The Smoke Surrounding the Dragon Lady

Abstract

During the Vietnam War, the criticism Madame Nhu received for her outspoken and attention-seeking behavior reveals the greater cultural context of the time, regarding topics such as feminism, sexual politics, and religion, as Madame Nhu became representative of the potential violence of her country and the objectification of East Asia. Madame Nhu is both a product and author of her own history, and neither the world nor the war would have been the same without her.