Patriotic spirit from the war to protect Thuan An estuary in the late 19th century

French ships at Thuan An estuary on August 18, 1883, source: The Tonkin War by L. Huard, Paris 1887

From the moment they launched their invasion of Vietnam in the mid-19th century, the French colonialists always faced fierce resistance from the entire Vietnamese people as well as the Nguyen Dynasty's army. With their aggressive intentions, the French gradually occupied many parts of our territory and finally decided to launch a crucial attack on the country's "nerve center," the capital city of Hue, between 1883 and 1885.

In the French colonial plan to attack the capital city of Hue in 1883, Thuan An fortress was identified as a priority military target to be captured in order to open a path to the inner city. Just as the French were frantically preparing their forces for this campaign, Emperor Tu Duc passed away on July 19, 1883. This left a significant power vacuum in the court, and internal divisions and fierce conflicts emerged.

According to historical records, on August 18, 1883, France dispatched numerous warships and hundreds of soldiers to anchor off the coast of Thuan An; they then sent a message demanding that the Hue court disarm all its fortifications. At that time, the newly enthroned King Hiep Hoa sent envoys to negotiate a truce, but without success. Shortly after, the French opened fire and attacked. Our troops fiercely resisted, but most of their attacks missed their targets. The Tran Hai fort fell, and most of its defenders perished.

At the scientific conference themed "Historical Figures in the Defense of National Sovereignty at Thuan An Estuary and Hue Imperial City (1883-1885)" organized by the Hue City Historical Science Association at the end of last month, many experts and historical researchers praised the courageous spirit and sacrifices of the officials and soldiers in defending the country during this period.

According to researcher Le Minh Khiem (Hue City), in the Battle of Thuan An, the Nguyen Dynasty's army and people fought valiantly to defend every inch of land at the gateway to the Hue Citadel. However, with their superior and modern equipment, the French colonialists ultimately gained the upper hand.

“The fall of Thuan An, the capture of the Tran Hai and Hoa Duan forts, marked the beginning of a dark and painful period in the country's history, leading to a series of subsequent events such as the fall of the capital and the Can Vuong movement. The sacrifices of the soldiers and civilians to protect Thuan An will always be remembered by future generations. The heroic actions of generals such as Le Si, Lam Hoanh, Tran Thuc Nhan… were continued by Ton That Thuyet, Tran Xuan Soan, and Ho Van Hien in the Battle of Hue Citadel in 1885 to protect the country's independence and sovereignty,” Mr. Khiem stated.

Speaking about this event, Mr. Khiem said that later, an anonymous folk poem titled "The Fall of Thuan An" was passed down among the people, but it was likely written by someone who witnessed it firsthand, providing very realistic and vivid images of a tragic and heroic event. Recently, collectors have recorded it in written form for preservation, although the six-eight syllable verse form may vary from word to word or line to line.

Meanwhile, according to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Tat Thang (Faculty of History, Hue University of Education), the soldiers in the Battle of Thuan An fell in the final moments of national independence, in the posture of heroes fighting against the French. Although they could not withstand the enemy's attack, they became heroes, because they sacrificed themselves for the greater good, for justice.

It was the courage of the Vietnamese people that earned the admiration of the French army. Mr. Thang cites this from the memoirs of a French warship commander named Destelan, who praised the extraordinary fighting spirit and noble sacrifice of our troops as follows: “The gunners died at their cannons; they were brave men. They lay down and the sand buried them in the earth behind the cannons, making them seem magnificent…”

"It was their courage for justice and for the country that, after their sacrifice, in January 1884, the Hue court under the reign of King Kien Phuc immediately recognized their contributions, granting pensions and benefits to the families of those who died in the Thuan An battle," said Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Tat Thang.

NHAT MINH

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-polit-xa-hoi/tinh-than-yeu-nuoc-tu-cuoc-chien-bao-ve-cua-bien-thuan-an-cuoi-the-ky-xix-155769.html