Interview with Martin Bell

British foreign affairs correspondent in Ghana, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Middle East, Rhodesia, Gulf War, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1960-1995

REEL 1 Background in Redisham, GB, 1938-1958: family; education. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 1st Bn Suffolk Regt in GB and Cyprus, 1957-1958: attitude towards call-up for National Service; posting to Cyprus; duties; attitude towards National Service; period as student after National Service at King's College, University of Cambridge, 1959-1962. Aspects of period as reporter with British Broadcasting Corporation in GB, 1962-1966: joining British Broadcasting Corporation, 1962; working on programme, 'Look East'; technological constraints. Recollections of period as foreign affairs correspondent with British Broadcasting Corporation in Ghana, Nigeria, Middle East, Northern Ireland and Rhodesia, 1966-1990: moving to position of correspondent with British Broadcasting Corporation in London; covering overthrow of President Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana, 2/1966; arrest in Nigeria when he arrived to cover Biafran War; meeting Colonel Chuckweumeka Ojukwu; nature of bush wars in Africa. REEL 2 Continues: move to Northern Ireland, 1968; impact of world civil rights movement on Northern Ireland; importance of maintaining neutrality; British Broadcasting Corporation's censorship of one of his reports from Northern Ireland; violent events witnessed in Northern Ireland; relations with British Broadcasting Corporation in Belfast, Northern Ireland; nature of Protestant marches and attitude Catholic towards them in Northern Ireland; receiving hate mail; attempting to present all sides of conflict and maintain neutrality in Northern Ireland; types of people recruited by British Broadcast Corporation and Independent Television (ITV); expansion of British Broadcasting Corporation news gathering in 1990s; impact of new technology on media. REEL 3 Continues: freedom enjoyed by British Broadcasting Corporation reporters; attitude towards later work in Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1992-1995 including getting to know warlords, United Nations and military commanders; importance of balancing pictures with words; covering Six Day War in Middle East, 1967; covering Yom Kippur War in Middle East, 1973; reporting on the Israeli forces crossing the Suez Canal in Egypt and surrender; media technology in 1970s; further details of covering Yom Kippur War, 1973; lack of protection against gunfire for reporters; Hostile Environment training scheme set up by British Broadcasting Corporation; reduction of foreign news items by British Broadcasting Corporation and Independent Television News (ITN); further details on covering Yom Kippur War, 1972; attempts to maintain neutrality; period in Jerusalem, Israel, 1967; frustrating aspects of news reporting; dangers for reporters in Rhodesia. REEL 4 Continues: maintaining neutrality whilst in Rhodesia. Aspects of period as foreign affairs correspondent during Gulf War, 1990-1991: being assigned to cover Gulf War; attachment to 7th Armoured Div; controls on media; difficulties of filming; surrender of Iraqi forces; difficulties getting film material back to London, GB; disadvantages of working closely with British Army; relations with British Army; wearing military clothing; relationship with Kate Adie; rivalry between reporters; bombing of retreating Iraqi forces; situation in Kuwait City; lack of casualties on Coalition side; question of Gulf War Syndrome; expectations of strength of Iraqi forces; Scud Missile attacks. Recollections of period as foreign affairs correspondent with British Broadcasting Corporation in Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1992-1995: beginnings of war in Yugoslavia. REEL 5 Continues: nature of brief war in Slovenia, 1992; situation in Croatia; bombing and shelling of Dubrovnik and Vukovar, Croatia; situation in Vukovar, Croatia; impact of European Union recognition of Slovenia and Croatia; situation in Sarajevo, 4/1992; street fighting in Sarajevo and casualties; reporting on events in Bosnia-Herzegovina; decision of United Nations to send military forces; reporting on massacres; visiting Ahmici, Bosnia and Herzegovina with 1st Bn Cheshire Regt and Lieutenant-Colonel Bob Stewart after massacre; memories of Lieutenant-Colonel Bob Stewart; report on massacre at Ahmici and on mortar attack on Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1995; censorship of news reports; difficulties in reporting Serb view of events; massacres of Serbs; working relationship with United Nations; role of United Nations Protection Force Generals Michael Rose and Rupert Smith; working relationship with United Nations; attitude towards General Michael Rose. REEL 6 Continues: work of General Rupert Smith; working relationship with military forces; impact of his news reports; witnessing ethnic cleansing in Vukovar, Croatia; attitude towards term 'ethnic cleansing'; attitude towards period in Bosnia and Herzegovina; sustaining shrapnel wound, 1992; dangers for journalists; rise in number of female war correspondents; description of 'pool' system for media; question of superstition; attitude towards later North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) bombing of Kosovo; supporting former Far Eastern Prisoners of War whilst working as Member of Parliament; support for Milosh Stankovic; speaking out against land mines and bombing of Iraq.