Hello and welcome to VOV’s Letter Box, a weekly feature dedicated to our listeners throughout the world. We are Mai Phuong and Phuong Khanh.
A: This week many listeners to VOV’s English Program confirmed that they have received the gifts and certificates of merits we sent them for participating in our contest “What do you know about Vietnam”.
B: Christer Brunstrom of Sweden wrote: “Right now I’m listening to a CD of Vietnamese folk music which arrived in the mail today. I am extremely grateful for this wonderful gift”.
A: Richard Nowak of the US wrote: “Thank you very much for the second set of QSL cards! They arrived in the mail yesterday when I came home from work. These will go on the QSL wall in the radio room. Voice of Vietnam came in great tonight. The traditional music was wonderful”.
B: Sending a report on our program on October 1st, on the frequency of 6175 from 0330 to 0357 UTC, Richard Lemke of Canada wrote: “Thanks for sending me in the mail a souvenir artwork from Vietnamese culture - a wooden doll carving. It was a nice gift to receive”.
A: Thank you all for your reports. We’re happy to hear that you have received our gifts, which are a token of VOV’s appreciation for your listening.
General Vo Nguyen Giap |
B: Rabisankar Bosu of India, one of VOV’s regular listeners, sent us a number of reports on VOV broadcasts this week. In an email, he wrote: “I have been an avid listener to VOV’s English Service since my teens. Listening to VOV has been one of the great pleasures of my life. I have shared my listening experience with you through my reception reports and letters over the years. I would like to know some facts about General Vo Nguyen Giap, who led the battle against the French army at Dien Bien Phu”.
A: Thank you, Rabisankar Bosu, for tuning in to our broadcasts as a regular listener. Vietnam’s struggle for national independence in the 20th century was associated with General Vo Nguyen Giap, Commander-in-chief of the Vietnam People’s Army. General Giap made many key decisions which changed the balance on the battlefield, leading to the resounding Dien Bien Phu victory.
B: General Giap commanded 8 major campaigns during the war of resistance against French colonialists, the most important of which was the Dien Bien Phu campaign. His strategy shift from “quick fight, quick victory” to “steady fight and advance” was decisive in the Dien Bien Phu victory.
A: In addition to this strategy shift, General Giap used guerrilla warfare and a people’s war strategy in the Dien Bien Phu campaign and turned barefoot soldiers into an elite Vietnam People’s Army. Editor-in-chief of the French National Defense Journal Jean Dufourcq says General Giap had military talent and a far-reaching vision, particularly in logistics. General Giap established resistance zones from the Vietnam-China border through the northern region. In other words, he established leverage outside the border and a military-logistical belt to pressure and defeat the French troops on all northern fronts. General Giap’s strong will made him an historic personality and a Vietnamese compatriot that French people admire.
Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap |
B: General Giap had no formal military training but his talent and strong will were enough to create the Dien Bien Phu victory, which brought independence to Vietnam and accelerated the collapse of colonialism around the world.
A: That’s a brief about talented General Vo Nguyen Giap. For more facts about General Vo Nguyen Giap, please keep tuning in to our broadcasts.
A: In his email to VOV this week, Soumya Bhattacharya wrote: “I thank you for all the great programs and good quality signal of the transmission throughout this summer broadcasting period. In the past few weeks, I have noted that English transmission at 2030 UTC is being discontinued. I’m not sure why it is so but I hope this is temporary and this broadcast will resume soon”.
B: Thank you Soumya for your report. We’ll forward your email to our technicians.
A: Soumya also wrote: “I’m following the program regularly and what always surprises me is that so many songs and literary works are dedicated to Vietnam, Hanoi and other cities in Vietnam- all written and set to music by talented Vietnamese poets. The songs are so melodious that they touch the heart. The Saturday show has remained an all time favorite to me, I also thank you for frequently playing good quality Vietnamese music in the daily transmissions”.
B: Soumya, thank you for tuning in to our show. This next song is for you: “Hello Vietnam” performed by Quynh Anh.
A: In his email to VOV this week, SB Sharma wrote: “Poverty is a worldwide problem. But this problem is much more serious in developing and less developed countries. Over the past 15 years, the Vietnamese government has spent a lot of money and effort to reduce poverty. We have been listening to the Voice of Vietnam and learned what the Vietnamese government has been doing to reduce poverty. Thanks VOV’s English Program for regular update on this topic”.
B: Thank you, SB Sharma, for your report. Vietnam is one of 6 countries who have achieved the Millennium Development Goal of poverty reduction two years ahead of schedule. That result is thanks to Party policies on social security with a focus on poverty reduction.
Vietnam is one of 6 countries who have achieved the Millennium Development Goal of poverty reduction two years ahead of schedule.
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A: Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen on the Sunday TV program “People ask, minister answers” said the government has implemented a number of policies to support the poor by providing them with farm land and loans. Poor households have been supported in medical insurance, education, housing, and clean water. A program has been put in place to help 64 poor districts in ethnic areas build essential infrastructure.
A: Minister Chuyen said a new poverty line will be defined on January 1st, 2016. The government has decided to downsize 16 national target programs to 2 focusing on new rural development and sustainable poverty reduction.
B: Next, we’d like to acknowledge a reception report from Mizamur Rahman of Bangladesh who listened to several VOV broadcasts in October from 1600 to 1630 UTC on the frequency of 9730 and rated SINPO all 3s.
A: We’d like to confirm a reception report from Jayanta Chakrabarty of India. Jayanta wrote: “I’m happy to report to you once again and to inform you that I’m finding your program as interesting and informative as ever. It’s an exciting experience to tune in to your broadcasts both on shortwave and live on the internet. VOV is really the window to Vietnam as it is a vital source of news and information about beautiful Vietnam and its people”.
B: Thank you all for your reports. We’ll send QSL cards to confirm them. We welcome your feedback at: English section, VOV World Service, Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. Tune in to additional English programs on our website at vovworld.vn. Good bye. See you next time.