Dedicated to honor Dr. Ha Thuc Nhon and those who fought with him against corruption in Vietnam in 1970.

“Bác Sĩ ̣(BS) Hà Thúc Nhơn" in Vietnamese, with "Bác Sĩ = BS" meaning "Medical Doctor / Physician”

Updated: 2020.02.29. First version: 2019.08.29

“I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Judge a man by the reputation of his enemies.” Arab proverb

“You can always judge a man by the quality of his enemies.” Oscar Wilde

“A man with no enemies is a man with no character.” Paul Newman

Do you call Robin Hood, who robbed the rich to give to the poor, a hero or a criminal ?

Do you call the 108 anh hùng Lương Sơn Bạc (108 Stars of Destiny), in the classic novel Thủy Hử (Water Margin), who “chống triều đình mà trở thành giặc cướp” (rebelled against the imperial court), heroes or criminals ?

Do you call Nguyển Thái Học, who unsuccessfully led the Yên Bái mutiny and was guillotined by the French colonialists, a hero or a criminal ?

Do you call George Washington, who led The American Revolution against the British King George III, a hero or an outlaw and a traitor ?

Your answer depends on which side you are.

I recently received a forwarded email with the subject header “Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2019, 1:16:47 PM CDT Subject: Fwd: HỒI KÝ CỦA BÁC SĨ B : CUỘC NỔI LOẠN CỦA BÁC SĨ Hà thúc Nhơn” (meaning “Memoir of Dr. B: The rebellion of Dr. Ha Thuc Nhon”). This forwarded email included another email with the same subject header that had been previously forwarded multiple times in some mailing lists: “Date: Sat, Aug 24, 2019 at 4:20 AM Subject: Fwd: Fw: Fwd: HỒI KÝ CỦA BÁC SĨ B : CUỘC NỔI LOẠN CỦA BÁC SĨ Hà thúc Nhơn”. Notice the forwarding chain “Fwd: Fw: Fwd” in the subject header.

This article provides supporting documents and analysis of what happened in defense of Dr. Ha Thuc Nhon, who died 50 years ago, and thus cannot defend himself.

Major American newspapers, such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, have high journalistic standards, and are thus more reliable. Let’s look at a few articles that I collected in 2016 about the uprising of Dr. Ha Thuc Nhon in 1970 in Nha Trang.

☛ [A] 1970.12.11, Foe of Corruption Carrying Grenades Gets to See Thieu, New York Times.pdf

(Quote) "A South Vietnamese Army doctor, carrying four-hand grenades and a copy of the Constitution of South Vietnam, succeeded in reaching President Nguyen Van Thieu today to complain about corruption in this country. Maj. Pham Van Luong, who waited from 8 A.M. until 5 P.M. inside the parliament building, saw President Thieu for an hour. One of the hand grenades held by Major Luong while he sat on the steps had the pin partly pulled out.

It was a dramatic and surprisingly successful protest by the small, thin physician, who sipped lemon juice from bottles while he observed a fast. He is assigned to the South Vietnamese General Staff in Saigon.

Major Luong calls himself a member of the Ha Thuc Nhon group, a small nucleus of South Vietnamese determined to end the corruption they feel is poisoning their country and people. It is named for Capt. Ha Thuc Nhon, who was a physician known for eccentric habits. a fanatical contempt for corrupt officials and a passionate interest in improving life for his patients. He led a suicidal rebellion last summer.

Major Luong, who was a friend of Captain Nhon, said he was at a meeting in Saigon last night to mark the 100th day after the captain's death.

“Police came to break up our meeting,” he said. “I told them ‘Your law is applied against the poor and the weak, never against the rich and the powerful.’ And suddenly I had an idea---I pulled out a grenade, taking half of the pin out, and ordered the police to get out. I did not mean to kill them. At midnight, I went to the National Assembly and started a hunger strike.”

Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky talked briefly with the doctor, who squatted on the steps leading to Government offices.

“The Vice President asked me to come to lunch with him, but I refused and told him that I was fasting,” Major Luong said. “When the Vice President heard my demands that six corrupt persons be executed by the Government, he said ‘six is not enough.’ ”

Major Luong said the demands he made were his, not those of the anticorruption group. President Thieu’s office did not disclose what was said at the meeting with Major Luong." (END Quote)

So was Dr. Luong, a friend of Dr. Nhon, a hero, or just so dim-witted for not knowing right from wrong ?

And the “Ha Thuc Nhon group, a small nucleus of South Vietnamese determined to end the corruption they feel is poisoning their country and people”, were they too so unintelligent for not knowing right from wrong ? (More about this group in the future.)

☛ [B] 1970.09.01, Hospital Siege in Nha Trang Ends,, New York Times.pdf

(Quote) "Informants here said Captain Nhan [Dr. Ha Thuc Nhon]’s action had been apparently touched off bv his anger at being accused of having shot and killed Maj. Tran Van Hien, director of the Nguyen Hue military hospital here. The major's body was washed up on a Nhatrang beach.

Captain Nhan’s accusers said his motive for having killed Major Hein [sic, should be Tran Van Hien] as that the major was “corrupt,” asserting that Major Hein [Hien] had sold for personal profit rice rations intended for the hospital's 700 patients." (END Quote)

Dr. Nhon was angry of “being accused of having shot and killed Maj. Tran Van Hien, director of the Nguyen Hue military hospital here”. So did Dr. Nhon think he had been wrongly accused of killing Maj. Hien, and became angry at being framed by the corrupted officials ?

It was Dr. Nhon’s accusers who said that Dr. Nhon killed Major Hien because Hien was corrupt, and “had sold for personal profit rice rations intended for the hospital's 700 patients”. Were Dr. Nhon’s accusers on the side of corruption, and framed Dr. Nhon as the killer of Maj. Hien ? Would asking Dr. Nhon’s accusers, without Dr. Nhon being able to defend himself, like Trump asking Putin whether the Russians interfered in the 2016 US Presidential election ? (or like asking the burglar who burglarized your home?)

☛ [C] 1970.09.01, Doctor Who Seized Viet Hospital Killed, Chicago Tribune.pdf

(Quote) "Popular with Staff

Nhan, who was popular among other staff doctors and patients, resisted military police who sought to arrest himWednesday, the informants said. Nhan disarmed two policemen and took their guns, then rallied a number of wounded hospital patients to begin the siege, the sources added. From Wednesday night until this morning, Nhan, and his followers---perhaps 25 in all, many of them armed with carbines and other weapons---withstood attempts by authorities to dislodge them from the hospital compound near downtown Nha Trang." (END Quote)

So many, “perhaps 25 in all”, “wounded hospital patients” fought with BS Nhon. Were all these “staff doctors and patients” and these 25 “wounded hospital patients”, who supported Dr. Nhon in his fight against corruption on behalf of his patients, so brainless for not knowing right from wrong ?

☛ [D] 1970.09.01, Death Ends Viet Siege of Hospital, Washington Post.pdf

(Quote) "The Associated Press reported that Nhan (Dr. Ha Thuc Nhon) died en route to a hospital at Cam-ranh, and that his body was returned to Nhatrang where about 200 people came to view it.

Nhan ... was popular among other staff doctors and patients. " (END Quote)

So were all these 200 people, who came to view Dr. Nhon’s body, so idiotic for not knowing right from wrong ?

Dr. Nhon was “popular among other staff doctors and [700] patients” because he defended the rights of these 700 patients, and prevented Major Hien from selling “for personal profit rice rations intended for the hospital's 700 patients”.

No, the above people who fought and admired Dr. Nhon were not dumb and stupid. They witnessed the death of a hero, a Robin Hood, a Star of Destiny (một anh hùng Lương Sơn Bạc) in Water Margin (Thủy Hử), who fought the corrupted officials for the poor and the sick under his charge.

As to the so-called “memoir” of the anonymous Dr. B (“Bác Sĩ B”), it is not possible to verify any of the events in his memoir, let alone the availability of reliable historical records, except for the major American newspaper articles mentioned above. Dr. Nhon is dead since 1970, and cannot defend himself against these allegations.

The fact that Dr. B (“Bác Sĩ B”) had to write his “memoir” proved that Dr. Nhon was a legend, who still commands the attention of his enemies almost 50 years after his death.

By staying anonymous Dr. B (“Bác Sĩ B”) tried to avoid scrutiny and criticism; he is a coward and his “memoir” should be treated as a novel and a bad fiction (to the many people mentioned in the American newspaper articles above).

Dr. B (“Bác Sĩ B”) also proved that he had no gallantry for a downed enemy. He is no Red Baron.

Moreover, an Arab proverb (quoted above) says “Judge a man by the reputation of his enemies”. By choosing anonymity, Dr. B (“Bác Sĩ B”) had zero reputation.

Many gullible readers, lacking critical thinking, were easily persuaded to simply believe in any unverifiable story posted on the web, and even contributed to help promulgate these fictional stories. Think Russian fake news as “Active Measure” to spread disinformation (more about Russian disinformation in the future). It would be best to refrain from criticizing and insulting Dr. Nhon---who has been admired by many, and who still has had enemies even until today---based on fiction written by an anonymous author.

Whether you judge Dr. Nhon, Robin Hood, and the 108 Stars of Destiny ̣̣(108 anh hùng Lương Sơn Bạc), as heroes or villains depends on which side you are (i.e., you are either on the side of the victims of corruption or on the side of corruption).

Actually, as more articles are written about Dr. Nhon (including Dr. B’s “memoir”), Dr. Nhon’s legend never dies. Dr. Nhon is still among us---friends and enemies---50 years later!

And yes, George Washington was a traitor to the British, and would be hanged if caught.

☛ August 23, 1775: A Proclamation of Rebellion by British King George III

The colonists (Americans) “have at length proceeded to open and avowed rebellion, by arraying themselves in a hostile manner, to withstand the execution of the law, and traitorously preparing, ordering and levying war against us.”

☛ Was George Washington a traitor to his country?

(Quote) “Yep.

He was a subject of the British Empire. He spoke with a British accent. He fought for the British as an officer in the French & Indian Wars - meaning he commanded British troops.

His father was British. His grandfather went to school in Great Britain. His great-grandfather was born there. His ancestors were from Washington, Tyne & Wear in England. The ancestoral home — (which still exists) is Washington Old Hall (now a UK National Trust Property).”

“The British government at the time would’ve considered him a traitor. George Washington had worn the uniform and rank of officer in the Colonial Militia, at the time of the so-called French and Indian War, in which he served (ultimately) under British command.”

“To answer that question, look at the definition of traitor: a person who betrays a friend, country, principle, etc.

Washington was English. His real name wasn’t even Washington, it was De Hertburn. The De Hertburn family was from ‘Wessyngton Manor’ in England. William de Hertburn, a Norman Knight, acquired the village of Wessyngton for his service. In honor of the Manor, he changed his surname from De Hertburn to Wessyngton, which later evolved into Washington.”

“And a traitor to one side is always gonna be a patriot for the other. So I guess it just depends which side you ask.” (END Quote)

If George Washington were hanged, where would you be ?

It would be a far better use of your time to learn the history of Robin Hood, watch some good Robin Hood movies, read the great classic novel Thủy Hử (Water Margin), or learn about Nguyển Thái Học and George Washington, rather than reading Dr. B.’s cheap novel that has no historical, literary, or commercial value. (I read Thủy Hử, which was in my father’s library when I was a teenager in Vietnam, and still remember the book was like a thick dictionary with brown hardcover.)

Robin Hood died more than seven centuries ago (between 12th and 14th century), and yet his legend is still recounted until today. No one remembers the name of his killer, who remains a footnote in Robin Hood’s story.

Dr. Nhon died in his motherland fifty years ago, fighting corruption to defend hundreds of wounded soldiers under his charge, and his legend is still recounted today. No one remembers the name of his killer (the mayor of Nha Trang), or of the coward Dr. B. and any of his other enemies, who would die in a foreign land, in anonymity and humiliation as part of a defeated army who lost their country, and whom a majority of the American people did not want to have in the US (more on this fact in the future). Who is glorious, and who are disgraceful? Whom would you want to remember, and who would quietly disappear into the landfill of history?

Further reading

VỤ BS HÀ THÚC NHƠN, theo lời BS Trương Kim Anh và BS Nguyễn Đức An, 2011.12.09.

(The case of Dr. Ha Thuc Nhon, by Dr. Truong Kim Anh and Dr. Nguyen Duc An)

Other sites

Website: The legend never dies (Classic), Google Site New

Google Drive: The legend never dies

Youtube: My LifeAnh Giam (time 1:19)

Video Tinh Nuoc

Written by Vũ Quốc Lộc, htn.qui.nhon@gmail.com