Radio Stations in Vietnam Before the French Withdrawal

Summer 1955 : The First Indochina War was ending, and the French Union troops were gradually preparing to withdraw. Vietnam was split in two: in the north, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh; in the south, the State of Vietnam, struggling with political rivalries and under threat from Viet Minh guerrilla forces. Below is an overview of the radio stations broadcasting in the summer of 1955, based on declassified CIA files.

France

Radio France Asie
Approximately 140 people worked for Radio France Asie, which succeeded Radio Saigon in 1949–1950 following an agreement with the State of Vietnam. Branding itself as The Voice of France in the Far East, it broadcast in French, English, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Cantonese. The station had three 25-kW transmitters and one 1kW transmitter. Its studios were located in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City).

In December 1955, the Prime Minister of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, signed a decree establishing a state monopoly on radio broadcasts. Radio France Asie ceased broadcasting on Sunday, 26 February 1956.

Radio-Hirondelle
This was the station of the French expeditionary corps. The Voice of the French Union Forces in Indochina aired three times daily (morning, noon, and evening) on 7410 kHz and 4403 kHz (1 kW power). Each broadcast opened and closed with La Marseillaise. Programs were in French, Vietnamese, Arabic, and West African languages. After broadcasting from Hanoi, the station relocated south to Tourane (now Da Nang) in October 1954. Radio-Hirondelle stopped broadcasting at midnight on 11 April 1956.

South Vietnam

The Voice of Free Vietnam (Tieng Noi Vietnam Tu Do)

This station belonged to the State of Vietnam, which later became the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). It began broadcasting on 4 January 1950, promoting anti-communist and anti-French messages. Following the proclamation of the Republic of South Vietnam on 26 October 1955, it was renamed Radio Vietnam.

It had two regional stations: one in Hue (7205 kHz) and another in Dalat (7265 kHz), both originally established in 1947.

The Voice of the Vietnamese National Army
This station used the same transmitters as The Voice of Free Vietnam and began broadcasting on 13 September 1954.

North Vietnam

The Voice of Vietnam (Tieng Noi Vietnam)

Broadcasting clandestinely began on 2 September 1945. The station officially broadcast from Hanoi starting 15 October 1954, in Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai, and French over five shortwave frequencies. It was the station of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and continues to exist today.

Clandestine Radios

The Voice of the United National Front (Tieng Noi Cua Mat Tran Thong Nhat Toan Luc Quoc Gia)
First heard on 25 March 1955, this station was run by the Bình Xuyên, Hoa Hao, and Cao Dai groups. It was anti-Diem (then Prime Minister in the South) and pro-Bao Dai (Chief of State, deposed 23 October 1955). Broadcasts likely originated from southern Saigon.

The Free Voice of the Vietnamese People (Tieng Noi Tu Do Cua Nguoi Viet)
Broadcast briefly from 5 to 11 April 1955, probably organized by the Dai Viet nationalist movement, composed of anti-communist nationalists.

The Voice of People’s Unity (Tieng Noi Quoc Dan Doan Ket)
On air from 14 May 1955, broadcasting from the Saigon–Cholon area. The station was pro-Diem and anti-Bao Dai.

The Voice of the National Just Cause (Tieng Noi Cun Chinh Nghia Quoc Gia)
Broadcast from 14 April to 10 May 1955, run by supporters of Ngo Dinh Diem.

The Voice of the Dai Viet National Liberation Troops (Tieng Noi Cua Doan Dai Viet Giai Phong Cuoc Gia)
Broadcast from the mountains of Annam, organized by Dai Viet nationalists.

People’s Radio, Voice of the Revolutionary Committee of South Vietnam
First heard on 1 August 1955, replacing Radio République, which ceased broadcasting on 12 July. Located at the corner of Miche and Richard streets in Saigon, the station occupied a house seized from the Bình Xuyên group to serve as the headquarters of the pro-Diem Revolutionary Committee. It could be easily located, as it did not broadcast during power outages in the neighborhood.

Cambodia and Laos

Khmer National Broadcasting – The Voice of Cambodia
Broadcast from Phnom Penh in Khmer and French on 6090 kHz with 10 kW. It also operated a 50 watt transmitter in Battambang (6035 kHz) and a 200 watt transmitter in Siem Reap (4970 kHz).

Radio of the Royal Khmer Armed Forces
Began broadcasting on 20 May 1955.

National Broadcasting of Laos
The station in Vientiane began broadcasting in March 1951 and could be heard on 7215 kHz.