"Red address" Phu Loi Prison

Việt Nam•30/11/2024

Phu Loi Prison was one of the largest prisons of the US-Diem regime in South Vietnam, built in 1957 to imprison and torture revolutionary fighters and patriots at the time, earning it the nickname "hell on earth." However, the harsh conditions of the prison could not break the communists. Phu Loi Prison became a place where revolutionary fighters demonstrated their unwavering loyalty and steely spirit, ready to die for national independence and reunification. Today, Phu Loi Prison has become a significant historical site for educating the younger generation about revolutionary traditions.

Phu Loi Prison has now become a significant site for educating the younger generation about traditions and national pride.

"Ironclad proof"

During its eight years of existence (1957-1964), Phu Loi Prison, while euphemistically called "Phu Loi Re-education Center" or "Detention Center," was known as "hell on earth," a place of horrific torture aimed at breaking the will of the communists. Prisoners were given meager food, including rotten rice, spoiled fish, and fish sauce infested with maggots. All prisoners lived in dark, filthy conditions, in solitary confinement cells and tiger cages, and received no medical treatment when ill.

Speaking about the Phu Loi Prison historical site, Ms. Le Thi Viet Lan, Head of the Liaison Committee of Revolutionary Soldiers Imprisoned by the Enemy in the Province, said that Phu Loi Prison is "ironclad evidence" proving the crimes of the US-puppet regime in South Vietnam. Each historical artifact at Phu Loi Prison reflects the indomitable patriotic spirit of the revolutionary soldiers and patriotic people.

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Under the new conditions of the war, by 1964, Phu Loi Prison no longer existed. From then on, the prison system was transformed into a US-puppet regime military sub-district until the complete liberation of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975.

…In one day – December 1st/ Who would have thought there would be no tomorrow!/ We died, in the long, cruel night/ Our hearts and livers torn apart, poisoned rice/ Our bones turned purple from the fangs and venom of the vile villains/ Our hearts, once red, died of bitter resentment, blackened by blood…”. These are six lines extracted from the poem “Eternal Hatred,” composed by the poet Tố Hữu in 1959. Mentioning Phú Lợi Prison brings to mind the massacre of prisoners at Phú Lợi Prison on December 1st, 1958. The massacre caused hundreds of prisoners to be poisoned, many died, and many fell into a coma. By December 2nd and 3rd, 1958, the number of seriously ill and deceased increased. Some were buried on the spot, and those severely poisoned were transferred but never returned…

"Red address"

The once harsh Phu Loi Prison has now become a National Revolutionary Historical Site (ranked on July 10, 1980). Every year, the site welcomes many domestic and international visitors who come to learn about the history of the Vietnamese revolutionary struggle. Many schools, agencies, and organizations have organized educational trips, Youth Union coming-of-age ceremonies, Party branch activities, and other events at the site.

Nguyen Hoang Lan, a student at Thu Dau Mot University, shared: “Visiting Phu Loi Prison, we were horrified by the extremely harsh prison regime. Prisoners had their feet shackled, their backs couldn't sit straight because of barbed wire overhead, and the food was meager… This showed us the unwavering loyalty and indomitable spirit of our ancestors. For us to have peace and a learning environment like today, our forefathers sacrificed their lives and blood…”

Lieutenant Colonel Vuong Trung Tien, Political Commissar of the Military Command of Thu Dau Mot City, said that Phu Loi Prison is one of the destinations of the Military Command of Thu Dau Mot City in implementing the model "One historical landmark per month". Through these historical sites, the city's Military Command aims to propagate and educate officers and soldiers about the origins and history of the nation, express gratitude to previous generations, and educate officers and soldiers of the city's armed forces about revolutionary traditions, contributing to beautifying the tradition of patriotism and love for the homeland of Binh Duong in general and the heroic Thu Dau Mot City in particular.