The Educational Organization Model in the Liberated Zones of Southeast Vietnam (1945–1975): Flexibility and Innovation under Wartime Conditions

Abstract

This article examines the organizational model of education in the liberated zones of Southeast Vietnam from 1945 to 1975, highlighting its flexibility and innovation under conditions of protracted warfare. Drawing on revolutionary documents, provincial education histories, propaganda and training materials, and recent scholarly studies, the paper analyzes how the educational system was designed and operated within a fragmented war landscape comprising base areas, liberated territories, and contested zones. The findings indicate that education was structured through a decentralized yet politically unified framework, closely integrated with propaganda work, mass mobilization, and the training of local cadres. Schools were mobile and community-based, incorporating multiple functions such as literacy campaigns, cultural–political education, and vocational orientation. This model not only ensured the continuity of educational activities during wartime but also contributed to consolidating revolutionary authority, building grassroots political forces, and sustaining social cohesion. Moreover, the wartime education system laid both institutional and human-resource foundations for post-1975 educational reconstruction. The study suggests that education in conflict settings can be understood as a form of social organization capable of preserving communal continuity and reproducing political–cultural resources even under conditions of sustained military conflict.