{Book Introduction} “The Patriotic Movement Against French Colonial Invasion by the Vietnamese People in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries”

This book compiles over 30 research papers written by the educator and historian Dang Huy Van, or co-written with several colleagues who are renowned historians and educators from a prestigious training unit – the Department of Modern Vietnamese History, Faculty of History, Hanoi University, and other units: Dinh Xuan Lam, Chu Thien, Chuong Thau, Nguyen Phan Quang, Hoang Van Lan, Bui Van Chep, Hoang Dinh Binh, Nguyen Dang Duy, Le Ngoc Dong... These research works were all completed in the 1960s, many of which were written in the mountains of Dai Tu, Thai Nguyen, under the dim light of oil lamps in evacuation areas during the war against the American imperialists, amidst countless hardships and deprivations.

During his lifetime, driven by a passion for research and innovation, researcher Dang Huy Van was interested in many issues of modern Vietnamese history. He wrote several monographs on these topics:Periodization of modern Vietnamese history, the Vietnamese Quốc ngữ script, the class struggle during the Gia Long era, the labor and military service system under Gia Long...;He has participated in compiling several major scientific works: a series of textbooks.Modern history of Vietnam,Patriotic poetry and literature of the latter half of the 19th century (1858-1900),Nguyen Truong To's reform proposals,From Ba Dinh to Hung LinhHowever, the topic that interested him most and devoted the majority of his research efforts to was...The patriotic movement of our people against French colonial invasion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

This was not a random, impulsive choice, but the pursuit of a purpose in life, a creative purpose of a patriotic intellectual who always upheld the moral principle: the rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of the scholar-official. In the 1960s, the resistance war against the American imperialist invasion intensified; American expeditionary forces poured into the South, waging localized warfare; American planes relentlessly bombed and destroyed the North. The patriotic intellectual and historian Dang Huy Van wished to use history to serve the great national liberation struggle; he wished to draw upon the heroic and indomitable traditions of his ancestors during the years of resistance against French colonial invasion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a guide.The sacred flame ignited and forged the indomitable spirit of the nation.In a life-or-death struggle against the leading, belligerent imperialist power, for independence, freedom, and national unity, his aspirations are consistently expressed in over 30 articles printed in this monograph, and this is the overarching idea, the main inspiration, and the prominent purpose of the book.

The book is divided into four parts, focusing on three major areas: the struggle between the "war" and "peace" factions surrounding the choice of path and solutions to counter the French colonial invasion; the extensive and heroic struggles of our people against the French colonial war of aggression in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; and the identification and evaluation of some contemporary historical figures, which still have gaps in understanding or differing opinions. Approaching these three areas, with over 30 articles compiled in the book, it comprehensively covers important issues of modern history, the period before the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam in February 1930, helping readers to visualize the basic features of a special period in the nation's modern history.

Whenever the nation faced danger from foreign invasion, the ruling class always found itself divided in its choice of course of action: to fight to defend national independence or to compromise, concede, and surrender. The outcome of this internal struggle within the ruling class greatly influenced the nation's destiny. In this book, using historical data and scientific analysis, researcher Dang Huy Van realistically portrays the struggle between the "peace faction," with their differing perceptions and motivations, but ultimately all fearing the overwhelming power of the French colonialists (represented by the Nguyen dynasty kings and some close advisors), and the "war faction," represented by patriotic and upright officials who believed in the strength of the people and the heroic traditions of the nation. From a comprehensive analysis of the country's historical reality in the latter half of the 19th century, the author draws profound and insightful conclusions. He emphasized that when the feudal court clearly revealed its weak, reactionary nature, acting against the national interest and the aspirations of the people,To resist French colonial aggression, one must resist the surrendering imperial court; the struggle against the surrendering court and its oppression and exploitation of the people was an integral part of the national liberation resistance at the end of the 19th century.

In this book of over 600 pages, the largest section consists of articles about the patriotic movement against the French by our people. In the context of a temporarily divided country, lacking the opportunity to conduct in-depth research on the history of the resistance against the French in the southern provinces, author Dang Huy Van, using new sources, focuses on presenting in detail and vividly the armed activities, uprisings, and continuous, fierce anti-French movements in the North, from the central provinces to the plains, midlands, and mountainous regions. He particularly emphasizes depicting and highlighting the tenacious and heroic fighting spirit of the resistance fighters, and the exemplary loyalty of the patriotic scholars full of enthusiasm for saving the country. The efforts to unite and coordinate fighting, albeit spontaneously, between patriotic forces in the lowlands and highlands, between different ethnic groups and religions, between patriotic Vietnamese scholars and those with anti-French sentiments in the Qing Dynasty court… Under his pen, the anti-French resistance movement of our people unfolded vigorously and powerfully.Wherever there were traces of invasion, there was resistance; fighting in one place, responding in another, when one wave subsided, another rose, not a day went by without fighting. He observed that the heroic and unwavering fighting spirit of our people could not be subdued by any force based on modern science and technology, and although the movement temporarily subsided, it flared up even higher and more vigorously in the direction of innovation, integrating with the overall development of the nationwide movement at the beginning of the 20th century.

In this book, researcher Dang Huy Van dedicates several articles to analyzing and clarifying the contributions and limitations of several historical figures whose lives and careers were intertwined with the ups and downs and conflicts of a tragic, complex, and pivotal period in history. Adhering to a concrete historical perspective, he identifies:It is necessary to consider historical figures within the context in which they lived and acted, taking into account the motivations behind their actions and other aspects of their entire lives, and to recognize the objective limitations of their class and historical era.To avoid falling into simplistic and arbitrary interpretations, with a scientific approach, in his writings he offered objective observations and assessments of Luu Vinh Phuc and the Black Flag Army; of Phan Thanh Gian, Truong Vinh Ky, A. de Rhodes, and Le Van Duyet; of Nguyen Truong To's reform proposals; of Phan Boi Chau's contributions in mobilizing Catholic compatriots and his historical views; and of Phan Chau Trinh's democratic ideas.

Over the past nearly 50 years, the historical science of our country has made great strides. Modern Vietnamese history has been studied more comprehensively and thoroughly; many issues and historical figures have been clarified based on new sources and approaches. Among these achievements, researcher Dang Huy Van has made significant contributions in many aspects. Through his works, the character of a true historian shines brightly, along with a very unique historical style – the Dang Huy Van style.

On February 22, 1969, family, colleagues, and students mournfully bid farewell to the respected educator and historian Dang Huy Van. As he departed to the eternal realm, educator and literary researcher Hoang Nhu Mai wrote deeply moving verses about his life and noble character:

A backpack, a stack of manuscripts

Ten unpublished articles…

...Whether hungry or full, in need or not, they never complain.

A shared commitment to dedicating all one's efforts.

Very little time is devoted to personal life…

...Honest deeds, pure heart

Live simply and die simply.[1]

Studying the articles in this book, readers not only appreciate the dedication of the historian who devoted his life to serving the country and the people without seeking fame or fortune, but also clearly see his meticulous work style, masterful writing, and highly respectable scientific attitude. To write a scholarly treatise, researcher Dang Huy Van always devoted his efforts to searching for new historical materials from many sources: documents of the Hue court, Chinese-language documents of the Qing dynasty, French-language documents of the colonial government, field survey documents, and cultural and literary materials preserved in folklore. From these rich and diverse sources, he brought to life the history of the Vietnamese people's resistance movement against French colonialism throughout the bloody 19th century. Through his writing, history emerges not as monotonous, dry, or dull as it could be, but vibrant, colorful, and captivating, from the moats, bamboo groves, banyan trees, and communal houses at resistance bases to the portraits of heroes and patriots, and the specific, detailed events of each battle… In some articles, he exchanged, discussed, and debated with other researchers about documents, arguments, assessments, and evaluations of historical events and figures. His opinions were always gentle, humble, and persuasive because of the cultural essence and character that was inherent in his personality. Years may pass, but the personality of the patriotic, revolutionary intellectual Dang Huy Van and his historical style live on.

The author of this introduction is a student of Professor Dang Huy Van from the late 1960s, a person deeply attached to, respecting, and admiring him through the teacher-student relationship and profound love for his homeland. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his passing, I offer these words as a token of my sincere gratitude to him. I respectfully introduce this book to readers near and far. I hope it will inspire and ignite passion in you, especially those who study history, love history, and aspire to dedicate their lives to teaching and researching history.

[1]The italicized text is a direct quotation of the words used in the articles by researcher Dang Huy Van in this book.