Bravo Our Heroic Troops. ca. 1956.

Artist: ANONYMOUS
Size: 29 1/4 x 25 1/2 in./74.4 x 65 cm
Condition:
Printer:
Reference: Ref: Vietnam, 2
Key Words: Modern; Vietnam; Children; Propaganda

Bravo Our Heroic Troops. ca. 1956.
"This naive poster contains a narrative which celebrates the liberation of Hanoi following the defeat of the French colonizers after the battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The future of the newly independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam appeared optimistic and cause for celebration. The soldiers are depicted wearing the uniform of the Viet Minh army and portrayed as protectors and victors. They affectionately embrace the children and revere the older generation. The woman wears the traditional Ao Dai, a national costume and symbol of Vietnamese nationalist pride (introduced to Vietnam in the 1930s). The flag proudly displayed at the door of the women’s home is the flag of North Vietnam, an emotionally charged sign of the State (designed in 1940) and used by the Viet Minh during the uprising against the French. Ho Chi Minh adopted this flag in 1945 to represent the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which subsequently became the government of North Vietnam in 1954. The red background of the flag symbolizes revolution and blood, while the points of the star represents the five classes in Vietnam society at the time: intellectuals, farmers, workers, businessmen, and militaries" (Deborah Salter).