[VIETNAM WAR DAILIES -- RACH KIEN]

Year Published: 1967

Description:

This film is raw footage from the Vietnam War era, and dates from sometime between 1967 to 1968. This footage was captured by an unknown U.S. Army Combat cameramen named Staal, and given to Periscope Film by another member of combat camera, who kept them stored safely in a foot locker until the year 2000. This film was captured around the 1967 South Vietnamese election. It features Tran Van Huong and his running mate performing campaign drives and local Vietnamese around the small town of Rach Kien.  It opens with a sign noting the time is August of 1967 (:14) in a small village of Rach Kien and that a man named Staal is filming. Much of the footage was captured by Plenn, however, others took their hand in filming as well. Vietnamese farmers walk through a field between palm trees (:25). A stunning shot captures a cramped alleyway (:49) littered with locals and small vendors. Locals in long light orange attire read pamphlets (1:02) and slather newspaper clippings to the wall (1:19). Vietnamese gather at an open air market bending around small crafts and gifts sold on the streets (1:52). Pamphlets are passed around the crowd (2:03). Signs stuck on a bus encourage locals to participate in the upcoming election (2:26). Locals gather inside for a campaign speech (2:43). Another sign notes the film has been changed to the second roll (3:09). Campaign speeches are delivered on the sixth of March (3:16). Supporters smoke in the crowd as they listen (3:33). Pedestrians fill the courtyard (4:04). A woman eats treats while on the ground (4:16). A Vietnamese police officer stands nearby (5:00). A small boy hands out newspaper leaflets (5:08). A sign notes a third roll is employed (6:02). Newspapers note the running mates Tran van Huong and vice president Mai Tho Truyen (6:05). Another poster advertises their campaign (6:09). An adhesive is painted onto the wall to stick posters up (6:43). A colorful poster invites locals to vote (7:48). The date is September 11th, of 1967 and the footage is of a Cobra test (9:11). Propeller blades of the Bell AH-1 Cobra spin (9:14). The tail is highlighted (10:08). An officer marches across the base (10:52) towards the Bell helicopter. The film concludes as the chopper takes off (11:51). 

Trần Văn Hương (1902-1982) was a South Vietnamese politician who was the penultimate president of South Vietnam for a week in April 1975 prior to its surrender to the communist forces of North Vietnam. Prior to that, he was prime minister for three months from November 1964 to January 1965 under the supervision of a military junta led by General Nguyen Khanh; during this time, there was widespread civil unrest from the Buddhist majority and power struggles with the military.