ABSTRACT
The physical, psychological, cultural, and racial factors involved are so complex, the propagandist's knowledge so limited, access to the target audience so uncertain, and changes so unpredictable, that wartime psychological operations partake of the nature of art rather than science. Vietnamese cultural predispositions presented formidable barriers that had to be overcome for effective communication. The US Information Agency (USIA) used a host of informational and cultural channels aimed at winning overseas support for American policies. Since the USIA had conducted propaganda operations in Vietnam since 1954, it had a reservoir of knowledge about the country, its culture, and its people, knowledge that was indispensable for effective communications. Many Westerners experienced "culture shock" when they first visited Indochina. Indeed, the cultural gap separating the Vietnamese and American societies was probably as great as that between any two societies in the world.
