Vietnamese Civilian Life
As a freelance journalist, Beverly Keever was able to cover a wide variety of topics, including the lives of civilians in South Vietnam. This page lays out some of the groups that Keever covered in her time in Vietnam from 1962 to 1968.
Vietnamese women threshing, approximately 1962-1963
Vietnamese Women
Vietnamese women’s experience of the war was varied. Women served as combatants on both sides of the conflict, and many more served as medics. Civilian women were also deeply affected by the war, losing their homes, livelihoods, family, and lives. In South Vietnam, women were also very politically active, particularly in the Buddhist and student protest movement.
Read the articles here.
See the photos here.
Vietnamese children, approximately 1962-1963
Vietnamese Children
Civilians were deeply effected by the Vietnam War, including children. In both North and South Vietnam, schools and homes were bombed, family members were killed, and children became displaced. There are no clear numbers on the number of children who were killed or injured in the war.
Women reporters were often encouraged to write about widows and orphans, and while Keever resisted only covering these sorts of stories, Keever did occasionally cover children in orphanages and destroyed villages.
Read the articles here.
See the photos here.
An Lac airlift, Montagnard refugees, January 1963
Montagnard
“Montagnard” is an umbrella term that refers to a diverse group of ethnic groups in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The term comes from the French Montagnard (mountain dweller). While this group was generally allied with the U.S.-South Vietnamese side, they also fought for their autonomy against the South Vietnamese. Keever covered the Montagnard largely as refugees rather than combatants.
Read the articles here.
See the photos here.
Villagers at a well, approximately 1962-1968
Peasants
Vietnam was a rural society in the 1960’s. In 1954, peasants made up 90% of the population. This rural population was particularly important to the Vietnam War, since the communist side promised land reform to this population and operated guerilla operations from the villages.
Read the articles here.
See the photos here.
Economic Aid
The United States offered technical and monetary aid to South Vietnam, in an attempt to improve the lives of Vietnamese civilians and make the South Vietnamese government and American capitalism more popular. Keever particularly covered efforts at land reform and the work of USAID.
Read the articles here.