In the text David Marr argues that 1945 is the most important year in the modern history of Vietnam. (Marr, pg. 1) It is thought throughout the history of Vietnam that the Communist party was the primary driving force for Independence. Marr attempts to dispute these hypotheses, not by devaluing the impact of the Communist in Vietnam, but by focusing on other outside contributors. Marr describes the year of 1945, and years prior as an “awaking” of the Vietnamese people. The political transformations of 1945 took place in all the provincial towns and most rural districts of Vietnam. (Marr, pg. 2)Marr does not undermine the importance of the Communist party in Vietnam. He does stress the importance of the Indochinese Communist Party (ICP) and the Viet Minh. Although these organizations were essential to the movement, Marr argues that many Vietnamese did not even understand what the Viet Minh stood for. (Marr pg. 2) He contests that the Viet Minh did rally the people of Vietnam, but that these people were not brought together under a shared belief in Communism – and for that matter no individual group was really in control. (Marr pg.6) Marr saw the situation about people of diverse backgrounds and intentions contesting for hegemony. (Marr pg.6)
Applying his knowledge of Vietnam and numerous other accounts Marr describes the year of 1945 in great detail, including the years leading up to Independence. Marr begins by laying out the ground work in earlier years in how the Vietnamese people were treated by the French Imperialist. Marr begins the text at the point when the French are still technically in control of Vietnam, but it is evident that the Japanese are the ones who are really in control upon their arrival in 1941. (Marr pg.13) Japanese control of the region was out of necessity as a result of the American embargo set on Japan. (Marr pg. 26) Japan offered to remove its troops from southern Indochina in return for the United States rescinding the freeze on Japan, but the United States refused. (Marr pg.27) after the refusal of the freeze Japan began to exhaust Indochina of its resources creating contempt amongst its inhabitants. (Marr pg. 30)
Marr describes these actions by the Japanese and the years of abuse bestowed upon them by the French as the underlying factor for the resolve of the Vietnamese people. He argues that it was not this great Communist revolution that created Independence, but it was the people of Vietnam tired of being oppressed rising up and defeating two Imperial powers.Marr sees the ICP and the Viet Minh as the main contributors to organizing and providing a commonality for the people of Vietnam to fight under. He argues that in 1945 with the French weak and the Japanese losing their power, the Vietnamese people saw a power vacuum and an opportunity for Independence. Marr contests that it was the Communist party jumping at the right opportunity that gained them fame, not the party that caused the fall of the French and Japanese.
After the Vietnamese gain Independence Marr still points out the various factors that still stand in the way of a completely independent Vietnam. He describes how the Viet Minh and the Communist rise to power, but that there is still this unsettled anxiety amongst the people of Vietnam. It is not until many years later that Vietnam gains true independence and is united under one party.The debate that David Marr writes about in his book 1945 is that the Communist party in Vietnam did play a major rule in gaining Independence, but they were not the underlying factor. The argument that Marr brings forth is that no one was in control. (Marr pg.6) If one were to read about Vietnam history today that majority of text would attribute Vietnamese independence to the Communist party. This is however not the case. It was the people themselves of Vietnam that rose up to defeat the Imperialist forces.The people of Vietnam did not understand what the Viet Minh stood for, they were inundated with political slogans, flags, salutes, and even stamps to try to promote the Viet Minh. (Marr pg. 2) The people of Vietnam did not see this as an opportunity to join the Communist party; they saw it as a chance to kick some Imperialist ass.
After the Japanese seized power on March 9, 1945 the French nationals became subjected to increasing amount of physical and verbal abuse from the Vietnamese. (Marr pg. 65) The Vietnamese people at first did not know what to expect from the Japanese, perhaps as liberators or continuing the Imperialistic domination. (Marr pg. 90)
During the Japanese take-over the underground Communist Party in Hanoi was aware of the events, but did not act. (Marr pg. 152) This was the point when the Communist party started to see opportunities in some former prisoners under French rule being freed and possible recruits for their cause. The greatest event in the Viet Minh early days was the return of Ho Chi Minh. (Marr pg. 164) Ho began propaganda campaigns to recruit individuals into the party. His propaganda supports Marr’s dispute in that Ho, made sure propaganda made no mention of Socialism or the Communist Party. (Marr pg. 173.) The argument that Marr is trying to convey is that it was not the fact that the Viet Minh and the ICP were Communist that brought them to power, it was that they were the most organized, supported and successful group at the time of revolution. Marr would dispute that if any other organization be it democratic, utilitarian, or communist the people of Vietnam would have joined it in a common resolve to end the Imperialist oppression and free their land. Marr even points out in the text how the Viet Minh themselves where not all communist. Hundreds of thousands of people in the VML (Viet Minh League), which was “more than communist,” allegedly incorporating nationalists, high mandarins, and native soldiers in the colonial army. (Marr pg. 228)
Friday, June 13, 2008
1945: Subtext
Subtext
Ministry of National Defense Institute of Military History. Trinh Vuong Hong 2006. Ho Chi Minh: Thought on the Military. The Gioi Publishers. Hanoi.
This novel describes the military and political development of Ho Chi Minh. His studies in France, the Soviet Union, and China influenced his ideas and fostered the man that helps define a nation. Ho took ideas and customs from all these countries to build a new nation in Vietnam. Ho focused militarily on the people. He believed that if a people were organized and had the desire to gain independence they could succeed over any oppressor. Ho also realized that the people were the only means to gain independence in Vietnam. For any individual wanting to follow the military and political growth of Ho Chi Minh would find this novel intriguing and inspirational.
Borton, Lady. 2007. Ho Chi Minh: A Journey. The Gioi Publishers. Hanoi.
Ho Chi Minh led a fascinating life. From his birth to all the nations that he traveled to Ho was a worldly and scholarly man. Many people, especially in the West, view Ho Chi Minh as a tunnel digging little Vietnamese Communist. This is far from the truth; Ho spoke many languages, studied various religions, and understood various cultures. Many Americans would be amazed to read this book and find that Ho worked at a hotel in the United States and admired America. The captivating aspect of this text is the pictures. There are photographs of Ho with various famous individuals, poems, and his personal writings. Not a large text in itself, the book wonderfully lays out a chronological depiction of Ho Chi Minh’s life.
Barholomew-Feis, Dixee R. 2006. The OSS and Ho Chi Minh: Unexpected Allies in the War against Japan. University Press of Kansas. Kansas, MO
For the regular American it would be a surprise to realize how much the United States aided the Communist Vietnamese and Ho Chi Minh during World War II. If one would read this novel and see how much Ho admired America and the United States intelligence agencies the relationship with the two countries could have been different during the cold war. The United States intelligence agency the OSS, which is the precursor to the CIA, helped the Vietnamese with strategy and military intelligence that helped to aid the Vietnamese in their struggle for independence.
Jeffreys-Jones, Rhodri. 2002. Cloak and Dollar: A History of American Secret Intelligence. Yale University. New Haven and London.
The history of the American intelligence agencies is a web of underhandedness, lies, brilliant individuals, short-sidedness, and an unthinkable amount of money. The American government has financed military and political dissention on every continent in the world. The truth about many of these operations will never really be known. There has been success in the history of the intelligence agencies. But, the mistakes cost thousands of lives and in the case of Vietnam, Iran, and many other countries led to war and the backing of tyrannical individuals.
The Vietnamese August Revolution Reinterpreted. Huynh Kim Khanh. The Journal of Asian Studies. Vol. 30, No. 4 (August 1971). pp. 761-782. Association of Asian Studies.
Many scholars agree that August 1945 is the most important month in Vietnam’s history. The events that took place that month shaped the country into what it is today. The acts of the Communist party during this revolution were the key actor in Vietnam’s struggle for independence. This text argue that the Communist were the reason that Vietnam was victorious over the colonial oppressors.
Ministry of National Defense Institute of Military History. Trinh Vuong Hong 2006. Ho Chi Minh: Thought on the Military. The Gioi Publishers. Hanoi.
This novel describes the military and political development of Ho Chi Minh. His studies in France, the Soviet Union, and China influenced his ideas and fostered the man that helps define a nation. Ho took ideas and customs from all these countries to build a new nation in Vietnam. Ho focused militarily on the people. He believed that if a people were organized and had the desire to gain independence they could succeed over any oppressor. Ho also realized that the people were the only means to gain independence in Vietnam. For any individual wanting to follow the military and political growth of Ho Chi Minh would find this novel intriguing and inspirational.
Borton, Lady. 2007. Ho Chi Minh: A Journey. The Gioi Publishers. Hanoi.
Ho Chi Minh led a fascinating life. From his birth to all the nations that he traveled to Ho was a worldly and scholarly man. Many people, especially in the West, view Ho Chi Minh as a tunnel digging little Vietnamese Communist. This is far from the truth; Ho spoke many languages, studied various religions, and understood various cultures. Many Americans would be amazed to read this book and find that Ho worked at a hotel in the United States and admired America. The captivating aspect of this text is the pictures. There are photographs of Ho with various famous individuals, poems, and his personal writings. Not a large text in itself, the book wonderfully lays out a chronological depiction of Ho Chi Minh’s life.
Barholomew-Feis, Dixee R. 2006. The OSS and Ho Chi Minh: Unexpected Allies in the War against Japan. University Press of Kansas. Kansas, MO
For the regular American it would be a surprise to realize how much the United States aided the Communist Vietnamese and Ho Chi Minh during World War II. If one would read this novel and see how much Ho admired America and the United States intelligence agencies the relationship with the two countries could have been different during the cold war. The United States intelligence agency the OSS, which is the precursor to the CIA, helped the Vietnamese with strategy and military intelligence that helped to aid the Vietnamese in their struggle for independence.
Jeffreys-Jones, Rhodri. 2002. Cloak and Dollar: A History of American Secret Intelligence. Yale University. New Haven and London.
The history of the American intelligence agencies is a web of underhandedness, lies, brilliant individuals, short-sidedness, and an unthinkable amount of money. The American government has financed military and political dissention on every continent in the world. The truth about many of these operations will never really be known. There has been success in the history of the intelligence agencies. But, the mistakes cost thousands of lives and in the case of Vietnam, Iran, and many other countries led to war and the backing of tyrannical individuals.
The Vietnamese August Revolution Reinterpreted. Huynh Kim Khanh. The Journal of Asian Studies. Vol. 30, No. 4 (August 1971). pp. 761-782. Association of Asian Studies.
Many scholars agree that August 1945 is the most important month in Vietnam’s history. The events that took place that month shaped the country into what it is today. The acts of the Communist party during this revolution were the key actor in Vietnam’s struggle for independence. This text argue that the Communist were the reason that Vietnam was victorious over the colonial oppressors.
1945: Context
Context
David Marr disputes the popular notion that Communism was the reason Vietnam gained independence. The Communist party was the primary actor in Vietnam’s struggle for independence. There are many novels, movies, and other text to back this argument. Marr however, provides ample evidence that it was not just the Communist party. He argues that it was a Nationalist movement just as much as a Communist Revolution. The Vietnamese people were first ruled by an oppressive French imperialist regime and then a similar repressor in the Japanese in March of 1945. (Marr 1995, pg. 1) The people of Vietnam endured many hardships under theses tyrannical regimes and were looking to gain independence by any means. The Communist party just happened to be at the right place at the right time.
The vital role of the Communist party in the August 1945 Revolution and Vietnam’s independence is widely known. The main catalyst in the Communist party was Ho Chi Minh. Ho believed that for Vietnam to gain independence it would take all the Vietnamese people. Ho believed in the people and their invincible power to overcome the colonial oppressors. (Trinh 2006, pg. 147) The line between Communism and Nationalism is skewed during this period. Ho and his compatriots believed in Vietnam gaining independence by any means. He is even quoted as saying, “I am a Communist, but the point in which I am concentrating now is independence and freedom for the country of Vietnam, not Communism. I have one special revelation to share with you: Communism will not be realized in Vietnam during the next fifty years.” (Borton 2007, pg. 83) Ho himself saw that Communism was not what the Vietnamese people were fighting for, they were fighting for freedom.
One could argue that the 1945 revolution was a Nationalist revolution and not Communist. The people of Vietnam no longer wanted to be under the rule of their colonial oppressors and wanted a nation of their own. In his own thoughts on the struggle to gain independence Ho said, “To sacrifice our lives, interests, and ideas to create a national revolution.” (Borton 2007, pg. 47) This quote underlines a national revolution, not a Communist revolution.
Ho Chi Minh and the Communist were also willing to collaborate with anyone who would help them in their struggle. An important provider of intelligence and other support for Ho and the Communist was the United States and the OSS, the predecessor for the CIA. Marr would argue that this is proof that it was not primarily a Communist revolution in that they were willing to ally with any type of government as long as it aided them in gaining independence. To back up this argument after Vietnam gained independence Ho created the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence after the American model, not a Communist manifesto. (Jeffreys-Jones 2002, pg. 195-196)
David Marr disputes the popular notion that Communism was the reason Vietnam gained independence. The Communist party was the primary actor in Vietnam’s struggle for independence. There are many novels, movies, and other text to back this argument. Marr however, provides ample evidence that it was not just the Communist party. He argues that it was a Nationalist movement just as much as a Communist Revolution. The Vietnamese people were first ruled by an oppressive French imperialist regime and then a similar repressor in the Japanese in March of 1945. (Marr 1995, pg. 1) The people of Vietnam endured many hardships under theses tyrannical regimes and were looking to gain independence by any means. The Communist party just happened to be at the right place at the right time.
The vital role of the Communist party in the August 1945 Revolution and Vietnam’s independence is widely known. The main catalyst in the Communist party was Ho Chi Minh. Ho believed that for Vietnam to gain independence it would take all the Vietnamese people. Ho believed in the people and their invincible power to overcome the colonial oppressors. (Trinh 2006, pg. 147) The line between Communism and Nationalism is skewed during this period. Ho and his compatriots believed in Vietnam gaining independence by any means. He is even quoted as saying, “I am a Communist, but the point in which I am concentrating now is independence and freedom for the country of Vietnam, not Communism. I have one special revelation to share with you: Communism will not be realized in Vietnam during the next fifty years.” (Borton 2007, pg. 83) Ho himself saw that Communism was not what the Vietnamese people were fighting for, they were fighting for freedom.
One could argue that the 1945 revolution was a Nationalist revolution and not Communist. The people of Vietnam no longer wanted to be under the rule of their colonial oppressors and wanted a nation of their own. In his own thoughts on the struggle to gain independence Ho said, “To sacrifice our lives, interests, and ideas to create a national revolution.” (Borton 2007, pg. 47) This quote underlines a national revolution, not a Communist revolution.
Ho Chi Minh and the Communist were also willing to collaborate with anyone who would help them in their struggle. An important provider of intelligence and other support for Ho and the Communist was the United States and the OSS, the predecessor for the CIA. Marr would argue that this is proof that it was not primarily a Communist revolution in that they were willing to ally with any type of government as long as it aided them in gaining independence. To back up this argument after Vietnam gained independence Ho created the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence after the American model, not a Communist manifesto. (Jeffreys-Jones 2002, pg. 195-196)
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