Forever indomitable spirit, always steadfast revolutionary faith

Because it was the belief in the revolution, in Uncle Ho, in the Party, thanks to which she and the soldiers overcame all hardships and dangers...

Ready to sacrifice, not surrender to the enemy

Ms. Tran Thi Hoa, President of the Association of Revolutionary Soldiers who were captured and imprisoned by the enemy in Dong Nai province, is considered a “notorious” female political prisoner and a steadfast and courageous revolutionary soldier. She refused to submit to the cruel and brutal enemy, but together with former prisoners fought steadfastly during the time of being detained and tortured in many notorious prisons…

Ms. Ba Hoa shared at the meeting program of outstanding female former revolutionary prisoners in the South organized by the Vietnam Women's Union in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee on February 28.

Miss Ba Hoa was arrested when she turned 18, and was accused by the enemy of treason and attempted murder, opening the pin of a grenade to "cut it in half" with the enemy. She was sentenced to 7 years of hard labor and 5 years of exile, and was the last person to be released after the Paris Agreement. She spent 12 years in 5 prisons: from Thu Duc Prison, Chi Hoa, Con Dao Tiger Cages to Tan Hiep Prison. Moreover, she was arrested for 3 days and then heard the news of her brother's death; 1 year later, her lover she had promised also died and she has been single ever since...

In August 1961, when she was not yet 15 years old, Ba Hoa joined the Women's Liberation Association and was assigned as the leader of the women's group. Every day, she mobilized and persuaded women to pay their monthly dues (monthly fees to the association), and worked as a courier to deliver letters to the guerrillas...

In 1964, the enemy forced the people of Binh Chau to move to Long Hai for easier control. Thousands of people, young and old, were herded onto ships and taken to their new homes, despite the people's protests, shouting, and crying. Taking advantage of this event, Ms. Ba Hoa took advantage of the situation to infiltrate and connect with the base in Binh Chau to control the people and do mass mobilization work.

Miss Ba Hoa will never forget July 2, 1965. That day, she was on her way to persuade some young men from Hai Dien hamlet (near Dinh Co) not to join the enemy, but to quickly join the army and follow the revolution. Six or seven young men met her and made an appointment to pick her up… At this time, the soldiers stopped her, knowing she was in danger, she reached behind her back, reached into her pocket and tore up the papers and documents she was carrying, conveniently pulling the pin of an M26 grenade, intending to “cut in half” with the soldiers. Immediately after that, she was arrested…

In the ward's detention cell, for the first time in her life, Ms. Ba Hoa experienced the enemy's torture tools, such as pliers, batons, ma-tach (three-tach), nail-pulling pliers, electric machines, hammers, tooth-pulling chisels... Even though she had to face and endure countless pains, Ms. Ba Hoa could only tell herself: I would rather die than confess, than betray the revolution!

After a week of torture, Ba Hoa's entire body ached beyond description. After that, they continued to take her to the Van Kiep Training Center for torture. Just like that, she went through what seemed like hell for two whole months. But the enemy still couldn't get any information out of her...

Then, they took her to Ba Ria sub-region, Police Department, Phuoc Tuy sub-region, Ba Ria prison, Thu Duc prison, where she and other female prisoners resisted the flag salute, and once she was beaten until her arm was broken...

Ms. Ba Hoa shared that she and other former female prisoners fought against the flag salute in prison with much pain and suffering, because of the brutal tortures the enemy used on them, such as “riding a motorbike” for many days in a row - this was a very cruel form of torture, the prisoners were handcuffed with their legs crossed to an iron bar, their hands were also handcuffed in a crossed position and then slid down under their thighs, like crossed chicken legs. In that position, the prisoners had to bend over all day, unable to sit or lie down, if they fell down they would be left lying there unable to get up...

In mid-1967, the Saigon Court tried Ms. Ba Hoa for two crimes: treason and attempted murder, sentenced her to 7 years of hard labor, 5 years of exile. The defense attorney appointed by them asked the court for leniency and reduced sentence, claiming that she was just a child who had been seduced.

“When I heard that, I said I was fighting the Americans because they were stealing my country, no one was trying to persuade me,” she recalled with a laugh. The hard labor beatings did not dampen the revolutionary spirit of the notorious female political prisoner.

In 1968, Ms. Ba Hoa was sent to solitary confinement camp D, Thu Duc. In early 1969, female prisoners there launched a major struggle demanding visits, opening the door to fetch water, and drilling more ventilation holes in the room. The prisoners went on a hunger strike, not eating for 7 days, but the enemy still ignored them, so they were determined to cut open their stomachs to demonstrate their power.

“During the 10 years in prison, I went through many large prisons across Vietnam at that time. What I will never forget is the help of the group of sisters in the same cell. During the struggle, when the enemy suppressed, up to 31 sisters threatened to disembowel themselves to protest, disembowel themselves to make demands to the enemy... The most memorable was the time when 3 sisters in the cell fought to be the first to sacrifice themselves, everyone wanted to be the first to disembowel themselves. No one would give in, in the end we had to draw lots...”, Ms. Ba Hoa recalled the fierce days of struggle.

By drawing lots, Ms. Ba Hoa was to be disemboweled first. When the enemy saw her preparing to disembowel her, they were shocked and agreed to all the prisoner's demands...

Prison is also a battlefield, a battleground…

In 1969, a major event occurred that shook the entire Saigon government when thousands of female prisoners at Thu Duc Prison rose up and occupied the prison, controlling the situation for 3 days...

During her time in Chi Hoa prison, she witnessed another historical event: Female prisoners in four cells mourned and paid their respects to Uncle Ho. Those who were present at that historic moment will understand how President Ho Chi Minh was in the hearts of prisoners like her, and will understand the strength of solidarity of revolutionary soldiers in prison.

On November 29, 1969, Ms. Ba Hoa and 342 other female prisoners were exiled to Con Dao. Later, she was taken to Tan Hiep Prison, then back to Con Dao again. After nearly 10 years of going through many prisons and experiencing all kinds of torture, it was not until 1973, when the Paris Agreement was signed, and both sides returned prisoners, along with more than 5,000 other prisoners, that Ms. Ba Hoa was able to escape the "hell on earth" of Con Dao in March 1974.

Miss Ba Hoa always determined that once she embarked on the revolutionary path, nothing could shake her faith. She overcame all hardships and pains with a steadfast will, true to the spirit of the four verses mentioned above.

“We consider the prison to be a battlefield, a battlefield that, although lacking guns, is still fierce, fierce, and requires blood and bone sacrifices like those on the front lines. We always fight together for freedom, people’s livelihood, and democracy...”, Ms. Ba Hoa shared.

After peace was restored, Ms. Ba Hoa joined the Cadre Training School in Ba Ria, then became Secretary to the Deputy Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee. After holding many positions, Ms. Ba Hoa retired while she was the President of the Provincial Women's Union in 2002. However, with her energetic nature, Ms. Ba Hoa still participated in many activities. Notably, she was elected President of the Association of Revolutionary Soldiers Captured and Imprisoned by the Enemy in Dong Nai Province, Term I and II, and continued to be elected President of the Association, Term III, 2022-2027.

According to Ms. Ba Hoa, in 1989, in response to the need for an organization to gather and unite former political prisoners, the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee decided to establish the Con Dao Political Prisoners Liaison Committee - the predecessor of the Association of Revolutionary Soldiers Captured and Imprisoned by the Enemy in Dong Nai Province today.

Currently, the members of the Association are all elderly but always united, implementing the motto: "Living in prison with steadfast loyalty, living outside with loyal love". Over the years, the Association has united its members to care for each other's material and spiritual lives; mobilizing the construction and repair of comrades' houses for former political prisoners with difficult housing circumstances.