Does anyone know anything about the vietnamise refugees during the vietnam war?

Question

It is for a project I'm doing. Basically anything helps.

Answer 1

All I know is that many (but not enough) were brought into the USA, provided temporary housing/food, educated on US ways, and thrown into the USA population. As far as immigrants goes, they have done well. Because of anti-war propaganda, many of these people were treated badly by us (just like our own military members were). Fort Indiantown Gap in PA was one place I know they were kept. It is so unfortunate that we stabbed so many Vietnamese in the back by leaving prematurely in a way sure to fail them.

Answer 2

I would suggest you look at the UNHCR web site or contact the United Nations, especially their UNHCR office and ask for statistics and fact sheets.

There were refugee holding camps in a number of countries following the Second Indochina War. Thailand had 13 camps, the Philippines had 2-3, Hong Kong had two, Singapore had one, Indonesia had several, with the largest in Paula Bidang just south of Singapore (northern extreme of Sumartra). Malaysia had several on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Many of the refugees in boats were attacked by pirates, both Thai and Malay (mostly Thai) in the Gulf of Siam, who stole gold and other valuables, killed many and raped the women or kidnapped the younger women to sell into brothels in southern Thailand. Some of the younger women were kept aboard the "pirate boats" for 6-9 months constantly be raped by up to 45 men in a day with some men going back for sex more than once a day. (The average Thai fishing boat would have 20-25 men aboard. A Pirate boat would have between 35-45 men on board).

Refugees were settled in a number of different countries. Australia took a large number compared to our population. New Zealand took a lot. France to a very large number as did Canada. A few other European countries took some refugees. The US took a lot, but compared to population, the figure was minor.

There was a German rescue boat, the CAP ANAMUR, which rescued many boat people in the Gulf of Siam in the early 1980's.

I suggest you also contact Dr. Chris Court, a lecturer in Thai language at Hawaii University for my essay on "Refugees in Thailand" written during my BA Honours degree.

Answer 3

Yes. After the fall of Saigon on April 25, 1975 we established three refugee resettlement centers at military bases to receive, process and allow entry of Indochinese refugees. They were located at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, Fort Chafee in Arkansas and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. I was the Medical Administrator for the effort at Camp Pendleton. My center processed over 53,000 refugees and assisted in their entry into the U.S. At any given time the refugee population of our facility was 18,500. The medical effort consisted of one main clinic with a 10-bed hospital ward and eight other satellite clinics throughout the area known as Camp Telega at the northernmost part of Camp Pendleton. Most of those who left our facility ended up in western Orange County in California, about thirty miles or so north of the refugee area. Today they are an established community in cities like Westminister and Garden Grove.
If you want to see some of the quonset huts and buildings we used, then take a look at the Clint Eastwood movie "Heartbreak Ridge". In the scenes where he takes his platoon for a run, those huts and building are located at Telega.

Answer 4

Guessing you already have this but just in case
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_American