Anti-American epic

Anti-aircraft artillery company I fights to protect Ham Rong bridge. (Photo: Archive)

After the Dien Bien Phu victory, together with the whole country, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee continued to lead the people into the resistance war against the US to save the country. To heal the wounds of war, restore and develop the economy and culture, and build a strong rear, a series of emulation movements were launched by the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee in all sectors, all sectors, all localities and units with the goal of becoming leading flags nationwide. Through these movements, many advanced models have been replicated throughout the North, typically the activities of cooperatives such as: Dong Phuong Hong, Xuan Thanh, Yen Truong, Dinh Cong, Thanh Cong mechanics.

To block the North's supply line to the Southern battlefield, the US imperialists expanded their destructive war to the North, in which Thanh Hoa was the focus of fierce attacks. During this period, responding to President Ho's sacred call "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom", "Determined to completely defeat the American invaders", the Party Committee, government, people and armed forces of Thanh Hoa overcame countless hardships, fought bravely and steadfastly, contributing to crushing the two destructive wars of the US imperialists in the North. Places such as Do Len, Ham Rong, Pha Ghep... became the most fierce "coordinates of fire", but also marked the most glorious feats of the Thanh Hoa army and people. Through two times of fighting against the US's destructive war, the army and people of the whole province shot down 376 planes, including 3 B52s, captured 36 pilots, burned and sank 57 warships. Ham Rong alone shot down 116 enemy aircraft, including 2 B52 strategic aircraft, captured 12 enemy pilots, and destroyed over 100 others. Ham Rong has become a sacred symbol of revolutionary heroism, ingenious military art, and the united strength of the Vietnamese People's War.

During the years of the war against the US, the Party Committee and the people of Thanh Hoa not only directly fought against the attacks of the US imperialists but also actively performed the great rear duty with the frontline. Responding to the slogan "each person works as hard as two for the beloved South", Thanh Hoa launched dozens of patriotic emulation movements in all sectors and levels, typically the movements: "three readiness" of the youth, "three responsibilities" of women, contributing "stones against the US" to fill bomb craters, the competition of "good plowman, good gunman", "5 tons to defeat the US" in the countryside, "2 prongs of attack against the US" in the public, agricultural and forestry farms; the movement of "sticking to the sea, defending the village, shooting down planes, sinking enemy warships" in the seas... The patriotic emulation movements spread strongly to all regions, creating a heroic atmosphere in factories, construction sites, fields, and schools.

Now, although he is nearly 100 years old, Mr. Thieu Quang Moc - former Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Town Administrative Committee from 1972 to 1984 still clearly remembers the determined and enthusiastic spirit of carrying out movements to both fight heroically to protect the great rear and work and produce to create a lot of material wealth to strengthen the great front line in the South: "During the years when the US imperialists escalated the war to the North, the spirit of protecting roads and bridges of the people of Thanh Hoa town was very enthusiastic. Many people and families did not hesitate to demolish their houses to build bridges and use stones to pave the roads to keep the transportation route of weapons and military supplies to the Southern battlefield open."

During nearly 10 years of fighting against the destructive war of the American imperialists, Thanh Hoa mobilized the army and people to directly fight and serve the war, actively worked in production to supply and transport 15 million tons of goods to support the southern battlefield and fulfill international obligations. Mr. Do Huu Thich - former Head of the Propaganda Department of Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee still clearly visualized the spirit of production and labor as well as the volunteering to join the army to fight in the South of the youth in all the rural areas of Thanh at that time: "In the localities, young people volunteered to join the army, some young people at that time wrote applications for enlistment in blood to register for enlistment, women promoted the rural production movement so that young people could feel secure to join the army. The Dong Phuong Hong movement was promoted to achieve a productivity of 5 tons/ha. The movement to build roads and open roads for vehicles also took place vigorously".

Anti-American epic

Mr. Thieu Quang Moc (in white shirt) - former Chairman of Thanh Hoa Town Administrative Committee from 1972 to 1984 reviewed images marking Thanh Hoa's victory against the US. Photo: Mai Ngoc

To strengthen the army directly fighting on the southern front, with the motto "not a pound of rice is missing, not a soldier is missing", the volunteer movement to join the army to fight in the South took place vigorously throughout the province. In the 10 years from 1965 to 1975 alone, Thanh Hoa recruited 195,853 young people to join the army, equal to 10.15% of the population (including 7,039 women). For 11 consecutive years, the assigned target was completed and exceeded. In addition to exceeding the recruitment target, from April 1970 to 1975, Regiment 14 trained and supported 78 battalions (including 4 female battalions) for units on the battlefield, contributing with the army and people of the whole country to the great victory of spring 1975, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign, completely liberating the South and reunifying the country. When talking about the fighting spirit and willingness to sacrifice heroically of the Thanh Hoa armed forces in the fiery battlefield of Binh Tri Thien, veteran Pham Ngoc Tuan - former Captain of Company 3, Battalion 6, Regiment 6, Thua Thien Hue Provincial Military Command clearly remembered: "Most of our regiment was from Thanh Hoa. They fought very steadfastly and bravely. Among the sacrifices of the unit, there were many children from Thanh Hoa."

The enormous contributions in terms of manpower and resources, the glorious and resounding victories of the army and people of our province as well as the losses and sacrifices during the 21 years of resistance war against the US to save the country have been recognized by the Party, State and Government. Many individuals and groups with outstanding achievements have been awarded many noble awards. The whole province has 25 units awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces, 16 units and individuals are Labor Heroes, 71 individuals are Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, thousands of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, 56,559 martyrs, 32,146 people are war invalids...

The Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee, with its wise and talented leadership and flexible and creative decisions, together with the entire army and people, has won many great victories, firmly protected the great rear, and excellently completed the task of supporting human and material resources to the frontline. The great contributions in terms of human and material resources, the glorious and resounding feats of arms of the Thanh Hoa army and people in the resistance war against the US continue to affirm the important role and position of Thanh Hoa in the cause of protecting and building the Fatherland. That tradition will be an important source of strength to help Thanh Hoa continue to rise up and gain many glorious victories in the current revolutionary period, together with the whole country firmly entering a new era - the era of the Vietnamese nation's rise.

Mai Ngoc

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ban-hung-ca-chong-my-255362.htm