The Relationship Between Vietnamese Communists and Christians During the Vietnam War

Abstract

Vietnam is a multi-religious country. Vietnamese are well-known religious tolerant people. There is no religious war in its hisoty. But nowhere in East Asia the relationship between Christian Churches and native authorities is so problematical than in Vietnam. The Christian persecutions under the Nguyen dynasty in 19th century were even more severe than Christian persecutions under Choson dynasty in Korea; Christian massacres at the beginning of French colony which caused thousand victims; the exodus of North Vietnamese in the South after Geneva agreement in 1954, a majority among them are Christians, etc. are examples illustrating that complicated relationship.

Vietnam is a multi-religious country. Vietnamese are well-known religious tolerant people. There is no religious war in its history. But nowhere in East Asia the relationship between Christian Churches and native authorities is so problematical than in Vietnam. The Christian persecutions under the Nguyen dynasty in 19th century were even more severe than the Christian persecutions under Choson dynasty in Korea; Christian massacres at the beginning of French colony which caused thousand victims; the exodus of North Vietnamese in the South after Geneva agreement in 1954, a majority among them are Christians. etc. are examples illustrating that complicated relationship.