In 1988 in an interview with Barbara Walters on 20/20, Jane Fonda talked about her Vietnam visit and issued what some feel was an apology but which her critics say was not enough.

Fonda said, "I would like to say something, not just to Vietnam veterans in New England, but to men who were in Vietnam, who I hurt, or whose pain I caused to deepen because of the things that I said or did. I was trying to help end the killing and the war, but there were times when I was thoughtless and careless about it and I'm...very sorry that I hurt them. And I want to apologize to them and their families."

In 2005, Fonda published her autobiography in which she described in detail her decision to go to North Vietnam. She said it was primarily motivated by her desire to document the U.S. bombing of important dikes that, if destroyed, could kill tens of thousands of people and devastate the lives of millions. The U.S. had denied the bombings. In the book, Fonda is unapologetic about the trip or her participation in broadcasts on radio Hanoi but regrets the pictures taken of her at the gun emplacement. She said it made it appear as though she was celebrating armaments aimed at American planes, which was not how she felt and was not the context in which the pictures were taken. She reminds readers that the U.S. investigated her trip and found no reason to bring any charges against her. She also describes her longstanding support of, and interaction with, U.S. military personnel and says her only beef was with the U.S. government, not the troops.

A version of this eRumor have begun circulating in 2010 saying that President Obama is honoring Jane Fonda. This version has been circulating since 2009 and is pretty much a carbon copy of the original Barbara Walters eRumor. The "100 Women of the Century" was a project of the Ladies Home Journal and a TV special hosted by Barbara Walters that aired April 30, 1999. Jane Fonda was one of the 100.

Who started the email story (and quoted on this site) about the POWs is not known -- but a reasonable person can guess why. Unfortunately, it has been widely and unethically circulated.

I thought you might find the following article from snopes.com interesting: http://www.snopes.com/military/fonda.asp

I thought you might find the following article from truthorfiction.com interesting http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/h/hanoijane.htm

Fact: During a 1972 trip to North Vietnam, Jane Fonda propagandized on behalf of the North Vietnamese government, declared that American POWs were being treated humanely and condemned U.S. soldiers as "war criminals" and later denounced them as liars for claiming they had been tortured: True.

Fiction: Jane Fonda handed over to their captors the slips of paper POWs pressed upon her: False.

Fact: Despite the claims of hundreds of Vietnam veterans who maintain they were "there" and can affirm these tales as true, Jane Fonda actually met with only seven American POWs while in North Vietnam. All of their identities are known (Edison Miller, Walter Wilber, James Padgett, David Wesley Hoffman, Kenneth James Fraser, William G. Byrns, and Edward Elias), none of them was coerced into meeting her (they all volunteered to do so), and none of them reported her betraying their attempts to slip her information about themselves (there would have been no reason to conceal such activity in the first place, as the North Vietnamese allowed Fonda to openly carry home messages and letters from the POWs to their families).

Fact: In 1999, Jane Fonda was profiled in ABC's A Celebration: 100 Years of Great Women: True.

Fact: ABC's 30 April 1999 "A Celebration: 100 Years of Great Women" happened ten years before President Barack Obama became president!

It is Un-American to make up and then spread outright serious lies about any USA President!

Opinion/Judgment/Estimation = Okay
Criticize/Critique = Okay
Disagree/Differ = Okay
Outright falsehood (lying) = Not Okay

The TRUTH is out there! Let's focus on Fact and Truth!

Snopes.com & Truthorfiction.com are great sites...

I check out every chain e-mail I get before passing it on. Don't want bad information out there!

Fool me once shame on them; Fool me twice shame on me!

Jane Fonda is being honored as one of the '100 Women of the Century.'

BY BARBRA WALTERS

Unfortunately, many have forgotten and still
countless others have never known how Ms. Fonda betrayed not only the idea of our country, but specific men who served and sacrificed during Vietnam

The first part of this is from an F-4E pilot.

The pilot's name is Jerry Driscoll, a River Rat.

In 1968, the former Commandant of the USAF
Survival School was a POW in Ho Lo Prison the
'Hanoi Hilton.'

Dragged from a stinking cesspit of a cell, cleaned, fed, and dressed in clean PJ's, he was
ordered to describe for a visiting American
'Peace Activist' the 'lenient and humane treatment' he'd received.

He spat at Ms. Fonda, was clubbed, and was
dragged away. During the subsequent beating, he fell forward on to the camp Commandant 's feet, which sent that officer berserk.

In 1978, the Air Force Colonel still suffered from
double vision (which permanently ended his
flying career) from the Commandant's frenzied
application of a wooden baton.

From 1963-65, Col. Larry Carrigan was in the 47FW/DO (F-4E's). He spent 6 years in the
'Hanoi Hilton',,, the first three of which his
family only knew he was 'missing in action'.
His wife lived on faith that he was still alive.
His group, too, got the cleaned-up, fed and
clothed routine in preparation for a
'peace delegation' visit.

They, however, had time and devised a plan to
get word to the world that they were alive
and still survived. Each man secreted a tiny
piece of paper, with his Social Security Number
on it , in the palm of his hand.

When paraded before Ms. Fonda and a cameraman, she walked the line, shaking each man's hand and asking little encouragingsnippets like: 'Aren't you sorry you bombed babies?' and 'Are you grateful for the humane treatment from your benevolent captors?' Believing this HAD to be an act, they each palmed her their sliver of paper.

She took them all without missing a beat.. At the
end of the line and once the camera stopped
rolling, to the shocked disbelief of the POWs,
she turned to the officer in charge and handed
him all the little pieces of paper.

Three men died from the subsequent beatings.
Colonel Carrigan was almost number four but he survived, which is the only reason we know of her actions that day.

I was a civilian economic development advisor in Vietnam , and was captured by the North Vietnamese communists in South Vietnam in 1968, and held prisoner for over 5 years.

I spent 27 months in solitary confinement; one
year in a cage in Cambodia ; and one year in a 'black box' in Hanoi. My North Vietnamese captors deliberately poisoned and murdered a female missionary, a nurse in a leprosarium in Ban me Thuot, South Vietnam , whom I buried in the jungle near the Cambodian border. At one time, I weighed only about 90 lbs. (My normal weight is 170 lbs)

We were Jane Fonda's 'war criminals..'

When Jane Fonda was in Hanoi , I was asked by the camp communist political officer if I would be willing to meet with her..

I said yes, for I wanted to tell her about the real treatment we POWs received... and how
different it was from the treatment purported by
the North Vietnamese, and parroted by her as
'humane and lenient.'

Because of this, I spent three days on a rocky
floor on my knees, with my arms outstretched
with a large steel weights placed on my hands,
and beaten with a bamboo cane.

I had the opportunity to meet with Jane Fonda
soon after I was released. I asked her if she would be willing to debate me on TV.
She never did answer me.

These first-hand experiences do not exemplify
someone who should be honored as part of '100 Years of Great Women.' Lest we forget...' 100 Years of Great Women' should never include a traitor whose hands are covered with the blood of so many patriots.

There are few things I have strong visceral
reactions to, but Hanoi Jane's participation in
blatant treason, is one of them.
She needs to know that we will never forget.

Ellen,

My heart sank as I have recently read about Barbara Walters choice of Jane Fond as one of
the "100 Women of the Century". Come on!!!!
What's with this?

It's really unfortune that out of a Century, 100
years, Jane Fonda has to be one of them. Man I
know there are more than 100 women who have contributed significantly to society then her. She is and will never escape being a traitor. Veterans and women's clubs have repeatedly given her the chance to apolgize for her behavior in
Ha Noi while American service people (women and men) were suffering and being killed in Viet Nam.

I'd sincerely appreciate it if you'd forward this
to both Barbara Walters and Jane Fonda.

Larry Hammer

I love you Ellen, I think you are GREAT! You have more class in your little finger than Barbara does in her whole body. Jane Fonda has none.
I think Barbara should be ashamed of herself. First she comes out (not too long ago) that she had an affair with a married man and named him on national tv. How sad for his wife and their children! She didn't think twice about them for sure. Now she (the home wrecker) is going to honor Jane Fonda, (a traiter). Grow up Hollywood, the majority of the American people hate her for what she did. We are tired of movies stars and their uneducated opinions. As for Ellen, she is the best. She is beautiful, has a heart of gold and CARES! Ellen, you outshine them all.

Jane Fonda is one of the "100 women of the Century"? I find it hard to believe that a traitor to her country should be honored with this title. You cannot Honor someone who has no Honor. We are all entitled to our opinions but she can never undo her actions. I wish her no ill will but I will never honor her. My father flew with the B52's in Vietnam I choose to honor him, those who made it home and those who did not.

Barbara Walters is honoring Jane Fonda for one of the 100 people of the cnetury. Does Barbara remember that Jane Fonda is a traitor and a disgrace to this country, and now Barbara ia a disgrace! Barbara is dementiated!

I love Ellen but Barbara Walters.........no.
I am wondering why Jane Fonda is being honored by Barbara Wakters as '100 woman of the century!
Jane Fonda is a traitor to America and all the servicemen that were in Vietnam.
What a person thinks personally should keep it in their own circles , not literally go to the ememy, do things to have our men crusified.
Too bad someone didn't put a bullet in her her head or better yet, capture her in North Vietnam and put her in the same circumstances as our captive soldiers.
Who made her God?
Killing of anyone can be wrong at times but during a war, we have to support the troops, not nessisarily supporting our corrupt government who sent these boys into war..........any war.

Thank you .

Ellen... besides your show.. i love the view.. i actually only usually watch the Hot Topics, then do other things.. unless someone i really like is on... GOOD JOB ELLEN.. LOVE YOU!!!

The view is sooo much better since Whoopi and Sherri became apart of the show. Whoopi is able to take control of things and Sherri is hilarious!

I love your show. My husband, George X. Hale, loves your show. Our lesbian daughter, Alice, loves your show. Our son, Morgan, and his fiancee, Cassandra, who are marrying in Alaska in August love your show. My sister Dorrie loves your show. Only Dorrie is nearly as funny as you. (Not REALLY nearly, but when we tell her that, it makes her feel good.) We all love your show!.

Thanks for making me laugh. Sometimes things are going so well or I'm not feeling well and you make EVERYTHING better. Thanks

Love,
Deborah