Khe Cong - a timeless testament

Khe Cong has become a "red address" in revolutionary tradition education . Photo: H. LIEN

According to historical sources from Dai Hong commune and Dai Loc district, on July 20, 1954, the French colonialists were forced to sign the Geneva Accords on ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina.

Following the Party's guidelines, the Party Committee and people of Dai Hong commune, together with the people of the entire district, embarked on the struggle against the US and for national salvation, primarily through political struggle to implement the Geneva Agreement and preserve and develop revolutionary forces.

At this time, the enemy took over the area from Da Nang to north of the Thu Bon River, including Dai Hong. Our revolutionary movement also suffered heavy losses; five of our comrades, including Ngo Luu, Phan Thanh Long, Nguyen Duc Tam, Tran Xuong, and Phan Thanh Thu, successively fell into the hands of the enemy.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Men (born in 1936, Phuoc Lam village, Dai Hong commune), a veteran revolutionary cadre, at around 10 PM on December 11, 1954, the enemy used five pieces of white cloth to blindfold five comrades before executing them. Prior to this, they had already dug two graves 10 meters apart.

Comrades Nguyen Duc Tam and Phan Thanh Long were shot dead on the spot. Comrade Phan Thanh Thu survived despite being hit in the left hand and chest. Comrades Tran Xuong and Ngo Luu were missed by enemy fire. When the enemy left, the two comrades ran into Hoc Chua ravine, then climbed the mountain and fled to Dai Thanh, where they were secretly rescued and treated by the local people.

“The enemy chose Khe Cong as the place to eliminate five comrades because the location was quite convenient for them to easily carry out the assassination and cover up their crimes. However, after shooting, fearing that the people would discover them, the murderers hastily took their guns and left, without filling the hole to conceal the evidence. Thanks to that, a few of our comrades had a chance to survive,” Mr. Men recounted.

The Khe Cong memorial monument has recently been restored and renovated. Photo: H. LIEN

The Khe Cong historical site – a testament to the atrocities committed by the enemy – remains intact to this day. Ms. Hua Thi Man (a cultural and social affairs official of Dai Hong commune) shared that in July 2004, the Party Committee and people of Dai Hong commune built a memorial stele about 100 meters south of Khe Cong, on the eastern bank of Khe Hoc Chua.

Recently, the People's Committee of Dai Hong commune inaugurated the restoration and renovation project of the historical monument with a total cost of 650 million VND, funded by Dai Loc district and Dai Hong commune.

Mr. Pham Ich Khiem, Chairman of the People's Committee of Dai Hong commune, shared that the People's Committee of Dai Hong commune continues to direct the culture and information sector to coordinate with associations and organizations to care for, manage, and plant trees, and protect the historical site's grounds from encroachment.

The site has been documented scientifically by the Da Loc District Center for Culture, Sports, Information and Communication, and submitted to the relevant provincial authorities for consideration and classification as a provincial-level historical site.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/khe-cong-chung-tich-vuot-thoi-gian-3136730.html