,9TRODUCTION 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,NGO ,VAN ,XUYET 

,TRANSLATOR 3 ,K5 ,KNABB 

,TRANSLATOR 3 ,HEL5E ,FLEURY 

,TEXT 3 

,AL?\< ! ,VIETNAM ,W> IS /ILL WELL KN[N1 FEW PEOPLE >E AW>E ( ! DECADES ( /RUGGLES AGA9/ ! ,FR5* COLONIAL REGIME ?AT PREC$$ IT1 MANY ( :I* HAD NO CONNECTION ) ! ,/AL9I/S 7,HO ,*I ,M9H'S ,COMMUNI/ ,P>TY74 ,! ,/AL9I/S W]E ULTIMATELY VICTORI\S1 BUT ONLY AFT] !Y SY/EMATICALLY DE/ROY$ ALL ! O!R OPPOSITIONAL CURR5TS4 

,?IS BOOK IS ! /ORY ( ?OSE O!R MOVEM5TS & REVOLTS1 CAU<T 9 ! CROSSFIRE BETWE5 ! ,FR5* & ! ,/AL9I/S1 TOLD BY ONE ( ! FEW SURVIVORS4 

,9TRODUCTION 

  

0,HI/ORY IS WRITT5 BY ! VICTORS40 ,) ! 9CREAS+ SPECTACUL>IZATION ( MOD]N SOCIETY1 ?IS TRUISM HAS BECOME TRU] ?AN EV]4 ,! MO/ RADICAL REVOLTS >E NOT ONLY PHYSICALLY CRU%$1 !Y >E FALSIFI$1 TRIVIALIZ$1 & BURI$ UND] A CON/ANT B>RAGE ( SUP]FICIAL & EPHEM]AL BITS ( 09=MATION10 TO ! PO9T ?AT MO/ PEOPLE DO NOT EV5 KN[ !Y HAPP5$4 

,NGO ,VAN'S ,9 ! ,CROSSFIRE IS AMONG ! MO/ ILLUM9AT+ REVELATIONS ( ?IS REPRESS$ & HIDD5 HI/ORY1 WOR?Y ( A PLACE ALONGSIDE SU* WORKS AS ,VOL9E'S ,! ,UNKN[N ,REVOLUTION & ,H>OLD ,ISAACS'S ,! ,TRAG$Y ( ! ,*9ESE ,REVOLUTION4 ,IT IS ALSO A V]Y MOV+ HUMAN DOCUM5T3 DRAMATIC POLITICAL EV5TS >E 9T]WOV5 ) 9TIMATE P]SONAL CONC]NS1 JU/ AS !Y ALWAYS >E 9 REALITY4 ,9 ?IS RESPECT ,VAN'S BOOK IS P]HAPS MORE AK9 TO ,ORWELL'S ,HOMAGE TO ,CATALONIA OR ,VICTOR ,S]GE'S ,MEMOIRS ( A ,REVOLUTION>Y4 

,! TWO-/AGE ,VIETNAM W> AGA9/ ,FR5* & !N ,AM]ICAN OCCUPATION 7#a#i#d#e-#a#i#g#e7 IS /ILL FAIRLY WELL KN[N2 BUT ALMO/ NO ONE KN[S ANY?+ AB\T ! LONG & COMPLEX /RUGGLES ?AT PREC$$ IT1 9CLUD+ ! FACT ?AT MANY ( ?OSE /RUGGLES W]E 9SPIR$ BY AN 9DIG5\S ,TROTSKYI/ MOVEM5T ?AT WAS (T5 MORE POPUL> & MORE 9FLU5TIAL ?AN ! RIVAL ,/AL9I/ MOVEM5T UND] ,HO ,*I ,M9H4 ,:ILE ,HO'S ,COMMUNI/ ,P>TY SLAVI%LY FOLL[$ ! CON/ANTLY %IFT+ POLICY L9ES ORD]$ BY HIS MA/]S 9 ! ,KREML9 7:I* (T5 CALL$ = ALLIANCES ) ! NATIVE L&[N]S & B\RGEOISIE 9 ! NAME ( 0NATIONAL UNITY10 OR AT TIMES EV5 ) ! ,FR5* COLONIAL REGIME :5 ,FRANCE HAPP5$ TO BE ALLI$ ) ,RUSSIA71 ! ,VIETNAMESE ,TROTSKYI/S EXPRESS$ MORE CONSI/5TLY RADICAL P]SPECTIVES4 ,! SITUATION WAS SOME:AT ANALOG\S TO :AT WAS GO+ ON 9 ,SPA9 DUR+ ! SAME P]IOD4 ,9 BO? CASES A RADICAL POPUL> MOVEM5T WAS FI<T+ AGA9/ =EIGN & REACTION>Y =CES :ILE BE+ /ABB$ 9 ! BACK BY ! ,/AL9I/S4 ,ONE SIGNIFICANT DIFF]5CE WAS ?AT 9 ,SPA9 ! POPUL> MOVEM5T WAS PR$OM9ANTLY AN>*I/1 :]EAS AN>*ISM WAS VIRTUALLY UNKN[N 9 ,VIETNAM4.<#a.> ,MANY ,VIETNAMESE REBELS ?US UND]/&ABLY SAW ! ,TROTSKYI/ MOVEM5T AS ! ONLY ALT]NATIVE1 ! ONLY MOVEM5T FI<T+ SIMULTANE\SLY AGA9/ COLONIALISM1 CAPITALISM & ,/AL9ISM4 

,9 ANY CASE1 SPONTANE\S POPUL> REVOLTS (T5 BYPASS$ :ATEV] IDEOLOGIES W]E (FICIALLY 9 PLAY1 IMPLICITLY CALL+ 9 QUE/ION ! :OLE SOCIAL ORD] EV5 :5 !IR EXPLICIT DEM&S W]E MU* MORE M9IMAL4 ,:AT /&S \T IS ! READ9ESS ( ORD9>Y PEOPLE TO CREATE !IR [N =MS ( ACTION -- WORK]S =M+ UND]GR\ND UNIONS & C>RY+ \T ILLEGAL /RIKES1 PEASANTS SEIZ+ L& & =M+ 0SOVIETS10 PRISON]S ORGANIZ+ RESI/ANCE NETWORKS1 WOM5 BREAK+ \T ( !IR TRADITIONAL ROLES1 /UD5TS & TEA*]S PUTT+ !IR LE>N+ TO SUBV]SIVE USE1 NEI<BORHOODS ORGANIZ+ !MSELVES 9TO 0PEOPLE'S COMMITTEES10 /REETC> WORK]S CREAT+ AN 9DEP5D5T MILITIA1 & MO/ A/ONI%+ ( ALL1 #c1 COAL M9]S =M+ A WORK]S-C\NCIL 0,COMMUNE0 ?AT MANAGES TO HOLD \T = ?REE MON?S BE=E BE+ DE/ROY$ BY ! ,/AL9I/S4 ,!SE >E NOT ! PROV]BIAL 0MASSES0 MEEKLY WAIT+ = SOME LEAD] OR 0VANGU>D P>TY0 TO TELL !M :AT TO DO4 ,!Y >E P>TICIPANTS 9 ONE ( ! MO/ BROAD-BAS$ & P]SEV]+ REVOLUTION>Y MOVEM5TS ( ! TW5TIE? C5TURY4 

,NGO ,VAN TOOK P>T 9 ?AT MOVEM5T AS A Y\NG MAN1 & 9 HIS OLD AGE1 HALF A C5TURY LAT]1 HE BECAME ! PREEM95T *RONICL] ( ITS REM>KABLE VICTORIES & TRAGIC DEFEATS4 

,9 ,P>T ,I ( ?IS BOOK ,VAN REC\NTS HIS EXP]I5CES GR[+ UP 9 A PEASANT VILLAGE2 WORK+ AS A TE5AG] 9 ,SAIGON2 DISCOV]+ ! TRUE NATURE ( ! COLONIAL SY/EM2 BECOM+ AW>E ( MOVEM5TS ?AT W]E FI<T+ IT2 CAUTI\SLY SEEK+ \T O!R DISSID5TS2 ATT5D+ CL&E/9E MEET+S2 E/ABLI%+ UND]GR\ND NETWORKS2 DISSEM9AT+ RADICAL PUBLICATIONS2 ORGANIZ+ /RIKES & PROTE/S2 TAK+ P>T 9 9SURRECTIONS & P>TISAN W>F>E2 BE+ JAIL$ & TORTUR$ BY ! ,FR5*2 & FAC+ ! MURD]\S BETRAYALS BY ! ,/AL9I/S1 :O SY/EMATICALLY LIQUIDAT$ ! ,TROTSKYI/S & ALL ! O!R OPPOSITIONAL MOVEM5TS 9 ! AFT]MA? ( ,WORLD ,W> ,I,I4 

,CON/ANTLY H>ASS$ BY ! ,FR5* COLONIAL POLICE 9 ,SAIGON & RISK+ ASSASS9ATION BY ! ,/AL9I/S IF HE V5TUR$ 9TO ! C\NTRYSIDE1 ,VAN EMIGRAT$ TO ,FRANCE 9 #a#i#d#h4 ,AS DESCRIB$ 9 ,P>T ,I,I1 HE BECAME A FACTORY WORK]1 /RUGGL$ ) TUB]CULOSIS1 TOOK UP PA9T+1 & DISCOV]$ NEW POLITICAL P]SPECTIVES4 ,HIS 5C\NT]S ) AN>*I/S1 C\NCILI/S & LIB]T>IAN ,M>XI/S REAFFIRM$ ! MO/ RADICAL ASPECTS ( HIS PREVI\S EXP]I5CES :ILE V]IFY+ HIS 9CREAS+ SUSPICIONS ?AT !RE W]E SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS ) ,TROTSKYISM AS WELL AS ,/AL9ISM4 ,FROM ?AT PO9T ON1 ,VAN C>RI$ \T HIS ACTIVITIES AS AN 9DEP5D5T RADICAL MORE OR LESS 9 ! C\NCIL-COMMUNI/ TRADITION1 :E!R 9 TAK+ P>T 9 RANK-&-FILE WORK] /RUGGLES OR 9 WRIT+ >TICLES ON ,EA/ ,ASIAN POLITICS & HI/ORY4 

,AFT] HIS RETIREM5T 9 #a#i#g#h1 ,VAN DEVOT$ ! NEXT SEV5TE5 YE>S TO RESE>*+ & WRIT+ HIS MONUM5TAL HI/ORY1 ,VIETNAM #a#i#b-#a#i#d#e3 REVOLUTION ET CONTRE-REVOLUTION S\S LA DOM9ATION COLONIALE4 ,FOLL[+ ! PUBLICATION ( ?AT BOOK 9 #a#i#i#e1 HE WROTE A P>ALLEL AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ACC\NT ( ! SAME P]IOD3 ,AU PAYS DE LA ,CLO*E FELEE 7#b74 ,:5 ?AT WAS DONE1 HE RETURN$ TO HIS MORE 0OBJECTIVE0 HI/ORY ( MOD]N ,VIETNAM4 7,I MI<T M5TION H]E ?AT 9 ADDITION TO HIS WORKS ON ,VIETNAMESE HI/ORY1 HE ALSO AU?OR$ TWO /UDIES ( RADICAL CURR5TS 9 ANCI5T ,*9A & PUT TOGE!R A COLLECTION ( ,VIETNAMESE FOLKTALES4 ,SEE ! ,BIBLIOGRAPHY = 9=MATION ON !SE & O!R PUBLICATIONS47 

,AFT] COMPLET+ ! SECOND VOLUME ( HIS ,VIETNAM HI/ORY1 ,LE ,J\EUR DE FLUTE ET L',ONCLE ,HO3 ,VIETNAM #a#i#d#e-#b#e1 ,VAN RETURN$ TO HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY1 5VISION+ A CONT9UATION ?AT W\LD COV] HIS YE>S 9 ,FRANCE4 ,UN=TUNATELY HE DID NOT LIVE LONG 5\< TO COMPLETE ?IS LATT] PROJECT4 ,HE DI$ ,JANU>Y #b1 #b#e1 AT ! AGE ( #i#b4 ,LAT] ! SAME YE> HIS PUBLI%]S1 ,9SOMNIAQUE1 ISSU$ A MEMORIAL VOLUME1 ,AU PAYS D',HELOISE1 COMPRIS+ ! FEW *APT]S HE HAD COMPLET$ 7MO/LY AB\T HIS LIFE DUR+ ! #a#i#eS7 ALONG ) SEV]AL >TICLES1 NUM]\S PHOTOGRAPHS & A SELECTION ( HIS LOVELY PA9T+S1 MANY ( :I* >E REPRODUC$ 9 ! PRES5T VOLUME4 

,ANTICOLONIAL MOVEM5TS HAVE LONG BE5 A S\RCE ( POLITICAL BLACKMAIL4 ,PEOPLE :O BECOME AW>E ( ! HORRORS ( COLONIALISM USUALLY KN[ LITTLE ELSE AB\T ! C\NTRIES 9VOLV$ & HAVE (T5 BE5 READY TO APPLAUD ANY PURPORT$LY 0PROGRESSIVE0 LEAD]%IP1 SUPPORT+ PRACTICES !Y W\LD NEV] DREAM ( DEF5D+ IF !Y TOOK PLACE 9 A MOD]N ,WE/]N C\NTRY4 ,RADICAL SOCIAL CRITIQUE HAS BE5 DISC\RAG$ BY ! >GUM5T ?AT CRITICIZ+ EV5 ! MO/ BRUTAL ,?IRD ,WORLD REGIMES IS 0PLAY+ 9TO ! H&S ( ! IMP]IALI/ P[]S40 ,MOREOV]1 9 MANY CASES APOLOGI/S HAVE BE5 ABLE TO >GUE ?AT DESPITE REGRETTABLE DEFECTS1 ?OSE REGIMES >E ! ONLY POSSIBILITY1 !RE >E NO APP>5T ALT]NATIVES4 

,BUT ?IS IS NOT ALWAYS ! CASE4 ,READ]S ( ,! ,TRAG$Y ( ! ,*9ESE ,REVOLUTION >E AW>E ?AT ,*9A DID NOT HAVE TO GO ,/AL9I/ 7I4E4 ,MAOI/72 !RE W]E O!R CURR5TS & O!R /RATEGIES ?AT MI<T HAVE L$ TO DIFF]5T RESULTS4 ,! SAME IS TRUE ( MANY O!R C\NTRIES1 9CLUD+ ,VIETNAM4 ,HO ,*I ,M9H'S ,COMMUNI/ ,P>TY WAS NOT ! ONLY S]I\S OPPOSITIONAL MOVEM5T2 IT ULTIMATELY MADE ITSELF SO ONLY BY RU?LESSLY DE/ROY+ ALL ITS RIVALS4 ,NGO ,VAN'S BOOKS BE> WITNESS ?AT !RE W]E MANY O!R POSSIBILITIES4 

,!RE IS NO?+ ECC5TRIC OR EXAGG]AT$ AB\T ?OSE BOOKS4 ,!Y >E SCRUPUL\SLY ACCURATE & ?OR\<LY DOCUM5T$1 & Y\ CAN F9D V]IFICATIONS ( MO/ ( ! MAT]IAL 9 MANY O!R RELIABLE S\RCES4 ,BUT TO DO SO Y\ W\LD HAVE TO SE>* LONG & DEEPLY1 WAD+ ?R\< ! IMM5SE MASS ( LIES & DI/ORTIONS ?AT HAVE SURR\ND$ ?IS TOPIC4 ,VAN HAS BR\<T IT ALL TOGE!R 9TO A COH]5T & COMPREH5SIVE ACC\NT 9 HIS TWO-VOLUME HI/ORICAL *RONICLE 7AS YET UNTRANSLAT$71 !N N>RAT$ ! SAME EV5TS 9 A BRIEF] & MORE P]SONAL MANN] 9 ! AUTOBIOGRAPHY ?AT WE >E PRES5T+ H]E4 

,I MET ,NGO ,VAN 9 ,P>IS 9 #b#a1 ALONG ) HIS FRI5D ,HEL5E ,FLEURY1 & DUR+ ! NEXT FEW WEEKS SAW !M SEV]AL MORE TIMES4 ,AL?\< ,I C\LD H>DLY GET TO KN[ ,VAN ALL ?AT WELL 9 SU* A %ORT P]IOD ( TIME1 WE ALMO/ IMM$IATELY BECAME V]Y DE> FRI5DS4 

,?OSE :O HAD ! PLEASURE ( KN[+ HIM WILL AGREE ?AT DESPITE ! HORRORS HE HAD 5DUR$ & HIS LACK ( ILLUSIONS AB\T ! VIOL5T NATURE ( ! PRES5T SOCIAL ORD]1 ,VAN WAS ! SWEETE/ & MO/ G5TLE P]SON ONE CAN IMAG9E4 ,HIS REBELLI\SNESS >OSE NOT ONLY \T ( A JU/IFI$ RAGE AT POV]TY & MEANNESS & OPPRESSION1 BUT \T ( HIS PR(\ND LOVE ( LIFE4 ,HE WAS AN ALL-R\ND & WIDE-RANG+ P]SON3 A BON VIVANT AT HOME 9 ! LIVELY GIVE-&-TAKE ( ,P>ISIAN B>S & CAFES1 BUT ALSO CAPABLE ( QUIETLY APPRECIAT+ NATURE & SOLITUDE2 A FACTORY WORK] :O WAS AT ! SAME TIME AN >TI/ & A CONNOISSEUR ( CLASSIC LIT]ATURE2 A RADICAL AGITATOR :O WAS ALSO A RADICAL HI/ORIAN2 A RESOLUTELY ANTIRELIGI\S P]SON :O WAS NEV]!LESS GRAC$ ) AN ALMO/ ,BUDDHI/ /OICISM & EQUANIMITY & :O ULTIMATELY BECAME A S*OL> ( ,EA/ ,ASIAN RELIGI\S MOVEM5TS2 A MODE/1 UNASSUM+ MAN ( ! PEOPLE :O YET POSSESS$ A GREAT NOBILITY ( *>ACT]4 ,IT WAS A PLEASURE TO KN[ HIM1 & IT'S BE5 A PLEASURE TO WORK ) ,HEL5E & ! O!R TRANSLATORS 9 PRES5T+ HIS WORK TO ,5GLI%-SPEAK+ READ]S4  
  

,K,5 ,K,N,A,B,B 

,AUGU/ #ba  

,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,JANU>Y #h1 #bba 3 ,9TRODUCTION -- ,ADD$4 
,JANU>Y #a#g1 #bbb 3 ,9TRODUCTION -- ,UPDAT$4 

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