South Vietnam Research Articles

External Interventions: Bluffing and Adaptive Learning in Civil Wars

ABSTRACT This paper examines the effectiveness of bluffing about external intervention in shaping civil war dynamics using an agent-based model. It argues that warring parties’ initial information levels about interveners and their learning processes determine the success of bluffing. The model explores three scenarios: 1) accurate initial expectations and informative signals 2) inaccurate initial information and uninformative signals and 3) heterogeneous information sets and varied signal updates. Findings suggest bluffing is most effective when both sides start with inaccurate expectations and update slowly. The model’s implications are analyzed through cases in El Salvador, the Warsaw Uprising and South Vietnam negotiations.

Tectonic evolution of the early Paleozoic intraplate orogen in the South China Block: Insights from Ductile Shear Zones in North Wuyishan

The ductile shear zones within the North Wuyishan domain are key to understand the tectonic evolution of the South China Block (SCB). This study integrates a multifaceted approach, including field observations, thin section analysis, quartz electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), zircon U-Pb dating, and mica 40Ar/39Ar dating, to elucidate the deformation history of these shear zones in North Wuyishan. The research identifies a two-stage deformation process of early Paleozoic. The initial D1 phase is marked by a top-to-SW thrusting shear, with associated felsic veins dated to the Ordovician period (447 ± 10 Ma to 459 ± 4 Ma), correlating with high-grade metamorphism and partial melting. The later D2 phase is characterized by NE-striking foliation and lineation, indicative of sinistral strike-slip shear, dated to the early Devonian (412 Ma) and early Carboniferous (∼354 Ma). The D1 phase suggests early crustal thickening and melting within the Cathaysia block, while D2 indicates a transpressional regime during post-orogenic adjustment. The geological features of the SCB, notably the absence of arc magmatism, ophiolitic mélange, and high-pressure metamorphism, comply with an intracontinental rift closure model as previously proposed. This model supports the hypothesis that the Early Paleozoic intracontinental orogeny in the SCB was likely a far-field consequence of a continental collision between the SCB-North Vietnam and South Vietnam blocks near the east Gondwana supercontinent.

Забавные народные истории об умниках Южного Вьетнама: развитие и особенности жанра

The article presents a relatively new genre of South Vietnamese folk funny stories about wise men called "truyen trang", which is literally translated from Vietnamese as tales about wise folk wits, and has not yet been sufficiently studied by Vietnamese folklorists. The author explores South Vietnamese tales about a birdcatcher named O from Ben Tre province (26 tales) and tales about Uncle Ba Phi from the Ca Mau region, which is located in the extreme south of Vietnam (54 tales). Their typical plot structures, basic techniques of composition and organization of artistic space are explored. A comparative analysis of Chuyen Trang tales with similar tales from the northern and other regions of Vietnam is carried out. This article is the first step towards getting acquainted with the genre of funny stories about truyen trang smart guys, which became widespread in South Vietnam. For the first time, it examines the history of the emergence of this genre, its development and features.

Restrained excess in The Goboi Bridge (1970): Lee Man-hee’s self-censorship and the Vietnam War

ABSTRACT Despite his contentious relationship with the authoritarian Park Chung Hee regime, Lee Man-hee directed a number of Vietnam combat films in collaboration with the state. This article focuses on Lee’s film, The Goboi Bridge (1970), through the lens of self-censorship and aesthetics of ‘restrained excess’ to reconsider the relationship between representation and state censorship. Shot on-location in wartime Vietnam, the film was produced by the Army Film Studio to commemorate the fifth anniversary of dispatching South Korean troops to Vietnam and passed censorship with ease. By critically analysing censorship materials and South Korean popular imaginations of South Vietnam, I examine the various actors – national and transnational, state and non-state – and their interactions within internal and external contact zones created by the war to consider their effects on the mechanisms of censorship. I argue that Lee’s excessive yet subdued audio-visual expressions circumvented the censor’s attention and reflected South Korea’s emergent subimperial gaze and precarious intimacies with South Vietnam.

Strategies for Implementing GlobalConsent to Prevent Sexual Violence in University Men (SCALE): Study Protocol for a National Implementation Trial.

Globally, women 15-24 years are at heightened risk of sexual violence victimization, a risk factor for adverse mental, physical, and behavioral health outcomes. Sexual violence is common at universities and most often perpetrated by men, yet few evidence-based prevention strategies targeting men have been tested in low- and middle-income countries. GlobalConsent is a six-module, web-based educational program adapted from an efficacious U.S.-based program. Nine months post-treatment in a randomized trial in Vietnam, GlobalConsent reduced men's sexually violent behavior (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.71, 95%CI 0.50-1.00) and increased prosocial intervening behavior (OR = 1.51, 1.00-2.28) relative to an attention-control. Evidence regarding optimal implementation strategies for scale up is needed. We will randomize six medical universities in North, Central, and South Vietnam to deliver GlobalConsent using two different packages of implementation strategies that vary in intensity. Higher-intensity strategies will include greater 1) pre- and post-implementation engagement with university leaders and faculty, and 2) greater pre-implementation outreach, follow-up, and incentives for students to promote engagement and completion of GlobalConsent. Higher intensity universities will receive additional training and support for their added activities. We will compare implementation drivers and outcomes, intervention effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness across the two implementation bundles. Our mixed-methods comparative interrupted time-series design includes 1) qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys with university leaders and implementation teams to assess implementation barriers and facilitators; 2) repeated surveys with leaders and faculty, implementation teams, and male students to assess multilevel implementation drivers and outcomes, 3) repeated surveys with male students to assess behavioral outcomes (sexual violence and intervening behavior) and mediating variables (knowledge, attitudes, affect, and capacities), and 4) time diaries and cost tracking to assess cost effectiveness of the two implementation-strategies bundles. This project is the first to assess packages of implementation strategies to deliver an efficacious web-based sexual-violence-prevention program for undergraduate men across all regions of Vietnam and synergizes with a violence-prevention training initiative (D43TW012188). This approach will produce rigorous evidence about how to disseminate GlobalConsent nationally, which holds promise to reduce gender-based health inequities linked to sexual violence as GlobalConsent is brought to scale. NCT06443541. Retrospectively registered with clinicaltrials.gov.

Repatriation via Saigon

Abstract The South Korean Vietnam War deployment (1965–73), typically understood as a mercenary expedition, was also an exercise in the management of refugees and other displaced populations. While the South Korean Army managed its own refugee villages in South Vietnam, the overseas dispatch of military labor also promised to ameliorate the problem of mass displacement at home, an ongoing legacy of the Korean War (1950–53). The northern exile writer Sŏnu Hwi (1922–1986) was a notable proponent of this vision of the war as a frontier, framing Vietnam as a surrogate for an inaccessible North Korea and an outlet for the social contradictions of Cold War developmentalism in South Korea. Focusing on the embedded novel Wave to the Mekong River (1966–67), this article argues that Sŏnu's expansionist fantasy deviated from official justifications of Vietnam as a war for development. At the same time, it suggests, Sŏnu's ideological equalization of exile and displacement also informed an emergent antiwar literature showing that the deployment aggravated, rather than resolved, the marginalization of mobilized youth.

The American War in Vietnam: Oral Histories

Abstract: The essay explores the complex realities of the Vietnam War from two perspectives: one is a U.S. Marine Corps correspondent, and the other is an underground operative for a South Vietnamese revolutionary group. Max Belcher, the marine, tells the story of his service, the civil unrest in the United States, and the solidarity of soldiers in the field during an unpopular war. Nguyễn Thị Năm Thanh speaks about her experiences as a female revolutionary in South Vietnam and her arrest and imprisonment.

Strategies for Implementing GlobalConsent to Prevent Sexual Violence in University Men (SCALE): study protocol for a national implementation trial

BackgroundGlobally, women 15–24 years are at heightened risk of sexual violence victimization, a risk factor for adverse mental, physical, and behavioral health outcomes. Sexual violence is common at universities and most often perpetrated by men, yet few evidence-based prevention strategies targeting men have been tested in low- and middle-income countries. GlobalConsent is a six-module, web-based educational program adapted from an efficacious U.S.-based program. Nine months post-treatment in a randomized trial in Vietnam, GlobalConsent reduced men’s sexually violent behavior (odds ratio [OR] = 0.71, 95%CI 0.50–1.00) and increased prosocial intervening behavior (OR = 1.51, 1.00–2.28) relative to an attention-control. Evidence regarding optimal implementation strategies for scale up is needed.MethodsWe will randomize six medical universities in North, Central, and South Vietnam to deliver GlobalConsent using two different packages of implementation strategies that vary in intensity. Higher-intensity strategies will include greater (1) pre- and post-implementation engagement with university leaders and faculty and (2) greater pre-implementation outreach, follow-up, and incentives for students to promote engagement and completion of GlobalConsent. Higher intensity universities will receive additional training and support for their added activities. We will compare implementation drivers and outcomes, intervention effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness across the two implementation bundles. Our mixed-methods comparative interrupted time series design includes (1) qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys with university leaders and implementation teams to assess implementation barriers and facilitators; (2) repeated surveys with leaders and faculty, implementation teams, and male students to assess multilevel implementation drivers and outcomes; (3) repeated surveys with male students to assess behavioral outcomes (sexual violence and intervening behavior) and mediating variables (knowledge, attitudes, affect, and capacities); and (4) time diaries and cost tracking to assess cost-effectiveness of the two implementation-strategies bundles.DiscussionThis project is the first to assess packages of implementation strategies to deliver an efficacious web-based sexual violence prevention program for undergraduate men across all regions of Vietnam and synergizes with a violence-prevention training initiative (D43TW012188). This approach will produce rigorous evidence about how to disseminate GlobalConsent nationally, which holds promise to reduce gender-based health inequities linked to sexual violence as GlobalConsent is brought to scale.Trial registrationNCT06443541. Retrospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. Registered on June 05, 2024.

Transforming the rhetoric of Just Energy Transition Partnerships into reality: The devil lies in the details

Urgent political action is required to arrest the rise in global temperature within the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement. Rising to this challenge, a series of Just Transition Energy Partnerships (JETPs) was launched between individual Global South and a group of Global North countries since COP 26 in Glasgow. Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union (International Partner Group or IPG countries) have established plurilateral partnerships with individual countries like South Africa, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Senegal in each JETP. These partnerships aim to help IPG countries provide long-term support to partner countries in the Global South to disengage from coal and convert to renewables for electricity generation. However, though ’just transitions’ and ’partnerships’ are potent ideas to drive such processes, it is challenging to translate these ideas from political rhetoric to policies. This paper argues that JETPs are treading on a narrow edge with a high chance of re-instantiating some of the criticism of partnerships between Global North and Global South countries that can detrimentally affect the chances of just transition. Based on academic literature on partnerships and just transition, the paper concludes that the devil lies in the details. Formalizing processes that deliver a just and fair energy transition should align with the Global South countries’ social, economic, and political realities.

A Third Way?

Abstract This article seeks to engage with the particular historical moment when, despite the cold war dichotomy of communism and capitalism, the short-lived (Southern) Republic of Vietnam under its first president, the Catholic, Ngô Đình Diệm (1901–1963) attempted to tread a third way. Diệm sought to introduce a Vietnamised form of French Catholic Emmanuel Mounier’s (1905–1950) political philosophy, Personalism, into the ideological framework of the new Republic, building upon an earlier exchange between Vietnamese and French Catholics. Ultimately this was unsuccessful and Personalism was unable to unify South Vietnam’s diverse society in opposition to the communist North, culminating in the ousting and assassination of Diệm in 1963. This moment offers a glimpse of a different path, suggesting that global capitalist liberal order might not be the only future. This article brings together various sources on Personalism and Vietnam to depict this historical moment.

Mobile manufacturing path for India: Lessons from other Asian countries

For almost two decades now Government of India has tried out numerous policies for establishing mobile manufacturing in the country. Though mobile production facilities started their operations in India in 2005, studies have shown that it is only low value assembly that is carried out in the country. In this paper, we infer a few policy lessons for India from the experiences of four Asian countries – South Korea, Taiwan, China, and Vietnam – that have walked down this path. We argue that for India to attain its goal, increasing public investment in mobile technology research will help. Our paper suggests that government should incentivise local firms to establish linkages with mobile manufacturing multinational firms. To capture more value, domestic firms that manufacture mobiles need to focus on R&D, marketing and branding activities.

Industrial Buyers’ Food Neophobia – A Barrier to Market Entry? A Case Study of Introducing Lumpfish to South Korea and Vietnam

The need to find sustainable food sources to feed the growing population makes the utilization of all available food resources especially important. But introducing new food is challenging and often fails. In the consumer behavior literature, food neophobia (FN), the unwillingness to try new food, has been identified as a crucial factor in understanding the adoption of new food products. However, limited research can be found on the role of FN in industrial buyers’ choice of new food products. Industrial buyers are important gatekeepers for the introduction of new food products as they decide what is offered to the consumers and may stop any market entry long before a new food product reaches the consumers’ attention. Thus, the understanding of the potential FN in industrial buying behavior, in different markets, is important to succeed with the introduction of new food products. In this study, we have explored FN as a potential barrier to the adoption of a new seafood product, farmed lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus), by industrial buyers in South Korea and Vietnam. The results revealed differences between the two countries’ industrial buyers, with South Koreans demonstrating more FN than the Vietnamese. This contradicts with the consumer research showing that FN decreases with increased income, education, and urbanization.

Performance evaluation of ICX reactor in treatment of paper mill wastewater: a case study in South Vietnam.

This study evaluates the performance of the Internal Circulation eXperience (ICX) reactor in treating high-strength paper mill wastewater in the south of Vietnam. The ICX reactor effectively managed organic concentrations (sCOD) of up to 11,800 mg/L. Results indicate a volumetric loading rate (VLR) of 26.8 kg/m3 × day, achieving processing efficiency exceeding 81% while consistently maintaining volatile fatty acids (VFA) below 300 mg/L. The study employed Monod and Stover-Kincannon kinetic modeling, revealing dynamic parameters including Ks = 56.81 kg/m3, Y = 0.121 kgVSS/kgsCOD, Kd = 0.0242 1/day, μmax = 0.372 1/day, Umax = 151 kg/m3 × day, and KB = 175.92 kg/m3 × day, underscoring the ICX reactor's superior efficiency compared to alternative technologies. Notably, the reactor's heightened sensitivity to VFA levels necessitates influent concentrations below 1,400 mg/L for effective sludge treatment. Furthermore, the influence of calcium on treatment efficiency requires post-treatment alkalinity maintenance below 19 meq/L to stabilize MLVSS/MLSS concentration. Biogas production ranged from 0.6 to 0.7 Nm3 biogas/kg sCOD; however, calcium impact diminished this ratio, reducing overall treatment efficiency and biogas production. The study contributes valuable insights into anaerobic treatment processes for complex industrial wastewaters, emphasizing the significance of controlling VFA, calcium, and alkalinity for optimal system performance.

Molecular genetic characterization of hepatitis B virus in blood donors from South Vietnam

The problem of transfusion safety preventing parenteral viral hepatitis transmission remains relevant. Viral hepatitis B (HB) is the most common viral infection transmitted through transfusion procedures. One of the natural phases of a chronic viral hepatitis B (CHB) course is occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) characterized by undetectable HBsAg level (regardless of other serological marker levels) along with detected hepatic HBV DNA as well as blood viral load ranging from extremely low to undetectable. In Vietnam, prevention of transfusion-based HBV transmission is focused on donor screening; it is still based solely on HBsAg serology. As such, OBI remains a potential threat to blood transfusion safety. Assessing hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA is a reliable preventive measure against HBV transmission from HBsAg– donors, especially in highly endemic regions. The aim of our work was HBV identification and molecular genetic characterization in blood donors from South Vietnam. The study material was presented by 500 donor serum samples. Subjects were examined for HBV markers with qualitative detection of HBsAg, HBs IgG, and HBcore IgG. Amplification and subsequent HBV sequencing were performed using nested PCR with overlapping primer pairs jointly flanking the complete HBV genome (S, P, C, X genes). Full-size HBV genome nucleotide sequences were obtained for 58 samples. Among blood donors, taking into account HBsAg+ and HBsAg– samples, HBV DNA was detected in 11.6%, including 8.6% OBI. HBV phylogenetic analysis showed genotypes B and C. Vaccine escape mutations and mutations that contribute to disease progression were identified. Current screening in Vietnam is insufficient for eliminating the risk of transfusion-transmitted HBV infection. The major risk factor is OBI. PCR testing for HBV should be considered for blood donor screening.

Just Energy Transition Partnerships and the future of coal

Recent climate diplomacy efforts have resulted in Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) with South Africa, Indonesia and Vietnam, mobilizing financial support for ambitious decarbonization targets. Here, to assess JETPs’ alignment with global climate targets, we conduct a model-based assessment of JETPs’ energy and emissions targets. Results show greater alignment with a global 1.5 °C trajectory, indicating a promising route for international collaboration to keep Paris Agreement goals within reach.

Chemical composition of muscle tissue of fish reared in the aquaculture of South Vietnam

To study the chemical composition of four species of valuable fish reared in aquaculture conditions in South Vietnam.Individuals of Channa striata, Channa gachua, Oreochromis niloticus, a hybrid of Clarias gariepinus and Clarias macrocephalus were purchased in markets from farmers of cage farms and directly in the farms of Khanh Hoa province. The fish were measured, weighed, and then muscle tissue was dissected for chemical analysis. The water content in the tissue was determined by a two‐stage method for determining moisture, while lipids were determined by the fat‐free residue method in a Soxhlet apparatus. The amount of protein was obtained according to the principle of the Kjeldahl method, using a semi‐automatic distillation unit UDK 139 (Velp Scientifica, Italy, 2011); minerals were determined by the gravimetric method, and carbohydrates – by calculation. The index of physiological state was calculated according to the standard method.Hybrid catfish muscles are characterised as having the greatest nutritional value. In terms of lipid content, the individuals studied belonged to fish with a low fat content, Channa striata, which belongs to the category of lean fish. A high index of physiological state in Oreochromis niloticus was found to be associated with increased water content in muscle tissue. No significant differences were found between the biochemical parameters in the muscles of fish with an increase in body size, and only in Channa striata did the proportion of minerals increase. The data obtained can be used in the organisation of rational feeding and maintenance of aquacultural species.

A new mud lobster of the genus Thalassina Latreille, 1806 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Gebiidea: Thalassinidae) from the mangrove forest of the Cần Giờ Mangrove Reserve, South Vietnam

A new species of mud lobster of the genus Thalassina Latreille, 1806 (Decapoda: Gebiidea: Thalassinidae), Thalassina cangioensis sp. nov., is described from mangrove forests of the Cần Giờ Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, located in the Soài Rạp River delta in the downstream of the Dongnai-Saigon River system, South Vietnam. The new species is morphologically mostly similar to T. anomala (Herbst, 1804) in the shape of the rostrum and anterior part of the carapace and the presence of a single median tubercle on pleonal sternites II–V. However, it differs in the strong spinulation on the posterior part of the carapace, the armature of the pereopods I (chelipeds), and the presence of spines on the proximal part of the pleopod I in males. The shape of the pleopod I in males of the new species is mostly similar to that of T. squamifera, but it can be distinguished by the downwardly bulging median part at the tip, which is unique to the genus. Molecular genetic analysis revealed that the new species strongly genetically diverged (by the mitochondrial COI gene marker) from all currently sequenced species of the genus Thalassina, such as T. anomala, T. gracilis, T. kelanang and T. squamifera.

Skilful probabilistic medium‐range precipitation and temperature forecasts over Vietnam for the development of a future dengue early warning system

AbstractDengue fever is a source of substantial health burden in Vietnam. Given the well‐established influence of temperature and precipitation on vector biology and disease transmission, predictions of meteorological variables, such as those issued by ECMWF as a world‐leading provider of global ensemble forecasts, are likely to be valuable model inputs to a future dengue early warning system. In the absence of established verification at municipal and regional scales, this study assesses the skill of rainy season (May–October) ensemble precipitation and 2‐m temperature retrospective forecasts over North and South Vietnam initialized for dates during the period 2001–2020, evaluated against the ERA5 reanalysis for the same period. Forecasts are found to be significantly skilful compared with both climatology and persistence for lead times up to 10 days, including for cumulative precipitation values considered against independent rain gauge data. Rank histograms demonstrate that ensembles generally avoid excessive bias and consistently positive CRPSS values indicate substantial skill for temperature and cumulative precipitation forecasts for all spatial scales considered, despite differences in rainy season characteristics between North and South Vietnam. This forecast reliability demonstrates that meteorological input data based on ECMWF ensemble forecasts would add appreciably more value to the development of a future dengue early warning system compared to reference forecasts like climatology or persistence. These results raise hope for further exploration of predictive skill for relevant meteorological variables, particularly focused on their downscaling to produce district‐level epidemiological forecasts for urban areas where dengue is most prevalent.

Standardization and selection of organic solvent and extraction parameters for charantin in bitter gourd (Momordica charantin L.) fruits

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L. Cucurbitaceae) is an important vegetable and medicinal crop that is grown in several tropical countries such as India, China, Malaysia, Bangladesh, part of Africa, Central North America, South North Asia, Singapore, Japan, and Vietnam. It is also used as raw fruit juice for cooking fruits and vegetable dishes. The fruits, leaves, and seeds of this plant contain charantins, which are insulin-like compounds. Therefore, it is essential to develop nutrient-rich extracts that are more effective for diabetes. Ethanol and methanol are edible solvents that enable the preparation of charantin-rich extracts. Experiments were conducted on charantin extraction using ethanol and methanol in a Soxhlet apparatus. The study concluded that methanol is a better solvent for the production of charantin-rich extracts. Methanolic extracts had fewer impurities, less chlorophyll interference in the analysis, and better peak strength. The results of the study showed that there was 380–990 ug/g dry fruit powder dry weight content of charantin-level expression in fruit dried powder in methanolic extract, compared with ethanolic extract, which was 200–700 ug/g dry weight. The data show the significance of the use of methanol for bitter gourd charantin extraction.

Structure of some diseases and health risks for people residing in surrounding areas previously contained herbicides/dioxin

During the war in Vietnam from 1961–1971, the US military used and sprayed nearly 80 million liters of herbicides in South Vietnam. Bien Hoa, Da Nang, and Phu Cat airports are herbicides repositories and hot spots for dioxin residues. The aim of this study was to examine the structure of some diseases and health risks of 1039 subjects residing around Da Nang, Bien Hoa, and Phu Cat airports (the ∑SG – study group) and 400 subjects residing in Son Tra district in Da Nang city – far from Da Nang airport (the ST – control group). The analysis results show that the prevalence of some relevant diseases related to herbicides/dioxin in the ∑SG group has a high percentage such as hypertension: 23.0–33.6 % (mean: 29.6 %), diabetes: 3.50–13.0 % (mean: 9.62 %) and other diseases: stomach: 23.6–37 % (mean: 26.3 %), joints: 34.6–40.3 % (mean: 37.8 %), ear-nose and throat: 9.5–17.4 % (mean: 15.5 %), kidney-urinary system: 4.5–7.2 % (mean: 6 %). These values were 1.5 to 9 times higher in the ∑SG group than in the ST group. The subjects who resided and worked around airports had elevated risks of the foregoing diseases. The structure of these diseases in both the ∑SG and the ST groups depends on sex and age, but the decisive factor depends on herbicides/dioxin exposure status. Thus, exposure to herbicides/dioxin has changed the disease pattern and increased some aspects of disease in people residing near areas where herbicides/dioxin was previously stored.