751G.00/12–1854: Telegram
The Consul at Hanoi (Corcoran) to the Department of State
confidential
Hanoi, December 18, 1954—9
a.m.
531. Sent Saigon 676, pouched Paris unnumbered. Ballachey, political advisor Canadian delegation and Kilgour, Secretary General ICC for operations, today described last night’s performance of plays and dances at Hanoi municipal theater on occasion inauguration “National Festival of Players”. Brief summary their comments follows:
- (1)
- All items of performance except some ancient Vietnamese dances had propaganda motif.
- (2)
- Stressed current party line especially attacks on “American imperialism”, Diem and to lesser extent French colonialists.
- (3)
- Thoai, deputy to Ha Van Lau on Viet Minh liaison mission, remarked that Viet Minh had not yet figured out how to give “significance” to ancient dances. Ballachey told him they had significance enough from Vietnamese historical point of view and should not be tampered with.
- (4)
- Soviet Ambassador and Pham Van Dong1 shared their one box with ICC representatives in positions of next importance. No high ranking Chinese were present despite Radio Viet Minh report today that ChiCom Ambassador had presided with Russian.
- (5)
- Program mentioned in several places past Chinese invasion of Vietnam.
- (6)
- One group performers, said to be Catholic and including one French girl in Western dress sang French Christmas carols. Thoai described this as evidence freedom of religion.
- (7)
- Program mentioned 25 different racial minorities of Vietnam and many of these groups were represented in songs and dances.
Corcoran
- Deputy Premier and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Democratic Republic of Vietnam.↩