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