7 Flag Safe Conduct Pass

Submitted by Editorial team on
7 Flag Safe Conduct Pass, circa 1969

Safe conduct pass depicting the flag of the Republic of (South) Vietnam with other allied flags. 'Giay Thong-Hanh' [Safe Passport] is printed in large text at the top, while smaller text in English, Korean and Thai at the bottom promises that the pass will be honoured by (South) Vietnamese authorities and Allied forces.

During the Vietnam War, the United States military produced a series of these passes to encourage the defection of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops. They were used extensively in the Chieu Hoi [Open Arms] program, initiated by President Ngo Dinh Diem in 1963. He encouraged the Allies to drop billions of leaflets offering amnesty to those who might rally to the government. During the length of the war, about 160,000 enemy soldiers voluntarily came over to the Government of (South) Vietnam.

Reverse side of the safe conduct pass bearing the photograph and signature of President Ngo Dinh Diem. On the left hand side of the pass is a photograph of an ARVN soldier standing next to a VC defector accompanied with the message (in Vietnamese): Carry this safe conduct pass to collaborate with the National Government and you will be: Kindly welcomed, Assured of your security, Well treated.

Read more about Vietnam War safe conduct passes here.

Reference

Safe Conduct Pass courtesy Noel Bell

Keywords
How to cite this page: ' 7 Flag Safe Conduct Pass ', URL: https://vietnamwar.govt.nz/photo/7-flag-safe-conduct-pass, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 28-Apr-2011