The Ao Lay - Ky Thinh base was classified as a provincial-level historical relic by the People's Committee of the former Quang Nam province in Decision No. 2276/QD-UBND dated July 21, 2014.
According to Mr. Tran Nhat Can, former head of the Ky Thinh commune militia, the Ao Lay base was located 5km from the Quang Tin provincial capital as the crow flies, and both sides wanted to capture it at all costs. From the enemy's perspective, occupying and holding Ao Lay was seen as a forward outpost to protect the western perimeter of the Quang Tin provincial capital, aiming to control and cut off the enemy from multiple directions.
From the revolutionary perspective, holding onto Ao Lay - Ky Thinh was of immense significance, a decisive factor in the survival of the people's war strategy in Bac Tam Ky district. From 1965 onwards, Ao Lay became a key area of fierce fighting between our forces and the enemy in Bac Tam Ky district.
In Ao Lay - Ky Thinh, the revolutionary government established and formed village and commune committees, developed guerrilla units, mobilized the people in political struggle and military mobilization, promoted guerrilla warfare, seized enemy weapons to equip our forces, and mobilized the entire population to defend against the enemy, digging trenches and bunkers for combat.
From Ao Lay, there was an underground tunnel connecting to the La Nga stream bank, and many secret bunkers along the stream bank, very convenient for shelter and retreating to the rear... All were ready to resist the enemy's encroachment on the liberated zone.
Ao Lầy - Kỳ Thịnh became a fighting village/commune with a three-pronged attack from two sides. Furthermore, most of the enemy's sweeping operations in this area failed.
Mr. Can said: “The more defeats the enemy suffered, the more resentful they became, determined to capture Ao Lay - Ky Thinh to take revenge. It was also a way for them to show off their strength, position, and power. But the more they fought, the more defeats they suffered. That's why the name Ao Lay became a haunting and terrifying name in the hearts of the enemy: Ao Lay - Ky Thinh is easy to go to, but difficult to return from; Ao Lay - Ky Thinh is a place where you can go but never return.”
According to Mr. Can, Ao Lay - Ky Thinh had to be held at all costs because the mass movement there was very strong. With an area of less than 3 square kilometers and 600 inhabitants, the people of Ao Lay - Ky Thinh were always resilient, persistent, and determined to resist thousands of enemy troops who swarmed to attack the area. When the enemy attacked with artillery and air strikes, the people fled to enemy outposts to avoid casualties; after the fighting ended, they returned together; resolutely clinging to their land and village, holding out to the very end.
“That’s a unique characteristic not found everywhere. The people here have very stable morale; they nurtured, concealed, and provided food and supplies for our soldiers. As long as the people are here, we have everything; if we lose the people, we lose everything. The people’s support helped the main forces of the district and province achieve glorious victories, defeating enemy sweeps in this area,” Mr. Can confided.
On the other hand, the decision to hold onto Ao Lay - Ky Thinh was crucial because holding onto it meant holding onto the market - a trade gateway - which supplied food, medicine, and other necessities to the entire northern Tam Ky district at that time. The existence of the resistance market in Ky Thinh was of great importance to our resistance struggle at that time.
In addition to purchasing food supplies for the troops, this area also facilitated normal trade between our region and enemy territory, maintaining business and trade relations within enemy-controlled areas, contributing to the maintenance of food supplies, and encouraging small traders in markets to sell food and supplies to be transported to the rear base.
Maintaining control of the market – the trading gateway at Ao Lay – Ky Thinh – was of crucial importance to the resistance struggle of our army and people at that time. On the one hand, it ensured the preservation of the entire district's food supply; on the other hand, it served as a source of information and a center for propaganda and mobilization efforts in a way that benefited the revolution. For this reason, the army and people of Ky Thinh were determined to hold onto the Ao Lay – Ky Thinh trading gateway at all costs.
The Ky Thinh Guerrilla Team Liaison Committee recently held a meeting to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Ky Thinh Guerrilla Team's honorary title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces (1976 - 2026). During the period 1965-1975, the local guerrilla forces, in coordination with the main army units, organized hundreds of large and small battles at Ao Lay - Ky Thinh, dismantling many enemy units and making a significant contribution to the overall victory of the resistance war, liberating the homeland, and unifying the country.
Source: https://baodanang.vn/ky-uc-vung-dat-lua-ao-lay-3334647.html
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