Vietnam Yesterday Today and Tomorrow Jack D Harris

Vietnam Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Jack D. Harris, Ph. D. Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Vietnam Today n n VN is a small country in SE Asia, approximately 1200+ miles long, with a coastline approximately 2500 miles long Population now numbers over 80 million (12 th largest in the world) 80% of the population is agricultural (wet rice cultivation) A Multi-ethnic nation – 54 different ethnic groups

Varied Landscapes

1000 - 100 - 30 n n n 1000 Years of Chinese Domination 100+ Years of French Colonialism 30 Year War for National Independence and Unity n n n n Vietnam History Prehistoric Cultures Foundation of the first States n Dong Son Culture: Van Lang-Au Lac States n Sa Huynh Culture: Ancient Champa Kingdom n Oc Eo Culture: Phu Nam Kingdom Chinese domination (2 nd century BC to 10 th Century AD) Independence, dissension, and national development (10 th to 19 th centuries) French domination (1884 -1945) Struggle for National Independence and Unification (1945 - 1975) Reconstruction (from 1975) and Renovation (from 1986)

A History of Resistance The Trung Sisters

VIETNAM’S STRUGGLE AGAINST FOREIGN INVASION n n n n Resistance against Tsin Invasion (214 -208 BC) Resistance against Nan Yu (179 BC) Chinese domination and struggle for independence (179 BC - 905 AD) Resistance against Nan Han invasion: n 930 n 938 Resistance against Song invasion: n 980 -981 n 1074 -1077 Resistance against Mongol-Yuan invasion: n 1258 n 1285 n 1287 -1288 Resistance against Ming invasion (1406 -1407) Ming domination and struggle for independence (1407 -1427) Resistance against Siam invasion (1784 -1785) Resistance against Qing invasion (1788 -1789) Resistance against French invasion (1858 -1884) – Cochin China / Annam / Tonkin French domination and struggle for independence (1884 -1945) Struggle for National Independence and Unification (1945 -1975)

The Viets March South

Common Origin Myth n 100 eggs, the product of a goddess and a fairy created all the ancestors, and each brother and sister (“the Viet children, grand children of Hong”). Later, they decided to split, the female taking 50 of the children to the mountains, the male taking 50 to the sea. In fact, there was a historical migration by the ancient mountain civilization to the valleys, deltas, and to the sea.

Confucian Values n n Confucianism -- an ordered and orderly society based on obligation, duty Family Hierarchy based on Filial Piety n n n Parents Ancestors Clear hierarchy of positions n n Mandarin Farmer Craftsmen Merchant

Traditional Culture n n n Counterbalance communal spirit with hierarchy (the individual as subordinate to the group) Accept political autocracy while tolerating religious diversity (animism, ancestor worship, Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Confucianism, Hinduism and so on) Women and Family Happiness Social Production: All work and contribute to society Mutual Sacrifice (Gia Dinh, Nuoc) Balance, Harmony and Reconciliation

The Concentric Circles of Village Life n n GIA DINH: Language embeds familial relationships even among non-family members (Formal: Ong – Mr/Grandfather, Ba – Mrs/Grandmother, Friendly: Anh – Mr. /Older Brother, Chi – Mrs. /Older sister, Em – younger sibling. . . ) When speaking of myself Toi, later Anh (Toi se di an/Anh se di an. ) DINH: Village communal house, shared and private land, dedicated product NUOC: Also means “water” which is a central part of VN life. “Country” means land (mountains, rivers and sea) and people – the Vietnamese say “Non song dat nuoc” - Rivers and Mountains – the whole country. The mountain spirit, Son Tinh joins with the water spirit, Thung Tinh, and creates completion. Kin Work Spirit Village

Vietnam is a FOLK CULTURE n n n Ancestor Altar in each home – alive and consulted, visitors show respect (old Muong woman with casket below her house – life continues) Dinh (Village Communal House) – the repository of the local deities and spirits Den (Temples) – the repository of Heroes (TRUNG SISTERS [40 AD]) Chua (Pagodas) – the repository of Buddhism Tet – Common ancestor anniversary, all VN has same birthday, everyone returns to Home (source village -- “One who drinks the water should think of its source”) Share the national anniversary of the Hung Kings – pilgrimage to ancient site at least once in lifetime

A Strong Cultural and National Identity n n Ability to preserve and maintain cultural and national spirit and resist imposition and assimilation Adapt and integrate extraneous factors (Vietnamize them) Extreme tendency toward compromise and solidarity Holding the long view ( multi generational) – story of moving the mountain to open up the view of the house n Unique cultural activities – water puppets, Quan Ho, Tuong and Cheo theatre, and a rich literature (including Nguyen Zu, The Tale of Kieu)

Happiness, Prosperity, Longevity

Tet – The New Year

The Future and the Cosmos

Tet Wood Block Prints

Tet and the Future n n n n Future directedness Embedded in ancestor worship and Buddhism Lunar Month – new moon dark – it can only get brighter Tet – the knob where 2 pieces of bamboo meet – the new Tet – Kumquat, Peach Blossoms and buds First Footer Language of optimism – the past doesn’t matter (but matters in how it frames the future) Don’t look back – share common future -- The past as threat (putting it behind us)

Foundations of Business Relationships • Belonging • Step-by-step path • Comprehensive consultation • Understanding “yes, yes” • Listening for “no” Very “Vietnamese” Setting • Right relationship • Respect • Equal partnership • Community • Indirectness Keys to Ten Working Principles Context for Business Development • State structure • Administrative bureaucracy • Opening and closing seasons Practical Business Considerations • Business plans • Levels of agreement • Getting to agreement • Involving government levels • Hiring Vietnamese staff • Dealing with “market” practices From Lady Borton, “To Be Sure”

Ho Chi Minh n BAC/UNCLE very important designator/the arranger) n An icon, the personification of unification and harmony, of dedication and sacrifice to Vietnamese Family n Ego-lessness: simplicity and sacrifice n One wish -- independence, unity, happiness: “Be they Kinh or Tho, Muong or Man, Gia-rai or Ede, Xo-dang or Ba na and other ethnic minorities, fellow countrymen are all sons and daughters of Vietnam, blood brothers and sisters. Through thick and thin, we share together joy and hardship, and help mutually in any circumstance. “The country and the Government are common to all of us. Therefore, our people of all nationalities must unite closely to defend our country and support our Government. Rivers may dry up and mountains may erode but our unity has never diminished. ” GOALS: “the people wealthy, the country powerful, the society equitable and civilized” - the VN know what the good life looks like – happiness is a baby in arms, prosperity is a bowl full of rice and some plumpness, old age is a bearded ancestor Stalin asked HCM if he was a communist or nationalist – he replied “PATRIOT” – liked the ideas of virtue from Confucianism, Christ’s embrace of universal fraternity, the serenity and care for the suffering of Buddha, and the belief in national freedom and human rights of Sun-Yat-Sen. n n

WWII and The American War n n WWII- Vichy French and Japanese cruelty – HCM as US ally In 1945 HCM declared Vietnam unifed and independent in the square that now houses his mausoleum in Hanoi. He quoted from the American declaration of independence, and sitting behind him in support were members of US military intelligence. From 1946 to 1954, US supported the French in their efforts to recolonize Vietnam After Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the US refused to sign the Geneva Accords (promising non-interference). However: n n n Diem installed as President of South Vietnam in 1956; Vietnam divided at the 17 th parallel and national elections concerning unification were set for 1956. They never took place; 300 day “free movement, ” and 1 million Catholics moved south, and 100, 000 Viet Minh moved north to regroup.

The Issues in South Vietnam n 1956 -1963 Ngo Dinh Diem n n n US POLICY: “There is no place left to go” Family insularity, mandarinism, Madame Nhu, brothers and autocracy and corruption Strategic Hamlets Pro-Catholic and Anti. Buddhist American distortion of the VN economy leads to inflation and middle class disaffection

The Domino Theory n n n Dominoes – From Russia with love The Truman Doctrine Support for the French (America’s proxy) JFK continues with advisors Gulf of Tonkin – 1964 The Situation faced by the US in 1965

Hearts and Minds n Themes from the past: n n Failure of the Southern Army n n Resistance to outside invasion Cultural divisions of the country, historic divisions of the country Sanctity of Village, of Ancestors n n n n Villagers caught in the middle Horror on both sides n My Lai n Hue at Tet Errors on both sides n Viet Cong own the night Failures to engage the enemy, and lying about it Generals as Mandarins - distant leaders and poor models Arming the north through abandonment The Quagmire Military Strategy – Conventional war Soviet Style Agricultural Reform Killing of “landlords” The failure of Vietnamization

Failures and Wars after 1975 The American embargo begins n The invasion of (by? ) Cambodia 1975 -1979 -1989 n Border skirmishes or domino effect? n The US supports Pol Pot n n The invasion by the Chinese in 1979 In defense of Cambodia n The three week war n n New boat people – the ethnic Chinese migration

Post War Tension n Deep suffering in Vietnam as a result of 30 years of war n n Estimated 3 million dead, 300, 000 missing, every family touched by pain The North carpetbags the south No reconciliation or healing n Increased divisiveness after a long history of struggle n Divided family, region n n Soviet-style command economy fails

Current Conditions n By 1986 the Country is in turmoil and great suffering n n n The failure of its patron, the Soviet Union Widening economic gap between rich and poor, south and north Over 80% of the population near starvation! The Communist Party feels the people’s agitation (Doi Moi) The New Creativity, the New Awakening n n n Repudiation of Command Control (even while continuing to embrace communism/socialism) as violation of Vietnamese national character and culture (harmony of village, linkage to ancestors, destruction of family integrity) American War language revised to blame US government, not the people Want to friends with “everybody”

Rewriting the Future n Avoid Viet-Viet, blame external forces n n The claim of “puppetry” The Civil War that didn’t happen – don’t blame all southerners The victors tell the story – no torture Rewriting of Vietnamese history n n n Simultaneous merger of the three Viet cultures Declarations of Ethnic Unity National Unity under the umbrella idea of an idealized kinship

Engineering Consensus n Is there a cultural basis for consensus? n Ethnicity (54 ethnic groups) n n Vietnamization from 1975 -1986, now cultural protectionism Loyalty still doubtful, borders to Laos quite permeable Groups too small to build effective movements Against Identity Politics – socialism must become more inclusive or groups (gender, ethnic, regional) may assert that their interests are not being met

Engineering Consensus n Is there an political basis for consensus? n The One Party System and Political Repression n Censorship and 900+ political prisoners n Corruption and power n National Assembly n Woman VP n Ethnic representation

Communist Party (Policy) Politburo Secretariat Central Committee Government National Assembly (Executive ) (Legislative) Ministries & State Committees Ministry of Planning & Investment Province & City Level [=state and large city] Courts (Judicial) People’s Councils All levels District Level [=county and small city] Fatherland Front (People’s Organizations) • Farmer’s Union • Women’s Union • Youth League • Red Cross Province Major • Journalists & City Enterprise. . . others Level Trade Unions All levels Note: Some Ministries and People’s Organizations will have active sections all the way to the commune (rural township or urban borough) and village levels.

Engineering Consensus n Is there an economic basis for consensus? n n World Bank, the IMF, and the new economy Class Stratification n Free market and individualism, in the context of SOCIALISM Ambivalence and go slow – especially the embrace of the West Regionalization n Widening issues of class Rural/urban differences North/South differences

Toward a Dynamic Society n n n Finally, not at War Wealth building and Global Participation Political Reform Modernization Resource management n n n Environment Infrastructure People

Vietnam is ready to be a country on the move!

Chuc Mung Nam Moi!