Sacred WarRoots of Revolution

IndexCivilizing mission

French colonialism in Indochina

Fundamental dilemmas

The revolutionary path

The August revolution

Civilizing mission

111 B.C. – 10th century: Vietnamese state was conquered by the Chinese Empire

long and direct acquaintance with Chinese civilization.

10th Century -: Dai Viet expanded southward along the coast of South China Sea (war with Champa)

By 1700: conquered Champa, seized the vast Mekong delta

lack of the territorial cohesion

Vietnam was divided into two separate warring states.

Civilizing mission

1802: Hue was founded as the royal capital of the Nguyen dynasty that united Vietnam.

prohibited Christian missionary activities in the country

Early 19th Century: Industrial Revolution the West turned to Asia for cheap raw materials and consumer markets.

Dutch -> East Indies, British -> Burma & Malaysia, French -> Vietnam as a toehold on the Southeast Asian mainland.

“Civilizing mission”: introduce advanced Western civilization (democratic institutions, capitalist economics, modern technology, culture).

French colonialism in Indochina

Cochinchina: taken in 1859 and run by admirals until 1879, was later administered under a governor as a direct colony of France.

Tonkin: seized in 1882, was ruled after 1897 as a direct protectorate with the French resident superior taking the role of the former Annamese viceroy.

Annam: was ruled after 1884 as an indirect protectorate with the Emperor and the Court of Hué in place, and the French resident superior having the real power.

French colonialism in Indochina

Profit and production: proto-capitalist system, based on land ownership, increased production, exports (rubber, coal) low wages (slave physically and mentally)

Taxation and monopolies: extensive taxation system income tax on wages, a poll tax on all adult males, stamp duties on a wide range of publications and documents imposts on the weighing and measuring of agricultural goods Monopolies on rice wine and salt

Fundamental dilemmas Imperial court: how to respond the threat from abroad

Traditional tactics of guerrilla warfare Appease the French while attempting to introduce political and

economic reforms The emperor ceded provinces in Mekong delta to the French placed patriotic Vietnamese in a dilemma.

Should they follow imperial orders and refrain from active resistance to continuing French advances, or

Should they resist on their own initiative?

Fundamental dilemmasPhan Dinh Phung (resistor) – Hoang Cao Khai (collaborator)

Phan Dinh Phung: Confucian scholar-official: patriotism before loyalty Bitter guerrilla struggle against French colonial regime Can Vuong (Save the King) movement

Hoang Cao Khai: old childhood acquaintance Continued fighting would only produce more hardship for people

Can Vuong movement ended in tragedy and failure

New stage in the anti-French movement

Fundamental dilemmasPhan Boi Chau – Phan Chu Trinh

Phan Boi Chau Organized the Modernization Society (Duy Tan Hoi) First modern nationalist the country must adopt Western technology/political/

economic institutions sought assistance from foreign sponsor

Phan Chu Trinh Allow French to carry out civilization mission Colonial rule brought many benefits Hope “then transfer power to an independent

Vietnamese government”

The Revolutionary Path

Ho Chi Minh’s activities:

1890  May 19, Nguyen Tat Thanh (later known as Ho Chi Minh) was born.

1911: Leaving Saigon, traveled throughout the world

1914 (WWI): settled in GB, became aware of Karl Marx’s ideas

1919: joined Parti Socialiste de France (PSF)

1920: helped found Parti Communiste de France (PCF)

1923: went on to Moscow for training in revolutionary strategy by the Communist International

The Revolutionary Path

Ho Chi Minh’s activities:

1924: arrived in Guangzhou in December

real task: the formation of the first genuinely Marxist revolutionary organization in Indochina.

1925: established Vietnamese Revolutionary Youth League (RYL)

1927: wrote The Revolutionary Path

1930: Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) Indochinese Communist Party (ICP)

1931: was arrested by British authorities in Hong Kong in June

The Revolutionary Path

1941: France accepted Japan's demand for military control of Indochina.

1941: The Viet Minh, a nationalist movement led by Communists, was founded.

1942: after imprisoning Ho Chi Minh, the Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek was pressured into releasing him by America's Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The OSS sought his release so he could continue his fight against the Japanese. The Viet Minh also benefited from U.S. arms and equipment.

 1943-1945: Ho Chi Minh offered American intelligence assistance in reporting on Japanese troop movements and helping Allied fliers shot down.

The August Revolution1945, August 14th: Japanese imperial government accepted

Allied peace term. The Pacific war was over.

August 18th: the northern and central provinces in Vietnam under command of ICP

Late August: Emperor Bao Dai announced his abdication.

September 2nd: Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnamese independence.

By the end of the year, Vietnam was divided into a communist north and a noncommunist south, with French forces trying to restore control over all of Indochina.

ConclusionThe August Revolution: confirmed the Vietminh Front had

been accepted by the majority of the Vietnamese people as the legitimate representative of their national aspirations.

Vietminh victory was a triumph in a vacuum, achieved in the chaotic conditions at the end of the war

Still, it was the best organized movement in Vietnam and would do its utmost to meet the immediate needs of the people

Thank you for attention