100 years of Vietnamese Revolutionary Journalism: “Small newspaper, but great mission”

In a conversation with a reporter from the Vietnam News Agency in Hong Kong (China), Mr. Ly Minh Han - a Hong Kong celebrity who has spent most of his life researching the life and revolutionary career of President Ho Chi Minh - called Thanh Nien newspaper, the newspaper that laid the foundation for Vietnam's revolutionary journalism 100 years ago, "a small newspaper but with great responsibility and mission."

With experience working in the French Communist Movement, and participating in founding the newspaper Le Paria (The Miserable) in 1922 in Paris (France) to denounce the crimes of the colonial regime and unite the struggle movement of the colonial people around the world , President Ho Chi Minh understood better than anyone the power of the revolutionary press in its role as a propagandist, agitator, organizer and leader of the revolutionary movement.

Therefore, during his stay in Guangzhou (China) from 1924-1927 to focus on preparing theory, propaganda, organization and personnel for the establishment of the Communist Party to lead the Vietnamese revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien newspaper and published the first issue on June 21, 1925.

This was the first revolutionary newspaper written in the national language with the mission of disseminating revolutionary theories and policies domestically, as well as connecting the Vietnamese revolution with the international revolutionary movement.

Mr. Ly Minh Han said that the newspaper is small in size, has simple design and printing but carries an extremely important responsibility and mission, especially in propagating and enlightening communist ideals, one of the important contents contributing to the establishment of the Communist Party of Vietnam - the decisive factor for the success of the Vietnamese revolution in the past, present and future.

Researcher Ly Minh Han (left) answers questions from a reporter from Vietnam News Agency. (Photo: Xuan Vinh/VNA)

Mr. Ly Minh Han said that when Thanh Nien newspaper was first published, it was printed on 18x24cm paper (a popular paper size that was easy to buy at that time in Guangzhou) with a simple design, easy-to-read and easy-to-understand content, but had great propaganda value, just like President Ho Chi Minh's simple but very effective working style: "Write for whom, write what and write how."

Between June 21, 1925 and April 17, 1927, the newspaper published a total of 88 issues, each with 100 copies, and was sent back to the country by sailors to provide information, unite the ideology, and build solidarity within the Vietnamese revolutionary movement, as well as between the Vietnamese revolution and the communist movement in the region and the world. "This is the great and immortal contribution of President Ho Chi Minh," Mr. Ly Minh Han affirmed.

Thanh Nien Newspaper, as the mouthpiece of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association, had two main development periods: June 1925-April 1927 and April 1927-1929.

In the early period, the newspaper had 88 issues, edited, printed and published by President Ho Chi Minh himself, who was also the main writer of the newspaper.

During the second period, when President Ho Chi Minh went underground and left Guangzhou, the Thanh Nien newspaper's activities were directed and operated by the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association.

The restored Thanh Nien newspaper is on display at the exhibition “The Revolutionary Path - Comrade Ho Chi Minh in China” at the Guangzhou Uprising Memorial Hall (China). (Photo: Mac Luyen/VNA)

Currently, versions of the first issues consisting of 1-2 pages or 4-5 pages, each page divided into two columns with handwriting in iron pen of Thanh Nien newspaper are still displayed for visitors at the Relic of the Headquarters of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association at No. 13 and 13B (now No. 248-250), Van Minh Street, Guangzhou City, belonging to the Guangzhou Revolutionary Museum, Guangdong Province (China).

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and China, the Vietnam-China Humanitarian Exchange Year 2025 and the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday (May 19, 1890 - May 19, 2025), from May 10 to August 10, a thematic exhibition "The Revolutionary Path - Comrade Ho Chi Minh in China" will take place at the headquarters of the Guangzhou Uprising Memorial Hall, including a solemn corner displaying the restored copies of Thanh Nien newspaper No. 63, 66 and 67.

The birth of Thanh Nien newspaper 100 years ago laid the foundation for Vietnam's revolutionary press, a sharp propaganda tool of the Party, contributing together with the entire Party, people and army to great victories in the past struggle for national liberation as well as in building and defending the Fatherland today./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/100-nam-bao-chi-cach-mang-viet-nam-to-bao-nho-nhung-su-menh-to-lon-post1045402.vnp