Vietnam War .281955-1975.29 Women in Vietnam

1 vietnam war (1955-1975)

1.1 gender relations before vietnam war
1.2 women in war
1.3 women s roles during vietnam war
1.4 gender relations in post-war vietnam

vietnam war (1955-1975)

gender relations before vietnam war

the woman’s union of 1930s pushed women’s interests , managed extend paid maternity leave government employees. woman s union received governmental guarantee consulted before government implemented policies affect women’s health. woman s union 1 of few organizations pushed such change, , experienced pushback on efforts. paid maternity leave government employees, extended 3 6 months, changed 3 months few years after passing. vietnam extending greater rights females. in 1949, state of vietnam created during first indochina war, in vietnam attempted gain independence france. move towards equality evident in original constitution of 1949 democratic republic of vietnam, stated women equal men in respects. constitution contained clauses calling paid maternity leave , equal pay equal work. 1959 marriage , family law made further progress worked on ending systems of concubines, child marriage , forced marriage. while these changes occurred in large part because socialist leaders wanted women able work in industrial , agricultural sectors, did promote rapid change in women’s traditional roles. under socialist regime, both male , female literacy increased.

women in war

women played significant role in defending vietnam during indochina wars 1945 1975. took roles such village patrol guards, intelligence agents, propagandists, , military recruiters. historically, women have become active participants in struggles liberate country foreign occupation, chinese french colonialists. character , spirit of vietnamese women first exemplified conduct of trung sisters, 1 of first historical figures in history of vietnam revolted against chinese control.

north vietnamese women enlisted , fought in combat zone , provided manual labor keep ho chi minh trail open. worked in rice fields in north vietnam , viet cong-held farming areas in south vietnam s mekong delta region provide food families , communist war effort. women enlisted in both north vietnamese army (nva) , viet cong guerrilla insurgent force in south vietnam. women served north vietnamese , viet cong intelligence services. in south vietnam, many women voluntarily serve in arvn s women s armed force corps (wafc) , various other women s corps in military. some, in wafc, fought in combat other soldiers. others have served nurses , doctors in battlefield , in military hospitals, or served in south vietnam or america s intelligence agencies. during diệm s presidency, madame nhu commander of wafc.

during sino-vietnamese war vietnamese women used propaganda images on both sides, vietnamese released pictures of vietnamese women militia captured chinese male troops while chinese released pictures of injured vietnamese women prisoners being treated chinese. chinese held 1,636 vietnamese prisoners , vietnamese held 238 chinese prisoners; exchanged in may–june 1979.

the 238 chinese male soldiers surrendered after getting separated main unit during withdrawal vietnam , became surrounded vietnamese. after surrendering, transferred vietnamese soldiers prison. chinese prisoners reported subjected torturous , inhuman treatment, such being blindfolded , having bodies bound , restrained metal wire. vietnamese women soldiers made one-third of guards held chinese male prisoners captive in prison. vietnamese arranged foreign journalists take photographs of chinese male soldiers held captive vietnamese women militia type-56 rifles. vietnam pictorial published collage contrasting photo of vietnamese female fighter , chinese male prisoner earlier photo of vietnamese female fighter , american male prisoner propaganda purposes.

some of vietnamese soldiers taken prisoner china women, , exchanged captured chinese men.

women s roles during vietnam war

vietnam split 2 parts, north , south vietnam, in 1954. revolutionary socialist government in north wanted enhance social equity, improving women s rights. 1960 marriage , family law, example, banned forced marriage, child marriage, wife beating, , concubinage. regime focused on moving women outside of home. did purpose of industrial development. promoted power of women s union, pushed women s rights rallied support communist government s new laws. government of north vietnam influenced role of women during war of reunification during mid-1960s, when mobilizing women viewed crucial winning war. during time, women s union encouraged women fulfill 3 main responsibilities. these were: encouraging male relatives fight in war, taking of household burdens on themselves, , taking jobs in industrial , agricultural workforces. in 1967, communist party s central committee called formal quotas in employment. commission asked women occupy @ least 35 percent of jobs, , 50-70 percent of jobs in education. of these quotas filled 1970s.

the vietnam war, known second indochina war, lasted 1956 1975. in 1967, vietnam war under way, communist party’s central committee in north vietnam passed resolution 153. resolution passed formal job quotas, requiring women hold minimum of 35% of jobs , 50-70% of job in educational sector. passed resolution because, many vietnamese men away @ war, needed more women support economy. similar infiltration occurred in political arena, percentage of women on people s councils, major administrative bodies, increased @ provincial, district, , commune levels 22.8, 20.8, , 16.5 percent in 1965 34.8, 40.0, , 40.9 percent 1972. although greatest involvement of women in political sphere in vietnam’s history, men maintained hold on leadership positions across board, not in political arena. when war ended, female involvement decreased, sinking below pre-war involvement rates.

several laws influenced women s rights in time period following vietnam war , reunification. family law of 1986 doubled length of maternity leave 3 6 months, while 1988 council of minster s decision number 163 gave women s union right involved in decision relevant welfare of women or children. however, desire economic efficiency under free market reforms of new regime caused of these reforms scaled back. maternity leave, example, shortened 4 months when employers began complaining lost money hiring women. there no other organizations women s union, vietnamese government careful nongovernmental organizations allow exist. vietnamese women s association exists largely increase power of communist party, not able support women s interests.

gender relations in post-war vietnam

in vietnam during 1960s , 1970s, newly-powerful socialists promoted equal access education men , women. reunification of north , south vietnam after vietnam war, in 1976, allowed women take on leadership roles in politics. 1 author said vietnam during 1980s place where, after exhausting work , furious struggle, women can confident travel path day arrive @ liberation.

however, historians have argued women s advocates in vietnam have been weakened in post-reunification era due in part implementation of free market reforms in nondemocratic political context. resource constraints detrimnental women s rights, political atmosphere after war. new state implemented free market economics political participation not expanded. tight political atmosphere , resource-constraints weakened vietnam women s union, accustomed speaking on behalf of women under vietnam s single-party rule. after war over, no longer seen crucial organization government. political reunification resulted in end of quota system , subsequent decrease in women in national assembly. there increase in occupational segregation women returned more roles within home , men returned war. free-market policies known doi moi put female-headed households in rural areas @ disadvantage limiting access credit.