Book on first Indochina War published in Russia

Moscow (VNA) – A book on the former Soviet Union and Vietnam in the first Indochina War, the world’s first collection of official documents, was published in Moscow, Russia on November 10.

The 677-page book in Russian was compiled by the State Archives of Russia with support of the State Records Management and Archives Department of Vietnam. It is about the international diplomatic efforts to make the Geneva Conference happen, restoring peace in Vietnam in 1954.

Speaking at the launch of the book, head of the department Dang Thanh Tung said the book is a source of authentic and rare historical documents, which is very helpful to historians in Vietnam; and it also contributes to strengthening the long-standing friendship between the two countries.

The book is a collection of documents, letters, notices, photographs, minutes, records of telephone conversations and more, showing the history of international Communist movements for peace in Indochina and situation in Vietnam since 1950 to the victory at the Geneva Conference in 1954.

According to Olga Shashkova, a co-author of the book, the idea of the book was started in 2015 with initial intent to focus only on the Geneva Conference.

An exhibition was later opened the same day with historical archives about Russia’s October Revolution in 1917, Vietnam’s struggle for independence and peace, and war in the Indochina Peninsula in early 1950s on display.-VNA