"The revolutionary life began when I first understood it."

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Along with the system of relics, artifacts, and memorabilia associated with a period of heroic and resilient revolutionary struggle, establishing many feats of arms of generations of Thanh Hoa soldiers and people, the memoirs of elders such as Nguyen Doan Chap, Le Oanh Kieu, Le Tat Dac, Le Manh Trinh... are vivid slices, recording the developments and specific details surrounding the event of establishing the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee (July 29, 1930).

Báo Thanh Hóa•23/07/2025

Revolutionary memoirs of pioneering revolutionary fighters from the heroic homeland of Thanh Hoa .

"A historic spring"

“From being an activist for the Revolutionary Youth League, I was organized into the Indochinese Communist Party. My new duties were difficult and arduous, but I was always enthusiastic about my work” – these simple yet sincere and passionate expressions of Comrade Nguyen Doan Chap in his memoir “A Historic Spring” take us back in time, giving us a comprehensive and truthful view of the founding of the Ham Ha Party Branch – the first communist party branch in Thanh Hoa province.

At that time, Comrade Nguyen Doan Chap was assigned by the Northern Regional Party Committee to return to his hometown of Thanh Hoa to build a grassroots party organization. Comrade Nguyen Doan Chap never forgot the moment when Comrade Le Cong Thanh – a representative of the Northern Regional Party Committee – came to meet him and handed him a special "handbook" of the revolution along with heartfelt instructions before Chap accepted the task of returning to Thanh Hoa to carry out his activities: "I am giving you this 'handbook.' This is a very precious item that must be kept carefully and absolutely secret. If any unforeseen circumstances arise, you must find every way to destroy it completely, not letting it fall into the hands of the enemy."

After the arduous journey back to Thanh, upon arriving home, the excitement and enthusiasm of being entrusted with an important task by the organization made Mr. Chap eager to immediately open and read the contents of the handbook. However, the keenness and composure of a revolutionary activist made him cautiously consider everything before acting: “Upon arriving home, I was eager to go on assignment immediately, but fearing suspicion from my family and villagers, I lingered at home for a few days and studied the contents of the secret letter. I diluted the tint of iodine and applied it to the first page of a white sheet of paper, making the written words stand out clearly. All the revolutionary youth organizations in Dong Son were fully listed on the first page, including the members' pseudonyms and addresses. Many were listed with their occupations and positions, such as village headmen and hamlet leaders… I memorized each name and carefully hid the secret letter so that I wouldn't have to carry it with me on assignments in case of unforeseen circumstances.”

In the context of clandestine operations, with enemy and friend mixed together, communist soldiers sharing the same ideals had to go through a battle of wits before reaching a mutual understanding and trust sufficient to share confidential information. But after understanding each other and placing their trust in each other under the sacred title of "comrade," revolutionary life gained warm memories: "That night, a summer night, the sky was full of stars. It was late, but we were still talking. Although it was our first meeting, we became close after calling each other comrade."

Through the memoirs, glimpses of the times and the revolutionary situation in Thanh Hoa at that time are vividly portrayed. The thoughts, feelings, and eager anticipation for the establishment of a communist party branch are recorded in these memoirs, filled with hope and affection: “Like an electric current, this news spread very quickly from comrade to comrade, creating an atmosphere of excitement and urgency, yet with utmost caution and discretion, in preparation for the founding conference of the party branch in Ham Ha.”

To prepare for the Ham Ha Party branch founding conference: “Around Comrade Kieu’s house, shortcuts were opened to the fields, in case of exposure, providing a place for quick dispersal. The signal for dispersal was the sound of swatting mosquitoes with a palm-leaf fan. Upon hearing two synchronized swatting sounds, everyone immediately turned off their lights and silently left the conference through a pre-determined escape route. If they heard a creaking sound at the gate, it meant someone familiar had entered; they simply turned off their lights and remained silent, letting the homeowner improvise.”

"Growing up with the general staff"

"Growing Up with the General Staff" is a collection of memoirs by comrades Le Oanh Kieu, Nguyen Doan Chap, and others, recorded in the revolutionary memoir "A Historic Spring," which brings together all the very common and very personal experiences of a generation that dared to accept challenges, dared to sacrifice, and were ready to let their "self" merge into the larger "we" for the ultimate goal of national liberation.

What remains in these memoirs is the close bond between the people and the communist soldiers: “Our familiar area of operation at that time started from Dong Son, Thieu Hoa, and then expanded to Tho Xuan... We remember every village and hamlet name, every crossroads and alley, every river and field, but most of all, we remember the revolutionary grassroots bases that, regardless of danger, sought every way to shelter and protect us as we operated day and night.”

It was in this warm and affectionate countryside that the farmers, along with the communist soldiers, witnessed the gradual growth of the revolution: “During the period of intense activity of the Revolutionary Youth League, as well as the period when this organization was terrorized by the enemy, the revolutionary masses always stood by us, sharing both the joys and the sorrows. Because of this, although the enemy tried every means to completely eradicate the seeds of revolution, they were unable to achieve their goal.”

The events of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee founding conference on July 29, 1930, are recounted in recollections and memories: In the house of Comrade Le Van Si, in Yen Truong village (Tho Lap commune), as the crescent moon had just set, the solemn founding conference of the Provincial Party Committee took place: “The atmosphere was quiet... The delegates sat huddled together on a bed and a bamboo cot placed close together. In the middle was a set of water utensils and a sufficiently bright oil lamp. The entire hall was silent, waiting.” Comrade Chấp, on behalf of the higher command, delivered the opening remarks at the conference, emphasizing the reasons, significance, and importance of establishing the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee: “This is an event of immense significance for the revolutionary movement of our province. All comrades should remember this day and the tasks we will discuss so that from now on, each comrade can further advance their assigned activities to contribute to the development of the movement in the province, expanding its reach among the masses and taking the Party's struggle to a new level.”

Amidst overwhelming hardships, ever-present dangers, and significant changes in the revolutionary situation both locally and nationwide, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee founding conference was a resounding success thanks to thorough preparation and the high level of unity and consensus among the delegates: “The entire conference almost held its breath, following every opinion of the senior officials. Looking at everyone’s faces, we saw a radiant expression of honor and pride in the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party.”

Following the conference in Yen Truong, the revolutionary movement in the province grew stronger and stronger. Along with this organizational growth, the struggles under the leadership of the Provincial Party Committee also intensified, like smoldering fires ready to erupt and burn the class enemy when conditions permitted. “The seeds of revolution, through trials and tribulations, nurtured by the masses, continue to sprout and grow stronger… From the members of the Revolutionary Youth Association, we were admitted into the Communist Party. We also had Party branches as the nucleus in the revolutionary struggle of the masses. From the masses, and from the revolutionary struggle of the masses, we grew stronger. The Party organization also continued to develop through this.” These sentiments and reflections of the veteran revolutionaries remain highly relevant today, serving as a valuable lesson for the development of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee in all periods.

The memoirs of veteran comrades – the "red seeds" of the Thanh Hoa revolution, such as Nguyen Doan Chap, Le Oanh Kieu, etc. – have further depicted a revolutionary path full of difficulties, hardships, and yet also glorious. From here, Thanh Hoa had a political party of the working class that united and led the revolutionary movement of the homeland, bringing it into harmony with the revolutionary flow of the nation.

Turning back the pages of the memoirs of steadfast revolutionary fighters, those who left a deep mark and made great contributions during the period of campaigning and establishing the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee, we can understand and appreciate even more a generation of loyal and heroic individuals who "lived with the Party, died with the Party," appreciate even more the value of independence and freedom, and see more clearly our responsibility on the journey of building and developing the country.

Comment (0)