At the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, more than 1.6 million Vietnamese sought political and social freedom as they fled the country in droves of wooden boats. Placing their safety, dreams, and lives in boats no stronger than the war-ridden country they were leaving behind, those that survived landed on islands throughout the Asia-Pacific, barely improving their conditions of life. While thousands were prevented from even entering the islands, hundreds of thousands were persecuted upon the islands, continuing their journey of hardship.

Nearly all of these boat people were later forced to resettle in other countries, with the United States, Canada, Australia, France, England, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and the Philippines serving as the main sources of refuge. However, the time the boat people spent on their respective islands, be it one month or three years, drastically changed the lives of these individuals as well as the story of Vietnamese culture.

This site invites those who endured such hardship to share their stories, or the stories of their loved ones, in order to honor the struggle, gain understanding, and increase awareness of the Vietnamese boat people.

June 9, 2008 --Laura Chau