F.B.J. Kuiper

Indo-Iranian Journal -     

Dr. Cairns on Vietnam

J. F. Cairns, The Eagle and the Lotus: Western Intervention in Vietnam 1847–1968, Lansdowne Press, Melbourne, 1969, pp. 250, $4.95.     

Professor C.F.J. Muller as historikus

Joseph Booth's influence on the development of early Christianity in Malâwi has been exaggerated at the expense of the Africans actually involved. Around the turn of the century he introduced a number of industrial missions into the country, but his connection with them was short-lived. Almost as quickly as he set them up he was expelled from their ranks for reasons of financial mismanagement. This happened at least eight times during his missionary career. Money matters proved to be his undoing with Africans as well. Booth's false promises of financial aid to struggling Seventh Day Baptists resulted in an active campaign on their part to rid themselves of him. He also parted ways with John Chilembwe, Elliott Kamwana and Jordan Ansumba. Booth was a man full of contradictions. While preaching brotherhood he quarrelled with everyone; an advocate of Africa for the Africans, he demanded total sub-service from those around him. His anti-colonial message was blighted by taking advantage of a friendship with Harry Johnston to acquire large tracts of land from Africans for very little money. Joseph Booth was an emotionally troubled individual who did more to hinder the spread of Christianity in Central Africa than help it.     

革命美术的光辉典范——太行木刻选介

在建党八十周年的时候,我们把当年太行革命根据地美术工作者创作的木刻作品介绍给大家。这既是老一辈木刻家留给后代的一份珍贵艺术遗产,也是今天进行爱国主义教育和革命传统教育的形象化生动教材。 太行革命根据地,在抗日战争时期是中国共产党领导的敌后抗日游击战争的战略要地之一,根据地军民保家卫国,抗击日寇,英勇杀敌,用血肉筑起敌后抗战的铁壁铜墙,为抗日民族革命战争的胜利付出了巨大的牺牲。解放战争时期,太行解放区的军民又以空前高涨的革命积极性,投身争取民主自由、光明进步的人民革命战争,为全国解放作出了卓越的贡…     

The British Empire and revolutionary national poetry

ABSTRACT. The British empire set off an explosion of poetry, in English and native languages, particularly in India, Africa and the Middle East. This poetry – largely neglected in the scholarship on nationalism – was often revolutionary both aesthetically and politically, expressing a spirit of cultural independence. Attacks on England and the empire are common not just in native colonial poetry but also in poetry of the British isles. This article discusses some of the most influential poets, including: Shawqi of Egypt, Tagore of India, Rusafi of Iraq, Yeats of Ireland, Iqbal of Pakistan, Greenberg of pre‐State Israel, and Kipling, the ‘poet of empire’. In contrast with other empires, many poets were inspired by British culture to create revolutionary art and seek political independence. Most strikingly, British rule was instrumental in the revival of vernacular Hebrew poetry after 1917 as the centre of Hebrew literature shifted from Odessa to Tel Aviv.     

The unique decline of mortality in revolutionary France

This article seeks to draw historians' attention to a neglected reconstruction of the French population and its mortality rates developed by the Institut National d'Etudes Démographiques in the 1970s. The reconstruction shows a sharp decline in French mortality rates, beginning in the 1790s and continuing through the 1820s. This conflicts with recent historiography stressing the negative effects of the Revolution. This article contends that the reconstruction is plausible and that the French mortality decline was unique in Europe in this period. In turn, this suggests that the Revolution had a much more favorable impact than many historians would have us believe.     

光荣的土地——太行革命根据地掠影

太行革命根据地,是中国共产党在抗日战争爆发后,为了在华北敌后坚持持久的抗日游击战争,发展抗日力量,消灭和驱逐日本侵略者而建立的重要的战略基地之一。１９３７年１１月,太原刚刚失陷,根据中共中央和毛泽东主席关于创立以太行山脉为依托的晋冀豫抗日根据地的指示,在中共中央北方局、八路军总部的领导下,八路军一二九师、一一五师三四四旅同中共冀豫晋省委（中共太行区党委的前身）紧密配合,在山西牺牲救国同盟会、山西青年抗敌决死队。冀西民训处等密切协同下,发动和依靠广大人民群众,发展抗日武装,建立抗日民主政权,团结一…