Discourses about women, bodies and military combat in Vietnam

This chapter investigates (dis-)continuities of female participation in the Vietnamese military from the 1940s to present. In the 20^th century, Vietnam suffered a period of war lasting more than thirty years, which was motivated by resistance against foreign political domination and diverging political ideologies. These devastating developments deeply affected all elements of society and led to the militarization in the country. Building on research at the intersection of militarization, embodiment and gender, this chapter addresses the discourses that produced militarized gendered subjects prepared to fight in Vietnam over a period of roughly 80 years. Present research findings suggest that women's motivations to join were manifold, while discourses surrounding these women engage notions of femininity, such as imagery of the nurturing mother or as a heroine protecting her family. The arguments are based on interviews with female soldiers who were active during the period of war between 1945 and 1975 as well as critical analysis of newspaper articles.