Vietnamese women - in the fields and in the trenches contributing to victory

From the movement “Three Virtues” - working and fighting with all your might…

In Dan Phuong district ( Hanoi ), the “Three responsibilities” movement - the predecessor of “Three responsibilities” - was launched in 1965, when the American invaders escalated the war to destroy the North. The district Women’s Union set out three tasks: taking on production instead of husbands and children going to war; taking on household chores to strengthen the rear; taking on combat service when necessary. The movement quickly spread nationwide, and was directly directed by President Ho Chi Minh to change its name to “Three responsibilities”. Women like Ms. Le Thi Quynh, Ms. Nguyen Thi Diem, Ms. Dang Thi Ty... lived, fought, and produced in that spirit. They knew how to plow, harrow, and produce water fern, while still firmly holding guns to protect Phung dam - an important project to protect Hanoi. They are typical images of women who are both in the rear and ready to be soldiers when the Fatherland needs them.

In March 2025, Dan Phuong district, Hanoi organized a series of events to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the "Three Responsibilities" movement. The girls who were "Three Responsibilities" in their 18s and 20s are now grandmothers and great-grandmothers. At the exchange, Ms. Le Thi Quynh, former President of the Women's Union of Trung Chau commune, who is over 80 years old, was still excited every time she remembered the origin of the "Three Responsibilities" movement. Ms. Quynh said that in 1965, when the US expanded the war and escalated to destroy the North. All our soldiers and people were eager to participate in fighting the enemy. Ms. Le Thi Thai, President of the Women's Union of Dan Phuong district, raised the issue with the Executive Committee of the Union: The Youth Union has the "Three Ready" movement, the elderly have the "Three Exemplary" movement, and what movement will we women have? The President of the Union suggested that women are currently taking on the work of their husbands and children who have gone to war. We should launch the “Three responsibilities” movement for women, including: taking on local production; taking on family work so that husbands and children can go to war with peace of mind; and taking on combat support when necessary. “Although the content of the movement is brief, it is three very important tasks, which are close and daily to women, so it is easy to remember and easy to implement. Therefore, the Women’s Union of 16 communes in the district immediately agreed,” according to Ms. Quynh. On March 8, 1965, the Standing Committee of the Women’s Union of Dan Phuong district organized the launch of the “Three responsibilities” movement at Dan Phuong secondary school, demonstrating the high determination of women in the district.

Ms. Tran Thi Quang Man when she went to Hanoi to attend the event celebrating the 55th anniversary of the "Long-haired Army" and the 50th anniversary of the "Three Responsibilities" Movement organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union in 2015. (Source: Vietnam Women's Union)

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Diem, President of the Elderly Association of Phung Town, Dan Phuong District: “At that time, all the men went to the battlefield to fight. To ensure timely harvest, we women had to learn how to plow, harrow the fields, make green manure, produce water fern, and soak and ferment rice seeds properly. I myself was the Head of the Water Fern Seed Production Team, achieved the title of Water Fern Growing Master, and was awarded a bicycle by the province.”

Not only taking on farm work, the “three-talented” women also directly held guns and fought. Ms. Dang Thi Ty - former Platoon Leader of the Day Dam Militia Platoon said that in February 1965, 12 women aged 18-19, including her, were admitted to the Party and assigned to be on duty at the Day Dam with four 12.7mm guns. The four female militiamen were Ms. Ta Thi Gai, Ngo Thi Lam, Quach Thi Hoi, and Bui Thi Lau who heroically sacrificed their lives in the battle to protect the Day Dam on April 28, 1967. “While taking care of our families, participating in production, and directly holding guns, at that time we did not think about life or death, we only knew how to work and fight with all our might,” according to Ms. Nguyen Thi Diem.

To the heroines on the fierce battlefield

It is impossible to list all the female heroes on the battlefield because each one is a legend. In the history of the Vietnam People's Army, Mrs. Tran Thi Quang Man is probably the only case of disguising herself as a man to fight the enemy.

Her real name was Tran Thi Man, born into a wealthy family in Thanh Hoa village, Giang Ninh commune, Giong Rieng district, Rach Gia province (now Vinh Thanh commune, Giong Rieng district, Kien Giang province). Because she was the fifth child, people in the area often called her Sau Man. Since she was a child, Sau Man had a strong personality, mischievous like her son, many times leading a group of friends to "make trouble", making her father surprised many times. When she turned 18, Sau Man witnessed the country in misery due to the destruction of the enemy, so she was determined to join the army to protect the Fatherland. She and her younger sister Bay Tram escaped, but the first time they were caught by their father, who cut off their hair and burned all their clothes in anger. It was not until the second time that they both escaped successfully.

Letter written by Vo Thi Tan to her mother 5 days before her death. (Photo: Archive)

At that time, Mrs. Man had cut her hair short like a boy's, took the name Tran Quang Man, and forced her younger sister Bay Tram to call her brother Sau. In order to avoid being discovered by her brothers in the army, she wrapped a cloth tightly to cover her bust, practiced shouting and screaming until her voice was broken, practiced walking like a man, and even imitated smoking. Because her younger sister was trained as a nurse, every time Sau Man was injured, she asked her younger sister to take care of her, so her identity was kept secret throughout her 5 years of military service.

Sau Man was intelligent and brave, so she was sent to study as an officer at Quang Trung Military School. In 1947, she returned to take up the task of commanding Company 70 (Guard Company - later Regiment 124 of Military Region 9). With her excellent combat achievements, in 1950, she was promoted to Company Commander. No one thought that this brave and talented captain was a girl disguised as a boy until one day, soldier Nguyen Van Be (Muoi Be) learned about Sau Man's identity through her biological father's story and went to find her and proposed. So the strange wedding took place in a way that could not be more surprising.

During her marriage to Mr. Muoi Be, Sau Man only got to see her husband 4 times. When she left the army to return home to prepare for the birth of her first child, she heard that her husband had died while fighting at Chang Chet fort. Holding back her grief, she gave birth and not long after had to leave the child with her parents to continue fighting...

In 1967, she was awarded the title of Hero of the Liberation Armed Forces, joined the Southern Heroes delegation to the North, and had the honor of meeting President Ho Chi Minh. When she returned to the South, Sau Man worked in politics in Military Region 9 until she retired under the regime. With her great sacrifices and contributions to the Fatherland, Mrs. Man was awarded the title of Heroic Vietnamese Mother by the State in 1994. She was also awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces and many other medals and orders. Mrs. Man's life was written into the book "My Life" by writer Bui Hien.

War is not only about guns and bullets, but also about supply routes, about the Truong Son roads that were acrid from bomb smoke. There, thousands of female youth volunteers like Vo Thi Tan, Squad Leader of Squad 4 at Dong Loc Junction, fell at a very young age. The letters she sent to her mother before her sacrifice still make readers today tear up: "Mom, if I don't come back, don't be sad..." They were the ones who carried each stone, filled each bomb crater, patched each road - so that the supply convoy would not stop. They sang amidst the bombs, laughed in hardship and sacrificed silently but immortally. The frontline art troupes - mostly women - traveled throughout the war zones, bringing songs to fuel the soldiers and people. They performed in the forest, on hammocks, in the trenches, in shelters. They helped to ease the fierce days with music and art. Some people sang, bandaged the wounded, and then continued performing amid the roar of cannons...

It can be said that Vietnamese women did not stand aside from the war. They contributed to the victory. From the rice fields to the trenches, from the rear to the front, from love to sacrifice, Vietnamese women chose a path - the path of accompanying the nation to independence and freedom. And history has engraved their names - with blood, with sweat and with pages of history that will never be forgotten.

Hong Minh

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/phu-nu-viet-tren-canh-dong-va-trong-chien-hao-gop-phan-lam-nen-chien-thang-post546637.html