

NVA/VC forces haveealised that the SVN troops weretherefore the majority of its cadres and soldiersobjectives and ideals. They soon got tired and backed downface of the difficulties and obstacles of battle. VAACprisoners of war and defectors was thus formulated; ittoery important policy. Each cadre and soldierte familiar with this polioy and oomply striotly with thein order totrcaj psychological influence onarmed forces and create dissicencs among thoir troops.

POLICY TOWARDS DEFECTORS IN LEBERATED AREAS

military defectors should be welcomed by the local organization Those whose native villages wore in the liberated areassent home to see their families. If their families lived lnareas, the VC would try to find every way to informto come to see thorn. If the dofeotor requested to beto oom his living, he would be given both moral and If tho defectors wanted to participate inho VC would assign work suitable to tMirdefeotors wero carefully watched andC^-I to seeenemy had diupatched the troops as false defootcr3 in orderin the Revolutionary rank.

POLICr TOWARDS THE DEFECTi-R3 ON 'idi

who surrendered on tha battlefield wore considered to beand forced to carry weapons cr that thoy woro bribed withshould be aa well treatedho otbar If theydue to losa of their pardticn, they weald be treated as

POLICY TOWARDS SVN PRISONERS OF WAR

It. During an engagscnent, the soldiors rn both sides had to bo determined to kill the enemy because if they did not, the enemy would kill them. However, it the enomy put down his weapons and surrendered, he waa considered to have thought ovor the nutter and repented; he thenreceived kind treatoont. The prieoners captured on thewould be temporarily tied up for the soke of seourity, but no VC was allowed to insult and beat the px-Vonors. The prisonors then would be taken to the rear of theut not toeroute as tbe unit. The policy of Front towards prisoners of war would be explained to the prisoners in order to reassure them. In the case of PCtf's who were natives of the liberated areas, theirworo informed of their arrival and allowed to come to see them. The money and the belongings of prisoners such aa wrist-watchespens, radiosere not to be confiscated, but ware toept after giving theeceipt toloss. Theof dead prisoners were not to be seized, only the military equipment. Wounded prisoners were to be treated, if possible and than sent to tho nearest hospital for medical treatment to save thoir lives. Absolutely, none of their belongings wore to be token. Every effort ahould ba made torlceBftn rafflcaoct ratlens and medicines to maintain thoir health. Tho prisoners had collective lodging and -

massing, and thsy vere permittod to move about freely ln the limited areas (lodging houses!all, bath room, toilet, Each prisoner rsceivpd two oans of rice and three piasters of otheray. The sum for food could be usod to buy salt or fish sauco only. Tho coots woro supposed to gather wild vegetables or ask the local poople for vegetables to feed the prisoners. Only the sick prisoners received medloinos. After capture, tha health of prisonersgreatly, because the prisons wero located in forests, and the prisoners oaroo from the lowlands whoro there was sufficient food. Only the allltary region had the right to liberate prisoners, but Source did not know the regulations for doing ao.

5, . PILOTS IMPRISONED IN NVN

Inonversation withenior Captain vhoadre sent from Militaryoo chock on tho situation of tha unit (infiltrating into SVN In, Source learned that US pilot prisoners were detained ln HANOI (specificunknown). The prison consisted of four rows of two floor houses (sisewo of tho rows wero used for lodging, ono was used as the mesa hall and kitchen, and tho othoranteen. . pilot priaonor received five NVN piasters for food expenses eaoh day in comparisoniasters grantedVN cadre or soldier. They spent only three piasters foray, and the remainder of the sum oould be used for refreshments. They had threeay oonoisting of broad and soup for breakfast and cutlets, ohioken, fried pork or fried vegetables for other meals. The US pilot prisoners ato together. Thoy went to tho mess hall only at mealtime; four of them tookts at the sanend they talked during reals. They also received sufficient clothing (quantityoap of normal and high quality, toothpaste and other necessities. Thehad sufficient medicines, and one doctor and three or four medics to take care of them. The high ranking oadres sometimes came to see them. In the cantoon, thereefreshmentoading rooming pong room equipped with radios. . pilot prisoners were free to listen to the US broadcasts. In ths prison area, there wore football, volleyball and physical training fields, as voll as sports equipment. Every month, tho ontertainnent and movie group presented ohowo. Tho prisoners sometimes wero permitted to taketours of HANOI or the areas bombod by tho US Air Foroes. In general, tho US pilot prisoners woro well treatod by the NVN Government. Thoy could perform the sane normal activitiesVN cadre or soldier, but they wore kepy under careful surveillance.

POLICY TCWARDS AMERICAN TROOPS

6# Source did not study tho VC policy toward American POW's, but he heard that the VC cadres vere ordered to feed then veil (daily ration-VN piasters) and yo help then if any of the* wanted to make contact vith their families.

LIVING CONDITIONCW's

7* Sir.ee Sourceemberombat unit, be did not have the function of taking care of POW'sj therefore he had no knowledge of the PCW'b living conditions and could only provide information cn ths POW's from the time of capture an the battlefield to the time they wore handed over to tho local authorities. CW was oaptured en the battlufield, he was iinmedlatoly Interrogated by operations and training oadres on taetioal Information relating to the battle. He was also asked about his grade, position, unit and operation plans.

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The POW la were classified into cfficexe, ooo-^traisaioaod effioers, aoldieWj YoluPtearg ^nd draftees, hut all of them .were treated equally, The POWi* vere' tied up and sentrearranged place where they were taken t* the Regimentj Since the Regimentotibat unit which moved very fdten, the handling of PCW's was very difficult, so the Regiment had to hand them over to the local authorities. Before being transferred to the local authorities, theereby tbe ^oeinvttb Op*ewrtione and Training oares on their biographical data and the NVN Government's polioy was explained to them. In reality, however, the VC cadres rarely applied correctly thoir policy toward PCW's; for example tho prisoners captured atG&NG battle in PHU MYnd the GOI RUSNG battlo in BA TO Distriot, QUANG NGAIore tortured by Plataen and Company oadrw -who also confiscated their belongings, such as wrsXr-watehes, pens, radios and money. Source heard that, enee trans*to the local authorities, the PCW's were detained in the jungle, but they wero well treated and rarely tortured. It they were net enoperative when interrogated, the interrogator* only tried to convince them by explaining to then the VC polioy and at lasttver*.

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