Vietnam Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

House Bill Would Cut Ties To ‘Antithetical’ Nations

A bill under consideration in the West Virginia House of Delegates would ban the state and its political subdivisions from engaging in certain forms of business with nations that hold values deemed “antithetical” to the state.

A bill in the West Virginia House of Delegates would restrict the state’s financial ties with foreign nations that hold values “antithetical” to its own.

House Bill 4364 would bar the state from contracting goods or services from foreign companies that could benefit the governments of China, Cuba, Iran, Laos, North Korea, Saudi Arabia or Vietnam.

The bill states that restrictions would be imposed upon these nations because they either “align with communist ideology” or have caused “nonmilitary deaths” of U.S. citizens without proper governmental response.

In the bill, lawmakers cited a growing globalized economy as the cause of its creation, stating that “a company may obfuscate the beneficiaries of the proposed commercial activity that are in fact foreign entities.”

At a meeting of the House Committee on Government Organization Monday, some lawmakers expressed concern that the bill could limit the competitiveness of the state economy, or that it could violate preexisting contracts with foreign organizations.

Counsel for the committee said retroactively rescinding agreed upon contracts is often disapproved of by state and federal judiciaries.

Del. Pat McGeehan, R-Hancock, who sponsored the bill, confirmed that the bill would work retroactively, affecting contracts implemented before its passage.

In response, Del. Chris Pritt, R-Kanawha, said that state lawmakers should have authority to interpret whether or not the bill adhered to the state constitution.

“It is up for us to make determinations and give our input in terms of what’s constitutional and what’s not,” he said.

Pritt added that he viewed the pending legislation as a “very, very good bill” that is “perfectly in conformity with the constitution.”

He also said that the bill marked an important step toward protecting the values of the state and country. “There are certain countries that are hostile not only to the interests of West Virginia, but that are hostile to the interests of the United States,” he said.

Ultimately, the committee voted in favor of the bill, recommending that it pass but first be referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Federal Ruling On Foreign Hardwood Imports Helps W.Va. Plywood/Veneer Industry

West Virginia’s hardwood industry supports about 10,000 jobs with more than $1 billion in economic output, and the ruling removes a major economic threat.

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently ruled that imports of hardwood plywood products completed in Vietnam, but mainly produced in China, violated federal antidumping laws.

Keith Christman, national president of the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood said the ruling follows a history of unfair trade with the Asian nations.

“We saw movement of that production from China to Vietnam with only minor modifications,” Christman said. “We saw a dramatic increase in imports of hardwood plywood from Vietnam, in fact, 800 percent from 2018 to 2022. And it was an important threat, a big threat to U.S. production of hardwood plywood.”

Christman said the ruling puts about a 200 percent duty on those products.

“The Commerce Department determined this material was being dumped from Vietnam and using Chinese production and was subject to the duties that are, in fact, on Chinese hardwood plywood,” he said.

Christman says West Virginia’s hardwood industry supports about 10,000 jobs with more than $1 billion in economic output, and the ruling removes a major economic threat.

“It’s important to maintain these fair trade practices and we think it’s a big win for workers in the United States and West Virginia as well,” Christman said.

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said in a press release that state hardwood plywood manufacturing has been disrupted in recent years due to China’s unfair import practices, and calls the ruling a major victory.

“This is wonderful news for our manufacturers and workforce in our hardwood plywood and veneer industry in West Virginia” Capito said. “I will always stand in support of our manufacturers in West Virginia, and fight to make certain they are not improperly disadvantaged by China’s misleading economic practices.”

The West Virginia Hardwood Alliance Zone notes on its website that the state puts out more than 1.5 billion square feet of wood panel and veneer annually.

West Virginians Asked to Watch for Spotted Lanternfly

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is asking residents to watch for the appearance of the spotted lanternfly, a destructive insect whose presence was confirmed last week in New Castle County, Delaware.

It was first detected in the U.S. in 2014 in Pennsylvania, where it has since been found in 13 counties.

According to agriculture officials, the spotted lanternfly is native to China, India and Vietnam.

It’s known to feed on more than 70 plant species and is considered a major problem in South Korea, where it was first introduced in 2006.

The adults are described as one-inch long and a half-inch wide at rest. The forewing is grey with black spots. The hind wings have contrasting patches of red and black with a white band.

If someone spots this pest, please contact WVDA Plant Industries at 304-558-2212 or sparker@wvda.us.

After 47 Years Morgan County Man Awarded Purple Heart

Nearly 47 years after being injured in a land mine explosion in Vietnam, a West Virginia veteran has finally been awarded the Purple Heart.
67 year old Douglas Lyall of Morgan County, received the medal earlier this month after the U.S. Army Board for Correction of Military Records issued a decision finding there was sufficient evidence showing he was injured in a hostile act in Vietnam and entitled to the medal.

In the fall of 1968, Lyall was 20 years old and serving in South Vietnam when his armored personnel carrier was struck by a land mine. He was treated at a military hospital but Lyall’s injuries were not noted in Army records, creating a major impediment to his being awarded the Purple Heart.

Lyall received his medal by mail on July 10.

Special Programs Look At The Impact Of The Vietnam War

On April 27 and 28, West Virginia Public Broadcasting presents two nights of programs that look back at the era of the Vietnam War, 1964 through 1975. From the politics of the time, the protests, the casualties and finally the fall of Saigon, these programs reflect on the impact of the events that saw about 36,578 West Virginians serving, and ultimately reporting the highest death rate among all states.

Watch these programs at the scheduled broadcast times on WVPB, or afterward for a limited time at wvpublic.org. You can also download and print a flyer about these programs.

The Draft Monday, April 27 at 9 p.m. The question of who serves in America’s military has shaped battle strategy and foreign policy and stranded Americans in uniform for years on distant battlefields. From the Civil War to the conflicts of the Vietnam era, forced military service has torn the nation apart — and sometimes, as in WWII, united Americans in a common purpose. Hear how a single, controversial issue continues to define America.

Dick Cavett’s Vietnam Monday, April 27 at 10 p.m.

On the 40th anniversary of the official end of the Vietnam War, this program examines the war and impact on America through the prism of interviews conducted by the iconic host of “The Dick Cavett Show,” which featured thoughtful conversation and debate from all sides of the political spectrum. The program combines interviews from Cavett’s shows with archival footage, network news broadcasts and audio/visual material from the National Archives to provide insight and perspective on this controversial chapter of American history.

The Day the 60’s Died Tuesday, April 28 at 8 p.m.

May 4, 1970. Students retreat up Blanket Hill as guards advance with tear gas.

In May 1970, four students were shot dead at Kent State. The mayhem that followed has been called the most divisive moment in American history since the Civil War. From college campuses to the jungles of Cambodia, to the Nixon White House, The Day the 60’s Died returns to that turbulent spring 45 years ago.

Last Days in Vietnam: American Experience Tuesday, April 28 at 9 p.m.

April 1975. During the chaotic final days of the Vietnam War, as the North Vietnamese Army closed in on

Saigon, South Vietnamese resistance crumbled. City after city and village after village fell to the north while the few U.S. diplomats and military operatives still in the country contemplated withdrawal. With the lives of thousands of South Vietnamese hanging in the balance, those in control faced an impossible choice––who would go and who would be left behind to face brutality, imprisonment, or even death.

This Academy Award-nominated film, directed and produced by Rory Kennedy, is scheduled in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. The broadcast will contain additional footage not seen during the film’s theatrical release.