In 1964, Master Lê Sáng and the Council of Masters decided to modify the name of Vovinam, by centering more on the metaphysic side, with the meaning of the "way", the Đạo. They changed its name for:
   
Việt - people of Vietnam
Võ - martial art
Đạo - the way
This notion is the first phase of the philosophic way of Vovinam. The second phase is the Nhân Võ Đạo, which means the way of the humanity's martial art or the philanthropic martial art. However, as a tribute to the Founder Master, they kept the original name too. That is why, on the Vovinam emblem appears, in addition to the positive and negative "Âm-Dương" circle, with the map of Vietnam, the word “Vovinam”. In Vietnam they call it indifferently with the two forms.
However, Vietnam was at war. A horrible war. Hundreds of thousands of Americans came to Vietnam to help the South Vietnam against the North Vietnam army and the Communist troops. In total, more than 6 million American soldiers came to Vietnam during the war, but also other nation's troops, like Koreans.
Vovinam was having good days in that time. Master Tran Huy Phong was directing the biggest Vovinam training center of Vietnam: Hoa Lu.
Master Le Sang was directing the Vovinam center To Duong, where the ashes of Master Nguyen Loc were conserved.
Many other masters and instructors opened Vovinam clubs in schools, as well as in the Police and the Army.
Until the 30th of April 1975, when the Communist troops entered Saigon and the South Vietnam capitulated. End of the war... Vietnam would never be the same again. |
