Chapter 5 “
Singing the Resistance
The previous chapter discussed some or the themes that Occur in the Viet Minh propaganda. In this chapter some particular characteristics or the propaganda are considered - in particular I am concerned with verse, rhyme and rhythm in this chapter. Following chapters are concerned more with the pictorial characteristics of the propaganda, although that aspect is sometimes of relevance here also.
Looking at the various styles of written propaganda used during the Resistance one is struck by the number of times that some form of verse is used. It occurs in posters and pamphlets and few newspapers do not have a section devoted to verse (often called vuon tho (“garden of poetry”) or something similar). Songs, being inherently rhythmic, use verse naturally, but this Chapter will cover verse which occurs outside the context of songs. Some examples of verse in the propaganda are discussed and the function of versification is considered.