First of all, I have to note that the communists are good handlers of words. We should be very careful with and meticulous about
the way they use words and especially any dealings with them that involve written agreements. Here is an example: their decree ordered
"all puppet officers (i.e. officers of the Thiệu regime) should present themselves for re-education courses bringing along with
them ten days of food along with mosquito nets, blankets, etc..." Implicitly it meant this so-called "re-education course" would last for
ten days or a little longer but not indefinitely nor even one or two years. Unfortunately, however, it did mean indefinitely!
After the cataclysm of April 1975, the Viet Cong takeover of South Vietnam, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) went into
chaos. Most of the military personnel were disheartened and depressed and could only wait to see what would happen to them.
On June 1st, 1975, the first decree ordered all enlisted men and non-commissioned officers (NCO) to attend re-education courses for
three days at various locations both in the cities and in towns and villages. After three days of the so-called re-education courses,
each enlisted man and NCO was given a re-education certificate.
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