The Decorations and Medals of the Republic of Viet Nam (v)

from John Sylvester, State, and Frank Foster, Army

Four arrows, north, south, east, and west decorate the Medal for Campaigns Outside the Frontier. The frontier is the outline of the Republic of Viet Nam shown above the laurel crown of victory on the medal.

Chiến-Trường Ngoại-Biên Bội-Tinh was the last new medal our ally authorized before defeat. It was 1973. Richard Nixon’s administration already had drawn down support since 1969.

Since 1971, Nixon had talked with the People’s Republic of China while Peking, as we called them then, continued to supply the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam.

Then in January, 1973 his White House concluded the peace agreement at Paris. So, Saigon did not attack even to Ha Noi, let alone north into China across the frontiers shown on the medal.

They did however send troops forward within those frontiers, to claim land before the treaty recognized a status quo. The two devices shown are those awarded for attacks west. The place names are curious:

‘Lower Laos’ and “Kampuchea.” Neither was the name of a polity that year. As if to say, we are a nation and the rest of you are just places. Both Ha Noi and Saigon have regarded Laos and Cambodia in that light.

I remark the absence of a plaque for the naval fight with China in January, 1974 for the Paracel islands. Those are across frontier to the east into the ocean. South lay only allies, the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization.

Arrows north, south, east, and west together make what heralds term the cross barby. The barbs recall Jesus’ call to be fishers of men. Since Roman Catholics played a strong role in the republic,

someone may have had that in mind as well as the plain sense of compass directions. Through the church that cross also has become a nationalist symbol of some of the whiter parties of Europe,

not an unfair association with anti-communist Viet Nam and its continuity from the defeated Vichy government. It is distinct however in heraldry from the croix gammée, the cross with little lines such as on a musical scale, the swastika. The government who issued that one did attack in every direction.

The Republic of Viet Nam never invaded anyone to stay. In 1973, Saigon represented themselves alone at the center of all Viet Nam, the same borders as Ha Noi governs today, pushing out as instead they fell back then dispersed in all directions out over the frontiers.

This was fifth post of 6 so far on The Decorations and Medals of the Republic of Viet Nam by John Sylvester and Frank Foster. The first posted on February 21, 2022, the second on March 14, 2022, the third on April 9, 2022, the fourth on May 9, 2022, then the sixth on May 18, 2023.

Viet Nam letters respects the property of others under paragraph 107 of United States Code Title 17. If we asked for permission it wouldn’t be criticism. We explain our fair use at length in the letter of September 12, 2022.

The colophon of these Viet Nam letters, directly above, shows the janitor speaking with poet David A. Willson on a Veterans Day.