Contributions of the army and people of Da Lat in the resistance war against the French

(LĐ online) - Going back in time, to the heroic days of August 1945, the whole country was seething with the spirit of the General Uprising to seize power and regain independence for the nation after nearly a century of occupation. The victory of those exciting days led to the birth of a new state for the Vietnamese people: the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

In that heroic atmosphere, the army and people of Da Lat - Lam Dong (formerly Lam Vien province and Dong Nai Thuong province) also contributed significantly to this revolution. On August 23, 1945, the revolution successfully seized power in Da Lat and Lam Vien province. On August 28, 1945, the revolution successfully seized power in Dong Nai Thuong province. To contribute to protecting the newly won independence, as well as consolidating the young people's government, the army and people of Da Lat did not hesitate to sacrifice their interests, joined hands to contribute their efforts and wealth for the revolutionary cause, as President Ho Chi Minh once affirmed in the Declaration of Independence: "Vietnam has the right to enjoy freedom and independence and has truly become a free and independent country. The entire Vietnamese people are determined to devote all their spirit and strength, their lives and property to maintaining that freedom and independence."

During the difficult days with empty treasury of the new government, the people of Da Lat contributed "golden week" to solve the difficult financial problem. Along with that, the construction of the government was also enthusiastically responded by the people of Da Lat to participate in the election of the first National Assembly in 1946. Despite many difficulties due to the enemy's obstruction, in Da Lat, the election was still conducted urgently and according to principles. In the temporarily occupied areas in the inner city, we organized secret ballot boxes and delivered them to voters' homes to vote. In Cau Dat area and the revolutionary areas, the election was conducted carefully and received the support of a large number of voters.

By the end of 1945, the French had completed the reoccupation of the South and were preparing to attack the South Central provinces. In early 1946, the French reoccupied Da Lat. Faced with the situation of the French army returning to invade Da Lat, the revolutionary government decided to evacuate agencies, organizations and residents of Da Lat to the resistance zone in Cau Dat, build a long-term base for the resistance of the army and people of Da Lat, and at the same time establish a defense line to block the enemy in Trai Mat to protect the free zone in Cau Dat.

After occupying Da Lat, the French quickly consolidated their governing apparatus, called on the people to return home, and terrorized the revolutionary soldiers. In the areas temporarily occupied by the enemy, the people still quietly contributed to the resistance in many ways, with the belief in a complete victory tomorrow.

To promote the resistance movement in Da Lat, many cadres were reinforced, working teams were established to stick with the people, propagate the Party's policies, fight against the enemy's distorted arguments, and build revolutionary bases among the masses in Da Lat and surrounding areas.

At the power plant, the Union was established and mobilized workers to support the resistance, hanging flags and distributing leaflets. At the Geography Department, workers provided many important maps, documents and news of strategic significance for us to have a plan to deal with and defeat many of the enemy's military plots and activities. On the night of March 13, 1947, two establishments took guns and equipment from the warehouse to the war zone.

On the Thap Cham - Da Lat railway, the communication line was still maintained, railway workers contributed to ensuring the safe transportation of food, documents and transporting cadres to Da Lat. During the period 1946 - 1949, despite many difficulties, losses, being terrorized and strictly controlled by the enemy, thanks to the contributions of the masses, the revolutionary movement was still consolidated and developed, causing many difficulties for the French.

In January 1950, the Da Lat City Party Committee was established with comrade Phan Nhu Thach as secretary. From the end of 1950, the revolutionary movement in Da Lat had a significant development with over 2,000 revolutionary bases among the masses throughout the city. People in the inner city continued to participate in the revolution, causing heavy damage to the French in many aspects. Along with that, hundreds of workers, youths, and students escaped to the base to participate in the resistance.

Typical is the "Minh Khai" women's movement of small traders at Da Lat market, fighting for tax reduction, mobilizing the masses to support the resistance, supplying the revolution with the "warm winter coats for soldiers" movement, contributing hundreds of woolen coats and many medicines secretly sent to the war zone. This movement had a great influence on many classes of people in Da Lat, demonstrating the great role of Da Lat women in the resistance war against the French of our army and people.

A new turning point in the resistance war against the French by the army and people of Da Lat was the birth of the Phan Nhu Thach suicide squad in 1951. With the increasing number of young people, students, and pupils escaping to the resistance zone, demonstrating the increasingly large role and revolutionary spirit of the masses, in early 1951, the Da Lat City Party Committee established the Phan Nhu Thach suicide squad, consisting of 36 cadres and soldiers, with 13 suicide squads operating in the inner city of Da Lat and 5 armed propaganda teams to build bases to eliminate evil and evildoers. In just the first 6 months of 1951, many evil spies were punished, thanks to the role of the Phan Nhu Thach suicide squad and the help and information of the people of Da Lat, causing the French to suffer heavy losses of their right-hand men.

In May 1951, the Phan Nhu Thach suicide squad was assigned to break into Da Lat to continue to eliminate evil, support the political movement of the masses in Da Lat city, and make achievements to celebrate Uncle Ho's birthday. On May 11, 1951, the suicide squad broke into the Rose Villa (now house number 17 Huynh Thuc Khang) to capture Haasz, a French secret police inspector in Da Lat. However, that afternoon, when he returned home, Haasz discovered that our forces were lying in ambush, so he fled. The soldiers were forced to open fire and kill him, seize many important documents and spoils of war, and then retreat to the war zone. Haasz's death caused much confusion among the French soldiers in Da Lat.

To calm the soldiers' spirits, as well as to terrorize the revolutionary fighters, that night, the French took 20 prisoners being held at Da Lat Prison to the forest near Cam Ly airport to execute them. It was the horrific Cam Ly massacre, shocking public opinion and conscience, in which 19 people died, only 1 person was lucky to survive, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, who was helped by Mrs. Tu Cung - mother of King Bao Dai.

In response to the French brutal revenge in the Cam Ly massacre, on May 12, 1951, thousands of Da Lat people took to the streets to protest, demanding punishment for the villains and compensation for the families of the murdered. The struggle movement of the Da Lat people brought the Cam Ly massacre to justice, shocking public opinion throughout France and stirring up French politics. Members of the French Communist Party in the National Assembly brought this issue to the National Assembly for hearings and demanded an immediate end to the crimes against the colony.

On the night of May 18, 1951, Phan Nhu Thach's suicide squad broke into the town, hung flags, and distributed leaflets. On May 19, the market in Da Lat was closed, students were off school, shops were closed, and the streets were deserted, demonstrating the revolutionary consciousness of the Da Lat people determined to fight the French.

Although living in an area temporarily occupied, controlled, and terrorized by the enemy, the people of Da Lat always turned to the revolution, finding every way to contribute to the victory of the resistance war. Many families dug secret tunnels, hid revolutionary cadres, and supplied food and necessities to the war zone. Many revolutionary bases were discovered by the enemy, and soldiers were captured and brutally tortured by the enemy, but they remained loyal to the revolution and their homeland, determined not to reveal a word, and accepted sacrifice for a victorious tomorrow. The contributions of the masses were a source of motivation and encouragement for cadres and soldiers, as well as for the people who were fighting day and night against the French to have confidence, overcome hardships and fierceness to complete their tasks, and achieve victory in the resistance war against the French invaders.

In the final years of the resistance war against the French, the urban political movement of the people grew stronger and stronger, overcoming hardships and challenges to continue to develop. The people's struggles against the establishment of vegetable and rice cooperatives, and demanding reduction of market taxes forced the enemy to make concessions and accept the demands.

At the end of 1953, the French arrested Ms. Xu Nguyen (Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan) - a long-time supply base for the revolution in Da Lat. She was brutally tortured by the enemy but still did not reveal a word, even though she was pregnant, until her last breath. In the face of the enemy's brutal actions, the revolutionary bases in Da Lat mobilized the people to turn the funeral into a large-scale political demonstration, supported by youth and self-defense forces. This demonstration once again shook the foundation of French colonial rule in Da Lat, demonstrating the solidarity of the people contributing to the success of the resistance war.

The historic victory of Dien Bien Phu on May 7, 1954 marked the end of French colonialism in our country for nearly a century, as well as the end of French rule in the Da Lat plateau. After the Geneva Agreement was signed, cadres and soldiers of the base construction teams marched to the Le Hong Phong resistance base, carried out troop movements, regrouped, and closed the 9-year journey of arduous resistance against French colonialism with victory belonging to our army and people. This victory had a great contribution, as well as the arduous sacrifices of the army and people of Da Lat who fought tirelessly for the revolutionary cause for independence and freedom.

In recognition of the contributions of the army and people of Da Lat through two long resistance wars, the State awarded the army and people of Da Lat 4 Thanh Dong Medals, 2 Military Exploit Medals, 16 War Exploit Medals, 3 Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, 73 Heroic Vietnamese Mothers; Xuan Truong commune and the city were awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces; 224 families were awarded the honorary gold plaque "Families with meritorious services to the revolution" by the State. That is the recognition and praise of the achievements and blood sacrifices of the army and people of Da Lat in the cause of resistance war to save the country.

Currently, Da Lat city has changed, becoming a famous tourist city of Vietnam and the world, with synchronous investment in infrastructure; it is a Flower Festival city. In addition, Da Lat city is in the process of building a smart city, a world heritage city. In particular, Da Lat city was selected as one of 8 cities in Vietnam (along with Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Ha Long, Vung Tau, Hai Phong) to participate in coordinating the implementation of the UNESCO Creative City Project in the field of Music. On October 31, 2023, Da Lat city officially joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of Music. Thereby, affirming the recognition of the international community, promoting the image of Da Lat city - Lam Dong province as an attractive, safe, civilized and friendly destination. Not only is it an attractive tourist destination, Da Lat is also a locomotive in high-tech agricultural production.

In 2014, the Prime Minister issued Decision 704/QD-TTg approving the adjustment of the Master Plan for Da Lat city and surrounding areas to 2030, with a vision to 2050, as well as Resolution No. 04-NQ/TU of Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee, which identified the goal: Building Da Lat into a modern urban area, a creative city, a center of eco-tourism, high-class resorts, cultural heritage tourism of international stature, a regional center of culture, art, physical education, sports and entertainment; a prominent place for creativity and performing arts.

In the general development and growth of Da Lat city, there are great contributions and sacrifices of veteran revolutionary cadres, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, Heroes of the Armed Forces, wounded and sick comrades, families of martyrs, families with meritorious services to the revolution, along with a large number of cadres, soldiers and people of all walks of life in the city. We will always remember the great contributions of the heroic martyrs who sacrificed for today's independence and peace.

70 years since the heroic days of victory over the powerful French colonialists, we see more clearly the role of the army and people in this resistance war. The contributions of the army and people of Da Lat have contributed to victories from small to large, causing continuous losses and endless difficulties for the French, then winning and writing more glorious pages of history for the Vietnamese people.

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