Pleasure of the soldier in Indochina (1945-1954)

The soldiers' little pleasures during the war in South East Asia should be seen within the context of satisfying the needs of a warrior at rest while immersed in colonial exoticism. Fighters from all origins were lured by the charms of the natives; few of them, however, came to establish relationships with virtuous women. Most of the time, military men were faced with venal women, prostitutes and congaies. At all levels, military leaders understood the importance to morale of amorous entanglements, and they attempted to both satisfy and protect their men. Those relationships nevertheless brought about a high degree of venereal disease, which overtaxed the health services and reduced the fighting quality of the French troops, adding to the problems of discipline and morale. However, this had the effect of anchoring the combatants even more deeply in the country, thus breeding (( the Yellow Disease)), the nostalgia typical of SEAC veterans.