From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The flag of South Vietnam (more properly, the flag of the Republic of Vietnam) was the flag used by one of the two states established in Vietnam after the country's partition. It is also used by many ethnic Vietnamese now living in other countries, particularly by some Vietnamese-Americans. The flag consists of a yellow field and three horizontal red stripes.
Origins
The flag was used by the Republic of Vietnam (more commonly known as South Vietnam) for the duration of that state's existance (1954 - 1975). It was abolished by the united Vietnamese government established by the victorious communists, and replaced by a red flag with a yellow star (formerly the flag of North Vietnam).
The design, however, predates the Republic, although there is debate as to exact origins. The meaning of the flag is likewise debated. It is sometimes claimed that the three horizontal lines represent a Chinese symbol for "South", but this is incorrect - three unbroken horizontal lines would actually represent north-west, not south. An alternative explanation is that the three lines are intended to represent the three traditional divisions of Vietnam; the North (somtimes called Tonkin), the Center (sometimes called Annam), and the South (sometimes called Cochinchina).
Political significance
The South Vietnamese flag remains deeply controversial, particularly in the case of Vietnamese people now living in the United States. The use of the current flag of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to represent Vietnamese is strongly opposed by many people, and there have been numerous campaigns in various places to have it replaced by the South Vietnamese flag. This has been met with strong criticism by the current Vietnamese government. The issue remains a highly emotive one for many overseas Vietnamese, particularly those who left Vietnam because of the Communist victory.
