APPROACHES TO AMERICAN STUDIES

APPROACHES TO AMERICAN STUDIES - SOME ISSUES TO BE RAISED

1. The First Vietnamese Lecturer on American History

On w ritin g th is paper, one q u estion com es up to my mind: “Who w a s th e first V ietn a m ese lecturer on A m erican history?”

We all know th a t sin ce th e end o f the 20th cen tu ry backw ard, V ietn a m ese education had been e x ten siv e ly influenced by C onfucianism and w a s lim ited to cla ssical w orks o f C onfucianism , which w ere n a tu ra lly not concerned w ith in tern ational affairs. In th e early years of the 2 0 th cen tu ry French colonial education sy stem w a s e sta b lish ed in V ietnam . N ew know ledge and m eth od s w ere introduced and w ere ta u g h t eith er by French teach ers or V ietn a m ese tea ch ers w ho w ere trained in French ed u a tio n a l in stitu tio n s.

K ow ledge o f H istory w a s ta u g h t so that colonial stu d e n ts could u n d erstan d French history a s a resp ecta b le “M other C ountry.”

It is su rp risin g th a t th e first lectu re on the history of the A m erican revolution w as ta u g h t to V ietn a m e se stu d en ts by a V ietn a m ese tea ch er in V ietn a m ese. T hat cla ss w as not an officially recognized one in th e French colonial education sy stem , it w as a tra in in g course for young V ietn a m ese rev o lu tio n a ries w ho started their cau se of th e stru g g le for n ation al liberation. It w a s held secretly in G uangzhou (C hina) by th e V ietn a m ese R evolutionary Y outh L ea g u e from 1925 to

1927. T he first lectu rer w a s N gu yen Ai

n Professor, Department of International Studies.

College of Social Sciences & Humanities. VNU.

V u D u o n g N i n h <#)

Quoc, later called P resid en t Ho Chi M inh, who had been a tea ch er before going abroad to find th e w ay to lib erate h is country. T h ese le ctu r es w ere th en collected and w a s first p u b lish ed in 1927 [1] under th e title “D uon g Kach Menh"

(R evolutionary Road).

S ta rtin g from th e point o f view th a t V ietn am is part o f th e world and the V ietn a m ese revolu tion is part o f th e world revolution. Ho Chi M inh exp lained carefully to h is stu d e n ts so m e o f th e rep resen ta tiv e revolu tion s in th e world.

One o f th e a im s o f h is book is

"to take other nations revolutionary histories as example for us to look at, a n d to fa m ilia rize our people w ith the world m ovem ents"

[1].

Thus, an im p ortan t part o f th e book is devoted to in trod u cin g and a n a ly z in g th ree big revolutions: th e A m erican R evolu tion , the French R evolu tion , and th e R ussian R evolution am on g w hich the first lesso n is on th e A m erican R evolution.

In th e lectu re on th e A m erican R evolu tion , Ho Chi M inh p u ts forw ard 4 is s u e s w hich are su b su m ed u n der the follow ing headings:

- W hat is A m erica history?

- W hy did th e A m erica n s m ake revolution?

• W hat

were

th e co n seq u en ces o f the revolution?

• How w a s th e sig n ifica n c e of the A m erican R evolu tion for th e V ie tn a m ese revolution?

9

10 Vu Duong Ninh

W ith n ea rly 70 0 w ords in 3 m edium '

* form atted p a g es, th e w ritin g sk etch es th e b a ses o f th e str u g g le o f th e A m erican people a g a in st th e B ritish for the in d ep en d en ce o f N orth of A m erica during th e secon d h a lf o f th e 18,h century. It is p o ssib le to reco g n ize th ree m ain id ea s in th e w riting:

First,

th e people in th e N orth o f A m erica fo u g h t a g a in st th e B ritish co lo n ia lists. In V ietn a m , th e French c o lo n ia lists w ere m ore draconian but

“the Vietnam ese has not yet learned from the A m ericans the w ay to m ake a revolution

” [1]. T h e s ta te m e n t show ed Ho Chi M inh’s h igh ap p recia tio n o f th e A m erican ch aracter and sp irit, se e in g th em a s an exam ple for the V ietn a m ese revolutionaries.

Secondly

, it e m p h a siz e s th e A m erican th in k in g rep re se n te d in A m erica’s D ecla ra tio n o f In d ep en d en ce on

“the right to freedom

,

the rig h t to work, a n d the right to h a p p in ess ...” [1] and it assumes that the

people h a v e th e right to

abolish

any g o v ern m en t w h ich is d estru ctiv e to people an d to s e t up a n ew on e, [1]. Later, th ese id ea s w ere so le m n ly w ritten in the first sectio n o f th e D ecla ra tio n o f In depend en ce o f th e D em ocratic R epublic of V ietn am in 1945. T h is is an u n ch a n g ed , objective, and b rig h t ju d g m e n t o f g reat th o u g h t of the A m erican R evolu tion and th e A m erican people.

T h ird ly

, in a p p lyin g A m erican ex p erien ce to th e V ie tn a m e se R evolu tion it is rea lized th a t in A m erica,

“workers a n d farm ers are still leading a miserable life

” [I], It sh o u ld be noted th a t th e ju d g m en t w a s draw n from a long road to n ation al lib eration . N g u y e n Ai Quoc had been to A m erica and had w itn e sse d w ith h is own ey e s th e r e a litie s o f th e A m erican society d u rin g th e ea rly y ea rs of th e 20th century.

H e concluded: “We

have sacrificed our lives

for the revolution so we m ust do it radically. It m eans when the revolution succeeds, the power should be handed to the m ajority o f people, not to a sm all group

.

Only in

$0

doing can we avoid sacrifices a n d can our people live in h a p p in e ss ” [1].

It is clear th a t N g u y en Ai Quoc had drawn th e good p o in ts from the A m erican R evolution so th a t th e V ie tn a m e se would follow a s w ell as its d raw b ack s so th a t the V ietn a m ese should avoid or overcom e. His tea ch in g s h ave le ft d eep im p r essio n s on m any g en era tio n s o f V ie tn a m e se you th on th e w ay to n ation al lib era tio n .

A fter th e A u g u st R evolu tion in 1945, in the d ocu m en ts se n t to th e A m erican people and th e A m erican P r e sid e n ts, Ho Chi M inh had m any tim e s focused on the g rea tn ess o f th e A m erican R evolution and h ig h ly praised th e good ex a m p les of T.

Jefferson , G. W a sh in g to n , A. Lincoln - th ose w ho m ade g re a t co n trib u tio n s to the liberation of A m erica. T h e se le tte r s often ended w ith th e hope th a t th e A m erican A d m in istration w ould resp ect on th e great principles s e t forth by th e ir p red ecesso rs to end th e in v a sio n w a r in V ietn am .

2. The Teaching of American History in Vietnamese Universities

In 1956, tw o y ea rs after th e victory of D ien B ien Phu an d th e sig n in g of the G eneva A g reem en t for ce a sefire • in Indochina, th e H anoi U n iv e r sity w as founded. S in ce th en , in tw o history d epartm ents; one o f th e H anoi U n iv ersity and th e oth er o f th e H an oi T ea ch ers’

T raining U n iv e rsity , A m erican H istory has been ta u g h t a s part o f th e world history.

T he basic co n ten t o f th e le ctu res on A m erican h isto ry w a s p rin ted in 2 volu m es entitled:

“Pre-M odern H istory a n d Modern W orld History."

u p to now , th ere h a s been

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H istory.

In

Pre-Modern World H istory

[2], the h istory of A m erica is m en tio n ed in the follow ing C hapters:

C h a p t e r III: T he S tru g g le a g a in st B ritish co lon ialism for th e in d ep en d en ce of North of A m erica an d th e E sta b lish m en t of the U n ited S ta tes.

C h a p t e r V III: T he U n ited S ta te s in the F irst H a lf o f 19th C entury and th e C ivil W ar (1 8 6 1-1864).

C h a p t e r IX: E u ropean C oun tries and th e U n ited S ta te s at th e end of th e 19th cen tu ry and a t th e b eg in n in g of th e 20fh century.

In th e

Modern World H istory

[3], the A m erican h istory is not p resen ted in a sep a ra te ch ap ter but as part of the follow ing chapters:

C h a p t e r IV: M ajor C a p ita list C oun tries in th e Period o f 1917-1939.

C h a p t e r XV: M ajor C a p ita list C oun tries in th e S eco n d H a lf of th e 1970s to 1995.

A m erican h isto ry is also m en tion ed in th e sectio n s rela ted to in tern a tio n a l rela tio n s such as:

C h a p t e r III: W a sh in g to n -V ersa illes S y ste m

C h a p t e r V II: In te rn a tio n a l R ela tio n s lea d in g to W orld W ar II (1929*1939)

C h a p t e r V III: World War II (1939 - 1945)

C h a p t e r EX: In tern a tio n a l R ela tio n s from 1945 to th e F ir st H a lf o f th e 1970s

C h a p t e r X IV : In tern a tio n a l rela tio n s from th e Second H a lf o f th e 1 9 7 0 s to 1995.

From w h a t h a s b een m en tion ed in th ose ch a p ters, it is p o ssib le to m ake th e follow ing ju d gm en ts:

First,

in term s o f q u a n tity , th e num ber of p a g es in th e curriculum a s w ell a s tea ch in g hours for th e su b ject on the h istory of A m erica ta k es up a co n sid era b le a m ou n t of tim e in th e w hole cu rricu lu m of th e world history, in clu d in g world and

regional superpowers.

Secondly,

glorious p a g es o f th e A m erican people in th e fig h t a g a in st colonialism for liberation to e sta b lish the U n ited S ta te s a s w ell as th e str u g g le to ab olish sla v e ry play an im p o rta n t part in th e curriculum w ith w ell-k n o w n n a m es such a s W a sh in gton , J efferso n , and L in co ln ... “N ew d e a r of Fr. R o o sev elt in th e 1930s and th e role of A m erica in the a n ti-fa scist w ar in E uropean and Pacific b a ttle s are a lw a y s h ig h ly a p p recia ted a s a crucial con trib u tion to th e victory o f the A llied Forces in the world.

T hirdly

, in th e co n d itio n s o f th e Cold War w orldw ide, V ietn am w a s a h ot spot in th e early y ea rs o f th e 1950s. T he p resen ce of th e A m erican forces in V ietn a m and th e lo n g -la stin g and s e v e r e w ar (1 9 5 4 -1 9 7 5 ) had resu lted in h o stility b e tw e e n th e two cou n tries. T he textb ook s and th e le ctu res on th is period focus la rg ely on th e global policy o f th e A m erican g o v ern m en t, its in terferen ce into th e w orld ’s e v e n ts, and its ex p a n sio n of pow er a n d v io la tio n of m an y p eo p le’s rig h ts, in w hich the V ietn a m ese can reco g n ize d irectly its n eg a tiv e sid es.

Fourthly,

in such d ifficu lt situ a tio n , th e le ctu res, esp ec ia lly th e g ra d u a tio n pap ers by s tu d e n ts of th e F a cu lty of In tern a tio n a l S tu d ie s s till tried to ex p lo it th e p o sitiv e sid e s o f th e V ietn a m -A m e rica relation s. T h ese w ere th e top ics o f the m eetin g s, th e d e m o n str a tio n s h eld by stu d e n ts, in te lle c tu a ls and all w a lk s o f life in A m erica, d em a n d in g th e A m erican A d m in istra tio n to stop th e w ar in

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V ietn a m . In P a rticu la r, th e period of 1944- 1946 w a s m ost fr eq u en tly m en tio n ed . T h e V iet M inh led by P r e sid e n t Ho Chi M inh w ith A m erican o fficers from T h e O ffice o f S tr a teg ic S e rv ices (O SS) in K un*M ing (C hina), joined to fig h t th e J a p a n e s e in Indochina. L iv in g in d ifficu lt co n d itio n s in th e forestry and m o u n ta in o u s a r e a s o f th e N o rth ern m o st B a se o f V ie tn a m , officers of th e O S S w ere th e o n ly fo reig n ers w ho train ed V ie tn a m e se rev o lu tio n a ry arm ed forces. T h ey w ere a lso a m o n g th e e a r lie s t m en to a p p ea r in H an oi so m e d a y s after th e gen era] u p risin g a n d th e victory o f th e A u g u st R ev o lu tio n . O n th o s e d ays, m an y le tte r s w ere s e n t by P r e sid e n t Ho Chi M inh w ith good w ill a n d frie n d sh ip to th e A m erican P r e sid en t, th e A m erican C o n gress, an d th e A m erica n people.

U n fo r tu n a te ly , th e T ru m an A d m in istra tio n and it s s u c c e sso r s had ch osen a d iffere n t ap p roach to foreign policy th a t en d ed up w ith th e P aris A g re em en ts in 1973 an d th e A m erican b itter d efe a t in V ie tn a m in 1975 after y e a r s o f s e v e r e w ar.

T h ese s k e tc h e s sh o w th a t th e tea ch in g of A m erican h isto ry is s till con d u cted in V ie tn a m e se U n iv e r s itie s w ith both p o sitiv e an d n e g a tiv e s id e s co n ce r n in g the A m erican foreign policy a n d its rela tio n w ith V ietn a m . So, h ow sh o u ld A m erican S tu d ie s be run in th e n e w c o n tex t o f th e history?

T he fir st co n feren c e on th e A m erican L itera tu r e w a s h eld in th e C o lleg e o f S ocial S cien ce and H u m a n itie s, V ietn a m N a tio n a l U n iv e r sity , H an oi in 1998.

T w en ty th ree y e a r s a fter th e V ietn a m W ar, 3 y e a r s a fter th e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f V ietn a m -A m erica d ip lo m a tic rela tio n , sch o la rs o f lite r a tu r e o f th e tw o c o u n tr ies g a th ered to g e th e r to d is c u s s th e in flu en ce of th e V ietn a m W ar on A m erican

litera tu re, cu ltu re an d th e critical approach to n on -litera ry d o cu m e n ts... [4].

T he e s ta b lis h m e n t of A m erican S tu d ie s a s a d isc ip lin e w a s a lso ra ised for d iscu ssio n in th e C onference.

3. The Establishment of American Studies in Vietnam: Some Issues to be Raised

T he ab ove section on ly m en tion ed the tea ch in g o f A m erican h istory. W ith the m u lti-d iscip lin a ry stru ctu re o f V ietn am N a tio n a l U n iv e r sity , H anoi, m any d ep a rtm en ts and fa cu lties also teach A m erican S tu d ie s d ep en d in g on th eir p a rticu lar s p e c ia lity (litera tu re, econom ics, la w ...). T h e F a cu lty of In tern a tio n a l S tu d ie s w a s founded and it con sid ers A m erican S tu d ie s a s centra] part of research on th e A m erican co n tin en t. The f a c u l t y IS r e s p o n s i b l e for t e a c h i n g a b o u t th e U n ite d S ta te s , it s h istory, culture, econom y, law , p o litica l sy ste m , so ciety , and foreign policy. T h is o rien ta tio n has im p ortan t an d lo n g -la stin g sig n ific a n ce for th e fo u n d a tio n o f A m erican S tu d ie s in V ietn a m .

A t p resen t, th e e s ta b lis h m e n t of A m erican S tu d ie s in V ietn a m is raised in a favorab le condition: th e V ietn am -A m erica d ip lom atic r ela tio n h a s been norm alized and sc h o la r s h a v e b een ex ch a n g ed , and it s u its th e a sp ir a tio n s o f th e tw o countries:

for a str o n g er frien d ly rela tio n and an effectiv e co-operation.

H o w ever, in order to im p lem en t the d iscip lin e su c cessfu lly , th e first issu e ra ised is to s e t up a “Program on A m erican S tu d ie s ,” m o b ilizin g resea rch ers in th is field th ro u g h o u t th e country to follow a general program w ith concrete assign m en ts.

At th e s a m e tim e, in tern a tio n a l rela tio n s in A m erica n S tu d ie s netw ork sh ou ld be esta b lish e d reg io n a lly a s w ell a s w orld ­

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A m erican S tu d ies.

The second issu e is to tra in a sta ff of lecturers on A m erican stu d ie s. T h is sta ff should co n sist of young, co m p eten t, and prospective acad em ics. T h ey w ill eith er learn A m erican S tu d ies in c la sse s organized in V ietn am from both A m erican and V ietn a m ese sch olars or w ill be sen t to study in th e U n ited S ta te s or m ay a tten d a com bined m ode o f train ing. T h is is the m ost fu n d a m en ta l step so th a t w e w ill have enough hum an reso u rces to run A m erican S tu d ie s in V ietn a m . A long w ith bu ilding h u m an resou rces, b u ilding physical fa cilities is a lso o f v ital im portance. T here sh ou ld be an A m erican S tu d ies R esource C en ter w h ich in clud es n ew sp ap ers, m a teria ls, and m ed ia relatin g to A m erican S tu d ie s.

T he third is s u e is to prom ote ex ch a n g es am on g stu d e n ts o f th e two

oth er k in d s of m e e tin g so th a t you n g people w ill h a v e m ore o p p o rtu n ities to u n d e rsta n d each o th er an d su b se q u e n tly to u n d e r sta n d a s p e c ts o f each o t h e r s country. T h ere is a r e a lity th a t d u e to the lo n g -la stin g w ar in V ie tn a m , p o in ts o f view about each cou n try m ay b e m ore or le ss refracted w h ich w ould m ak e it im p o ssib le to h a v e a full u n d e r sta n d in g o f each other.

As s c ie n tists , w e sh o u ld n o t avoid th is rea lity b u t to rem ed y th e problem w e sh ou ld e s ta b lis h a p ictu re o f each n ation ex a ctly a s it is th ro u g h ed u ca tio n a l a c tiv itie s or c u ltu ra l e x c h a n g es.

A lth o u g h it m ig h t be a b it late, th e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f th e A m erica n S tu d ie s in V ietn a m is o f n e c e ssity . T h e d iscip lin e not on ly p rovid es b a sic and sy ste m a tic k n o w led g e on a sc ie n tific field but also co n trib u tes e ffic ie n tly to th e prom otion of th e rela tio n b e tw e e n th e tw o co u n tries.

R E F E R E N C E S

1. Hồ Chí Minh,

Đường Kách mệnh,

trong “Tuyên tập”, T. 1. NXB Sự Thật, Hà Nội, 1980.

trang 240-243.

2. Vù Dương N inh, Nguyền Văn Hồng,

Lịch sử th ế giới cận đại,

NXB Giáo dục, Hà Nội, 1996.

3. Nguyễn Anh Thái (chủ biên),

Lịch sử th ế giới hiện đ ạ i

, NXB Giáo dục, Hà N ội, 1996.

4. Nguyễn Liên, Johathan Auerbach (đồng chủ biên),

Tiếp cận đương đại văn hóa M ì

(Tiếng V iệt và tiếng Anh), NXB Văn hóa Thông tin, Hà Nội, 2001.

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