Nation And Its Heros

The Nation And Its Hero: The roles of the women and its heroes were specified in the anti-imperialist movement in Vietnam.

Women as Rebels: Women in Vietnam enjoyed greater equality than in China, especially among the lower classes. As the Nationalist Movement grew, the status of women was questioned and a new image of womanhood emerged. Writers and political thinkers began idealising women who rebelled against social norms. In the 1930s, a famous novel by Nhat Linh caused a scandal because it showed a woman leaving a forced marriage and marrying someone of her choice, involved in nationalist politics. This rebellion against social conventions marked the arrival of the new woman in Vietnamese society.

Heroes of Past Times: Writers like Nhat Linh, Phan Boi Chau portrayed women as patriots, who fought against Chinese domination. Phan Boi Chau wTote a play based on the lives of the Trung sisters who had fought against Chinese domination in 39-43 CE. After Phan's play, the Trung sisters came to be idealised and glorified. Woman rebel like Trieu Au, who lived in the third century CE, was a part of the popular nationalist lore. She was orphaned in childhood and lived with her brother. On growing up she left home and went into jungles, organised a large army and resisted Chinese rule. She became a sacred figure who was popularised by the nationalists to inspire people.

Women as Warriors: In 1960s, women were portrayed as young, brave and dedicated. They were represented not only as warriors, but also as workers. They worked as porters and carried 25 kg of food or war material on their back and 70kg on their bicycles. Women whether young or old began to work and fight for the country. Many women joined the movement; they wounded, underground rooms and tunnels to save their army. Along Ho Chi Minh trail, young volunteers kept open 2,915 km of strategic roads and guarded 2,500 key points. They built six airstrips, neutralised tens of thousands of bombs, transported tens of thousands of kilograms of cargo, weapons and food and shot down fifteen planes.

Between 1965 and 1975, of the 17,000 youth who worked on the trail about 70% to 80% were the women. One military historian suggested that there were 1.5 million women in the regular army, the militia, the local forces and professional teams.

Women in Times of Peace: As the peace talk began in the 1970s, the image of women transformed as workers in agricultural cooperatives, factories and production units. They were no longer represented as warriors, they became 'workers'.

The End Of War: The prolongation of the war created strong reactions even within the US. It was clear that the US had failed to achieve its main objectives i.e. the Vietnamese resistance had not been crushed, the support of the Vietnamese people for the US action had not been won. This war was known as the

First Television War. Battle scenes were shown on the daily news programmes.

Writers such as Mary McCarthy and actors like Jane Fonda even visited North Vietnam and praised their heroic defence of the countries. The renowned scholar Noam Chomsky called the war, "the greatest threat to peace to national self-determination and to international cooperation". The widespread opposition of government policy forced to negotiate an end of the war. A peace settlement was signed in Paris in January 1974, ending conflict with US.

But fighting between the Saigon regine and the NLF continued. The NLF occupied the presidential palace in Saigon on 30th April, 1975. On 2nd July, 1976, North and South Veitnam were merged to form the Socialist Republic of Veitnam.

Chapters

The Rise of Nationalism in Europe I

The Rise of Nationalism in Europe II

Nationalist Movement In Indo China - I

Nationalist Movement In Indo China - II

Nationalism In India I

Nationalism In India II

The Making of a Global World I

The Making of a Global World II

The Age of Industrilisation I

The Age of Industrilisation II

Work Life and Leisure II