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In the year 1857, Napoleon III decided to take Vietnam by force as a result of the missionary campaigns that Catholic priests made in Vietnam, the need for overseas markets, and a desire for French territory in Asia.

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After France annexed Laos,  in 1887, the Indochinese Union was established. The Indochinese Union included Cochinchina (South Vietnam), Annam (the central region of Vietnam), Tonkin (North Vietnam), Cambodia, and Laos.

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In September of 1940, when France fell to Nazi Germany, Japan took the opportunity to invade French Indochina.

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On September 2, 1945, Ho Chi Minh, the founder of the (Communist) Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), declared Vietnam's independence from France shortly after Japan surrendered to the allies. In his proclamation, he paraphrased the United State's Declaration of Independence, saying that, “All men are born equal: the Creator has given us inviolable rights, life, liberty, and happiness."

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Because of the spread of communism in the North, my great grandparents, who had close ties with the French, fleed North Vietnam to escape from the punishment of death in 1945. At that time, communism was spreading in the North, and anti-Vietnamese colonialism efforts were made by Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh. The South seemed like a safer place, so they ended up in Da Lat.

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In 1950, United States foreign policy makers suggested the idea of the Domino Theory. The idea was that if Indochina fell to communism (courtesy of Ho Chi Minh), the remaining Southeast and South Asian countries would also do the same. Because Presidents like Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson were strong believers of the Domino Theory, this led to US involvement in the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War. Unfortunately, the efforts failed, and in the end, both Vietnams, Cambodia, and Laos all fell to communism.

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Following the surrender of Japan, British and Chinese forces occupied Vietnam for some time. Shortly after, Vietnam was handed back to France due to a fear of a new communist movement led by Ho Chi Minh. The French once again regained control of Vietnam, but this time, communist forces/anti-Vietnamese colonisation movements began to emerge. In December of 1946, the First Indochina war officially broke out between the French, who were backed by the United States and Britain, and Viet Minh, who was backed by the Soviet Union and (Communist) China. The war lasted until 1954 when the Geneva Agreement were signed, splitting Vietnam at the 17th parallel of latitude for two years with the communists in the north, and the US-backed South Vietnam in the south. Meanwhile, the French agreed to withdrawal troops from Vietnam. During the two year period, elections were scheduled so that citizens can choose a president to reunite Vietnam.

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France Declares Former Emperor Bao Dai as the Head of State

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France Declares Former Emperor Bao Dai as the Head of State

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In 1949, France agreed to an independent Vietnam and appointed former emperor Bao Dai as the leader of Vietnam. Both Bao Dai and Ho Chi Minh wanted a unified Vietnam. However, Bao wanted a Vietnam modeled after the economic structure of western countries while Ho wanted a communist Vietnam. In 1955, Bao Dai stepped down as ruler of (South) Vietnam since the the citizens voted on a republic.

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Because the United States felt that the Geneva Agreement would be an opportunity for communism to expand into Vietnam, the government made efforts to save South Vietnam from entering a destructive path. Within a year, the United States established an anti-communist South Vietnamese government in 1955 with Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem
as the head of the government. In the meantime, the United States continued to offer South Vietnam financial and military assistance.

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November 1, 1955-April 30, 1975
*South Vietnam, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, anti-communist governments of Laos and Cambodia
**North Vietnam, Viet Cong, China, Soviet Union, North Korea, communist governments of Laos and Cambodia
*Anti-Communist
**Communist

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On August 5, 1964, two North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox and the Turner Joy, which resulted in the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. The resolution allowed President Lyndon B. Johnson to launch America's full involvement in the Vietnam War.

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Lyndon B. Johnson Deploys Ground Troops in Vietnam

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Lyndon B. Johnson Deploys Ground Troops in Vietnam

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March 1965

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Battle of Khe Sanh (January 21, 1968-July 9, 1968)

Tet Offensive (January 31, 1968)
Battle of Hue (January 31, 1968- March 22, 1968)
My Lai Massacre (March 16, 1968)
Easter Offensive (March 30, 1972-October 22, 1972)

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In 1969, President Richard Nixon announced his plans about the Vietnam War through a televised broadcast. He began to gradually remove troops from Vietnam due to the war's unpopularity. However, Nixon did not want to completely abandon Vietnam. His plan was to only leave with "peace and honor."

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In January of 1973, representatives of the United States, South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and Viet Cong signed the Paris Peace Agreement, ending the United State's direct involvement in the Vietnam War. Within 60 days, all US troops and advisors would withdraw from Vietnam while all US bases would be dismantled. In return, the Viet Cong would have to release all US prisoners of war, and the DMZ would remain at the 17th parallel with a North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Only 200 Marines remained to help guard the US Embassy in Saigon. In the agreement, Nixon promised the South that the United States would be ready to defend Saigon. The United States military would train the ARVN to defend themselves against the communists. They would also send some financial and military aid to South Vietnam. The Paris Peace Agreement was like the light at the end of the tunnel for the United States and South Vietnam. Sadly, things took a sharp turn when Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974.

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A few months after Nixon's resignation, the 1974 Midterm Elections took place in the wake of the Watergate scandal. The new 94th Congress voted to defund the South Vietnamese aid, making it clear that communism would indeed infect all of Vietnam.

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On April 30, 1975, Viet Cong forces marched into Saigon, thus marking the end of the Vietnam War. At the same time, the last US helicopters departed Vietnam carrying US citizens and South Vietnamese refugees.

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The first wave of refugees departed Vietnam in 1975 along with the remaining American forces through American helicopters and boats. Most of these people had close ties with the United States government.

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July 2, 1976

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Struggles of Communism (Based on the account of both of my parents.)

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Struggles of Communism (Based on the account of both of my parents.)

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In every single country that communism has plagued, the result is always the same. Inflation, poverty, lack of basic necessities, and totalitarian government is just some of the many horrible things that communism can do to a once thriving republic. Being there firsthand, my parents, who grew up in a communist society remembered it all. Here is just some of the things that they remembered:

Every household must hang a picture of Ho Chi Minh. (When my grandfather completely lost it with the communists, he took the picture of Ho Chi Minh, and shattered it into pieces.)

The government tries to make daily life political including schools.

The government takes whatever they want from you including your land.

On April 30, citizens must flock to the streets, and celebrate the so-called "Liberation Day."

Every household must register the number of people living in it. If you want to stay over at a relative's place, then you have to obtain permission.

Freedom is not a thing.

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After the communist takeover, the government decided to send people to re-education camps (prison) due to their close ties with the United States and South Vietnamese government . The communist viewed these people as a threat. "People" like my grandfather were sent into these camps, often tortured by the government. Eventually, my grandfather was one of the last people released after countless years.

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The second wave of refugees came departed in the late 1970s. These people were known as the "boat people." The refugees arrived in other countries located in Southeast Asia and stayed in refugee camps until they were relocated to other countries such as the United States. Unfortunately, some of the refugees were sent back to Vietnam, or died along the journey.

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The third wave of refugees mostly consisted of former re-education camp prisoners and their families. They, such as my grandparents, came under the Humanitarian Operation (HO) program, while people like my father and uncle came under the McCain Bill. This wave of refugees departed Vietnam between the 1980s-1990s.

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In 1996, my grandparents departed Vietnam leaving behind my father and uncle. They resettled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but shortly after that, they moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas. They were one of the last people to leave Vietnam under the HO program since they never considered leaving. Eventually, they made the decision to restart their lives in the land of the free.

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A year after my grandparents left Vietnam, my father and uncle left under the McCain Bill, which allowed the children of re-educaiton camp prisoners to reunite with their parents.

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In 2004, after my mother married my father, she came to Fort Smith Arkansas under a visa.