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Aerial bombardment and educational attainment

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  • Kien Le
  • My Nguyen

Abstract

This paper provides evidence that the Allied bombing of Vietnam, the longest and heaviest aerial bombardment in history, imposed detrimental ramifications on educational attainment and future labor market outcomes of school-age individuals. By exploiting the plausibly exogenous district-by-cohort variation in bomb destruction under a difference-in-differences framework, we find that an increase in bomb intensity leads to significantly fewer educational years completed and lower future earnings for school-age children exposed to the bombardment. We further show that both the supply-side factors (inadequate school security and the lack of teachers) and the demand-side factors (residential casualties, restricted access to healthcare, damaged properties and increased reliance on welfare assistance) could be potential mechanisms driving the long-term consequences of aerial bombardment. Our findings underline the importance of conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction in promoting sustainable development.

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  • Kien Le & My Nguyen, 2020. "Aerial bombardment and educational attainment," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 361-383, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:irapec:v:34:y:2020:i:3:p:361-383
    DOI: 10.1080/02692171.2020.1736012
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    Cited by:

    1. Kien Le & My Nguyen, 2022. "The impacts of rainfall shocks on birth weight in Vietnam," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 143-159, April.
    2. Le, Duong Trung & Pham, Thanh Minh & Polachek, Solomon, 2022. "The long-term health impact of Agent Orange: Evidence from the Vietnam War," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    3. My Nguyen & Kien Le, 2023. "Racial/ethnic match and student–teacher relationships," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(2), pages 393-412, April.
    4. Kien Le & My Nguyen, 2023. "Armed conflicts and women's authority in intra‐household decision making," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 70(3), pages 249-267, July.
    5. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2020. "Armed conflict and birth weight," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    6. Kien Le & My Nguyen, 2022. "War and Intimate Partner Violence in Africa," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    7. Nguyen, My, 2019. "Political Violence and Child Height: Evidence from the 2003 Casablanca Bombings," MPRA Paper 111205, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Le Kien & Nguyen My, 2021. "How Education Empowers Women in Developing Countries," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 21(2), pages 511-536, April.
    9. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2021. "The psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic severity," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    10. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2022. "Desert locust swarms and child health," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    11. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2021. "In-utero Exposure to Rainfall Variability and Early Childhood Health," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    12. Nguyen, My, 2020. "Mask Mandates and COVID-19 Related Symptoms in the US," MPRA Paper 109992, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2022. "Rainfall and Birth Outcome: Evidence from Kyrgyzstan," MPRA Paper 112539, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2020. "The Impacts of Armed Conflict on Child Health: Evidence from 56 Developing Countries," MPRA Paper 109896, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Kien Le & My Nguyen, 2023. "The impacts of armed conflict on child health: Evidence from 56 developing countries," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 60(2), pages 243-257, March.
    16. Kien Le, 2022. "Pre-Recorded Lectures, Live Online Lectures, and Student Academic Achievement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-10, March.
    17. Hartman, Dana T. & Goodman, Gail S. & Grandchamp, Jaxon & Vidales, Daisy & Shaver, Phillip R. & Lawler, Michael J. & Hobbs, Sue D., 2023. "Outcomes for foster youth placed at a special residential high school: A quantitative case study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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