Vol 2, No 2 (2018)

This article presents an overview of United States-Vietnam relations from 2013 to the present with a focus on defence engagement. This article is divided into four parts. Part one provides a brief historical overview of relations from the end of American military invovment in Vietnam in 1973 to 2013. Part two reviews the evolution of bilateral defence relations under the Obama Administration. Part three discusses bilateral relations under the Trump Administration that reflect continuity with past policy rather than abrupt change. The conclusion argues that although there is a growing convergence on strategic issues between Vietnam and the U.S. their strategic interests are not congruent.

The article analyzes the issues of reorganization of the management system in Vietnam to improve the mechanisms of the market economy of socialist orientation. This is seen as one of the strategic prerequisites for accelerating economic growth. The author considers it necessary to work without looking at the recipes of the "Washington Consensus" imposed from outside, noting that the practice of many developing countries has not justified the validity of such recipes. The study confirms the emergence of the basic institutions of a market economy in the SRV and identifies obstacles that hamper the work, showing their insufficient strength and effectiveness. To improve the management system, it is proposed to seek its democratization, to master modern requirements and best practices, to focus on the future. Recommendations are formulated for this work, in particular, on stimulating innovation and creating "smart cities".

This issue was considered in my article written in cooperation with Prof. D.V. Deopik. There was an attempt to prove the hypothesis that the first emperor of Tran dynasty was Tran Canh's father - Tran Thua (postmortem name - Tran Thai To). After publication of this article I repeatedly returned to the investigation and analysis of this issue. As a result I managed to make certain amendments and adjustments to this subject. Besides that an investigator who nominated the same hypothesis appeared for the first time in the Vietnamese historical studies. Therefore and in connection with this event this article is being published now. It is a well-known fact in the Vietnamese and foreign historiography that the first emperor of Tran dynasty was Tran Сanh who acceded to the throne after his wife - empress Ly Tieu Hoang. This opinion is based on the facts stated in the Vietnamese official historiography which was finally formed in XV century when the classical works «The Full Collection of Hystorical Notes» were written by Ngo Si Lien. The same statement is found in the later Vietnamese historical sources. However, matching these sources with the earlier origins, first of all with the chronicles «The Short History of [Great] Viet» as well as with the epigraphy data proves considerable differences and contradictions with the outline of the historical events which previously were undervalued. Data analysis of these sources leads to a conclusion that the founder and the first emperor of Tran dynasty was Tran Thua (Thai To), Tran Canh's father. This explains the gap in the Vietnam's middle age history and helps to understand the events connected with the social and political crisis at the beginning of XIII century. Tran Than's accession to the throne was a direct usurpation of power, while his son Tran Canh accession to the throne looked more «legitimate» as he got married with empress Ly Tieu Hoang and she could officially «concede» the throne in his favour. Succeeding chroniclers called Tran Canh a founder of the dynasty as each of the dynasties seeks proof of its legitimate coming to power.

The article explores the content of international conference held on March in St. Petersburg and dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the first arrival to Russia of the future president of independent Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh. The role and significance of his activities in establishing and strengthening fraternal friendship relations between the peoples of Vietnam and Russia are presented. A brief review of the main titles of the participants’ reports at the conference was made: the development of youth cooperation, shocking events of American aggression against Vietnam, the role of Soviet assistance during two wars of Resistance of the Vietnamese people, modern global risks for the security of Vietnam and Russia.

This is a review of the collective scientific research of Russian scholars titled "Women in Vietnam: the role and place in history and in contemporary social and political life", that was executed under the RFBR grant in 2015-2017 in the Institute of Asian and African Studies, Moscow State University. The review presents goals and tasks set by the research team, the directions of the research and its main results, and further prospects of the study on this topic. Particular attention is paid to the book series "Women in the history of Vietnam", initiated in the framework of the project, which has a wide educational and methodological purpose besides the scientific component.

The review is about a textbook on Vietnamese literature of the 20th century, which is the first major academic work released in our country on the subject of Vietnamese literature of this period. The book has a substantial theoretical and practical value for Vietnamese studies in Russia. It analyzes stages of the establishment and development of European-style literature in Vietnam in the chosen period. It also makes a profound analysis of forms, meanings, and esthetics of poetry and prose. The textbook addresses themes and issues, which have not been covered by Russian philologists studying Vietnamese literature either fully or partially. The author presented the literary life of Vietnam in the general context of the country’s historical development. The textbook presents brief biographies of writers and synopses of works, which makes the book not just a teaching aide but also a reference book on Vietnamese literature. This academic work will give readers more information about Vietnamese literature of the 20th century and an insight into the profound transformations that reshaped literature in Vietnam.