On the way back to the “Capital of the Thousand Winds”, the delegation of General Department II stopped at La Bang commune (Dai Tu, Thai Nguyen). There is a stele house here commemorating the days when the TBQP agency operated. Standing in front of the stele house, the delegates together recited President Ho Chi Minh 's instructions to the 3rd National Intelligence Conference (March 10, 1948) engraved on the stele: “You all know that intelligence is the eyes and ears of the Army, its responsibility is very important. The Art of War says: Know yourself, know the enemy, and you will win every battle. If you want to know the enemy, you must have good intelligence. If you want to avoid the enemy and know yourself, you must also have good intelligence...”. His thoughtful thoughts and teachings are the guiding principle, guiding the organization and activities of the TBQP.

Delegates attended the inauguration ceremony of the memorial stele of the Intelligence Department - General Command in La Bang commune (Dai Tu, Thai Nguyen ).

Reviewing the tradition of the industry, Major General Vu Viet Cam, former Deputy Director of General Department II, said: “When our forces withdrew from Hanoi to the “Resistance Capital”, the Intelligence Department chose La Cut hamlet, La Bang commune as its headquarters to provide information to the front. From here, the Intelligence Department gradually unified the tasks, principles, nature and methods of operation of the entire industry nationwide. Intelligence methods and forces were gradually formed, developed and operated on the battlefields to improve work efficiency and information quality”.

From Thai Nguyen, the delegation went up to Tuyen Quang. The road winds around the mountainside. In the distance, there are green tea hills. Arriving at a small hamlet in Thuong Am commune (Son Duong, Tuyen Quang), a memorial stele area was restored at the foot of the mountain. Around the houses are a few houses hidden in the shade of green trees.

Local people enthusiastically welcomed the veterans, officers and employees of the Ministry of National Defense. As a villager present on the happy day, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hang, in her late 80s, excitedly said: “On this land, soldiers and people relied on each other during the difficult days of resistance. Until now, every year, soldiers still return to visit the old place, organize visits and give gifts to the people very affectionately.”

Under the shade of green trees, next to the memorial stele, soldiers and locals told old stories together. At the location of Thuong Am, in June 1951, the Liaison Office (the disguised name of the Strategic Intelligence Agency) held a conference of intelligence officers to disseminate Directive No. 07-CT/TW of the Central Party Secretariat on strengthening intelligence work. At this conference, intelligence soldiers were honored to receive a letter of encouragement and direction from President Ho Chi Minh.

After the conference, the Liaison Office deployed an effective intelligence network in key areas from the North and the South, providing valuable strategic information to serve the Party Central Committee and the General Command in leading and directing the implementation of campaigns, especially the 1953-1954 Winter-Spring strategy leading to the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.

Generations of defense intelligence officers visited the memorial stele of the Liaison Office - Prime Minister's Office in Thuong Am commune (Son Duong, Tuyen Quang).

Lieutenant General Phan Van Viet, former Political Commissar of General Department II, recalled: “To mark the event of the intelligence officer conference, on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the tradition of the Vietnam National Defense Forces (2000), implementing the policy of the Standing Committee of the General Department Party Committee, with the attention and support of the government and people of Tuyen Quang province, General Department II built a memorial stele house “Liaison Office - Prime Minister's Office”. The stele has an excerpt from the third letter that Uncle Ho sent to the intelligence officer conference with the advice: “...

Intelligence is the eyes and ears. The ears must be clear, the eyes must be bright, then the mind can make the right plan. The mind must be right, then the hands and feet can act promptly. If our eyes and ears are clear, the plan is right, and we act promptly, then we will definitely defeat the enemy...". It can be seen that the things pointed out in the letter have shown the importance and special attention of the Party and Uncle Ho to the building of the military intelligence sector, concisely and comprehensively stating the importance of intelligence work.

In the homeland of Thai Nguyen and Tuyen Quang, two memorial stele houses were erected to become red addresses to educate about the traditional history of the military and defense industry. The stele houses were built in a traditional two-story, eight-roofed architecture, surrounded by green stone, in harmony with the natural landscape. Notably, the two memorial stele houses were both recognized as provincial historical relics by Thai Nguyen and Tuyen Quang provinces, and included in the journey connecting with revolutionary historical sites and relics for people to visit.

On the happy day of returning to visit the two memorial steles, generations of military and defense industry officials were excited when the works were solemnly restored, towards the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's Military and Defense Industry Traditional Day (October 25, 1945 / October 25, 2025). Attending the inauguration ceremony of the two memorial steles, Major General Nguyen Duc Loi, Political Commissar of General Department II, affirmed: “The two renovated works have practical significance, demonstrating the tradition of remembering the source of water when drinking water, remembering President Ho Chi Minh's contributions to intelligence, and showing gratitude to the local Party Committee, government, and people for protecting, sheltering, and recognizing the contributions of heroic groups, heroic martyrs, and generations of military officers and soldiers to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party. This is also a place for political activities, traditional education, and fostering revolutionary ideals for Vietnamese military officers and soldiers, while encouraging people to maintain pride in the heroic traditions of their revolutionary homeland.”

Article and photos: VU DUY

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/dia-danh-luu-dau-truyen-thong-nganh-tinh-bao-quoc-phong-831108