Vietnamese American Association/Hoi Viet My

N.P.: N.P., 1960. Very good. 7" x 4 7/8". Stapled wrappers, dos-à-dos bound. pp. 24, 24. Very good plus: minimal wear and a small stain to rear wrapper.

This is an informational booklet about the Vietnamese-American Association (VAA) printed in both English and Vietnamese. The VAA was established in Saigon in 1955 to provide educational and cultural opportunities for individuals of both American and Vietnamese descent living in Saigon.

According to the introductory text in the booklet, the VAA

"carries on an active social and cultural program designed to complement the extensive language training provided by the academic section. Both Americans and Vietnamese find that participation in the social and cultural activities of the center can be most rewarding."

The VAA provided lectures, films, concerts, art exhibitions, and discussion groups, "intending to promote better understanding of both Vietnamese and American cultures and cover a wide range of subjects." There were also various opportunities for social interaction, including clubs focused on sports, books, stamps, and photography, as well as coffee hours and dinner engagements. The book features a small street map showing the location of the VAA and details many resources such as its library and class offerings. It's also illustrated with ten photographic images and some line drawings showing people of American and Vietnamese descent participating in activities together, internal views of its facilities, and more.

Interestingly, though the larger aim of the booklet and the Association was to foster understanding and civility between the two countries, there is almost no mention of war. The topic was glossed over in only two places: (1) it stated that teachers, "whether military or civilian, American or Vietnamese, usually find teaching at the VAA to be a highly rewarding experience"'; and, (2) that the dinner programs would only occur "security conditions permitting." This lack of mention is even more interesting considering that the latest date mentioned in the book is a statistic for May 1964, prior to the issuance of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution that August. Further research should hopefully reveal any interplay between the VAA and either the American military or other aspects of the American government at the time of publication.

OCLC locates five copies. A rare and informative source on a cross-cultural American/Vietnamese organization possibly published during a period of significant expansion of American military involvement in the region.