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It has been more than twenty years since the American's
defeat in Vietnam. The dramatic last moments of the
event in history is still etched vividly in many minds:
those blurry black and white pictures of the helicopters
on the roof of the American Embassy in Saigon (now know
as Ho Chi Min City). The images of the US marines in
full battle gear and those grim-faced civilians packed
on board. This last evacuation operation was
code-named `Frequent Wind'. The city was about to fall
to the communists and it was the last chance to get out
of Saigon. Evacuation by commercial and military
airplanes and by sea was no longer possible. There were
hundreds of people outside the embassy trying to get in,
some tried to scale the iron gates with tear gas being
fired to break up the crowds. Frantic activities and
hysteria were everywhere.
The operation marked the last visible presence of the
Americans in the country. There was to be no more
Republic of South Vietnam. There were those who would be
glad for the change. The war had finally ended and there
would be no more bombs falling on them. For many,
however, it was best if they could leave the country.
In April and May 1975, the United States admitted
128,000 refugees from South Vietnam, 5,000 from Cambodia
and 2,000 from Laos. These refugees were called the
first wave' out of Southeast Asia. Subsequent `waves'
came over the following years through land and sea. Many
died trying to do so. "No one will ever forget how he
escaped. It is the single most traumatic event of our
lives," said one Vietnamese doctor. There are presently
about one million Southeast Asian refugees in the
country.
Many of these refugees are now American citizens.
They were homeless refugees who escaped with little or
nothing but their memories, dreams and talents. They
were resettled in all fifty states and represent many
very diverse backgrounds of education, experience and
skills. For them, it is a continuing struggle to put the
past behind them and to adapt to a new way of life.
One refugee, a former Colonel in the army, now works
as a janitor in a church. He recalls, "I fought very
hard for my country, and now all of that is gone and it
will not come back. It is very sad, very sad " Another
Vietnamese struggled with a supermarket job in Dallas
before moving to Texas to do fishing. "There was nothing
I knew how to do except to fish, like my father and
grandfather. You see, in Vietnam, to be a fisherman is
one of the oldest and respected
professions. In Dallas, I was like
a fish with no water."
Another refugee who now runs a successful business has
this to say , "The big problem with the Vietnamese is
that in the business world, they are too Asian in the
way they think and work. I keep telling them they have
got to learn the American culture. Learn to talk about
sports, all Americans revert to sports."
For these new Americans, each one has his story to
tell. All have memories of lost ones, either killed or
missing. Many still cherish hopes of reuniting with some
loved ones still in the land where they came from. In
the meantime, they are still adjusting to life in a new
land. Life is not all easy and prejudice against their
skin color surfaces now and then. But they are glad for
one thing and that is to be alive. They have learned not
to take anything for granted and it includes their
future. |
