The people, the culture, and the way of life in Viet Nam were influenced by many things throughout it's history. Invading countries brought with them religion, culture, and war. Over the years, they have been invaded by the Chinese, the French, the Americans
-It gives meaning or purpose to their existence and to the world they inhabit
-It gives them solace and hope for the future.
Animism
Ancestor Worship
Buddhism
A religion and dharma that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on original teachings attributed to the Buddha and resulting interpreted philosophies.
The Four Noble Truths
The core of Buddhist teaching is the Four Noble Truths that leads from suffering to emancipation, from wrong to good.
First Noble Truth
-Life means suffering.
Second Noble Truth
-The origin of suffering is attachment.
Third Noble Truth
-The cessation of suffering is attainable.
Fourth Noble Truth
-There is a path to the cessation of suffering.
Confucianism
Confucianism’s originator, K’ung Fu Tzu (Latinised to Confucius), was an official in the Chinese court.
During his lifetime (around 500 BC), China had broken into rival states fighting for supremacy.
Confucius, comparing the turmoil of the life of the people with the formalised rituals of the court, set about creating a code to regulate social conduct, thereby enabling people to live in peace and harmony. He left the court and travelled the country, explaining his ideas.
What should the US have learned from the Vietnamese war with the French?
- We should have made note of how important their cause was to them. Our troops had little to no idea of what we were fighting for. The Vietnamese knew exactly what they wanted, and when the enemies reason for fighting is more meaningful to them than yours is to you, you will lose.
- The Vietnamese were against the wall and were ready to destroy, suffer, endure, and die for their cause.
- We should have realized that they were being supported by other communist countries.
- We should have understood that they had the home field advantage.
What might the US have done differently when Ho Chi Minh made his Declaration of Independence?
- We could have asked him questions about what the independence of Vietnam would have meant for us.
- And, being Americans, we could have asked what was in it for us? "Why should we help? What's in it for us?"
What were the effects of colonialism on the Vietnam people?
- The Vietnamese people we oppressed, dehumanized, and suffered greatly.
- They were used as cheap labor (and expendable as well) and were often worked to death on rubber plantations.
- As a result, the Vietnamese grew very resentful for the French invaders which resulted in the creation of the Viet Minh who were supported fully by the Vietnamese who wanted their freedom and independence.
Why did Americans oppose Communism?
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What are communist beliefs that are abhorrent to anti-communists?
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- Religion affects the lives of ordinary men and women on many different levels:
-It gives meaning or purpose to their existence and to the world they inhabit
-It gives them solace and hope for the future.
- In Vietnam, religious and spiritual beliefs have intermingled.
- The main beliefs are:
- Buddhism
- Taoism
- Confucianism
- Catholicism
Animism
Ancestor Worship
Buddhism
A religion and dharma that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on original teachings attributed to the Buddha and resulting interpreted philosophies.
The Four Noble Truths
The core of Buddhist teaching is the Four Noble Truths that leads from suffering to emancipation, from wrong to good.
First Noble Truth
-Life means suffering.
Second Noble Truth
-The origin of suffering is attachment.
Third Noble Truth
-The cessation of suffering is attainable.
Fourth Noble Truth
-There is a path to the cessation of suffering.
Confucianism
Confucianism’s originator, K’ung Fu Tzu (Latinised to Confucius), was an official in the Chinese court.
During his lifetime (around 500 BC), China had broken into rival states fighting for supremacy.
Confucius, comparing the turmoil of the life of the people with the formalised rituals of the court, set about creating a code to regulate social conduct, thereby enabling people to live in peace and harmony. He left the court and travelled the country, explaining his ideas.
- Confucianism consists of a hierarchy of relationships which governs day to day life.
- Husband to Wife, Father to son, Elder brother to younger brother, Emperor to subject, and the relationship amongst friends.
The principles of Confucianism
At the heart of Confucius’s teaching were two fundamental principles, the necessity of correct behavior and the importance of loyalty and obedience.
In each case, the message was reinforced by rites and ceremony. He made no mention of a spiritual dimension, but stressed the observance of traditional rituals.
The influence of Confucianism in Vietnam
The profound impact of Confucianism remains strong in Vietnam. Social order is defined by its principles, and the rituals or deference and obedience are still observed. Unlike the West, teachers and education are held in high esteem, children defer to their parents, even in middle age and beyond, and most wives still follow the wishes of their husbands without question.
Taoism - Taoism is believed to have originated in China with a man named Lao Tzu around 500 B.C. The legend says that Lao Tzu was so saddened that people wouldn’t try to be good that he decided to abandon civilization. Before leaving, he wrote a brief work called Tao Te Ching, (The Classic of the Way and its Power) describing the meaning of the Tao (the way, or path) and how one should live according to the Tao.
- The Tao is described in highly poetic allusions that are far from clear. The book directs its readers ‘to take no action contrary to nature’ and to live in harmony with the Tao
- There is no concept of good and evil. All actions contain some aspect of each. This is represented in the t'ai chi, more commonly referred to as the yin-yang symbol.
- Any action would have some negative (yin) and some positive (yang) aspect to it. Taoists believe that nature is a continual balance between yin and yang, and that any attempt to go toward one extreme or the other will be ineffective, self-defeating, and short-lived.
What should the US have learned from the Vietnamese war with the French?
- We should have made note of how important their cause was to them. Our troops had little to no idea of what we were fighting for. The Vietnamese knew exactly what they wanted, and when the enemies reason for fighting is more meaningful to them than yours is to you, you will lose.
- The Vietnamese were against the wall and were ready to destroy, suffer, endure, and die for their cause.
- We should have realized that they were being supported by other communist countries.
- We should have understood that they had the home field advantage.
What might the US have done differently when Ho Chi Minh made his Declaration of Independence?
- We could have asked him questions about what the independence of Vietnam would have meant for us.
- And, being Americans, we could have asked what was in it for us? "Why should we help? What's in it for us?"
What were the effects of colonialism on the Vietnam people?
- The Vietnamese people we oppressed, dehumanized, and suffered greatly.
- They were used as cheap labor (and expendable as well) and were often worked to death on rubber plantations.
- As a result, the Vietnamese grew very resentful for the French invaders which resulted in the creation of the Viet Minh who were supported fully by the Vietnamese who wanted their freedom and independence.
Why did Americans oppose Communism?
n
What are communist beliefs that are abhorrent to anti-communists?
ef