Dương Thu Hương Oral History

A Vietnamese language interview with Duong Thu Huong, a North Vietnamese writer living in exile in France. Dương Thu Hương (born January 3, 1947, though unofficially a few weeks later) is a Vietnamese writer and activist whose life and work have been deeply shaped by the turbulent history of Vietnam. Born in Thái Bình, she spent her earliest years in Dao Ngan village along the banks of the Cau River—her mother’s hometown—which provided her with vivid, if painful, memories of rural Vietnamese life during wartime. Growing up during an era marked by conflict and upheaval, Dương Thu Hương witnessed firsthand the suffering of her people. Her family's experiences—ranging from the destruction of ancestral homes during colonial and later wars, to the hardships imposed by land reform and denunciation campaigns—profoundly influenced her worldview. With a background intertwined with the resistance against foreign powers and the internal struggles of a nation in transformation, she later became involved as a ghostwriter for military generals, documenting the brutal realities of war and the oppressive nature of the communist regime. Her literary career is inseparable from her political activism. Over the decades, Dương Thu Hương has used her pen to critique and challenge the regime she sees as responsible for the nation’s enduring hardships. Her writings reflect a deep commitment to uncovering historical truths and giving voice to the countless untold stories of suffering and resilience. This interview is part of the Vietnamese in the Diaspora Digital Archive. http://vietdiasporastories.omeka.net Interviews were conducted by the Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation as part of the national 500 Oral Histories Project. The interviewee has granted The Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation copyright of the audio, video and photo materials and it is being made available for non-profit educational use.