Vietnamization (cultural assimilation)

Vietnamization or Vietnamisation (Vietnamese: Việt hóa; chữ Hán: 越化 or Vietnamese: Việt Nam hóa; chữ Hán: 越南化) is the acquisition or imposition of elements of Vietnamese culture, in particular the Vietnamese language and customs. This was experienced in some historic periods by the non-Vietnamese populations of territories controlled or substantially under the influence of Vietnam. As with other examples of cultural assimilation, it is partly voluntary and partly forced and most visible in territories where the Vietnamese language or culture had been dominant or their adoption would result in increased prestige or social status, as was the case of nobility in Champa and other minorities like Tai, Chinese, and Khmers. Vietnamization was by and large practised by various administrations.

Summary

Vietnamization is one of major example over cultural assimilation.

Dated back to antiquity, various Vietnamese governments had initiated attempts of assimilate Vietnamese culture. Such efforts are

classified into two eras:

Ancient and medieval Vietnam: judging the complicated nature of Vietnam and its country, especially Đại Việt, Vietnamese Emperors had conducted several assimilations; on one hand, this was done to the Tai and Hmong tribes within the country; on the other hand, ethnic assimilation was forced on the remaining ethnic groups, such as the Chinese, Chams, Montagnards, Malays and Khmers. The first one was seen as more successful, judging from the fact that the Tai and Hmong remain largely loyal to imperial dynasties, whereas the second one was less so, inciting resistance and violence, where brutalities and executions ensued.

Modern Vietnam: post-war forced assimilation had been conducted to pacify various ethnic groups. After its independence from France and Japan, Vietnamese found themselves vulnerable to separate into smaller states, given in addition that more than 30% Vietnamese population then were not Vietnamese.