HÀ NỘI — A book examining the famine in Việt Nam in 1945 has just hit the bookshelves.

A brainchild of the Sự Thật (Truth) National Political Publishing House and Omega Plus Company, Nạn Đói năm 1945 ở Việt Nam: Những Chứng Tích Lịch Sử (1945 Famine in Việt Nam: Historical Evidence), was compiled by Vietnamese Professor Văn Tạo (former Rector of Việt Nam History Institute) and Japanese Prof Futura Motoo (Chairman of Japan’s Southeast Asia Studies Association).

The work comes about from three large-scale surveys, in 1992, 1993-1994, 1994-1995, in 23 areas of 21 provinces and cities from Quảng Trị to the north.

The cover of the book. Photos courtesy of Omega Plus

The authors have done the research and direct examinations in areas and met with witnesses to get a comprehensive understanding of the famine.

The book aims to provide the most sufficient and systematic information on the loss and pain that Vietnamese people have endured in history.

According to statistics from the book, in Tây Lương Commune, in today’s Tiền Hải, Thái Bình Province, the famine killed two-thirds of the population, including whole families.

Associate Professor Đinh Quang Hải, Rector of Việt Nam History Institute, said the research on the 1945 famine furthered the backlash against fascism and the cruelty of the wars, promoting a message of peace and positive relations between nations and peoples.

“This is important in the context that Việt Nam is implementing independent and self-control external policies, peace, coordination and development,” Hải said. “Việt Nam is willing to be a friend, a trustworthy partner and a responsible member of the international community, making contributions to the cause of peace, independent people, democracy and progressive society in the world.”

The book includes interviews with witnesses.

“The work remembers the two million people that lost their lives (the population of Việt Nam was 20 million people then); the causes of the famine and its serious consequences,” he said.

“The book proves that the famine in 1945 in Việt Nam was a result of Japan's fascist policy to cruelly rob and exploit Vietnamese people,” he said. VNS