Việt gian

Việt gian (chữ Hán: 越奸; lit. 'Vietnamese traitor') is a pejorative term referring to a Vietnamese person who betrays, compromises or acts against the interests of Vietnam. The term Việt gian first appeared in 1938, denoting Vietnamese who supported or would benefit from the Japanese fascists, in a manner similar to the Chinese term Hanjian.^[1]

Since 1945, the term has been employed extensively in the context of the Vietnamese civil conflicts, with both opposing sides, the communist-led Viet Minh and the non-communist nationalists, mutually applying it to one another.^[2] It continued to be used during the Vietnam War between North Vietnam and South Vietnam.

A 1945 propaganda poster by the Việt Minh calling for the eradication of the Việt gian.

North Vietnam

Since 1945, alleged Việt gian and kẻ phản động ('reactionaries') were detained, subjected to humiliation and beatings, and in some cases, killed. The majority of cases were carried out by the Viet Minh,^[3][4] while a smaller number were conducted by nationalist parties.^[5]

Part of the Viet Minh's strategy to consolidate power involved terrorizing and purging rival Vietnamese nationalist groups.^[6][7] The policies of the Viet Minh include "arming the people, punishing the Việt gian" and "confiscation of the assets of the French and Japanese imperialists and the Việt gian". Employing the term Việt gian, the DRV government had no consensus on its meaning.^[8] A 1946 article from the Catholic periodical Đa Minh condemned the loose use of the accusation Việt gian, remarking: "Who is deceitful (gian) and who upright (ngay) will be answered by time and history".^[9] On January 20, 1953, Ho Chi Minh issued Order No. 133-SL in North Vietnam to punish the Việt gian.^[10][11][12]

Propaganda poster by South Vietnam using the phrase Việt gian cộng sản.

South Vietnam

It is sometimes interpreted that the term "Việt Cộng" is a contraction of the term Việt gian cộng sản ("Communist Traitor to Vietnam").^[13]

See also

• Civil conflicts in Vietnam (1945–1949)
• Indochina wars