The glorious legacy of Khuoi Noi will forever shine brightly.

- Khuoi Noi is a significant historical site, marking the birth of the Bac Son National Salvation Army (the First National Salvation Army), an event that played a crucial role in the armed struggle for power by our army and people.

The delegation from the Provincial Association of Literature, Arts and Journalists offered incense at the Khuoi Noi historical site - Photo: TRINH QUOC TOAN

Khuoi Noi is a relatively flat area of ​​land in the Tam Tau forest of Vu Le commune, Lang Son province, surrounded by high mountains and vast forests. It served as a secret base for the Bac Son guerrillas. Although close to the national highway, it was very secluded, allowing for safe retreat in several directions in case of trouble: south through the forest to Phu Thuong commune, Vo Nhai district, former Thai Nguyen province (now Vo Nhai commune, Thai Nguyen province); east to Tan Thanh and Tan Huong communes, former Bac Son district (now Vu Lang commune, Lang Son province)...

Going back 85 years in history, in November 1940, when the Japanese fascists allowed French troops to return to establish outposts in several locations in the province, they intensified their crackdown and terror against the revolutionary movement. At this time, under the leadership of comrades Truong Chinh, Hoang Van Thu, Hoang Quoc Viet, and Tran Dang Ninh, the Bac Son - Vo Nhai base area was established. This was an important prerequisite for the birth of the Bac Son Guerrilla Team, the predecessor of the later National Salvation Army I.

On February 14, 1941, while en route to the 8th Central Committee Conference in Pac Bo ( Cao Bang ), Comrade Hoang Van Thu, Standing Committee member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Northern Regional Party Committee, on behalf of the Party Central Committee, informed all cadres and Party members of the Bac Son Party Committee about the Central Committee's decision to rename the Bac Son Guerrilla Team to the Bac Son National Salvation Army (National Salvation Army I). On February 23, 1941, in the Khuoi Noi forest, Vu Le commune, the Bac Son National Salvation Army, consisting of 32 cadres and soldiers, was officially established under the leadership of Comrade Luong Van Tri, Standing Committee member of the Northern Regional Party Committee, under the chairmanship of Comrade Hoang Van Thu. The Bac Son National Salvation Army was the first armed force directly organized and led by our Party to prepare for the Vietnamese revolution to enter a new phase: armed uprising to seize power.

According to Mr. Nong Duc Kien, Director of the Provincial Museum: After the Bac Son Uprising, the establishment of the First National Salvation Army was considered a historically significant event, a shining milestone marking the strong development of the Bac Son revolutionary movement. Since then, Khuoi Noi has become a training center, equipping the first generation of military officers from many provinces and cities with military knowledge; it was also the place where the "Guerrilla" newsletter was published as propaganda material for local officials.

With its immense historical significance, Khuoi Noi is one of the 12 sites of the Bac Son Uprising historical complex that was classified as a national historical site by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 1992. Over the years, the Khuoi Noi site has always received attention in terms of preservation, restoration, and enhancement commensurate with its status as a national historical site. In 2014, several items were constructed at the site, including a guard post, two camps (one command post, one camp for members), a cluster of commemorative symbols, and a landscaped area and ceremonial platform. In 2016, the Bac Son Uprising historical complex was classified as a special national historical site by the Prime Minister, including the Khuoi Noi site.

Today, the land and people of Vu Le are rising with pride, a cradle for nurturing revolutionary spirit, and are gradually changing. Asphalt roads, schools, medical facilities, and cultural centers are being built with modern infrastructure, and sturdy brick houses are gradually replacing dilapidated old ones. Before the reorganization, the poverty rate in Vu Le commune had decreased to less than 2%; average income was over 36 million VND/person/year; and in 2022, the commune received recognition as a new-style rural commune. In 2025, implementing the policy of operating a two-tiered local government, the newly established Vu Le commune, formed by merging the entire natural area and population of the former Chien Thang, Vu Son, and Vu Le communes of Bac Son district, marks a significant milestone, opening up further development opportunities for the land of Vu Le.

During these historic autumn days, as the people of Lang Son, along with the rest of the country, look forward to the great national celebration, the glorious legacy of Khuoi Noi is remembered once again with pride and gratitude.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/sang-mai-dau-son-khuoi-noi-5056683.html