National liberation by other means: US visitor diplomacy in the Vietnam War.

This article examines the strategic role of Vietnamese communist authorities in orchestrating visits by US citizens to North Vietnam during the Vietnam War (1965–75), revealing through Vietnamese archival sources that Hanoi tightly controlled these visits to serve its diplomatic struggle against the United States. By carefully selecting visitors, managing their itineraries, and showcasing evidence of US war crimes—particularly the devastation caused by American bombings—Hanoi aimed to win international sympathy, fuel the American anti-war movement, and isolate US policymakers. This visitor diplomacy was part of a broader Vietnamese strategy that combined military, political, and diplomatic efforts to achieve national liberation and reshape global discourse on war crimes, human rights, and humanitarianism. The article situates Hanoi’s approach within a tradition of communist "people's diplomacy" influenced by Soviet and Chinese models, highlighting its originality in weaponizing US war crimes to delegitimize American military actions. Ultimately, the study underscores Hanoi’s agency in the conflict and its lasting impact on international norms and Third World internationalism.