Discrimination against Vietnamese Immigrants in America
Discrimination against Vietnamese Immigrants in America Vietnamese did not magically appear in the United States, the Vietnam War sparked the immigration of Vietnamese to America. Vietnamese did not virtually exist in the United States until 1975 when the war forced Vietnamese to evacuate (Povell). The war began after Vietminh defeated France and split into North and South Vietnam (O’Connel). In 1956 communist Ho Chi Minh ruled the North Vietnam, and Bao Dai ruled the South, who the United States supported and backed up (O’Connel). The Vietnam War consisted of the North and South Vietnam, fighting against eachother in order to stay two separate countries. The North tried to overtake the South, and the United States sent in troops to assist South Vietnam (Isserman). However, in April 1975 South Vietnam collapsed and united Vietnam as one country (Isserman). The tragic result of the Vietnam War affected all Vietnamese.The effects contained of over four million Vietnamese killed, and over twenty-one million bomb craters ("The War 's Effect on the Vietnamese Land and People.").Unbeknownst to most people, the end of the Vietnam War caused the first two waves of immigration (Povell). In fact, from the beginning Americans stood unsure about Vietnamese immigration. “A poll in 1975 showed a mere 36% of Americans in favor of Vietnamese immigration,” (Povell). This means that 64% of Americans did not favor Vietnamese immigrating to the United States.Vietnamese Americans, often referred to as Boat People, received their name because most traveled by boat from Vietnam to America. Discrimination against Boat People in America began because of living as a burden to society, a lack of job opportunity, and the ability to adapt to the American culture.
Vietnamese endured a difficult journey. , As they arrived in America people thought of them as burdens to society. Americans thought of Boat People as burdens as because they had to set up refugee camps. The United Nations
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