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THE SONG OF AMERASIANS

亞  美  混  血  兒  之  歌

​林格聖 GE-SHENG  /  陳界仁  CHIEH-JEN CHEN

　　第二次世界大戰後（1939-1945），美軍與當地婦女所生的後代不見容於當地社會，美國國會因此催生「戰爭新娘法」，讓這些出生於亞洲的混血兒，得以踏上父親的國土。

 

　　繼越戰之後，美國國會再於1982年通過「美國公法97-359」，正式定義 Amerasian（美亞混血）的名詞，讓父親是美軍、母親是亞洲人的後代得以移民美國。

 

　　戰爭令人痛恨，這些孩子卻是戰爭的產品，他們看似屬於兩個世界，卻不見容於任一方。1975年，西貢即將落入越共之手，越共放出謠言將屠殺所有曾協助美國的人，特別是亞美混血兒及他們的母親。

 

　　美國福特總統於是宣布要將兩千名孤兒救出來，這項操作稱為「Operation Babylift」。但在第一次空撤時，飛機在田間墜毀，機上144人全部罹難，儘管如此，撤退計劃還是持續了三個禮拜，直到完成。

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　　沒有人知道亞美混血兒的正確數字，目前在美國約有26,000名三十歲到四十歲的男女和75,000名他們的親戚，美國眾議院 Stewart B McKinney 在1980年說：拋棄這群孩子是國家的羞辱，政府必須對他們負責。

 

　　這群孩子在踏上美國領土後，只有3%的父親肯出面相認。1991到1992之間的統計，到美國後的亞美混血兒，有14%企圖自殺，76%想回越南。除了越南，日本、菲律賓及台灣都有亞美混血兒。因為在第二次世界大戰前後，中國被美國看上成為同盟國，協助美軍抵抗敵人。

 

　　超過二十萬人次的越戰美軍曾經來台灣休假，在二十年間製造了成千上萬的亞美混血兒。田路路、賴佩霞，王湯尼都是亞美混血兒，展出的就是他們敘述那幾位影響他們一生的華人女性故事。

     During World War 1 (1939-1945), children were born to American soldiers and Asian women.Those children were not welcome by the local Asian societies.

 

     To bring the mothers and the children to the U.S. Congress enacted the War Brides Act in 1945.

 

     After the Vietnam War, Congress enacted "American Public Law 97–359" in 1982. In this Act, the term "Amerasian" is formally defined as children of American soldiers and Asian mothers. More importantly, they could apply for U.S.citizenship. Unfortunately, most Amerasians never knew who their fathers were, and all of them had the same dream: to come to the US to be reunited with their fathers.

 

     In 1975, before Saigon fell, Vietcong spread rumors that all the people who had assisted Americans, including Amerasians and their mothers would be massacred.

 

     President Ford announced "Operation Babylift" to save 2000 orphans from Saigon. The first air mission failed as the helicopter crashed into the rice paddles.

 

     All 144 people on board were killed, most of them children. Despite the tragedy, Operation Babylift continued for three more weeks until all were evacuated.

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     There are currently 26,000 Amerasians ages between 30 to 40 in the U.S. Only 3% found or were acknowledged by their fathers. According to a survey conducted in 1991, 14% of them had attempted suicide and 76% wanted to go back to Vietnam.

 

     Vietnam was not the lone nation to produce Amerasians. Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines all had their share. Over 200,000 American soldiers in Korea and Vietnam visited Taiwan for vacation between 1950-1975.

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     As a result, tens of thousands Amerasians were born. Tien LuLu, Lai Pei-Sha and rock star Tony Wang are three Amerasians whose unique stories are recounted below.

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