Engrave the spirit of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa front

Today (October 23), the 79th anniversary of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa resistance war (October 23, 1945 - October 23, 2024). Fresh wreaths and fragrant incense sticks were offered at the October 23 Monument to commemorate and pay tribute to the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the struggle to protect the independence of the Vietnamese Fatherland.

79 years ago, the army and people of Khanh Hoa proactively attacked the French in Nha Trang, opening the resistance war against the French invaders (the second time) in the South Central region. The brave battles at Nha Trang Station, the power plant (Electricity Department), Binh Tan warehouse area... caused many losses to the French. Immediately after that, the army and people of Khanh Hoa, with the support of the Southern troops, established the Cho Moi - Bretelle defense line, then the Cay Da - Quan Gieng defense line to hold the French in the inner city of Nha Trang, not allowing the enemy to expand the occupied area, and maintaining the supply route to the South. With the spirit of "Determination to die for the Fatherland", with primitive weapons, our army and people fought very bravely for 101 days and nights (from October 23, 1945 to February 1, 1946), creating a valuable opportunity for the South Central region and the whole country to consolidate and build up their strength in all aspects to be ready to enter a long-term resistance war.

The 101 days and nights of resistance of the Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa front have become one of the most heroic pages of the history of the resistance war against French colonialism. There, the troops marching south from Cao Bang, Bac Giang , Bac Ninh, Thuan Hoa (Hue), Quang Ngai... fought side by side with the army and people of Khanh Hoa. When the war broke out, the people of Nha Trang evacuated to the suburbs to support our army's fight, many even brought beds and cabinets for the army to build fortifications. The villages in the suburbs of Xuan Phong (Vinh Phuong), Thai Thong, Thuy Tu (Vinh Thai), Phu Nong, Xuan Lac (Vinh Ngoc)... all established self-defense forces to fight, forged more knives and swords to fight the French. The young men in the village fought side by side with the army day and night to dig fortifications, fight, dig trenches and take turns guarding. There were not only fierce battles but also close military-civilian relations. According to the memories of the October 23 soldiers, the volunteer units fighting on the Nha Trang front at that time were very compact. The barracks and resting places were in the houses of the people, the food was contributed by the people, and the meals were taken care of by the women and mothers. "The guns are with the enemy, the food is with the people" was no longer a slogan of encouragement but became the truth on the Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Front. More than 40 young women and students voluntarily left their families to join the Nha Trang Red Cross, fighting side by side with the soldiers right on the trenches to take care of the wounded at the field medical station...

The Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa front has left behind many valuable experiences in people's war. The fierce fighting days here helped many cadres mature and become famous generals later such as: Colonel - Ambassador Ha Van Lau - former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs , Lieutenant General Nam Long, Lieutenant General Lu Giang, Major General Nguyen The Lam, Major General Ha Vi Tung... And as General Vo Nguyen Giap once said: "Those extremely fierce but heroic fighting days left beautiful images in the history of the resistance of the whole nation. That is the honor and pride of the Party Committee and the army and people of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa...".

79 years have passed! The traces of the heroic fighting days of the past are not many. The October 23 soldiers that I had the opportunity to meet and talk to have now gone to the land of white clouds. There will no longer be the image of the old soldiers with white hair telling old stories to the younger generation that I have witnessed for many years. But the heroic history of the Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa front will never fade. Every time I pass by Nha Trang Station, looking at the proud October 23 monument in the morning sunlight, my heart is filled with pride for the peaceful but also heroic land of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa. “The Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam highly commends the Southern fronts, especially the soldiers in Nha Trang and Tra Vinh, who have set heroic examples for the whole country. The Fatherland is grateful to you. All compatriots follow your example,” Uncle Ho’s words of praise in his letter to the Southern soldiers in December 1945 forever engrave the pioneering and heroic spirit of the cadres, soldiers and people in the Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa front.

In that pride, filled with confidence, the cadres and people of Khanh Hoa today will join hands and unite to build a civilized and prosperous Khanh Hoa!

XUAN THANH

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/chinh-tri/thoi-su-suy-ngam/202410/khac-ghi-tinh-than-mat-tran-nha-trang-khanh-hoa-0557626/