Memories of a historic autumn

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Exactly 80 years ago, under the leadership of the Party, the people of Thanh Hoa province rose up in unison with the people of the whole country to break the shackles of colonial and feudal slavery, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - the first workers' and peasants' state in Southeast Asia, opening a new era, the era of national independence and socialism. For those who witnessed or directly contributed to that historic autumn 80 years ago, although old and frail, the days of fervent revolutionary fervor still seem vivid and fresh in their minds.

The Ba Cay sand dune historical site, now located in Hoang Chau commune, Thanh Hoa province, was the site of a victory celebration rally held by Hoang Hoa district on July 24, 1945.

In Thanh Hoa, after the Provisional Provincial Party Committee, established at the end of 1941 with Comrade Nghiem Quy Ngai as secretary, was suppressed and disbanded by enemy repression, in mid-1942, a number of communist fighters in the province reconnected and established a Provisional Provincial Party Committee with Comrade Le Tat Dac as secretary. In February 1943, the Provincial Party Committee re-established contact with the Central Party Committee and decided to accelerate the building and development of political and armed forces, combining political struggle with armed struggle against the French, Japanese, and their collaborators. The historical opportunity arose on March 9, 1945, immediately after the French colonialists surrendered to Japan and handed over the rule of Indochina to the Japanese fascists. The Central Party Committee issued the Directive "The Japanese-French Conflict and Our Actions," guiding the entire Party and people to prepare for an uprising to seize power. The revolutionary atmosphere permeated every village and hamlet; struggles against forced labor and taxes erupted continuously; and movements such as "breaking into granaries to relieve famine" and "acquiring weapons for self-arming" developed extensively in the districts of Hoang Hoa, Yen Dinh, Thieu Hoa, Tho Xuan (formerly) and many other prefectures and districts in the province.

In Hoang Hoa district, immediately after the Japanese coup against the French, the Viet Minh committee, the Party committee, and the people of the district began preparing for the uprising. On the morning of July 24, 1945, the self-defense fighting units of Hoang Hoa organized an attack on enemy forces attempting to terrorize the revolutionary movement in Dang Trung and Lien Chau - Hoa Loc, capturing the district chief and 12 security guards at Ma Nhon islet (Hoang Dao commune). At noon the same day, a large number of guerrillas and people organized a large-scale victory celebration rally at Ba Cay islet (formerly Hoang Thang commune). Veteran Hoang Khac Vang from Hoang Chau commune had the opportunity to meet and carefully record the uprising to seize power in Hoang Hoa district on July 24, 1945. Therefore, he is very familiar with the rally at Ba Cay islet: “The elders recounted that at Ba Cay islet, the rally attracted over 5,000 guerrillas and people from all the communes of Hoang Hoa prefecture. After Comrade Dinh Chuong Lan, assigned by the province to lead the revolutionary movement in Hoang Hoa district, read the indictment and pardoned the prefect and security guards, the guerrillas and people, armed with sticks, knives, and machetes, advanced towards the Hoang Hoa prefectural capital to arrest the officials and confiscate all weapons and documents. This was a bold and creative uprising; the masses shifted from a struggle against terrorism to seizing the opportunity to launch an uprising to seize power, becoming the ‘leading banner’ of the uprising to seize power in Thanh Hoa and throughout the country.”

The early success of the uprising to seize power in Hoang Hoa had a profound impact on the revolutionary movement throughout the province. On August 13, 1945, the Provincial Party Committee convened an expanded meeting at the house of Mr. To Dinh Bang in Mao Xa village, Thieu Toan commune, Thieu Hoa district (formerly) to decide on urgent policies and measures to mobilize the people to rise up and seize power. Although they had not yet received instructions from the Central Party Committee, the meeting assessed that the time for the uprising had arrived and decided to establish a Provincial Uprising Committee consisting of 7 comrades, headed by Comrade Le Tat Dac, and decided to launch a general uprising throughout the province at midnight on August 18, or early morning of August 19, 1945. During August 17 and 18, preparations for the general uprising were carried out urgently, and the revolutionary masses in the province were ready to rise up to break the chains of slavery and seize power for the people. Mr. Le Chi Thanh, a veteran of the pre-insurrection period in the former Dong Son district, recalled: “During the preparations for the general uprising, Dong Son was located near Thanh Hoa town. At that time, in terms of forces, the puppet government was crumbling, but the Japanese army was still stationed in Thanh Hoa town. Therefore, the province realized that Dong Son's forces were still thin, having only developed three districts up there, while the four districts down were undeveloped. So, they requested the district's uprising committee to launch the uprising to seize power simultaneously with the town.”

The reporter met with Mr. Le Huu Duoc, born in 1920, a pre-revolution cadre from Thieu Quang commune.

On the night of August 18th and the early morning of August 19th, 1945, after the Provincial Uprising Committee issued the order for a general uprising to seize power, the people and self-defense forces of the districts rose up like a storm. The general uprising to seize power in Thanh Hoa broke out promptly and achieved swift victory. Within two days, August 19th and 20th, 1945, most districts in the province had seized power for the people. Mr. Le Huu Duoc, born in 1920, was a pre-uprising cadre from Thieu Quang commune. Now, despite his declining health and failing intellect, he still feels a pang of emotion when recalling the days of the general uprising to seize power in Thieu Hoa district: “On the night of August 18, 1945, the organization assigned the Phung Thinh self-defense platoon, of which I was the platoon leader, to guard the ferry landing in Trinh village to prevent the Thieu Hoa district security forces from advancing. However, on the morning of August 19, 1945, we did not see the security forces advancing, and at that moment we received news that the seizure of power in Thieu Hoa district had been successful. At that time, I ordered the self-defense team to withdraw to the villages and simultaneously issued orders to beat gongs and drums, urging the people to demonstrate and hold rallies, displaying flags and banners to celebrate the victory of the general uprising to seize power in Thieu Hoa district. People throughout the villages were enthusiastic and joyful, relieved to be freed from slavery and to become masters of their homeland.”

After the localities in the province seized power, on August 23, 1945, from Ngo Xa Ha village communal house in Thieu Hoa base, the National Salvation Army, consisting of thousands of self-defense forces from Thieu Hoa, Dong Son, Yen Dinh, and Tho Xuan districts, marched towards Thanh Hoa town to present themselves to the people. The revolutionary masses marched, shouting revolutionary slogans. Comrade Le Tat Dac, Chairman of the Provisional Revolutionary People's Committee, declared the establishment of the revolutionary government and called on all people to unite in building and defending the new regime.

The victory of the August Revolution was the inevitable result of the surging undercurrent of Vietnamese patriotism that had flowed throughout thousands of years of history, erupting into an unstoppable revolutionary climax. This great revolution, under the leadership of our Party, is a symbol of the indomitable spirit of "using our own strength to liberate ourselves." It is the crystallization and brilliance of Vietnam's inner strength. Eighty years have passed, but the great victory of the August Revolution of 1945 still resonates, constantly reminding and empowering the Party Committee and people of Thanh Hoa to steadfastly move forward on the path of renewal, development, and integration.

Text and photos: Mai Ngoc

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ky-uc-mua-thu-lich-su-258712.htm