International Politico - Cultural Influences on Vietnam in the 20th Century

About the Book

Geographically, historically and culturally Vietnam was profoundly influenced by Chinese culture due to more than 1,000 years under Chinese rule. Chinese influence was less important in Vietnam from 1884 to 1945 after the French occupied Cochinchina and established their protectorate in Tonkin and Annam. By the end of the 19th century almost all the Vietnamese resistance forces were defeated by the French. The Vietnamese revolutionaries looked for different paths of national liberation, and thought of foreign aid. Phan Boi Chau and Cuong De admired the Japanese reforms. He founded Phong Trao Dong Du (Journey to the East Movement). Phan Chu Trinh loved Western democracy and modernization in exhorting non- violence (ahimsa). He was the soul of the Modernization Movement. Nguyen Tat Thanh (Ho Chi Minh) leaned toward the Comintern. He founded Vietnam Thanh Nien Cach Mang Dong Chi Hoi (Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association) in 1925, and Dang Cong San Viet Nam (Vietnam Communist Party) in 1930. He played an important role in the Vietnamese revolutions in the 20th century. Nguyen Thai Hoc headed Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang (Vietnam Kuomintang), and adopted San Min Chu I (Three People’s Principles) promoted by Sun Yat- sen. Bui Quang Chieu founded Dang Lap Hien (Constitutionalist Party), cherishing Phap- Viet De Hue (Franco- Vietnamese Cooperation). Ta Thu Thau, Phan Van Hum, Ho Huu Tuong chose Trotskyism known as the Fourth International. Ngo Dinh Diem was a mandarin. Nguyen Van Thieu and Nguyen Cao Ky were military men. They all were trained and educated by the French before being backed by Washington to become leaders of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). International Politico- Cultural Influences on Vietnam in the 20th Century was the summary of the influences of the Big Five and Japan on Vietnam in the 20th century. It showed the readers how important foreign aid was in Vietnam, how Vietnam was modified by foreign aid, and how complicated the Vietnam problems were for not digesting different political doctrines and cultures smoothly.

About the Author

David Lan Pham was born in Thu Dau Mot, Southern Vietnam, on February 1st, 1940. A graduate of the University of Sai Gon, he specialized in history and geography. The author taught history, and had cultural and journalistic activities in South Vietnam before 1975 as General Secretary of the Vietnamese Teachers of History and Geography Association, General Secretary of the Vietnam Library Association, and Advisor to the Binh Duong Confederation Vietnamienne du Travail (CVT). After ten years in misery in the new regime he left Vietnam clandestinely with his son and two brothers by boat, and arrived in the United States in 1986. David Lan Pham worked for Catholic Social Services Refugee Resettlement Program in South Alabama as the Social Services Coordinator. He created the bilingual Bulletin, Tin Viet and Dac San Que Huong. David Lan Pham, a subject of biographical records in Marquis Who’ s Who in America 2003 & 2004 (57th & 58th editions), is author of Two Hamlets in Nam Bo (McFarland Publishers, 2000), Earthy Life (1st Books Library, 2001), Vietnam History Dictionary (1st Books Library, 2002). Focusing on Vietnam history and culture he wrote Vietnam Culture Dictionary, International Politico- Cultural Influences on Vietnam in the 20th Century, Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese People, Reflexions on Ho Chi Minh (1890- 1969), On Vietnam, Winners and Losers, When I was…, Vietnam: The Past Memories which will appear in the coming days