Nhật ký chìm tàu

Definition

Proper Noun: * "Shipwreck Diary": The title of a revolutionary propaganda text written by Nguyễn Ái Quốc (an alias of Hồ Chí Minh) around early 1930. It is an allegorical narrative presented as a diary.

Usage Examples

• Proper Noun:
  • "Nhật ký chìm tàu" là một tác phẩm quan trọng của Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh. ("Shipwreck Diary" is an important work by President Hồ Chí Minh.)
  • Cuốn sách "Nhật ký chìm tàu" được bí mật in và phổ biến ở Việt Nam năm 1930. (The book "Shipwreck Diary" was secretly printed and distributed in Vietnam in 1930.)

Advanced Usage

• The title is a metaphor. The "shipwreck" symbolizes the collapse of colonialism and the old order. The "diary" format chronicles the journey towards enlightenment and revolution.

Context and Background

• Content: The text tells the story of three sailors—European, African, and Vietnamese—whose ship sinks. They are rescued by a Soviet ship. After a period of rest, touring, and study in the Soviet Union, the three sailors return to their homelands to engage in revolutionary activity.
• Historical Significance: Originally written in French, only the cover of the manuscript remains; the original full text is lost. A version was brought to Vietnam in late 1930 and secretly reproduced via lithography and stencil (hectograph) for use as propaganda material. It consists of 24 chapters and aimed to spread Marxist-Leninist ideas to Vietnamese readers.

Note on Translation

• The standard English translation of the title is "Shipwreck Diary". It is sometimes referenced in academic contexts as "Diary of a Shipwreck". It is a fixed title and should be treated as a proper noun.