In the first decade of the 20th century, a ‘Go East Movement’ became popular in Vietnam.Early Vietnamese nationalists had a close relationship with Japan and China. It was for three reasons : (i) they provided models for those looking for a change; (ii) a refuge for those who were escaping French police, and (iii) a location, where a wider network of Asian revolutionaries could be established.In 1907-08, some 300 Vietnamese students went to Japan to acquire modern education. Their main aim was to drive out the French from Vietnam, overthrow the puppet government and re-establish the Nguyen dynasty that had been deposed by the French. They appealed to the Japanese as fellow Asians and asked for arms and help. Japan had emerged as a strong modern nation who could defeat the mighty Russia (1907) and resist colonisation. The Vietnamese students established a Resistance Society in Tokyo but, after 1908, the Japanese Government clamped down on them. Many, including Phan Boi Chau, were deported and forced into exile in China and Thailand. Go East Movement inspired the National Movement in Vietnam.