Nguyễn Tan Tri video oral history interview and transcript

This recording and transcript form part of a collection of oral history interviews conducted by the Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation and donated to the Chao Center for Asian Studies at Rice University. This collection includes video recordings of interviews with Vietnamese Americans native to or living in Texas. This interview forms part of the national 500 Oral Histories Project conducted by the Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation. ; Nguyễn Tấn Trí was born in Châu Đóc in 1945. For generations, his family has lived in Chau Doc, so he, too, spent most of his life here. He attended law school in Saigon and went on to be a teacher at a middle school and a principal at a high school in Chau Doc. Tri received his law degree and began practicing law in Saigon in 1972. He was not personally involved in the war, however, his three brothers were all drafted so he became the only son in the family left, which disqualifies him for future military drafts. Tri has 6 siblings--3 brothers and 3 sisters. Tri recalls the simple and peaceful lifestyle in Chau Doc. There was a very strong anti-communist sentiment in the area, making it difficult for communist presence. Most people, like his family, made their living in Chau Doc from farming. Tri married in 1968 and had 4 children; 1 passed away very early In 1975 with the Fall of Saigon, Tri was in Chau Doc. Because Tri was a professor and an active member in anti-communist activity (he had been actively involved in politics since his twentys), he was arrested by the Viet Cong on political violation grounds. When Tri was released, he immediately took his family into Saigon to live with relatives. Chau Doc was unstable at this time; anyone could be imprisoned at any time.Tri and his family left Vietnam in March of 1978. In the 3 years that they lived under the rule of Viet Cong, Tri taught and his wife took on small jobs to pass time until they were able to vuot bien. Tri says he had to leave Vietnam; he could not stand to live under the oppression of Viet Cong and the ...