Southern Vietnam - the land of "The Fatherland's citadel"

On the morning of September 23, 1945, the Southern Regional Party Committee and Administrative Committee (later renamed the Resistance Committee) held an urgent meeting at Cay Mai Street (Cho Lon), with comrade Hoang Quoc Viet representing the Party Central Committee and the Viet Minh General Department attending. The meeting decided to mobilize the people to resolutely resist the invaders. The Southern Resistance Committee was established, ordering a general strike, a market boycott, non-cooperation with the enemy, and a blockade of the enemy. Under the leadership of the Party, the people of the South, seething with hatred, rose up together, rushed to the front to fight the invaders, opening a new glorious history: the Southern Resistance.

SOUTHERN RESISTANCE

The destruction of French vehicles in Long Binh Dien (Cho Gao district) in July 1947 by Battalion 305 My Tho. Photo: Document

Only 3 weeks after the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was born, on September 23, 1945, 6,000 French troops, supported by more than 10,000 British troops, blatantly provoked in Saigon City. They planned to occupy the South as a springboard to occupy both Vietnam and Indochina. Following Uncle Ho's call: "It is better to die free than to live as slaves", the army and people of the South demonstrated the true spirit of fighting and heroically sacrificing for independence and freedom.

The opening gunshots of the Southern Resistance Day on September 23, 1945 in Saigon shook the whole country, creating an immortal spirit of Southern resistance. Using bamboo sticks, spears, and rudimentary, meager weapons, the Southern army and people steadfastly resisted the enemy's formidable military power. As a result, in the very first days of re-invading our country, the French army was continuously attacked and tightly surrounded in the city.

From the capital Hanoi, President Ho Chi Minh and the Party Central Committee closely followed the developments on the Southern battlefield. On October 29, 1945, in his appeal to the people of the South, President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: “From the South to the North, our people are always ready. Millions of people as one, determined to defeat the invaders, no army, no weapon can defeat the spirit of sacrifice of an entire nation... In the face of foreign invasion, the entire nation has united closely into a solid block, into a unified force that no invading army can defeat...”.

The news of the victory of the army and people of Saigon excited the hearts of the people of the whole country. The youth of the Northern and Central provinces eagerly participated in the movement to the South with unprecedented enthusiasm. With a strong and indomitable fighting spirit, ready to sacrifice for the Fatherland, the army and people of the South in particular and the whole country in general excellently fulfilled the political tasks set forth by our Party.

That is why, in February 1946, in honor of the resounding victory, Uncle Ho presented the soldiers and people of the South with the four words "Citadel of the Fatherland". Two years later, on September 23, 1947, beloved President Ho Chi Minh wrote a letter to the people and soldiers of the South and the South Central region on the occasion of the anniversary of the Southern Resistance Day. Uncle Ho's letter was a word of gratitude and affirmation: The long-term resistance will definitely be victorious! Unification and independence will definitely be successful!

THE HEROIC SPIRIT OF THE SOUTHERN RESISTANCE WAR IN MY THO AND GO CONG

At the end of October 1945, the French army attacked My Tho and Go Cong. The people of Tien Giang bravely took up arms and fought against the enemy. The second resistance war against the French colonialists by the people of My Tho and Go Cong provinces (now Tien Giang province) broke out.

Politically, on January 9, 1946, under the enemy's bombs and artillery, the people of the province enthusiastically went to the National Assembly election and elected 5 delegates to represent the people of the province. In May 1946, the provincial Viet Minh Front held a congress. Next, the provincial Lien Viet Association was born.

With a vibrant and enthusiastic revolutionary spirit, the Party Committee, government, Viet Minh Front and people of My Tho town were honored to organize a welcoming ceremony for loyal Party members returning from Con Dao prison, including Party leaders: Ton Duc Thang, Le Duan, Pham Hung, Nguyen Van Linh, Le Duc Tho... at College de Mytho with boundless emotion and joy.

Another important event at this time was the Southern Regional Party Committee Conference on September 25, 1945, including representatives of the Southern Provincial Party Committees at the house of comrade Nguyen Van The (near Vi Bridge, My Phong Commune). Comrades Ton Duc Thang, Le Duan, Duong Khuy, Nguyen Van Tiep... attended, especially comrade Hoang Quoc Viet - the Central Party's representative who attended and disseminated the Party's policies.

Through that, the national solidarity bloc continued to expand. The revolutionary government developed steadily, completely controlling the rural areas. The Administrative Committee was changed to the Resistance - Administrative Committee to suit the new situation. Mass political bases were built in towns and cities. From then on, the political struggle movement grew stronger. Strikes, school strikes, and market strikes broke out continuously. Most intellectuals turned to the revolution. Many students "put down their pens and ink" to join the resistance in the marshlands.

Militarily, despite having a large army, modern weapons and means of war, the French army only occupied towns and some strategic traffic routes. However, they were still regularly attacked by our army and people and suffered heavy losses.

In 1946, we won typical victories, such as the battle of Binh Ninh (Cho Gao district), killing 40 enemies; the battle of Binh Duc (Chau Thanh district), capturing 12 enemies and collecting 12 guns; the battle of Long Khanh (Cai Lay district), killing 40 enemies; the attack on Cai Be town, controlling the town for many hours; the battle of Tan Binh Dien (Go Cong), eliminating 150 enemies from combat; the battle of My Trung - My An (Cai Be), destroying a battalion of Hoa Hao soldiers...

The armed forces in the province were built and developed rapidly, including three types of troops: militia, local troops and main force troops. In which, the main force units grew stronger and stronger. In 1947, in My Tho there was Regiment 105, in Go Cong there was Battalion 305.

Economically, we succeeded in persuading landlords to donate their land and reducing land rent by 50%. At the same time, the revolutionary government also temporarily granted land to farmers who lacked or had no land. Therefore, the peasant class was very enthusiastic in production and contributed more and more logistics to the resistance.

The “Patriotic Emulation” movement launched by President Ho Chi Minh was actively responded to by the people of Tien Giang. The people made great efforts to build and develop the resistance economy; thoroughly implemented the blockade of the enemy’s economy. In the Dong Thap Muoi base area, the people had the initiative to dig “Resistance Canals” to block enemy vehicles, ensure transportation and irrigation for agricultural production…

In general, from October 1945 to early 1951, despite many hardships, the resistance war against French colonialism of the Tien Giang people had steady development in all aspects, gradually gaining the initiative on the battlefield, pushing the enemy into a passive, defensive position.

NHU LE (synthesis)

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