Marc St-Pierre

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Marc St-Pierre Héros chinois, aussi un héros canadien ? Étude des représentations canadiennes de Norman Bethune, de sa mort à 1979 Mémoire Marc St-Pierre Maîtrise en histoire Maître ès arts (M.A.) Québec, Canada © Marc St-Pierre, 2017 Résumé Bethune a connu une vie atypique. Médecin, artiste, communiste, humaniste, il se fait volontaire lors de la guerre civile espagnole. Puis, il se rend en Chine pour offrir ses services à la 8e Armée de route. Son parcours chez les Chinois, ainsi que sa mort, le mène à l’héroïsation en Chine. Cependant, l’histoire de Bethune ne s’arrête pas avec son décès, il y a également une histoire de ses représentations après sa mort. Ce mémoire retrace l’histoire des représentations de Bethune au Canada de 1939 à 1979. Bethune était controversé de son vivant, cela continue aussi après sa mort alors que les représentations du docteur sont parfois diamétralement opposées. II Table des matières Résumé ...................................................................................................................... II Table des matières .................................................................................................... III Tableaux, graphiques et illustrations ……………………………………………………………..…….…… V Abréviations ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..….….VI Remerciements ....................................................................................................... VII Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 Historiographie ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Cadre conceptuel ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 10 Problématique ......................................................................................................... 15 Corpus et méthodologie ……………………………………………………………………………………..…. 16 Hypothèse …………………………………………………………………………………………………………...… 21 Plan du mémoire………………………………………………………………………………………….…………. 23 Chapitre 1 - Oublié des Canadiens 1939–1968 ………………………….….....................…….… 25 1.1 Un contraste frappant : le statut post-mortem de Bethune en Chine et au Canada ……………………………………………………………………………........………………..….…………... 25 1.1.1 L’héroïsation en Chine ……………………………………………………………..…….……..… 25 1.1.2 L’indifférence du Canada …………………………………………………………….……..…… 30 1.2 Analyse quantitative (1939-1968) …………………………………………………………………..…… 35 1.3 Après l’exposition funèbre, le silence médiatique (1939-1959) ….....…..……….…….. 41 1.3.1 Couverture de sa mort ………………………………………………………………………....… 41 1.3.2 Presque le vide médiatique ……………………………………………………..………...…… 46 1.4 Le silence est brisé : réapparition dans l’espace public (1959-1965) ……………………… 47 1.4.1 La nouvelle : The Watch that Ends the Night ………………………………….……..… 47 1.4.2 Les balbutiements des relations avec la Chine ………………….…………………….. 56 1.4.3 De nouvelles représentations ……………………………………………….….………..…… 57 1.4.4 Le documentaire : Bethune, héros de notre temps …….…………………….....….. 58 1.5 Sauvé de l’oubli : Bethune présenté par ses « camarades » (1939-1965) ………...….. 64 1.5.1 The Canadian Tribune ……………………………………………………….……………..…..……. 64 1.5.2 Première biographie : The Scalpel, the Sword ……………………………………….……. 69 Conclusion ……………………………….…………………………………………….……………………….………….… 73 Chapitre 2 - Symbole de l’amitié avec la Chine ou l’instrumentalisation de Bethune dans les relations sino-canadiennes (1968-1976) ………………………………………………….………….…... 77 2.1 Reprise des relations officielles avec la Chine …………………………….….……………….... 78 2.2 Un citoyen canadien d’importance nationale ? ……………………………………………….... 85 2.3 La maison Norman Bethune : un musée d’importance historique …………….…..….. 99 2.3.1 Débats a la CLMHC et implication du ministère des Affaires extérieures ….... 99 2.3.2 Visite de Trudeau en Chine …………………………………………………………………….…. 104 2.3.3 Ouverture du musée et plan d’interprétation …………………………….…………..... 106 Conclusion …………………………………………….…………………………………………………….….……. 110 III Chapitre 3 - Croissance des représentations (1969 à 1979) ……………….………..……..... 112 3.1 Une croissance numérique ………………………………..……………………………………..….… 112 3.2 Bethune dans les journaux (1969-1979) …………………………………………..…….…....… 119 3.3 Trois représentations majeures : la biographie, la statue et le film …………………. 128 3.3.1 Roderick Stewart : Bethune ……………………………………………………………..…..….. 128 3.3.2 Montréal honore Bethune ………………………………………………………………….……. 133 3.3.3 Donald Sutherland dans le rôle de Bethune …………………………….………..…….. 135 3.4 Représentations de Bethune dans les journaux d’extrême gauche ………….….….. 141 3.4.1 Le Quotidien du Canada populaire ………………………………….……………….…….… 143 3.4.2 En Lutte ! …………………………………………………………………………………………..….…. 147 3.4.3 La Forge ………………………………………………………………………………………….….….... 148 3.4.4 Canadian Tribune ……………………………………………………………………………..…...… 151 Conclusion ……...………………………………………………………………………………………………..…. 155 Conclusion ………………………………………………..……………………….….…..….…. 158 Communiste ou humaniste ? ……………………………………………………………….…………….……. 161 Au panthéon des héros canadiens ? ……………………………………………………….…..…….…….. 163 Bibliographie ……………………………………………………………………………………….………………….… 166 Annexes …………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………… 177 IV Tableaux, graphique et illustrations Graphique 1 Couverture à la date de décès de Bethune par décennie…………………..…… 36 Tableau 1 Couverture de Bethune et de la Chine de 1939 à 1968 ….……………………….…. 38 Tableau 2 Couverture à l’annonce de la mort de Bethune, novembre 1939 ………………. 40 Tableau 3 Couverture de Bethune de 1940 à 1968 .…………………………………………..…….... 40 Tableau 4 Couverture de Bethune, 1969 à 1979……………………………………………………….. 113 Tableau 5 Couverture de Bethune et de la Chine : 1969 à 1979 ………………………..….…. 115 Tableau 6 Couverture dans les journaux communistes, 1969 à 1979 ……………………….. 143 Illustration 1 Peinture murale de Avrom Yanovsky .……………………………..……………………. 69 Illustration 2 The password sounds like Bethune ……………………………………………………….. 98 Illustration 3 Statue de Bethune, place Norman-Bethune ……………………………..………… 134 Illustration 4 Statue de Bethune, place Norman-Bethune ……………………………..………… 135 V Abréviations CLMHC : Commission des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada ONF : Office national du film du Canada PCC : Parti communiste canadien PCC (m-l) : Parti communiste du Canada, marxiste-léniniste PCO : Parti communiste ouvrier QCP : Quotidien du Canada populaire RDC : République de Chine RPC : République populaire de Chine URSS : Union des républiques socialistes soviétiques VI Remerciements La rédaction de ce mémoire n’aurait pas été possible sans l’appui de plusieurs personnes. Je remercie d’abord mon directeur Shenwen Li pour son appui constant. Monsieur Li, comme ses étudiants l’appellent affectueusement, est celui qui m’encouragea à prendre Norman Bethune pour sujet. Je ne me doutais pas que cela me mènerait à faire une recherche de longue haleine qui allait me mener à fouiller aux archives du Ministère des Affaires étrangères à Ottawa et à la Maison-Commémorative-Bethune. Je remercie également le professeur Martin Pâquet, codirecteur. Ses conseils et ses commentaires ont contribué à la réalisation de ce mémoire. Ses encouragements aux bons moments ont aussi été fort appréciés. Quoique leur aide fut précieuse, les mots de ce mémoire sont les miens et les erreurs qui seraient repérées sont de ma pleine et entière responsabilité. Je ne pourrais nommer toutes les autres les autres personnes qui m’ont aidé à faire avancer ce mémoire. La gentillesse et le professionnalisme du personnel des archives nationales et de la Osler Library furent bien appréciés. À la Maison-Commémorative- Bethune, j’ai eu la chance de rencontrer Scott Davidson, le responsable du site. Passionné de la vie de Bethune et très sympathique, j’ai pu échanger avec lui et approfondir mes réflexions. Je remercie le personnel du service de prêts entre bibliothèques qui, de manière anonyme, m’a permis de consulter de nombreux journaux qui n’étaient pas disponibles à la bibliothèque de l’Université Laval. Je remercie aussi l’historien Patrice Groulx d'avoir accepté de me rencontrer pour discuter de mon mémoire. Cette rencontre a alimenté mes réflexions. Je tiens finalement à remercier chaleureusement Bernard Guay, mon cousin, qui m’a généreusement offert son aide dans la correction du français. Au fur et à mesure de la réalisation de ce mémoire, j’ai heureusement pu compter sur le support moral de plusieurs personnes. Mon père, Blaise St-Pierre fut reconnu comme le VII Gordie Howe du canot pour les dizaines de courses La Tuque-Trois-Rivières complétées.1 Il a été intronisé au temple de la renommée de l’organisation de canot de Cooperstown en 2014, après avoir complété à 36 reprises les 70 miles de la course. Il m’a inspiré à persévérer. Ce mémoire n’aurait jamais vu le jour sans son soutien. Ma mère Céline et mon amie de cœur Monica m’ont fait bénéficier de leur présence bienveillante. Je remercie aussi Nicolas F. Laroque, un vieil ami qui, avec beaucoup d’humour et d’empathie, a fait preuve d’une grande compréhension vis-à-vis des difficultés inhérentes à la réalisation d’un mémoire de maîtrise. Enfin, ces années de maîtrise m’ont fait connaître l’enseignement bouddhiste de la Nouvelle Tradition Kadampa. J’y ai puisé de nombreux sages conseils qui m’accompagneront tout au long de ma vie. Ces enseignements m’ont certainement aidé à conserver un esprit joyeux et patient durant la réalisation de ce mémoire. 1 « Blaise Saint-Pierre, Le Gordie Howe du canot », Le Nouvelliste, 5 septembre 1998. VIII Introduction Norman Bethune, c’est ce médecin canadien, chirurgien, inventeur,
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