Children of Vietnam

The children of Vietnam were used as political tools to further the agendas of both the United States and Vietnam. Many of these children would provided a key symbol of America's benevolence whose presence in the war was meant to save inncoent children from the evils of communistism. Popular missions such as Operation Babylift displayed the savior-like qualities of the U.S., proving to both the American and international public that the U.S. had done some humanitarian good in Vietnam. There were other children, however, like Kim Phuc whose image sparked severe opposition to the war after her photograph captured headlines around the world. Another legacy, perhaps less publicized than the previous two, were the children left behind in Vietnam, many of who were fathered by American GIs. These Amerasian children were the subject of controversy and faced severe discrimination against in Vietnam after the war. The experiences of each child may be different, but all of them endured the hardships and atrocities of the war. The Vietnam war had made a deep impact on each child and shaped their lives and futures, but in return the presence of children and their stories changed the course of the entire Vietnam War.

Credits

Kira Johnson