Voting Station

Hanoi Hannah (Thu Huong)

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Radio Personality

The Resume

    (circa 1929-September 30, 2016)
    Born in Hanoi, Viet Nam
    Birth name was Trinh Thi Ngo
    Made English language broadcasts for North Vietnam directed at US troops (1965-73)
    Used the name Thu Huong (‘autumn fragrance’) on the air
    Played songs, read lists of recently killed or imprisoned Americans, and recited messages intended to undermine US morale
    Example of her propaganda: ‘GI, your government has abandoned you. They have ordered you to die. Don’t trust them. They lied to you, GIs, you know you cannot win this war.’

Why she might be annoying:

    She changed her name so it would be easier for Americans to pronounce, apparently never considering that the Americans would just ignore it and come up with their own alliterative nickname for her.
    She aired wildly exaggerated stories, claiming the destruction of hundreds of US planes in a single engagement.
    She was taken only slightly more seriously than Baghdad Bob later would be.
    She broadcast anti-war messages recorded by Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden.

Why she might not be annoying:

    She first began learning English so she could watch American films like ‘Gone with the Wind’ without subtitles.
    ABC reporter Don North wrote, ‘Her voice was smooth as silk, her English impeccable.’
    She played rock songs that were banned from Armed Forces Radio.
    She claimed, ‘I never wanted to be shrill or aggressive. For instance, I referred to the Americans as the adversary, not the enemy.’
    After the end of the Vietnam War, she turned down an offer of a job on television to care for her husband, who had suffered a stroke.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 90.91% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 27 Votes: 74.07% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 93 Votes: 73.12% Annoying