Memories of the Central Highlands people who met Uncle Ho

They had the opportunity to meet Uncle Ho, to be visited and encouraged by him. Those moments, though very short, with the beloved leader left in each person's life memories that will never fade.

Meritorious Teacher Nay H'Win, a J'rai ethnic, a former actress of the Central Highlands Art Troupe, recalled: “I met Uncle Ho three times. The last time, when performing for Uncle Ho and a group of foreign guests, Uncle Ho asked: “Why are you so thin these days, H'Win? Where have you been, Kim Nho? Why aren't you here today?”. Then, in a deep voice, Uncle Ho said: “You need to eat a lot and dress warmly. Winter in the North is very cold and you can easily get pneumonia…”. I told Uncle Ho that Kim Nho was busy studying. Uncle Ho asked: “What are you studying?”, I replied: “Yes, studying culture!”. Uncle Ho told us: “You need to study well, so that you can come back to help the people of the Central Highlands later.” That time, Uncle Ho gave each of us a warm coat.”

Mr. Ksor Ni, former Secretary of the Gia Lai - Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee, recalled: “One day in early June 1946, Mr. Y Ngong Nie Kdam, an Ede ethnic group, and I met Uncle Ho. Uncle Ho kindly asked about the situation of the people of the Central Highlands. Mr. Y Ngong said: “Uncle, the French have invaded the Central Highlands, we are very sad and worried!”. I continued: “Uncle, the French have invaded the Central Highlands, can we fight them off and take back the Central Highlands?”.

He replied: “Yes, because the Central Highlands is a part of Vietnam. If Vietnam is independent, the Central Highlands must also be independent. If the Central Highlands is occupied by the French, we must continue to fight the French to liberate the Central Highlands. Only then will Vietnam be completely independent.”

He spread out his right hand for us to see, then continued: “A complete hand has five fingers, if one finger is missing, the hand is not complete. Just as Vietnam is independent, the Central Highlands must be independent, because the Central Highlands is a part of Vietnam’s territory…”.

Uncle Ho with the heroes of the South.

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In Lam Dong, Ms. Chamalé Thắm, a Raglay ethnic, former female cadre of Ka Đô commune (Đơn Dương district), was able to go to the North to visit Uncle Ho in 1960. At the age of nineteen, she had participated in dozens of campaigns, carried ammunition and rice for the liberation army to fight hundreds of battles, and fought directly with guns. Being able to visit Uncle Ho and the North made Chamalé Thắm extremely happy. During those years, the war was fierce, and her group marched for eight months before reaching the capital Hanoi .

One day before the National Day, on September 1, 1960, the delegation from the South was allowed to enter the Presidential Palace to meet Uncle Ho. Forever after, Ms. Chamalé Tham never forgot the happy moments spent with Uncle Ho, she considered it the most beautiful image in her life of revolutionary activities…

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Mr. Nguyen Xuan Ky, former Head of the Lam Dong Party History Research Department, was extremely lucky and happy to have met Uncle Ho four times. Mr. Ky confided: “Remembering the times I met Uncle Ho and his teachings, I always keep in mind that I must be worthy of being a cadre and party member who had the honor of meeting Uncle Ho.

Therefore, when I was captured or exiled by the enemy, despite being brutally tortured to extract secrets and activities of the Party; the years of detention in Con Dao prison, where the enemy constantly persecuted me, trying to destroy the communist spirit and revolutionary qualities of Party members, as well as the fierce and difficult days on the southern battlefield, I overcame them. At those times, I felt as if Uncle Ho appeared beside me, spreading his arms to support me in times of difficulty and danger…”.

According to Mr. Ky's documents, in early September 1951, a delegation of 18 political and military cadres from the provinces and sectors of Inter-Zone V was sent to study politics abroad. Arriving in Viet Bac, after working with Mr. To (ie Comrade Pham Van Dong, at that time Deputy Prime Minister of the Government), the delegation requested to meet Uncle Ho.

One autumn morning in the Viet Bac War Zone, the delegation had an audience with Uncle Ho. Uncle Ho asked many questions, but there was one question that Mr. Ky remembered forever: why there were no women in the delegation. "Uncle, because the road is too far for women to travel!", the head of the delegation said. Uncle Ho said: "You comrades look down on women!". Uncle Ho looked at Mr. Ky and asked: "In Inter-Zone V, do you conduct criticism and self-criticism in front of the people?"

Mr. Ky replied: "Yes, Uncle Ho!". Uncle Ho asked again: "In the policy of general mobilization of talents and material resources, was there any confiscation of the original assets of the people?". The comrades in the delegation told Uncle Ho that there was a mistake in this policy, and that Inter-zone V had corrected it and learned from experience in leadership and direction. "The first time we met Uncle Ho for more than half an hour, he left us with deep impressions of his simple style, his awareness of the people, his self-criticism, criticism and his concern for female cadres...", Mr. Ky recorded.

Every day, people flock to Uncle Ho's Mausoleum.

According to Nguyen Xuan Ky's recollections, in early October 1951, the delegation of Inter-Zone V cadres gathered at the Central Party School (at that time located in the Viet Bac War Zone) to prepare with students from all over the country to go abroad to study. One afternoon, the school informed all delegations to dress neatly and go to the hall.

“Seeing the situation, we discussed that Uncle Ho might come to visit. Looking from the outside, following the liaison comrade was an old man wearing Tay clothes, a hat with a scarf around his chin, walking straight into the hall. When the old man took off the scarf, we all shouted: “President Ho! President Ho!”

Mr. Ky continued: “After restoring order, Uncle Ho came up to talk to us, nearly 50 comrades who were about to go abroad to study politics. He said something like: In the past, going abroad was often called going abroad, but now you guys go abroad to study, try to maintain your character and qualities. In studying, we must unite and help each other, so that we can study well.”…

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Thinking back to the old days, the children of the South and the Central Highlands who had met Uncle Ho never forgot his care, kindness and teachings. “My life had ups and downs, advantages and difficulties, even times when I almost lost my life, but remembering Uncle Ho, remembering his teachings, I always kept in mind that I must live worthy of being his descendants, worthy of being a cadre and party member who had the honor of meeting him.

Therefore, when I was captured and imprisoned by the enemy, even though I was brutally tortured by the enemy during the years of detention in Con Dao prison, I overcame it. I always felt as if Uncle Ho appeared beside me, spreading his arms to support me in the most difficult and dangerous times..." - in his memoirs, former revolutionary soldier Nguyen Xuan Ky emotionally confided...

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/phong-su-ky-su/202505/hoi-uc-cua-nhung-nguoi-con-tay-nguyen-tung-duoc-gap-bac-ho-14001d2/