shadow of the dragon: historical and cultural connections

Shadow of the Dragon:Historical and Cultural Connections

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Vietnam• Pronounced vee eht

NAM

• Resembles an elongated “s”

• Country in Southeast Asia with its eastern coast on the South China Sea

• Bordered by China to the north and Laos and Cambodia to the west

The Vietnam War

• Vietnam was divided into North Vietnam (communist) and South Vietnam (non-communist)

• North Vietnamese and South Vietnamese rebels wanted the country to be united as a communist country

• Ultimately, U.S. sought to help the South Vietnamese, but efforts failed

Vietnam War • Vietnam War was the second phase of fighting

in Vietnam; previously, France had fought to control Vietnam

• U.S. sent aide to France and, later, South Vietnam as part of the Cold War policy

• U.S. feared that if one Southeast Asian nation became communist, others would follow (“domino effect”)

• French defeated by Vietnamese in 1954

Vietnam War Continued• To date, longest war that

the U.S. has been involved in (1957-1975)

• By April 1969, the number of U.S. forces in South Vietnam reached its peak of more than 543,000 troops

• Fighting was brutal and relentless

• By July of that year, U.S troops slowly started to be removed

• In January 1973, there was a cease-fire; two months later most Americans left

Aftermath of Vietnam War• South Vietnam surrendered to

North Vietnam on April 30, 1975

• It was an enormously destructive war

• Much of Vietnam was left in ruins

• U.S. military deaths reached about 1.3 million

• The U.S. role in the war became one of the most debated issues in the nation’s history

• Some believe our involvement was necessary and others call it cruel and wrong

Re-education Camps • What do you think a re-

education camp might be? What do you imagine occurs there?

• Concept of re-education camp was borrowed from the Chinese communists

• Camps came to the world’s attention after North Vietnam’s take over of the South in 1975

Re-education Camps Continued

• Camps were not thought of as prisons; separate from prison system

• Considered to be institutions where rehabilitation was accomplished through education and labor

• Only those who “deserved rehabilitation” were sent to camps (opposed to jail)

• Their political attitudes, work production records, and general behavior was closely monitored

• What do you believe “rehabilitation” consisted of?

Re-education Camps Continued

• There were three types of camps: short-term, long-term, and permanent incarceration

• Sang Le most likely would have been in the third type of camp

• This third type of social-reform camp was intended for permanent incarceration or until a person was “re-educated”

• This type involved indoctrination and forced labor

• A person was sentenced for a period of time (3-5 years)

• When time expired, they were most likely sentenced to more time

Vietnamese Refugees• What do you think a refugee

is?

• A refugee is a person who is forced to flee his/her country of origin and seek safety elsewhere

• Vietnamese comprise the largest population of Southeast Asian refugees in the U.S.

• With their American-born children, they number approximately 995,000

Vietnamese Refugees Continued

• Most refugees came from South Vietnam

• As conditions worsened, people left via boats; many died at sea

• As these reports became known, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees was able to negotiate an agreement to allow “orderly departure”

• This allowed for refugees to seek refuge with family members living abroad

• People without relatives abroad still fled via boats

Vietnamese Refugees Continued

• At the end of the war, thousands of Southern Vietnamese were in re-education camps (including some Americans)

• U.S. plead for the release of these people

• In 1988, many of these people were allowed to leave through the Orderly Departure Program

Vietnamese Refugees Continued

• Largest number of Vietnamese refugees live in Southern California (mostly Los Angeles and Orange County)

• Large numbers also live in Houston and Dallas, Texas, the suburbs of Washington D.C., & the states of Washington, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, and Illinois

Chinese/Vietnamese Zodiac

• The calendar is based on the cycles of the moon

• Beginning of the year falls between late January and early February

• Vietnamese adopted the same calendar as the Chinese

Zodiac Continued

• Legend has it that the Jade Emperor organized and conducted a race

• First 12 winners, in order they finished, created a lunar calendar

• Calendar changes every year; each year embodies an animal

Zodiac Continued• People will become like

the animal of the year they are born

• They take on the animal’s characteristics and identify with the animal for their entire life

• Animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit (Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram (Goat), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig

Year of the Dragon• Danny is said to be born

in the year of the Dragon.

• Healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered, and stubborn

• Honest, sensitive, brave, and inspire trust and confidence

• Most eccentric & luckiest animal in Zodiac