Scope and Contents

Less than one linear foot of 14 reel-to-reel audiotapes, one book, one manuscript, and nine volumes of the Ethnographic Study Series: Selected Groups in the Republic of Vietnam document various ethnic groups in the Republic of Vietnam where Dr. John Campbell was a Psychological Operations Advisor to U.S. and ARVN military in five different provinces. The report/personal narrative, entitled 'Are we Winning? Are They Winning?: A Civilian Advisor's Reflections on Wartime Vietnam' was written by Campbell in 2002 and is based on his original paper of observations and recommendations he submitted to USIA in 1968. The audio tapes are from the Vietnam Conflict-era and contain 'easy listening' music and psychological warfare messages.

Biographical / Historical

Dr. John Campbell came from academe -- four degrees in Social Sciences: B.A. Psychology, B.A. Social Sciences, M.A. International Relations, Ph.D. in Political and Economic Science -- plus five years Graduate International studies in the U.S., Switzerland, and Spain.

He then spent eight years as a Foreign Service Officer with the Defense Department, the Department of State, and the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) in Great Britain, Washington (DC), Ecuador and France. Finally he was sent to Vietnam for almost three years, serving first (1965-66) as civilian Psychological Warfare Advisor to U.S. and ARVN military officers in five provinces in lower II Corps and upper III Corps. His second position (1966-1967) was Director of Cultural Drama Teams (Van Tac Vu) Program, initiating a propaganda-through-entertainment program with fifteen Vietnamese cultural teams throughout South Vietnam. This program was the first attempt to operate with civilians in the rural areas beyond the security of province capitals, preceding the pacification effort by six months.

A year after leaving Vietnam he wrote an unsolicited paper "Are We Winning? Are They Winning?: A Civilian Advisor's Reflections on Wartime Vietnam" with policy recommendations on how to gain greater public support for our efforts and objectives, which he submitted to both Dr. Kissinger (then National Security Adivisor) and the U.S. Information Agency. Per Dr. Campbell, "the paper was given a security classification by USIA effectively taking it out of general circulation."

After fiften years of total service, Dr. Campbell left the foreign service and returned to academia, teaching International Affairs and directing programs abroad for California State Universities, University of Maryland, and Southern Methodist University (Texas). He retired in 2002, dividing his active retirement between Spain and California.

[Much of the above information is from "About the Author" section of his paper, "Are We Winning? Are They Winning?"--VNCA Staff]