Visiting Tan Trao during the season when flags fly

These days, people from all directions flock to Tan Trao, Viet Bac, and are delighted to see the flags fluttering in the wind.

Joining in the vibrant atmosphere celebrating the 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution (August 19, 1945 - August 19, 2025) and the 80th anniversary of National Day (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2025), we visited the "cradle" of those historical events: the Tan Trao Historical Site ( Tuyen Quang ).

1. Actually, this isn't the first time we've visited this historical site associated with the founding of the nation, but coming here in the atmosphere of those days still evokes a multitude of indescribable emotions in each of us.

The former strongholds hidden beneath the forests and in the dark, deep mountain caves have long since donned new "garments." Instead of footpaths, there are now large, paved roads bustling with cars and motorbikes. Historical landmarks are marked on traffic signs with white lettering on a green background, stretching along the entire route. However, despite the urban feel, we, the travelers, still feel a sense of belonging to this mountainous region.

Modern asphalt roads wind through valleys and hills like inverted bowls. Large concrete bridges span babbling streams, and here and there, waterwheels still slowly turn. Standing on these roads, watching the waterwheels spin against the hazy backdrop of rolling hills, one feels as if looking from the present into the distant past. A friend acting as a guide recounted that there was a time when these waterwheels were abandoned, but a few remaining ones attracted tourists who stopped to take souvenir photos. So, local authorities maintained the remaining ones and restored some damaged ones, creating truly unforgettable scenes for those visiting one of the "cradles" of the Vietnamese revolution for the first time.

A view of Tan Trao today.

2. Eighty years ago, right here, Vietnam took its first steps in preparation for its official "birth." Here, the National Conference of the Party met for three consecutive days, followed by the National Congress of Delegates, laying the foundation for the August Revolution. In his memoirs, writer Nguyen Dinh Thi, then one of the youngest delegates (21 years old), recalled: "The initial upheaval did not occur in some large city, but in a small, nameless place, amidst the mountains and forests of Northern Vietnam. That place was Kim Long village - which the revolution renamed Tan Trao."

According to the recollections of General Song Hao in his article "Tan Trao - That Summer and Autumn" (published in the book "Tan Trao Overview," published by the Culture and Information Publishing House in 2000), Tan Trao was the first locality in Tuyen Quang province to successfully seize power. Tan Trao commune (formerly Kim Long), located in the north of Son Duong district (now Hong Son commune, Tuyen Quang province), is a hilly and mountainous area surrounded by green forests, inhabited by many ethnic minorities. In 1939, the first revolutionary bases appeared in the villages of Khuoi Kich, Khuoi Phat, and Ngoi Nho. In February 1945, the Viet Minh organization was established in the commune. And on the night of March 10, 1945, a significant event occurred in Tuyen Quang: the Thanh La uprising, one of the first revolutionary uprisings to seize power in the country, led by revolutionary armed forces. The victory of this uprising made a significant contribution to the establishment of Tu Do District (now Minh Thanh commune) and laid the groundwork for the establishment of a revolutionary base in Tan Trao, the "Capital of Resistance".

3. Visiting the Tan Trao Historical Site these days, not only tourists are filled with the shared joy of the whole country. The officials and staff here are also busy and eager to complete the preparations to welcome delegations visiting the "Capital of Resistance".

According to Mr. Vien Ngoc Tan, Deputy Director of the Tuyen Quang Provincial Museum, the memorial area for revolutionary predecessors has been completed on this occasion. The main building, with its red tiled roof and lim wood pillars, is located on a spacious grounds, with an empty house, a bell tower, and a lake in front. Within the memorial area, the altars feature monolithic bronze statues; the central hall houses a statue of President Ho Chi Minh , surrounded by statues of 14 revolutionaries who lived and worked in Tan Trao in 1945 and throughout the resistance against the French.

Along the main road, on the wide lawn next to Tan Trao communal house, stands the monument "Uncle Ho in Tan Trao," which was inaugurated on the morning of August 14, 2025. Continuing past the dam blocking the stream leads to the Na Nua hut complex, once known as the "Bamboo Presidential Palace." On the site of that time, two small, simple houses have been reconstructed. It was here that Uncle Ho suffered a life-threatening fever just days before the revolution. And it was here that he uttered his immortal words: "Now the opportune moment has arrived; no matter what sacrifices are required, even if we have to burn down the entire Truong Son mountain range, we must resolutely fight for independence."

In the memoirs of revolutionary leaders of that time such as Vo Nguyen Giap, Tran Huy Lieu, Huy Can, Hoang Dao Thuy, Nguyen Luong Bang, Nguyen Dinh Thi..., the image of Tan Trao region is always etched in their hearts. There, names like Tin Keo, Khuoi Tat, Deo De Pass, Hong Mountain, Thia Stream, Day River... are mentioned with memories and stories that can never be forgotten.

These days, people from all directions flock to Tan Trao, Viet Bac, and are delighted to see the flags fluttering in the wind. August, the autumn month. August, the month of flying flags, the season of revolution. Flags fly alongside the sacrifices, glory, and victories of the nation. “Vietnam! Vietnam! The red flag with the yellow star!/ Chests holding their breath on Independence Day!/ New forces from all directions surging forward!/ The fluttering flags mingle with the waves of the song…” (The epic poem "The National Flag," composed by poet Xuan Dieu on November 30, 1945).

TRAN DINH VIET

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/ve-tan-trao-trong-mua-co-bay-post811034.html