Red and blue flag of the People’s Army of Vietnam with gold star and gold-embroidered lettering. The People’s Army of Vietnam was the North Vietnamese communist army which infiltrated and then invaded South Vietnam between 1955 and 1975.
When the North Vietnamese communists succeeded in their invasion, they established a number of forced labour prison camps known as the “bamboo Gulag”. An estimated 800,000 South Vietnamese people fled the country in boats to escape their rule. Their journeys – often on vessels not made for the sea – were extremely dangerous. Another estimated 200,000 to 400,000 died attempting to escape.
Dated 1968.
This is one of a number of artefacts we have acquired. We hope to exhibit them in due course.
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