98th Anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 - June 21, 2023): Xuan Thuy and the path to Vietnam revolutionary journalism

(HNNN) - In the history of Vietnam's revolutionary press, besides the outstanding names such as Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh , Truong Chinh..., we cannot fail to mention a talented journalist with a noble personality, especially a kind smile that has become an extremely beloved image. That is journalist Xuan Thuy.

Editor-in-chief Xuan Thuy (wearing a scarf) and colleagues from the Cuu Quoc newspaper at But Pass, Bac Giang , in 1948. (Source: Vietnam Press Museum)

1. Journalist Xuan Thuy (1912 - 1985) was born Nguyen Trong Nham. Born and raised in a patriotic Confucian family in Xuan Phuong commune, Tu Liem district (now Nam Tu Liem district, Hanoi city), from a young age he was taught Chinese characters by his father, and his spirit was nurtured by folk tales and poems imbued with the national spirit. He also often met his father's friends when they met and discussed the current situation... That gradually formed in him a spirit of patriotism, urging him to join the revolution.

In his memoir, journalist Xuan Thuy confided: “Seeing me often go to Hanoi, every time I come back, my father asks me where I went and what I did? But there was nothing for him to worry about. I walked more than 10 kilometers to Hanoi and then walked back just to stop by the bookstores to see what was new, and at the same time, to hear if there was anything strange that the countryside did not know about...”. Through the press, he learned about many movements fighting for people's rights, democracy, and propagating communism.

And he soon became enlightened about the revolution, determined to embark on this dangerous and arduous path: “Around 1934 - 1935, I moved from Ha Dong province to Phuc Yen town. Here I opened a traditional oriental medicine shop with traditional medicine, in order to make a living and make it easier to communicate. I also worked as a correspondent for Trung Bac Tan Van newspaper to make it easier to travel and work. At that time, there was almost no revolutionary movement in Phuc Yen, and I was not a communist party member. Those who were enlightened about me in my hometown had all been arrested. I could not contact anyone in the revolutionary organization. However, with the revolutionary enthusiasm of youth, I rushed into my activities alone, without any fear...”. (“Xuan Thuy - Excellent political activist, diplomat, journalist, great poet”, National Political Publishing House - Truth, 2012).

2. Xuan Thuy had articles published in Hanoi newspapers since the early 1930s, such as the poem “Loạn lung tung” (signed Xuan Thuy) published in Ha Thanh Ngo Bao. He also wrote articles for a number of newspapers such as Tin tuc, The gioi, Doi nay...

During his revolutionary activities in 1940-1941, Xuan Thuy was arrested by the French government and exiled to Son La prison, then transferred to Bac Me prison (Ha Giang). After his prison term at Bac Me prison ended, they transferred him to Son La prison for the second time. Here, Xuan Thuy was assigned by the organization to be in charge of the Suoi reo newspaper: "The Son La prison Party Committee has proposed many diverse forms of activities. One of those forms is publishing the Suoi reo newspaper to unite, educate, and motivate the forces in the prison on the path of struggle" ("Xuan Thuy - Outstanding political activist, diplomat, journalist, great poet").

Suoi reo Newspaper was published in extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances. In the prison, there were shortages of everything, paper and ink were obtained thanks to the prisoners' persistent struggle for a long time under the pretext of "writing letters to their families" to gain the prison guards' approval. However, if they sensed something unusual, all the paper, ink, and pens were confiscated.

“We hung an electric lamp in a corner of the wall far from the door, covered it so that the light would not shine out, and moreover, placed a guard at the door so that if there was any noise, the light would be turned off immediately... Tonight, why did it sound so alarming, forcing us to move the “desk” and “printing workshop” into the toilet! Calling them “desk” and “printing workshop” for prestige, but in reality, they were just two cloth bags containing documents, paper, pens, and ink. To write, some stood, some sat, some put it on their hands, some put it on their knees, some put it on the floor, on a pile of blankets, each person in their own way...” (“Xuan Thuy - Outstanding political activist, diplomat, journalist, great poet”).

However, with a revolutionary optimism, journalist Xuan Thuy still sowed his poems into the Suoi reo newspaper to encourage revolutionary soldiers and fellow prisoners, strengthening his firm belief in a bright tomorrow:

“Son La, mountains and hills, even though rocks are falling, the streams still flow. Today the forest is heavy with afternoon dew. Tomorrow, the early morning sun will bring flowers blooming on the mountain pass.”

Around the end of 1943, from Son La prison, Xuan Thuy was brought back to his hometown for house arrest. In 1944, he escaped and was assigned by the organization to be in charge of the Cuu Quoc newspaper, the propaganda agency of the Viet Minh General Headquarters. In his memoirs, he recounted:

“After parting with Toan (alias of comrade Truong Chinh), I went through several liaison stations and then arrived at a location in Tien Du district (now Tien Son district), Bac Ninh province. Waiting at this location for a day, Phuc (ie comrade Nguyen Khang), Man (Le Quang Dao) came to see me... Phuc said: We are very happy to see you. The newspaper Cuu Quoc was previously managed by the higher ups, but now it has been transferred to the lower downs, we are too busy, the newspaper comes out irregularly. Now that you are in charge of the newspaper Cuu Quoc, it is great. The two of us (Phuc said while pointing at Man) will work with you to write and prepare articles... We will introduce to you a working team to help you with the above tasks, including finding a new location for the newspaper”.

Journalist Xuan Thuy was assigned to be directly in charge of the newspaper Cuu Quoc from the period of secret operations and throughout the years of resistance against the French. This was the only daily newspaper of the Party during this period, expanding its distribution to the resistance zones. "Working together" with his comrades, Xuan Thuy led the newspaper Cuu Quoc to overcome many difficulties and hardships, successfully completing the tasks assigned by the Viet Minh General Headquarters.

Journalist Nguyen Van Hai, a fellow prisoner in Son La who was introduced by Xuan Thuy to manage the newspaper Cuu Quoc, commented: “The history of the newspaper Cuu Quoc during its most difficult and glorious periods is closely associated with the name of Xuan Thuy.” Journalist Nguyen Thanh Le, former editor-in-chief of the newspaper Cuu Quoc, affirmed: “Xuan Thuy is the soul of the newspaper Cuu Quoc. That was true for the period when he was directly in charge of the newspaper from 1944 to 1954 as well as the period when he was not directly in charge of the newspaper, from after the signing of the Geneva Agreement to early 1977.”

3. In response to the demands of the new resistance period, in 1948, the Vietnam Resistance Press Group was established, led by journalist Xuan Thuy. The Resistance Press Group organized political and professional training for journalists, directing the press towards mobilizing the entire population to participate in the resistance.

In 1949, the resistance war against the French entered a fierce phase. Realizing the important role of the revolutionary journalist team, the Viet Minh General Department decided to open the Huynh Thuc Khang Journalism School and assigned journalist Xuan Thuy to be its overall leader. Although only one course was opened for a short time (3 months), with difficulties and shortages on all sides, the Huynh Thuc Khang Journalism School marked an initial victory on the ideological front, laying the foundation for the development of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism later on.

At the end of March 1950, at the headquarters of the Cuu Quoc newspaper in Roong Khoa hamlet, Diem Mac commune, Dinh Hoa district, Thai Nguyen province, the Vietnam Journalists Association was established. The Association elected a provisional Executive Committee with journalist Xuan Thuy as its Chairman. Journalist Xuan Thuy directly directed the general work of the Vietnam Journalists Association (later renamed the Vietnam Journalists Association) through two terms (from 1950 to 1962), excellently performing the task assigned by the Party and the Government, which was to gather and unite patriotic journalists in one organization, becoming a bridge between the Vietnamese revolutionary press and the international press.

Journalist Nguyen Thanh Le, the first General Secretary of the Vietnam Journalists Association, commented: "For the Vietnam Journalists Association, for generations of Vietnamese revolutionary journalists, from the past to the present, comrade Xuan Thuy is not only the founder, the first President of the Association but also forever a teacher, a friend, a close and intimate brother...".

With his great contributions to the revolutionary journalism of Vietnam, especially his prestige, virtue and humility, journalist Xuan Thuy has left a deep impression on his colleagues and international friends. His image with a kind smile always lives forever in the subconscious of everyone, a shining example for generations of Vietnamese journalists.

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