Vietnamese Americans
Phuong Nguyen
Associate Professor of United States History
California State University, Monterey Bay
Author of Becoming Refugee American
The Politics of Rescue in Little Saigon (2017)
Part 1�————
Vietnam
Vietnam
VIET + NAM The name of the country means the (Viet) People of the South, as in south of China. These southern people saw themselves as a distinct nation despite over 1000 years of China imposing its culture.
SOUTHEAST ASIA It is part of a cluster of mainland Asian countries such as Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia situated just south of the “Middle Kingdom,” which is the formal way of saying China in the Vietnamese language.
Vietnam
REGIONAL DIVERSITY Vietnam is a long, narrow, S-shaped country with four main regional cultures—North, Central,
South, and West (Mekong Delta)—and asking people
what region they’re from is standard small talk.
GROWING POPULATION Vietnam is similar in size and shape to California, but its population is over 100 million,
which is over 2.5 times the number in the Golden State.
RAPIDLY GROWING ECONOMY Vietnam is an historically agricultural economy that has undergone rapid industrialization
since the 1990s, with urban growth in Hanoi to the North,
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to the South, and everywhere in between.
The Demographics of Vietnam
54 GROUPS
There are officially
54 ethnic groups,
but the Kinh are
the dominant group
at over 85% of the
population.
CHE LINH�Pictured on the left,
he is of Cham ancestry,
and one of the most
successful vocalists.
He lives in California.
MINORITY REPRESENTATION�There is little demand
for minority culture,
but some minorities have seen mainstream success.
TRUONG VU
Pictured on the right, he
is of Chinese ancestry,
and also immensely
popular with Vietnamese communities everywhere. He also lives in California.
Religion
MOST HAVE NO ORGANIZED RELIGION
Instead they practice folk religions
and traditions such as ancestor veneration.
16% BUDDHIST
Most Buddhists adhere
to Mahayana, followed by
Theravada and Hoa Hao.
8% ROMAN CATHOLIC
Vietnam is the second largest
Roman Catholic country in Asia.
Catholics make up a larger
percentage of Vietnamese Americans.
The Language
VIETNAMESE IS A ROMANIZED LANGUAGE
In 1651, Jesuit missionary
Alexander de Rhodes published a
Vietnamese-Portuguese-Latin dictionary.
By the 20th century, this version of the written language replaced Chinese-style characters.
VIETNAMESE IS A TONAL LANGUAGE
Vowels have six tones, so pronunciation
theoretically needs to be precise,
although in practice there is regional variation in how words are pronounced.
In the Shadow of Imperialism
CHINESE RULE
In the 2nd century BC, the Chinese occupied the Red River Delta—where Hanoi is today—and were not driven out of the southern land until 938 AD.
FRENCH RULE
From the 1880s to 1954, the French laid claim to the land, resources, and people of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, profiting handsomely from over
six decades of economic exploitation.
�WORLD WAR II
The beginning of the end of European hegemony. Former colonies gained some independence.
The Cold War aka the beginning of American hegemony
PERCEPTION IS REALITY “Conservatives in Washington fear communism. Liberals in Washington fear being caught soft on communism, and I don’t think that’s changed.”
— John Kenneth Galbraith, 1986
ACCIDENTAL ALLIES Fall of China in 1949 forced the US to support a patchwork of smaller neighbors in Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam in order to better contain communism.
VIETNAM LESS VITAL AFTER 1973 Nixon withdrew US troops “with honor” in 1973 after Paris Peace Accords, but more importantly, new economic ties with China made Vietnam less of a geopolitical priority for US.
The Republic of Vietnam (1954-1975)�aka South Vietnam or Viet Nam Cong Hoa
POST-FRENCH PARTITION Geneva Accords of 1954 partitioned independent Vietnam into Soviet-backed
North Vietnam and US-backed South Vietnam.
EXODUS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH Over 1 million North Vietnamese—many of Catholic and middle-class backgrounds—migrated to the South as a result of partition.
CIVIL WAR FROM 1956-1975 After South cancels the national election of 1956, North effectively declares war. Despite full US military support, South falls in April 1975.
The Vietnam War (1954-1975)�
FOR AMERICA IT WAS A WAR OF CHOICE Americans were in a position to say there was little in point in sacrificing any more American lives and money to maintain the status quo in Saigon.
FOR SOUTH VIETNAM IT WAS A WAR OF NECESSITY They had little reason to believe that unification in 1956 would end well for the South. They had little reason to believe that communists would ever agree to a liberal, multi-party government.��BREAKING PAST THE IDEOLOGICAL DIVIDE Both sides claimed theirs was authentic and the other was a puppet regime. A better question is if the communists would’ve demanded unification if they were based in the more resource-rich south.
Part 2�———————
Coming to America
Refugee Admissions Before 1975
FIRST REFUGEES ARRIVED IN 1944 After years of excuses, FDR finally admits nearly 1000 Jewish refugees.
DISPLACED PERSONS ACT OF 1948 &
REFUGEE RELIEF ACT OF 1953 Eastern Europeans who refused to be part of the expanded Soviet Union had a chance to be resettled in the United States.
A REFUGE FOR ANTI-COMMUNISTS Those fleeing anti-communist countries were more likely to be granted asylum in the US. It was the case for those fleeing Hong Kong, Hungary, and Cuba. It made for good Cold War politics. It was also a way for the US to atone for failing her allies.
The First Wave (1975)
LAST MINUTE DEPARTURE Over 120,000 employees of Vietnamese and US government evacuated in April 1975, carrying very little with them save for photos and music.
MILITARIZED PASSAGE They were airlifted to
US bases in the Pacific before being allowed
on mainland bases in CA, AR, FL, and PA.
CHRISTIAN WELCOME Without family in US,
most refugees were sponsored by churches.
The Second Wave (1975-1992)
KNOWN AS THE BOAT PEOPLE Approximately 400,000 fled Vietnam by boat for lack of safe land routes to non-communist asylum countries.
UP TO 50% PERISHED Officials estimate 25-50% perished at sea, whether from starvation, sickness, drowning, or being attacked by pirates.
UNITED NATIONS AGREEMENT IN 1979 The international community reached an agreement where Southeast Asian nations would not deport refugees, while wealthy western nations like the US would take resettle the majority of these migrants.
The Third Wave (est. 1979)
THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAM A diplomatic agreement
allowing refugees to migrate directly from Vietnam to the West. This mitigated the boat people crisis and crowded refugee camps.
FAMILY REUNIFICATION The refugee pool expanded beyond just US and Vietnamese government employees and military. It now included family reunification, enabling the formation of extended families in US.
A LARGE WAVE Since 1980, well over 400,000
have entered the US via the Orderly Departure.
Next largest destinations were Canada (60,000);
Australia (46,000); France (19,000);
Germany (12,000); and UK (4800).
The Fourth Wave (est. 1988)
AMERASIAN HOMECOMING ACT Allowed 23,000 Vietnamese children of American fathers and 67,000 of their Vietnamese relatives to migrate to the US.
NOT NECESSARILY US CITIZENS They entered the US as immigrants/visas partly in order to bypass the question of documentation proving paternity. Instead, they were deemed eligible based on phenotype.
NOT FULLY ACCEPTED IN VIETNAM These children had to deal without a father in the house, and with Vietnamese society presuming their US fathers were evil and their Vietnamese mothers were immoral.
Randy Tuan Tran (b. 1971)
BORN IN DA NANG He never knew
his biological parents, as he was
sent to an orphanage as an infant.
ADOPTED IN VIETNAM None of his
families were very loving, but when the Amerasian Homecoming Act was passed, Amerasians like him were bought and sold
to families who wanted an easy ticket
to the United States.
BECAME A SINGER He won a singing contest in the US, and soon became a successful vocalist of Vietnamese ballads.
The Fifth Wave (est. 1990)
HUMANITARIAN OPERATION (H.O.) PROGRAM Refugee admissions for over 200,000 Vietnamese political prisoners incarcerated at least 3 years.
FEMALE ACTIVISM Spouses of political prisoners lobbied US government throughout the 1980s.
VERY ANTI-COMMUNIST They suffered the worst under communism, having reported for a week-long
re-education that turned into indefinite detention.
THEY MIGRATED FOR THEIR CHILDREN The H.O. people struggled economically in Vietnam and
the US, but saw an opportunity for their children.
Immigrants Today
NORMAL RELATIONS BETWEEN VIETNAM AND US
Since the 1990s, there has also been a steady stream of immigrants admitted as students, spouses, and workers..
MIDDLE CLASS ON UP Some come from elite families in Vietnam who recently did well in business or sit high atop the communist party. Status means being
educated outside of Vietnam at an early age.
A COMMUNITY OF THEIR OWN Because of language barriers and their general support for the current government of Vietnam, some might feel at odds with the historically refugee-based community here.
Part 3�———————
Building Community
ASIAN ENCLAVES ONCE URBAN
Chinatown are Little Tokyo are near downtown. That’s the old model.
THE LARGEST OVERSEAS VIET COMMUNITY IS SUBURBAN
Little Saigon is located in Orange County, 30 miles south of downtown LA. That’s an hour-long drive, but there’s free parking.
ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ARE MORE SUBURBAN
With communities this large in the suburbs, it makes sense to build Asian malls in the suburbs as well.
WESTMINSTER IS THE CENTER OF LITTLE SAIGON
Westminster city government was the most supportive of Vietnamese taking over old strip malls during the 1980s.
Why Places Like Southern California?
CRITICAL MASS Greater amount of cultural brokers, religious institutions, and ethnic businesses drew more people.�
CHINATOWNS Markets and restaurants that provided foods otherwise impossible to find elsewhere in the United States.�
HOST COMMUNITY Orange County was located near one of the first mainland refugee camps and OC churches were unparalleled in sponsoring refugees.
PUBLIC BENEFITS Superior public education and benefits at the time.
CLIMATE Warm weather did not hurt either.
Why Westminster?
BRING THE ACTION TO THE PEOPLE Vietnamese were driving all the way to Chinatown and Hollywood for food and fun.
It made sense to bring the action to them.
AFFORDABILITY Vietnamese were concentrated in service jobs, and thus were living in working class areas like Westminster, Santa Ana, and Long Beach, where homes went for as little as $40,000.�
OC IS ACTUALLY IN THE MIDDLE Orange County was far from LA, but it was smack dab between Los Angeles and San Diego.
MILESTONE #1
In 1987, the Asian Garden Mall opened its doors. Built from the ground up, it was more tourist-friendly than the crumbling storefronts of
Little Saigon.
MILESTONE #2
The very next year, the Little Saigon freeway sign was unveiled, a major milestone for an exiled community.
Part 4�————————
The End of the Cold War
Saving Little Saigon
SAIGON ERASED OFF THE MAP IN 1975 Soon after the war ends, the victors renamed Saigon after communist leader Ho Chi Minh. It was both a source of pride for them and a slap in the face to the losers.
PREVENTING LITTLE SAIGON FROM BECOMING LITTLE HO CHI MINH CITY The end of the Cold War meant more migrants who sided with the Hanoi government, and more clashes on the streets as old residents refused to share their only refuge.
GOING TO CITY HALL The US government was no longer an ally in their fight, so refugees used their voting power as Americans to persuade local governments to recognize refugees as the legitimate face of the overseas Vietnamese community.
�THE OPPOSITION PARTY Refugees protest on behalf of those in Vietnam who cannot.
Saving Little Saigon
SAIGON ERASED OFF THE MAP IN 1975 Soon after the war ends, the victors renamed Saigon after communist leader Ho Chi Minh. It was both a source of pride for them and a slap in the face to the losers.
PREVENTING LITTLE SAIGON FROM BECOMING LITTLE HO CHI MINH CITY The end of the Cold War meant more migrants who sided with the Hanoi government, and more clashes on the streets as old residents refused to share their only refuge.
GOING TO CITY HALL The US government was no longer an ally in their fight, so refugees used their voting power as Americans to persuade local governments to recognize refugees as the legitimate face of the overseas Vietnamese community.
�THE OPPOSITION PARTY Refugees protest on behalf of those in Vietnam who cannot.
“Freedom
of Speech in Vietnam?”
Part 5�———
Hawaii
Starting out in Chinatown
665 N. KING ST This was the location of Mai Lan Café in 1978, one of the first Vietnamese restaurants in Hawaii. It was owned by Mai Burke. The menus were hand-written with market on butcher paper and poster board. It burned down in November 1978.
828 DREIER ST. This was the location of Quan Hen in 1979. The end of the Cold War meant more migrants who sided with the Hanoi government, and more clashes on the streets as old residents refused to share their only refuge.
JACQUELINE HOANG O’HARROW Lived in France for 20 years, but moved to Hawaii after her American husband accepted a job at University of Hawaii in the 1960s.
�Kim’s 56 N. Hotel St. in 1983
Vietnam House, 1518 Makaloa St, highly recommended in 1982. Became Annam House in 1985. Closed in 1997. Reopened in 1998 as Café Annam.
Starting out in Chinatown
OPPOSITION PARTY Chinese restaurants, Hawaiian restaurants, Vietnamese restaurants, Filipino restaurants, Japanese restaurants, Mongolian restaurants, family bars, gay gars, straight bars, Korean bars, singles bars, bums bars, go-go, strips hows, peep shows, pimps, prostitutes and transvestities, adult book stores and movies, pawn shops, jewelry stores, secondhand shops, servicemen, bums and kooks, fortune tellers and opium dens, tattoo parlors, lei stands, dance studios, and pool halls, architecture of the 1900s, neon signs from the 1940s, downtown’s naughty nightlife.” Downtown Improvement Association consumers’ guide to downtown 1980 on Hotel Street.
Vietnamese in the United States
| 1975 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 |
Hawaii | 2039 | 3,403 | 5468 | | | |
California | 27,199 | 85,238 | 280,223 | | | |
Georgia | 1331 | 2339 | 7801 | | | |
Massachusetts | 1169 | 2847 | 15,449 | | | |
Vietnamese in the United States
| 1975 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | |
California | 27,199 | 85,238 | 280,233 | 447,032 | 581,946 | |
Texas | 9130 | 27,791 | 69,634 | 134,961 | 210,913 | |
Washington | 4182 | 8933 | 29,697 | 46,149 | 66,575 | |
Florida | 5322 | 7077 | 16,346 | 33,190 | 58,470 | |
Virginia | 3733 | 9451 | 20,693 | 37,309 | 53,529 | |
Hawaii | 2039 | 3403 | 5468 | 7867 | 9779 | |