1.
SV Armoured troop carriers along road towing guns
0.21

2.
SV North Vietnamese troops on lorry
0.27

3.
SV Lorry along road and through shallow river
0.48

4.
LV Convey of lorries towing guns along road
0.54

5.
SV Guns towed into field position
1.00

6.
SV Radio transmitter and operator(3 shots)
1.14

7.
GV Line of guns firing
1.23

8.
SV Rader aerial
1.25

9.
SV Troops loading shells into gun and gun firing (5 shots)
1.55

10.
SV Girls serving troops with hot food
2.11


Armoured troop carriers towing guns over rough terrain; setting up in field positions; anti-aircraft guns firing.




Initials OS/023 OS/038


This colour film was made by an official North Vietnamese camera crew.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Following President Nixon's visit to the People's Republic of China, the North Vietnamese People's Army was this week ordered to strengthen its efficiency so as to adapt to "new circumstances." As a result, official North Vietnamese military sources reported on Wednesday (March 1) that more intensive field programmes were being carried out.

SYNOPSIS: In the rugged mountain country of North Vietnam armoured troop carriers move down a road towing field guns. The troops are regulars, members of the First Artillery, and they're out on exercises. In this unit, of four-hundred man, there are twelve field pieces and three anti-aircraft guns, besides a rader car and staff cars.

The First Artillery was formed on June 29th, 1946. Since then the North Vietnamese remember especially the important part it played in the strategy of the battle of Dien Bienh Phu, in 1954, when Nationalists inflicted a decisive defeat upon French forces.

But today's equipment is different from that used at Dien Bienh Phu. The official North Vietnamese reports say it was modernised under a programme sponsored by Socialist countries. Part of the communications equipment was made in the People's Republic of China: everything else, including the shells, comes from the Soviet Union.

North Vietnamese artillery units are in three branches: regulars, as here, regional troops, and people's groups. These regulars are aged between 18 and 22.

On Wednesday, the official publication of the North Vietnamese People's Army reported that following President Nixon's visit to the People's Republic of China, an order had been issued to the army to strengthen its efficiency. The official statement explained that this was to adapt the army to "new circumstances." As a result the same sources said that army exercises in North Vietnam seemed more rigorous and effective than before.

After the hard work of the exercises the satisfaction of a good hot meal.....