Write in brief:
Q1. Write a note on:
a) What was meant by the ‘civilising mission’ of the colonisers
b) Huynh Phu So
Answer: a} Civilising mission was meant to establish Western / European language and culture, over the vietnamese, in the name of their backwardness in every sense. The French claimed that they were bringing modern civilization to Vietnam.They for granted that Europe had developed the most advance civilization. So, it became the duty of the Europeans to introduce these modern ideas to the colony. This means destroying local cultures, religious and traditions, because these were seen as outdated and prevented modern development.
b) Huynh Phu So was the leader of Hoa Hao Movement, which was an anti French religious movement of Vietnam. It began in 1939. Huynh criticised useless expenditure and opposed the sale of child brides, gambling and the use of alcohol and opium. As Huynh became popular, the French declared him not to have brain. They declared him mad and named him mad Bonze. In 1941 he was exiled to Laos and his followers were sent to the concentration camps.
Q2. Explain the following:
a) Only one-third of the students in Vietnam would pass the school-leaving examinations.
b) The French began building canals and draining lands in the Mekong delta.
c) The government made the Saigon Native Girls School take back the students it had expelled.
d) Rats were most common in the modern, newly built areas of Hanoi.
Answer: (a) 1) More numbers of qualified Vietnamese students would give competition to French students in well- paid jobs.
2) Thus, the colonial French government never wanted to pass them and failed high number of Vietnamese students.
b) Mekong delta was world famous rice producing region. French goverenment made huge profits by exporting rice produced there. Therefore, canals and draining lands were built in the mekong delta
2) i) Thew expelled students's issue had to see va huge protest.
ii) This made the French government bow down to the pressure of Vietnamese and it ordered Saigon Native Girls Schools to take back the students it had expelled.
d) Rats breeded in thousands of numbers of numbers in the underground sewer pipelines of the modern, newly bulit area of Hanoi, as the pipelines provided the most suitable place for them.
Q3. Describe the ideas behind the Tonkin Free School. To what extent was it a typical example of colonial ideas in Vietnam?
Answer: (1) The main idea behind the Tokin Free School was the "civilising mission". French colonial goverenment decided to teach people, science philosphy and the western culture, in the French medium. Thus, the Tokin Free school came up.
(2) It used the biased textbook that language at The Vietnamese culture. Vietnamese people were ridiculed as "Skilled Copyists".
(3) Tonkin free school also promoted western culture by modern lifestyle. It was compulsory for every Vietnamese student to have modern drees and short hair- cut.
Q4. What was Phan Chu Trinh’s objective for Vietnam? How were his ideas different from those of Phan Boi Chau?
Answer: (1) i) Phan Boi Chau was a major figure in anti- colonial resistance in Vietnam.
ii) Phan Chu Trinch was hostile to monarchy. He oppesed the idea of resisting France
(2) Their Goals: i) Phan Boi Chau lamented the loss of sovereigty of severing ties with China.
ii) Phan Chu Trinch wanted to establish a ademocratic republic influenced by democratic ideas of west
(3) i) Phan Boi Chau was in favour of taking support of the monarchy to overthrow the France but Phan Chu Trinh was intensively against it.
ii) Chau educated in Confucian tradition, was influenced by Chinese reformer, Liang Qichao while Trinh was motivated by democratic ideas of the west.
iii) Chau advocted that first the foreign enemy should be driven out and after achieving independence, other things could be discussed Trinh wished to overthrow the monarchy in order to create a basis for the promotion of poular rights.
iv) Chau was not in favour of raising peoeple to abolish the monarch while Trinh was for it.
Discuss:
Q1. With reference to what you have read in this chapter, discuss the influence of China on Vietnam’s culture and life.
Answer: Vietnamese was ruled by Chinese dynasties for a long time before France could colonise it. Therefore, the chinese culture had an immense influence on Vietnam's culture and life. For example,
1) Chinese religion Confucianism was practised in Vietnam along with Buddhism and the other local practises.
2) In the ancient times also Women heroines such as Trung sisters and Trieu Au fought against Chinese rule. This gave Vietnamese the idea of fighting against enemies. Their deeds and actions inspired many nationalists of 20th Century in Vietnam.
3) In the 20th century, Vietnamese nationalists were highly influenced by the success of communism in China. Ho Chi Minh, a great communist nationalists of Vietnam, based his freedom struggle against French on communism.
4) Later, Ho Chi Minh, established north Vietnam as a communist democratic republic. His efforts of uniting north and south Vietnam proved frutitious.
Q2. What was the role of religious groups in the development of anti-colonial feeling in Vietnam?
Answer: 1) Scholars Revolt in 1868 was an early movement against French control and spread of Christiainty. This led to a general uprising in Ngu An and Ha Tien provinces where thousands of Catholics were killed.
2) Huynh Phu So started Hoa- Hao movement in 1939. It drew on religious ideas, popular in anti- French uprising of the society.
3) Some religious organisational groups in Vietnam were inspired and started movements against colonial rule.
Q3. Explain the causes of the US involvement in the war in Vietnam. What effect did this involvement have on life within the US itself?
Answer: (i) Spread of Communism : First and the foremost was the fear of the spread of Communism in Vietnam. The United States (US) regarded the spread of Communism a great danger to the capitalist countries. The US was ready to fight against Communism in any part of the world. So when Communism showed its head in Vietnam, it at once came forward to check it.
(ii) To Support France : The second cause of US entry in Vietnam was the humiliation that France had to face in Vietnam. Being the champion of the capitalist countries, US wanted to crush Vietnam at all costs to save the prestige of the capitalist countries, especially France which was an ally of the US in the Second World War.
(iii) Against Unification : USA was against the unification of Vietnam. The Geneva Conference had divided Vietnam into two parts : North Vietnam and South Vietnam. When the Ho Chi Minh government in North Vietnam and National Liberation Front in South Vietnam tried to unify the two parts, in violation of the Geneva Conference, US could not tolerate this. Hence, it decided to intervene in Vietnam.
Within no time, the United States sent a large number of US soldiers with the latest war equipment. This dragged on for many years (1965-1972).
Effects of US Involvement on Life within US itself : The US involvement in Vietnam had a far reaching effect on US itself. America had to suffer a huge loss of men and money though she caused great destruction in North Vietnam through bombardment.
America lost about 75,000 soldiers in the war by 1975 A.D. It evoked strong reaction in America. Various countries of the world strongly criticised the American intervention in the internal affairs of Vietnam. As a result, America was compelled to start the withdrawal of its troops in April 1975. Saigon also surrendered after the withdrawal of the American troops. In this way, the United Vietnam came into existence on April 30, 1975 A.D.
Q4. Write an evaluation of the Vietnamese war against the US from the point of
a) a porter on the Ho Chi Minh trail.
b) a woman soldier.
Answer: (a) Porter's View: The war was highly destructive. But it has united all the Vietnamese in one thread of nationalism. Many US planes have been shot down and military men have been killed. Many more would be killed in future. It is the war of truth against false. US will face defeat.
(b) Women Soldier's View: The opression of US military force would not calm down our high aspirations. Our Victory over Us soldiers is decided.
Q5. What was the role of women in the anti-imperial struggle in Vietnam? Compare this with the role of women in the nationalist struggle in India.
Answer: (1) i) In the ancient time, Trung sisters fought against Chinese domination. They gathered a force of over 30,000 and resisted Chinese for two years. They Committed suicide but did not surrender tot the enemy.
ii) Another women was Trien Au. She also resisted Chinese rule.
(2) During the nationalists movement, Nguyen Thi Xuen is said to have shot down a jet with just twenty bullets.
(3) i) During the movement, women joined men and helped in nursing the wounded, constructing underground rooms and tunnels and fighting the enemy.
ii) The women built airships, transported cargo and foods, diffused bombs, kept open the Ho Chi Minh trail during the movement.
(4) After the war ended, they worked in the fields, agricultural cooperatives, factories and production Units.
(5) The women' participation in India's national freedom struggle was not less than Vietnamese women. Indiam women (INA) also fought war and participated in satyagrahs led by Gandhi. Some young Indian women were involved in extremist activities against the British during the national movement.
