Monuments related to the 1936 strike

In the history of Quang Ninh miners, the most bustling struggle and greatest victory before the August Revolution of 1945 was the general strike of more than thirty thousand miners in 1936. In Quang Ninh today, there are still many relics related to the struggle of miners before the August Revolution of 1945.

The arched gate of the headquarters of the French Coal Company of Tonkin is still used by the Production Control Center in Quang Ninh of TKV.

The most relics related to the coal industry are in Cam Pha City and Ha Long City. In Ha Long City, the first to mention is the relic of the headquarters of the French Coal Company of Bac Ky Mine (abbreviated as SFCT), which is closely associated with the history of the formation and development of the mining industry and the operation of coal production and trading in Quang Ninh in particular and Vietnam in general. The headquarters of SFCT is now the Production Operation Center in Quang Ninh of the Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Group (TKV), located at 95A, Le Thanh Tong Street, Hong Gai Ward, Ha Long City. The relic of the headquarters of the French Coal Company of Bac Ky Mine was ranked as a provincial relic on June 7, 2021. Not far away is the relic of the ferry wharf where communist comrades were tortured at the Hong Gai mine, such as comrade Nguyen Thi Luu (aka Ms. Ca Khuong) who worked at the Hong Gai screening house. The relic has been included in the list of historical relics and scenic spots of Quang Ninh province (Decision No. 789/QD-UBND, dated March 26, 2015 of the Provincial People's Committee).

With many resources, in recent times, relics of the struggle movement of miners in Ha Long City have been paid attention to, preserved and promoted. Many other relics such as: Monument of Comrade Vu Van Hieu, the first Secretary of the Quang Ninh Mining Zone Party Committee, historical relic and scenic spot of Bai Tho Mountain associated with the event of worker Dao Van Tuat, the driver of the Ba Deo Sieve train, planting the flag on the mountain in the early morning of May 1, 1930 have also been paid attention to.

Youth Union members offer incense at the Memorial of the miners who participated in the General Strike in 1936 at the historical site of the Crossroads of the Road to Deo Nai Mine, currently located in the premises of the Materials Joint Stock Company - TKV. Photo : Nguyen Van Cuong - Contributor.

In Cam Pha, there is the relic of Troc Mountain associated with the general strike of thirty thousand miners in 1936. From mid-1936, the revolutionary struggle movement throughout the country had developed very strongly, deeply affecting the mine workers' movement. The increased exploitation of the mine owners, the workers' wages being reduced, being beaten, and their miserable lives had sparked the outbreak of the struggle... On November 12, 1936, leaflets calling for a work stoppage to prepare for the struggle covered the mine area. Early the next morning, many leaflets and posters calling for the struggle continued to appear at intersections and entrances to the mine floors... Within just two hours, the strike had spread everywhere and the most concentrated place of the strikers was in the Troc Mountain area (now the intersection of the road to Deo Nai mine). Immediately, the mine owners and the foremen discussed ways to break the strike. By 2:00 p.m. on November 14, 1936, the remaining Cam Pha workers also went on strike, and the number of participants reached more than ten thousand. The strike lasted for eight days, and the mine owners had to give in and accept all the workers' demands...

The news of the victory of the Cam Pha workers' strike encouraged workers in other places such as Hong Gai, Dong Trieu... to also strike and created a strong wave of struggle, with more than thirty thousand miners and laborers in the Mining Region participating. Recognizing this important event in the revolutionary history of the mine workers, in 1996, the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ) issued a decision to recognize and rank the place where the general strike of thirty thousand miners on November 12, 1936 began as a national historical relic.

Workers' struggle with French administrative agents in Cam Pha. Photo courtesy of Quang Ninh Museum.

Next to Troc Mountain is the Cam Pha Coal Region Memorial Site, which used to be the residence and workplace of the French agent Vavasseur, who held the highest position in Cam Pha. This site has been the site of a conservation project implemented by the Vietnam College of Coal and Minerals since 2019, preserving hundreds of paintings, photos, and artifacts about the development history of the coal region. The conservation area covers an area of ​​about 4,800m², including: the old City Party Committee House, the old Cam Pha Hospital, tunnel No. 1, tunnel No. 2, a gathering yard, a watchtower, and a system of gardens and ancient trees.

In Dong Trieu, there is also the Mao Khe mine relic cluster including the relic of the establishment of the first Party cell, Non Dong pagoda and the mechanical factory which have been ranked as national relics. Up to now, most of the relics associated with the mining workers' struggle movement before the August Revolution have been ranked, including those ranked as national relics, thereby contributing to improving the work of preserving, conserving and promoting. The relics of the mining workers' struggle movement before the August Revolution in the province are not only evidence of a heroic period in the history of the mine but also red addresses for educating revolutionary traditions, fostering patriotism for the younger generation, contributing to the development of the tourism industry.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/nhung-di-tich-lien-quan-den-cuoc-bai-cong-nam-1936-3328282.html