The Traditional House of Can Tho City Police Force is a place where political activities are regularly held for officers, soldiers of Can Tho City Police and students.
Comrade Le Binh (1924-1945) was the fourth child in a family with a revolutionary and studious tradition in Son Tan commune, Huong Son district, Ha Tinh province. On August 30, 1945, at the former French Navy headquarters at Ninh Kieu wharf, the Can Tho National Self-Defense Force was established, marking the birth of the Can Tho Public Security Force. Comrade Le Binh was assigned to hold the position of Director of the Can Tho National Self-Defense Force.
Before comrade Le Binh could arrive at his post, the French army had reoccupied Can Tho. Faced with the critical situation, he made a bold decision to organize a surprise attack to deal a heavy blow to the enemy and encourage the people's resistance spirit. Cai Rang town had an important strategic position, and was occupied by the French army to build a defensive line to protect from afar and to use as a springboard to attack revolutionary bases, loot, and oppress the people under the command of Captain Rouen. In order to break this defensive line, in early November 1945, comrade Le Binh established a suicide squad consisting of 6 comrades: Le Binh (commander), Bui Quang Trinh, Tran Chien, Le Nhat Tao, Cao Minh Loc, and Tran Huu Nghi.
After carefully studying the field and discussing the battle plan, the Suicide Squad agreed to carry out the "Disguise" tactic (surprise attack using disguise) in the early morning of November 12, 1945, when Cai Rang market was the most crowded, the time when the enemy was most vulnerable and subjective. The comrades disguised themselves as Chinese people, used two boats loaded with sugarcane, rice, fruit, and pork, rowed from Phong Dien to Cai Rang town, easily infiltrating the enemy's command area.
As soon as Rouen appeared, comrade Le Binh quickly opened fire, causing him to fall to the ground. The gunshot was also the signal for the entire team to act. The suicide soldiers rushed in to capture the Command Center, killing many French soldiers. Taking advantage of the opportunity, comrade Le Binh lowered the French flag (tricolor) and raised our red flag with a yellow star. When the enemy regained their composure, they counterattacked fiercely. Comrade Le Binh and comrade Bui Quang Trinh sacrificed themselves while fighting fiercely. The remaining comrades continued to fight until their last breath, causing heavy losses to the enemy.
The battle caused a stir. 27 enemy officers and soldiers were killed, 17 were wounded, including Rouen who was seriously injured. The "Disguised Battle" not only crushed the enemy's plan to "fight fast, win fast" but also caused a great echo throughout the Southern battlefield, being the first historical victory of the Can Tho Police force in particular and the Vietnam People's Police in general in the resistance war against French colonialism.
The image of the red flag with yellow star flying over the enemy's outpost strongly reinforced the people's belief in the resistance. President Ho Chi Minh praised the battle, considering it a clear demonstration of the spirit and strength of the revolutionary forces in the South. Even after being treated in France, the Rouen mandarin wrote in the L'Humanité (the mouthpiece of the French Communist Party) expressing his admiration for the bravery of the Vietnamese people and declaring that he would mobilize the French people to support the movement to liberate Vietnam.
The sacrifice of the Suicide Squad left a deep impression on the people. In 1993, comrade Le Binh was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the State. On March 1, 2010, the President signed a decision to confer the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces on the entire Suicide Squad of the Can Tho National Self-Defense Force. The site of the battle was ranked as a city-level historical and cultural relic in 2006. At the end of 2016, this site was renovated, restored and transferred to become the Traditional House of the Can Tho City Police Force in March 2017.
Officers and soldiers regularly clean the Traditional House of Can Tho City Police Force.
Every year, on October 8 (lunar calendar) as well as on holidays and Tet, officers and soldiers of Can Tho City Police organize flower and incense offering at the Traditional House to commemorate the heroic martyrs. This is not only an activity of gratitude, showing the morality of "drinking water, remembering its source" but also an opportunity to educate the young generation of the City Police about the heroic and indomitable tradition of their ancestors.
The feat of the Suicide Squad at Cai Rang is not only the pride of Can Tho people but also a living symbol of the spirit of "forgetting oneself for the country, serving the people" that the People's Public Security force today is striving to preserve and promote.
Article and photos: Quang Huy
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/doi-cam-tu-quan-va-tran-hoa-trang-ky-tap-chien-cong-lung-lay-a188093.html
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