VNU. JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, s o c ., SCI.. HUMAN.. N03E,2004 THE BEGINNING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AMERICA AND VIETNAM: HISTORICAL LESSONS Vu Minh Giang**’ America is a powerful nation whose native country, in which he expressed a potentials and international influence are special concern about the information so great that every country, in its policy given by Pierre Poivre about agriculture in making process, has to take America and the South of Vietnam. He asked a son of its relationship with America as a factor Nguyen Anh (who later became King Gia into consideration. Under the current Long), Prince Canh, who was in France rapid and highly intensive but extremely then to get him some Vietnamese rice complex internationalization and globalization, seeds [6]. This can be regarded as the there exists an idea that there is a danger earliest information about the concern of identifying Globalization with about Vietnam of the Americans. Americanization. This poses a serious In 1801 Thomas Jefferson was elected problem to us - scholars in East Asia, a the third president of the United States of region with different cultural traditions America. It has remained a wonder why a from others - to think over and exchange year after Jefferson was in power, a ideas to find out the best solutions that can commercial ship named Frame captained both cope with the common trend and by Jeremiah Brigg was sent to Vietnam to bring into play the advantages of the collect information and study sugar and traditional cultural values. Looking back coffee supplying sources for the American ovei' the first contacts between America market. and Vietnam is not only meaningful to The Frame landed Da Nang port on historians but also useful to the current as May 218t 1803. Here Captain Brigg met well as the future knowledge. In this two warships of the Nguyen dynasty’s navy article, an attempt is made to look conducted by the French. They advised objectively at the nature of the first Brigg to go to Hue to have a formal contacts between Vietnam and America so interview with King Gia Long. However, as to draw some historical lessons. the American captain then was arranged Hopefully, what will be discussed below to meet with the representative of the will, more or less, assist our thoughts in Nguyen dynasty, a few clergymen, and the current complex changing world. French navy’s officers who were under 1. The First Contacts between King Gia Long. After obtaining some Vietnam and America information, the Frame left Vietnam for According to the extant documents in Manila on June 10th 1803. It was the first America, in July 1787, Thomas Jefferson, American ship to arrive in Vietnam (4, p.3]. then representative of the United States of This event is mentioned in the Vietnamese America in France wrote a letter to his historical documents. [1, V.3, ppl34t 193]. It was not until 16 years later that the second American ship arrived in Vietnam. n Prof.Dr.Sc., Vietnam National University. Hanoi. 14 The beginning of the relationship between America and Vietnam: historical lessons 15 It was the Franklin conducted by Captain part of the picture of Vietnam and its John White. The Ship arrived in Vung Tau people in early 19,h century, J. White port on January F* 1819. J. White had a provided some comments that discouraged meeting with local officials and they Americans who had intentions to seek for promised to issue him permits to enter business opportunities in this distant, land. Saigon. Yet the captain waited without J. White appraised: “During the time I replies. A local official said that foreign was in this country , all that I learnt about ships needed permission from the dynasty it were villainy and turpitude. They to enter Saigon. Thus, J. White made a completely lacked honesty so they often decision to go to Hue to have a direct tried to play tricks on us and were experts formal talk with the King. Unfortunately, on finding tricks to hide their King Gia Long was then on holiday in the responsibilities. They can easily get all northern part of Vietnam (Bac Ha) so J. these with our open attitude and serious White’s plan was not successful. The way of doing business. All serious business captain decided to leave for Manila with affairs were, in the end, trifling things. the hope to find an interpreter then There was not any insurance to every returned to Vietnam. affair\ except for documentary contracts, After the arrival of the Franklin, there which were hardly ever had. They dared to were three more American ships (the use any tricks to swindle businessmen who Marmion, the Aurora and the Beverly) to get them annoyed for money. Apart from call at Vung Tau and Da Nang ports, yet these, the authorities greediness, shiftiness, none of them managed to achieve their cruelty , and anti-commercial character trade aims. These ships one after another should drive this land to be the least left for Manila and met J. White there. attractive place, even for the most After an interpreter was found, L. White adventurous businessmen ...” [3]. asked Captain John Brown to together Afterwards, a French who read the steer the Marmion back to Vietnam. The book suggested that J. White judged the two American ships arrived in Vung Tau local people with the view of a Rigid port on September 25th 1819. This time J. Puritan and never asked himself how he White was given permits to enter Saigon. had behaved to them. After collecting some goods, most of which 2. Diplomatic Efforts to Set up Trade were sugar and raw silk, the two ships left Relation Saigon port on January 30th 1820. J. White arrived in Salem on August 30th 1820, It is likely that in the early days the after a twenty-month voyage. concern of the Americans about Vietnam was greater than that of Nguyen dynasty J. White wrote a book entitled A about them. Under the Gia Long regime Voyage to Cochin China published in (1802*1820), the dynasty had many Boston in 1823. The book had a great relations with the West, especially with influence on the attitudes of Americans, France so the presence of the American particularly those of the American ships had not drawn attention so far. businessmen towards Vietnam. Apart from Moreover, the lack of local customs made the vivid and detailed descriptions which the Americans suspect of the local people are of documental value about various and authorities. aspects of life, which helped readers have VNIỈ. Journal t)f Science, Soc., Sri., Human.. N ịt3E. 2004 16 Vu Minh Giang Although Brigg and J. White’s mission proposal did not comply with the essential in investigating the possibilities of formulas of veneration towards the King of establishing trade relations with Vietnam Vietnam. They even questioned the might be considered a failure, the us partner and after being explained that the representative agency in Batavia had a US President was the one who was elected different view. In 1826, the American by the people, they concluded that the Envoy John Shillaber sent a letter to the American President was not on the same native country to recommend greater rank or hierarchy with the Vietnamese expansion of the activities of trade ships in King [2]... Atlantic countries, which included Cochin History has shown us that the two China (the South of Vietnam). J. White mandarins sent by the Nguyen dynasty to sent a number of letters persuading the by negotiate with Edmund Roberts were then American President to delegate him Nguyen Tri Phuong and Ly Van Phuc. powers in negotiating trade agreements. After listening to the proposal and the The efforts made by the Envoy were credential from the u s President, they successful after Andrew Jackson was elected president of the United States in considered it inappropriate then, and 1929. A delegation led by Edmund without submitting to the King, they Roberts, which was directly sent by the replied that the Vietnamese King would President, brought the trade agreement not prohibit the trading activities unless across the Indian Ocean to Vietnam to sign these obeyed the defined law of the with the Nguyen dynasty. The warship country. So the American ships had to Peacock carried the delegation to Vung anchor at Tra Son bay (Da Nang) and were Lam (a place in Phu Yen) at the beginning not allowed to build houses on land. of January 1832. Representatives of the Edmunds delegation left Vietnam after local authorities went up to the ship and receiving the note [1, volume 11, p. 231]. asked carefully about the Americans’ According to the letter of Joseph intention. After a ten-day’s waiting, on Baslestier, the American Envoy to January 17th, the dynasty sent two Singapore to Forsyth, the secretary at the mandarins and an escort there to negotiate President’s office provided different with Edmund Roberts, yet after many days information. According to the news source of discussion it was still impossible for which Joseph Baslestier considered both sides to sign the agreement. Edmund reliable, the reason for the American Roberts assumed that the Nguyen dynasty failure in signing the trade agreement was fully responsible for the failure. with Vietnam was that the letter was sent According to him, the diplomatic procedures were far too complicated. to the King too late. After receiving the Besides, senior officials of the dynasty did letter, King Minh Mang invited the not have clear ideas and usually evaded delegation and the crew of the Peacock to direct questions from the American Hue but by the time the letter arrived at partner.