Văn kiện Đảng
On Tue, Jun 22, 2021 at 5:45 PM Pierre Asselin <passelin@sdsu.edu> wrote:
Cherished Comrades:
I just noticed that the digital version of Volume 27 (1966) available/downloadable through the Party's own website and purported to be from 2003 is different from the actual print version published in 2003. Page numbers are off; the print version's last document ends of page 462 and the digital version ends of page 451. I tried to compare TOCs but (conveniently!) there isn't one in the digital version of the volume.
Of course, that a carefully vetted volume was vetted again before its digital release is not surprising, but I was wondering if there was a better explanation than the Party's infinite paranoia to account for the discrepancy. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
Hope everyone is well and safe,
Pierre
Pierre Asselin
Professor of History - Dwight E. Stanford Chair in US Foreign Relations
San Diego State University
History Department
5500 Campanile Dr.
San Diego, CA 92182-6050
Latest book: https://www.amazon.com/Vietnams-American-War-Cambridge-Relations/dp/1107510503
From: Vsg <vsg-bounces@mailman11.u.washington.edu> On Behalf Of Cau Thai
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2021 7:46 AM
To: Pierre Asselin <passelin@sdsu.edu>
Cc: VSG <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: [Vsg] Print _Van kien Dang_ vs Digital _Van kien Dang_
Dear Pierre et al,
Despite "Văn kiện Đảng" being the official account of VCP's history, it does not escape censorship. I was aware of this fact recently. In its digital version, while the terms "thực dân Pháp", "đế quốc Mỹ" remain intact, the term "xâm lược Trung Quốc" is replaced with ""xâm lược ... (3 dots)" (see attachments).
Even in the IT Age, despite 68 million internet users in Vietnam as of January 2021, the Ministry of Truth still thinks truth can only come from them, with absurdly poorly done HTTP 404, "xâm lược ...", or highly likely in the case of page number discrepancies in "Văn kiện Đảng" between print and digital version, as you pointed out.
Cheers,
Cau Thai
Independent
From: Vsg <vsg-bounces@mailman11.u.washington.edu> On Behalf Of Cau Thai
Sent: Monday, 28 June 2021 11:37 AM
To: Pierre Asselin <passelin@sdsu.edu>
Cc: VSG <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: [Vsg] Print _Van kien Dang_ vs Digital _Van kien Dang_
Based on your information, about 11-page length of texts in the print version of Văn kiện Đảng, Volume 27 (1966) was removed.
I have several volumes of Văn kiện Đảng in my library. When time permits, I may collect a sample of changes in the digital version, by comparing to the print version, to have a better insight into what was done.
While researchers and scholars inside and outside of Vietnam should always take Văn kiện Đảng and the like with a grain of salt, the fact that they kept "đế quốc Mỹ" (American imperialists) intact in the digital version but changed "xâm lược Trung Quốc" (Chinese aggressors) to "xâm lược ..." (... aggressors) is a bit much.
When first seeing the attached pages, a scholar in Hanoi wondered whether the people in charge of Vietnam's censorship were on China's payroll.
Cau Thai
Independent
From: Vsg <vsg-bounces@mailman11.u.washington.edu> On Behalf Of David Marr
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2021 5:40 PM
To: Cau Thai <cvthai75@gmail.com>; Pierre Asselin <passelin@sdsu.edu>
Cc: VSG <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: [Vsg] Print _Van kien Dang_ vs Digital _Van kien Dang_
I wonder if the 1966 sections deleted in the digital version dealt with diplomatic relations. This was when Poland served as intermediary for DRV/US contacts, notably what the Americans dubbed `Operation Marigold’. Later historians consider this a missed opportunity, with Washington getting more than half the blame.
David Marr
ANU