Faculty of History: 55 years of construction and development (1956-2011)

55 years is short in the thousand-year long history of the nation, but 55 years is not short in the 66-year journey of the new Vietnam. During those 55 years, generations of cadres and students of the Faculty of History, Hanoi National University (now the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi) have continuously studied, trained, and strived to improve themselves, making the Faculty one of the leading historical training and research centers in Vietnam, aiming for deep integration and cooperation with the international community.

Pioneer in new historiography

Just over a month after readingDeclaration of IndependenceOn October 10, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh signed Decree No. 45/SL to establish Hanoi University of Letters. However, the French colonialists' return to invade interrupted the construction of the new Vietnam, and the organization of the university education system of the new regime was also affected. After the Dien Bien Phu victory "resounding throughout the five continents, shaking the earth" in 1954, the North was liberated and moved forward to build socialism, preparing human resources and material resources for the task of liberating the South and unifying the country. In the exciting atmosphere of building the new regime, clearly identifying the important position of university education, the Prime Minister issued Decision 2138/TC on June 4, 1956 to establish Hanoi University of Science with the first two departments: the Department of Science and the Department of Letters. The Faculty of Literature, headed by Professor Tran Duc Thao, consisted of two relatively independent departments: History and Literature. Not long after, the Faculty of Literature was separated to form two independent faculties: the Faculty of History and the Faculty of Literature. Despite many difficulties in terms of facilities and staff, the Faculty of History developed rapidly in the early days of its establishment. From its original headquarters on Hai Ba Trung Street, together with famous scientists (Tran Duc Thao, Dao Duy Anh, Tran Van Giau), the first generation of teachers (Dinh Xuan Lam, Phan Huy Le, Tran Quoc Vuong, Vuong Hoang Tuyen, etc.) and researchers and translators with profound knowledge of Chinese and French (Tran Le Nhan, Doan Thang, Ngo Lap Chi, Kieu Huu Hi, Tran Le Huu, etc.), they devoted themselves to laying the foundation to build the Faculty of History into the leading historical training and research center of the new Vietnam. One year after its establishment, the Faculty was supplemented with new teachers (Dang Huy Van, Ha Van Tan, Kieu Xuan Ba, etc.). The departments were also established one after another: Ancient Vietnamese History, Modern Vietnamese History, Modern Vietnamese History, World History, etc. In the summer of 1959, 80 students of the first course of the Faculty of History graduated, 17 were retained as teaching staff, many of whom later became famous historians (Vu Duong Ninh, Le Mau Han, Phan Dai Doan, Pham Thi Tam, etc.). At the same time, some staff of the Faculty were transferred to new units according to the assignment of their superiors (Mr. Tran Duc Thao, Dao Duy Anh, Tran Van Giau). In addition to traditional subjects, in the first years of establishment, the Faculty of History sought support from international experts to develop new subjects and topics. In the 60s of the last century, the Faculty of History was the place where many famous teachers and researchers from the Soviet Union and China worked, such as: PI Boriskovski, EP Buxghin, Elixieva, Dai Yit... These international scientists participated in teaching, researching, and doing fieldwork in ethnology and archaeology, contributing to the discovery of new scientific issues. Two new departments, Ethnology and Archaeology, were established on the basis of cooperation between the Faculty and international scientists, contributing to the development of the scale and majors of historical training and research in our country. Determining the goal of promoting research to improve the quality of teaching, overcoming the difficulties and shortages of the early period of establishment, the Faculty of History made efforts to organize many scientific activities. Many famous scientific works (monographs and textbooks) were completed during this difficult period, marking the rapid maturity of Marxist historiography:Anti-invasion,Vietnamese working class,The crisis of the Nguyen Dynasty feudal regime before 1858(Tran Van Giau);History of Vietnam from its origin to the end of the 19th century,Origin of the Vietnamese people(Dao Duy Anh);History of Vietnam 1897-1914;Modern History of Vietnam[4 episodes] (Tran Van Giau, Dinh Xuan Lam, Dang Huy Van…);Land regime and agricultural economy in the early Le dynasty(Phan Huy Le);History of Vietnamese feudalism[3 volumes] (Phan Huy Le, Tran Quoc Vuong, Ha Van Tan, Dinh Xuan Lam, Chu Thien, Vuong Hoang Tuyen),History of the original Communist regime in Vietnam(Tran Quoc Vuong, Ha Van Tan);Brief introduction to primitive archaeology of Vietnam(Tran Quoc Vuong, Ha Van Tan);Those Nguyen Truong To's reform proposal(Dang Huy Van, Chuong Thau)... In addition, translation activities are also promoted to provide teaching and research materials. Typical translation works include:Geographical information(Ha Van Tan);The army's orders are issued by the central government.(Phan Huy Le);Brief History of Vietnam(Tran Quoc Vuong);Vietnam's history of national loss(Chapter Thu, Chu Thien);World History[10 volumes] (Department of World History)… It can be said that the journey of nearly ten years in the first phase of building a new historical foundation of the History Department took place in countless difficulties and challenges but achieved many great achievements. The staff was strengthened in quantity and quality (although some people took on other positions, the number of permanent staff was still maintained at around 30). The number of students enrolled and graduated was stable over the years. The system of subjects and topics was built and constantly updated. Scientific research, seminars, and specialized translation were focused on development…The Faculty of History has quickly become a leading historical training and research unit in the new Vietnamese education and science, a strong and pioneering historical center in the modern Vietnamese historian community.These are the solid premises to ensure the development of the Faculty in the upcoming challenging stages: together with the whole country to carry out the mission of defeating the American invaders.

The heroic years with the nation

Failing to control the South, from the second half of 1965, the US imperialists launched bombing raids on the North of our country. In the context of the war, in order to minimize the loss of human life and property caused by US bombs, teachers and students of the History Department quickly, together with the School, organized an evacuation to Van Tho commune, Dai Tu district (Thai Nguyen), then moved several times to villages along the Nhue River (Ha Dong), Van Thang (Ba Vi), villages along the Cau River in Yen Phong district (Bac Ninh)... The rain of bombs and bullets from the US Air Force did not weaken the will of teachers and students of the History Department: teaching programs were still organized in a systematic manner (going to Nghe An to supervise the entrance exam while US planes were fiercely bombing...); scientific research activities were still maintained, even strongly developed (publishing books, organizing scientific seminars...); mass mobilization activities and participation in production were promoted (transferring rice to Yen Vien - building the Que Vo dike...). During that challenging time, the teachers of the Faculty still persevered in their teaching and research careers, not only "passing on" the scientific fire to generations of students but also enthusiastically presenting to the people about the patriotism and indomitable will to fight against foreign invaders of our ancestors in the past to add strength to the long-term resistance war to protect national independence and unify the country. It was during that fierce time that a series of excellent works by the teachers of the Faculty of History were successively published:Lam Son uprising and the national liberation movement in the early 15th century(Phan Huy Le, Phan Dai Doan),The resistance against the Yuan-Mongol invasion in the 13th century(Ha Van Tan, Pham Thi Tam),Historical stories,Glorious history of ethnic minorities(Dinh Xuan Lam, Tran Quoc Vuong),Distribution of ethnic groups and residents in Northern Vietnam(Vuong Hoang Tuyen)… The special thing is: there are books completed by teachers when they were very young, just over or under 30 years old (Phan Huy Le, Tran Quoc Vuong, Ha Van Tan, Pham Thi Tam…), and received letters of visit and praise from Uncle Ho (Mr. Ha Van Tan - Ms. Pham Thi Tam). Scientific activities are also maintained regularly with cadres participating in or organizing scientific conferences such as:Historical methodology(1967),100 years of the Paris Commune(1971),Southeast Asia(1973)… During the heroic years of fighting the Americans with the whole country, the teachers and students of the History Department not only contributed to the scientific front and participated in local production but also directly took up arms and fought on battlefields from North to South. Following the example of teachers and soldiers such as Le Anh Xuan, Ngo Van So… during the fierce years of 1971-1972, dozens of cadres and students of the Department were “put away pen and ink"joining the army - students of Hanoi University and the youth of the whole country to support the southern front line: working as news agency reporters, armed police, soldiers, frontline propagandists... The historical knowledge learned from the University combined with the enthusiasm of youth and the passionate patriotism that had been nurtured since ancient times helped the classes of Teachers - Students - Soldiers of the History Department to charge into the battlefield. Many of them heroically sacrificed: Teacher - Poet - Martyr Ca Le Hien (Le Anh Xuan) fell heroically during the Mau Than General Offensive in 1968, leaving behind for future generations a "Vietnamese posture carved into the century”; students Duong Tan Nhuong, Le Van Tron, Tran Van Tuan, Le Van Doan, Pham Van Tai, Nguyen Xuan Toan, Nguyen Van Tam... fought steadfastly and heroically sacrificed for the day of national reunification and independence. During those unforgettable years, whether it was the difficult days under simple thatched roofs in the evacuation areas (from Dai Tu, Song Cau to Ba Vi, Song Nhue) or when being transferred to the center in Me Tri - Thuong Dinh, generations of teachers and students of the Faculty of History did not forget their professional duties. Admissions were still guaranteed, and students regularly enrolled and graduated every year. In particular, in the context of bombs and bullets, schools were evacuated, and facilities were extremely lacking, many foreign experts and students (Soviet Union, China, Poland, North Korea, Indonesia...) still followed the Faculty and the School to the evacuation areas to teach and study. Professional internships, surveys, and field trips on Vietnamese history and archaeology Studies, Ethnology are still held regularly. After the liberation day, the number of students of the Faculty increased rapidly, including a significant number of students returning from the front lines. Facing new opportunities for development, the staff was also focused on strengthening to better meet the teaching and scientific research tasks of the Faculty. In addition to the departments from the early years of the Faculty's establishment, a number of new departments have been built:History of the Communist Party of Vietnam(1974),Museology,Library studies(transferred to Hanoi University of Culture),Historical methodology(1983)… Since 1980, the Faculty of History began to conduct postgraduate training and was one of the first faculties of Hanoi University at that time to have a doctoral student successfully defend his PhD thesis. Scientific activities were still promoted: many scientific conferences were organized:50 years of Party founding,600th anniversary of Nguyen Trai's birth(1980),Hanoi,30 years of Dien Bien Phu victory(1984),40 years of victory over fascism(1985)…; the compilation of textbooks and lectures was promoted, especially in newly established departments; foreign scientific activities were also strongly promoted: along with the increasing number of international scientists (Soviet Union, German Democratic Republic, Netherlands...) coming to work at the Faculty, the number of teachers of the Faculty working as experts, going for professional training, interns, and postgraduates abroad (France, Madagascar, Netherlands, German Democratic Republic, Soviet Union...) also increased rapidly, creating a source of highly qualified staff with good foreign language skills for new developments along with the country's transformation. It can be said that during the heroic years when the whole country fought against the US, there was a worthy contribution from the Faculty of History, with the blood and bones of many teachers and students on the battlefields, with the determination to overcome difficulties, carry bombs, and weather storms to stay in school, stay in class, organize training, and conduct scientific research of those who stayed behind, preparing human resources for the mission of restoring and developing the country.

Innovation, integration and continued development

In the early 1980s, our country's economy faced countless difficulties. Together with the people of the whole country to overcome common challenges, the teachers and students of the Faculty of History steadfastly aimed at improving the quality of teaching and research, continuing to develop the Faculty to new heights: training programs (especially the newly established postgraduate training program) were guaranteed; new research directions were proposed; scientific seminars were regularly organized; international relations were rapidly expanded, serving the training and scientific research development of the Faculty in parallel... In particular, in the context of the country carrying out the Doi Moi process, the Faculty of History organized many conferences to discuss directions to bring the training and research goals of the unit forward according to the thinking of innovation and integration. In the two decades of 1980 and 1990, due to common difficulties, the number of teaching staff of the Faculty almost did not increase. Meanwhile, a number of teachers were mobilized to be the core in building the newly established Faculties of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Oriental Studies, International Studies, Tourism Studies, Archival Studies and Office Management, etc.). However, the quality of lecturers during this period was rapidly consolidated: many completed their PhD and Doctor of Science programs at home and abroad, and were awarded the titles of Professor and Associate Professor, People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher. The team of highly qualified lecturers and the tradition of solidarity and overcoming difficulties of generations of teachers and students of the Faculty of History were the premise for the Faculty to achieve great achievements in the early period of Renovation. Overcoming the legacies of the long subsidy period, the Faculty of History was a pioneer in the cause of innovation in the country's higher education: perfecting training programs in the direction of innovation, linkage and integration; organizing the compilation and updating of new textbooks (Vietnam History Process,Overview of Vietnamese History,World History,History of World Civilization,History of the Communist Party of Vietnam,Ho Chi Minh Thought…) and a series of monographs, reference books…; carried out many state-level scientific projects (Traditional values ​​and Vietnamese people todayby Professor Phan Huy Le as Chairman,Socio-political institutions in rural Vietnamby Professor Phan Dai Doan as Chairman,Ho Chi Minh's ideology of great solidarityChairman by Prof. Dr. Phung Huu PhuHistory and current status of the political system in Vietnamby Professor, Doctor of Science Vu Minh Giang as Chairman,History of Vietnam's sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Saby Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc as Chairman,Southern Territories and the Southwest Frontier in Historychaired by Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang), and ministerial, provincial/municipal level topics; organizing international seminars (Hoi An Ancient Town1990,Pho Hien1992,Vietnam studiesthe first time in 1998...); promote international cooperation to develop the staff (many staff of the Faculty continue to participate in specialist, intern, and graduate student programs abroad; the number of international scientists coming to teach and research at the Faculty is also increasing day by day)... Recognizing the outstanding achievements of generations of teachers and students of the Faculty in the career of training and scientific research, right from the beginning of the 21st century, on November 13, 2000, the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam awarded the Faculty of History the noble titleHero of Labor The Renovation Period. The achievements of the early stages of the Renovation period laid a solid foundation for the Faculty of History to enter the 21st century with the goal of continuing to develop its training, scientific research and deep international integration into regional and world history. Currently, the Faculty of History has more than 60 teaching staff (both permanent and part-time), 07 Departments (Ancient and Medieval Vietnamese History,History of Vietnam - Modern and Contemporary,World History,History of the Communist Party of Vietnam,Archeology,Historical theory,Cultural studies), 02 research centers (Intercultural,Rural Research and Development), 01 Office - Documentation group; 05 undergraduate training programs (History of Vietnam,World History,History of the Communist Party of Vietnam,Archeology,Cultural studies) with annual enrollment of 100 to 150 students; 06 master's training programs (History of Vietnam,World History,History of the Communist Party of Vietnam,Archeology,Ethnology,History of History and Historiography- and is preparing to open a master's programCultural Studies and History of Vietnamese Culturesince 2012); 08 doctoral training programs (Ancient and Medieval Vietnamese History,History of Vietnam - Modern and Contemporary,World HistoryNeck- medieval,Modern World History,History of the Communist Party of Vietnam,Archeology,Ethnology,History of History and Historiography), in which Master of Vietnamese History and Doctor of Ancient and Medieval Vietnamese History are being trained within the framework of the Strategic Mission of Hanoi National University; cooperative relations with about 50 universities, institutes - international research centers and about 100 specialized units nationwide; scientific cooperation with world universities to organize international conferences:East Asia – Southeast Asia: Historical and Current Issues(3/2004),Vietnam in the Asian trade system in the 16th-17th centuries(3/2007),Nation-Building and National Unification in Vietnam (1500-2000): A Comparative Approach(12/2009),Vietnamese History in the Context of Integration and Globalization: Theoretical Issues and Approaches(3/2011),Between Classical and Modern: Southeast Asia in the Early Modern Period, ca. late 14th to late 18th century(11/2011);Future Directions in Southeast Asian Studies(3/2012)… Many state-level scientific research topics chaired by the Faculty's staff:History of Vietnamby Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc,History of the Government of Vietnamby Associate Professor Le Mau Han as Chairman,State-level Social Science ProjectThe process of formation and development of the Southern regionby Prof. Dr. Phan Huy Le as Project Manager, Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Quan as Project Managers). The History Department is also a unit with many contributions in scientific research towards 1000 years of Thang Long - Hanoi. The Faculty's staff directly chaired 03 out of 12 projects under the State-level scientific program "Research on promoting natural, economic, social conditions and historical - cultural values, serving the comprehensive development of the Capital", code KX.09 (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Xuan Hang, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hai Ke and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Quan). Together with the units in the school, with the Institute of Vietnamese Studies and Development Sciences, the staff of the Faculty of History, currently working at the Faculty, at the units of the School, of Hanoi National University or retired, edited 23/94 books of the "Thang Long Thousand Years of Civilization Bookcase". Over the 55 years of construction and development (1956-2011), the Faculty of History has trained for the country about 5,500 Bachelors, nearly 500 Masters and 112 PhDs. Most generations of students, trainees and postgraduates of the Faculty have matured professionally, have prestige in the industry, many scientists have been honored domestically and internationally, many alumni of the Faculty have become senior leaders of the Party and the State. Many units and individuals in the Faculty have been awarded noble prizes by the State: Labor Medals of First, Second and Third Class for the Faculty and some departments; Labor Medals of First, Second and Third Class for individuals such as: Prof. Dinh Xuan Lam, Prof. Phan Huy Le, Prof. Ha Van Tan, Prof. Tran Quoc Vuong, Prof. Phan Dai Doan, Prof. Vu Duong Ninh, Associate Prof. Le Mau Han, Associate Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Khoan, Associate Prof. Dr. Han Van Khan, Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thua Hy, Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hai Ke, Associate Prof. Dr. Ngo Dang Tri, Associate Prof. Dr. Pham Xanh...; Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister, from the Director of Hanoi National University for collectives and individuals; honored by Hanoi City for outstanding contributions in activities towards 1000 years of Thang Long - Hanoi (Prof. Dr. Phan Huy Le, Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Associate Prof. Dr. Pham Xuan Hang, Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hai Ke, Associate Prof. Dr. Vu Van Quan). In particular, the scientific research achievements of the teachers of the Faculty of History have been recognized through domestic and international awards: Prof. Tran Duc Thao, Prof. Dao Duy Anh, Prof. Tran Van Giau, Prof. Ha Van Tan, Prof. Tran Quoc Vuong received the Ho Chi Minh Prize for Science and Technology; Prof. Phan Dai Doan, Prof. Dr. Phan Huu Dat, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thua Hy received the State Prize for Science and Technology; Prof. Tran Quoc Vuong, Prof. Ha Van Tan, Assoc. Prof. Pham Thi Tam, Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Tung... received science and technology awards from the Hanoi National University; Prof. Phan Huy Le received the Fukuoka International Asian Cultural Award from Japan (1996), the French Government's Academic Palm Medal (2002), and the Foreign Correspondent Member of the Academy of Inscriptions and Fine Arts - part of the French Academy (2011). Over the past 55 years of development and growth, nearly 200 staff members have been and are working at the Faculty as authors, co-authors, editors or co-editors of more than 6,000 scientific works, including textbooks, monographs, reference books, magazine articles, domestic and international conference papers, etc. These scientific achievements cover many areas of history, but mainly focus on 5 main groups of achievements: 1. Contributing to clarifying the process of formation and continuous development of the Vietnamese people; the origins of Vietnamese history and culture. 2. Researching the patriotic tradition and indomitable fighting spirit of our people and Vietnamese military art. 3. Research on agricultural and rural social and economic issues, village institutions, religion and beliefs... thereby contributing to clarifying the characteristics of Vietnamese agricultural society in relation to and comparison with other societies in the East. 4. Basic understandings of history and the world's political and social situation, in-depth research on regional history, social revolutions and world revolutionary movements and trends, the process of formation, development and influence of regional and international organizations, policies and strategies of major powers, the position of Vietnam as well as the specific development path of Vietnam in comparison with some Eastern countries. 5. Contributing to clarifying the process of the Vietnamese revolution, the birth of the Party and the leadership role of the Party through revolutionary periods, Ho Chi Minh's thought, integration with the general development trend of the region and the world, the Party's Renovation policy. In order to continue to maintain and promote the pioneering position of a leading training and research unit in the country in History, based on the scientific achievements gained over the past 55 years, the Faculty of History has been focusing its research on 5 major research directions based on grasping the requirements that have been and are being posed for the cause of national innovation and development, expanding international relations as well as the conformity with the directions of the State management agencies on scientific research, of the Vietnam National University, Hanoi and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities: 1. Research on the Southern region: history, culture, the process of exploring and establishing the sovereignty of the Fatherland, the policies of the dynasties towards the Southern region... 2. Systemic research on Vietnam's seas and islands: the marine economic environment, awareness of the sea and the tradition of exploiting the sea, the process of establishing territorial sovereignty, the tradition of protecting the sea and islands, research on maritime trade and international relations in the East Sea region as well as the East Sea. such as regional and international seas... 3. Research on cultural exchange and contact in Vietnamese history: centers - regions - spaces of Vietnamese culture, modern Vietnamese culture, the unity and diversity of Vietnamese culture in the regional cultural context... 4. Research on urban and urban society: natural and social space, urban planning and management, population structure, urban anthropology and urbanization issues, economic activities, urban culture and the relationship between urban and rural areas, the development model and typical characteristics of Vietnamese urban areas in comparison with other types of urban areas in the East and the world... 5. Research to further clarify the specific development path of Vietnam: the process of fighting for national unification and protecting national independence, the Party's major policies and the achievements of the Renovation process, the process of regional integration, the policies of major countries, the country's opportunities and challenges in the industrialization process, modernization and international integration today…

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55 years of continuous efforts to build and develop by generations of teachers and students of the History Department have created a "School of General History" has been recognized both domestically and internationally. The 55-year history page was written by the efforts, sweat, tears and blood of generations of cadres and students, to create a massive "heritage of the Faculty of History" for today's generations to read, understand, contemplate, reflect on themselves, have more motivation to study, practice, teach, research and rise up in life. Looking forward to the 55th anniversary of its founding, I would like to light a stick of incense to the teachers and students who heroically sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, to the teachers and staff who have passed away. Those examples of teachers - scientists, those examples of civic responsibility to the people and to the country will forever shine, passed on to generations of cadres and students of the Faculty of History today and tomorrow.

Hanoi, Autumn, 2011

References

• 40 years of History Department (1956-1996), National Political Publishing House, 1996.
• Faculty of History - half a century of construction and development (1956-2006), World Publishing House, 2006.
• Nguyen Van Kim,“50 years - A journey of scientific research of the Faculty of History”,Journal of Historical Research, No. 9 (365), 2006.
• Vu Van Quan, "Faculty of History - half a century of construction and development",www.khoalichsu.edu.vn