Revolutionary press on display in Hanoi

Many French and Vietnamese language press dispatches in the period of resistance against the French will be displayed at an exhibition in Hanoi.

Entitled Collection of Vietnamese Revolutionary Newspaper 1925-45, the exhibition is organised by the National Museum of History from August 28.

Beside the publications, the exhibition also displays tools used to print newspapers collected from revolutionary bases in the northern province of Thai Nguyen and Cao Bang.

The exhibition shows visitors the difficulty and hardship of page makers in the past and the sacrifice of journalists, war correspondents and the people who concealed and protected the editorial officers.

The visitors will be provided with a perspective on the history of the Vietnamese revolutionary newspaper in a period which took place in difficulty but glory.

Newspaper of Vietnamese Revolution plays an important role in the struggle for national liberation and reunification and the building of the socialist regime, said Nguyen Van Cuong, the museum's director.

"The newspaper is a tool and weapon for the Vietnamese Communist Party to mobilise the masses," he said. "It has a long history which associated with the history of the nation, especially, the initial stage in 1925-45. In this stage, revolutionary newspapers contributed to the propaganda of Marxism in Vietnam and the preparation for establishing a communist party and the revolution for liberation and independence."

The exhibition introduces articles of famous communist leaderships of Vietnam including President Ho Chi Minh, general secretaries Tran Phu, Le Hong Phong, Truong Chinh, and General Vo Nguyen Giap. They were not only excellent writers but also editors and directors of many kinds of newspapers.

The exhibition features five stages of the history of the Vietnamese revolutionary newspaper.

During 1925-30, newspapers focused on the propaganda of Marxism and communism in Vietnam. Some representatives can be named Thanh Nien (Young People), Bolshevik, Bua Liem (Hammer and Sickle), and Lao Dong (Labour).

Between 1930 and 1936, newspapers mobilised the mass organisations and contributed to the struggle in politics and theory. At this time, newspapers were published in many ways: using wax paper, printing on a slab of stone, printing on clay and handwriting.

From 1936 to 1939, newspapers supported Marxism, the International Communist, Soviet, French Communist Party and the struggle for democratic freedom and press liberty.

Newspapers of the period 1936-39 followed up the Vietnamese Communist Party's resolutions and policies at a time when the Party was preparing for the General Uprising in later 1945. The amount of newspapers was less than those of before, however, the quality was better and the format was more attractive. At this time, newspapers were made not only by central organisations but also local ones.

The last part of the exhibition comprises pamphlets during August Uprising 1945 period. They declared the crime of Japanese fascists in Indochina and called people to struggle against Japan, France.

The exhibition will run permanently at the Vietnam National Museum of History, 25 Tong Dan street, Hanoi.-VNA