Forgotten Vietnam

Temporary exhibition at the MITAG Italian War Museum of Rovereto that sheds light on almost 10 years of a ferocious war that had a devastating impact on the local population but also on the fighters.

On May 7 1954, the Battle of Ðiện Biên Phủ set off France’s defeat in what had been called Indochina. The MITAG dedicates a temporary exhibition to the experience of Italians who participated along with French, Vietnamese and men of many other nationalities in one of the so-called “decolonization wars”.

The presence of Italians in the French Foreign Legion in Indochina is little known, despite the fact that between 7 and 10,000 men enlisted: about 1,300 died and hundreds were mutilated or suffered severe psychological traumas; others survived in the prison camps and were repatriated only many months later.

The exhibition will feature images and materials made available by the legionnaires’ families, autobiographical testimonies and some objects and documents from the Museum’s collections.

Forgotten Vietnam – The stories

Three meetings will highlight the stories of the Italians enlisted in the war.

• Tuesday 15 October, 6.00 p.m.

“The Italians in the French Foreign Legion during the Indochina War” | Meeting with Mariella Terzoli

• Tuesday 22 October, 6.00 p.m.

“Among the damned of the earth. History of the Foreign Legion” | With Gianni Oliva, historian and journalist

• Tuesday 29 October, 6.00 p.m.

“Down there where you die. The Vietnam of young Italians with the foreign legion” | With Luca Fregona, journalist