The Nghệ Tĩnh Soviet Uprising - a choice of history

In Nghe An, during the years 1928 and 1929, a wave of struggle spread throughout many factories, workshops, and among students. Meanwhile, in the rural areas of the province (Thanh Chuong, Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, etc.), the struggles of peasants against powerful landlords, tyrannical rulers, and French officials became increasingly fierce.

On February 3, 1930, in Kowloon, Hong Kong (China), under the leadership of Comrade Nguyen Ai Quoc,The Communist Party of Vietnam was officially established.Immediately after its founding, the Party called on the working class and the laboring people to rise up and fight against French colonialism and the puppet regime to demand their rights and oppose oppression and injustice.

From February 3rd to 7th, 1930, in Kowloon (Hong Kong, China), under the chairmanship of Comrade Nguyen Ai Quoc, the conference unified three communist organizations in Vietnam—the Indochinese Communist Party, the Annam Communist Party, and the Indochinese Communist League—into a single party, the Communist Party of Vietnam. (Illustrative drawing)

During this period, the nationwide struggle of workers and peasants developed vigorously. In Nghe An, workers and peasants rose up in both urban and rural areas. From the end of 1929 to April 1930, 15 struggles broke out throughout the province, including 5 by workers in Vinh - Ben Thuy city and 9 by peasants in Thanh Chuong and Anh Son districts.

In the outskirts of Vinh - Ben Thuy, the most prominent event was the struggle for compensation for over 300 acres of farmland belonging to farmers in Yen Dung, which was seized by the French colonialists to build an airport in mid-1929.

On May 1st, 1930, the Communist Party of Vietnam launched a commemorative movement.International Labor DayThe first demonstration in Vietnam took place in Vinh - Ben Thuy, involving workers and peasants from both urban and suburban areas. This demonstration was directly led by Comrade Le Mao (Central Committee member, Standing Committee member of the Central Vietnam Regional Party Committee in charge of the Vinh - Ben Thuy Provincial Party Committee). Carefully prepared beforehand, on the morning of May 1, 1930, 1,200 peasants from the villages of Yen Dung, Loc Da, and Duc Thinh (formerly part of Hung Nguyen), An Hau, and Duc Hau (part of Nghi Loc) marched into Vinh city to join factory workers in demanding that the French colonialists fulfill their demands, such as: increased wages, reduced taxes, and an 8-hour workday.

The French envoy in Vinh mobilized soldiers to guard and protect the factories and ordered the District Chief of Hung Nguyen to send troops to stop the protesters, but the soldiers did not fire on the crowd, and the demonstrators continued towards the gate of Truong Thi Factory. Afterwards, the demonstrators moved to Ben Thuy. There, clashes occurred between the two sides. The newspaper Nguoi Lao Kho (The Suffering Worker), published on May 2, 1930, wrote:

“...The military commander, the chief policeman, the secret agent (Robe) all pointed their guns and fired machine guns. Even Calabi was standing inside the factory firing. Thus, the imperialist and bourgeois forces ruthlessly killed the peasants and workers... The demonstration had to be dispersed, leaving 6 dead and 18 wounded... The struggle in Annam had reached a critical point. But for every one of our brothers and sisters who died, thousands and tens of thousands more would follow. No matter how cruel French imperialism becomes, it cannot stop the revolutionary movement...”

Also on May 1, 1930, in addition to Vinh - Ben Thuy, at Thanh Chuong French-Vietnamese Primary School, over 100 students gathered at the Ngu Phuc restaurant (Vo Liet village) to hold a rally commemorating International Labor Day, then marched in protest around the district town. In Hanh Lam commune, a demonstration broke out involving nearly 3,000 farmers from the villages of La Mac, Hanh Lam, and Nhuan Trach demanding the return of land and roads seized by Nguyen Truong Vien (also known as Ky Vien). Vien, terrified, fled; the farmers burned down his entire residence. Two days later, the French Commissioner and the Governor-General of Nghe An, along with the magistrate, the trade officer, and the district chief of Thanh Chuong, brought French colonial troops to Hanh Lam to quell the "communist rebellion." Under the leadership of the Party branches and the Red Peasant Association Executive Committee, for two days and nights, the farmers took to the streets to demand that they fulfill their demands. They tried their best to entice and threaten, but they could not break through the increasingly tight encirclement of the people in the villages of Hanh Lam, La Mac, Nhuan Trach, Lac Son, and Yen Lac. Finally, they opened fire on the densely packed circle of farmers to fight their way out, killing 18 people and injuring 17.

The events that took place in Nghe An on May 1, 1930, the first International Labor Day in the country, resonated strongly, powerfully encouraging the fighting spirit of the working masses. Evaluating these events, the Central Committee of the Party affirmed: "This was a great victory for the workers and peasants of Nghe An, and also for the workers and peasants throughout the country."

The Trường Thi, Bến Thủy Workers-Farmers-Soldiers Monument 1930-1931 (left) and the Nghệ Tĩnh Red Self-Defense Force Monument at the Nghệ Tĩnh Soviet Museum. Photo: Hải Vương

On May 10, 1930, 500 workers at the Match Factory (the majority of whom were women) protested, demanding that the factory owner implement the Labor Law, establish an 8-hour workday, improve working conditions, and protest against the terrorization of the protesters and the beating of the workers. The factory owner not only failed to meet their demands but brazenly brought in the police to force the protesters to disperse. The workers responded by marching to Yen Dung village for a rally and declaring a strike.

Following the Match Factory strike, 300 workers at the SIFA Sawmill; 400 port dockworkers at Ben Thuy Port; and 120 workers at the Truong Thi Factory went on strike to demand tangible rights.

On June 27, 1930, the Vinh Workers' Union directed over 1,000 workers from match, electricity, sawmills, and rickshaw pullers to go on strike simultaneously to demand that their employers fulfill the demands they had made.

The workers' movement in the city strongly stimulated the fighting spirit of the peasants in the villages. The peasant struggle movement in June 1930 began with a demonstration of 3,000 peasants, including over 100 women and students from Thanh Chuong, on June 1st, 1930. On June 2nd, 1930, more than 2,000 peasants from Anh Son, including those from the Lang Dien and Dang Son districts, along with students from the Franco-Vietnamese School, marched towards Luong market and the district headquarters.

Also on June 2, 1930, nearly 500 farmers from Nghi Loc district, belonging to three communes: Thuong Xa, Dang Xa, and Kim Nguyen, protested at the district office against the suppression of the demonstration in Ben Thuy and demanded tax reductions and postponements. The Nghi Loc district chief had to promise to forward the people's demands to higher authorities. On June 11, 1930, about 500 farmers from the lower Anh Son area (now part of Do Luong) protested.

Those who refused to submit to oppression and injustice (Relief at the Soviet-Nghe Tinh Museum). Photo: Dao Tuan

On June 15, 1930, 200 farmers and workers from the Sapanhơ plantation in Thanh Chương protested, demanding the fulfillment of their workers' and farmers' demands. On June 18, 1930, 600 farmers from Nam Đàn gathered at Đồn market for a rally and demonstration. District chief Lê Khắc Tưởng attempted to flee to Vinh by rickshaw but was stopped by the protesters' self-defense force and forced to return to Đồn market to meet with the people. He had to accept the protesters' demands and promised to report them to his superiors…

Saten, the Resident Commissioner of Central Vietnam, admitted in his report to the French Government on July 5, 1930:“For a long time, we only knew the methods of operation of the old revolutionary parties. This time, the officials seem confused and bewildered by the perfect organization of communism in the European style...”

From the end of August to the beginning of September 1930,revolutionary movementIn Nghe An, the struggle reached its peak with increasingly fierce conflicts. It began with the struggle of nearly 3,000 farmers in Nam Dan on August 30, 1930. There, the masses gathered for rallies at three locations in the district before marching to Sa Nam town, storming the district headquarters, burning archives, destroying the prison, and freeing prisoners. The district chief of Nam Dan, Le Khac Tuong, was forced to sign and stamp the petition.

Vo Liet communal house, located in Vo Liet commune (Thanh Chuong district), is also a place that marks many significant historical events in the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement (1930-1931). (Photo: Huy Thu)

On September 1, 1930, a massive demonstration took place in Thanh Chuong. The special issue of the newspaper "Nguoi Lao Kho" (The Suffering Worker) on September 6, 1930, reported: “The entire Thanh Chuong district rose up in protest. A demonstration of 20,000 people…” District chief Phan Si Bang and the European-born Thanh Qua, the police chief, ordered their soldiers to fire on the left bank of the Lam River (where the demonstrators from Dai Dong and Xuan Lam communes were gathered), killing one person (Nguyen Cong Thuong). Immediately, the masses crossed the river and, along with the groups on the right bank, stormed the district office. The district chief, his officials, and soldiers fled. The masses destroyed the liquor agency at Ro market, burned down the district office (including the officials' residences), killed Bang's white horse, and even burned down the house of Cuu Ngac (the father of District Chief Phan Si Bang) at the district gate (in Vo Liet commune – about 2km from the district office). The crowd pursued the district magistrate and his soldiers all the way to Thanh Quả outpost, but because of the torrential gunfire, everyone had to turn back.

The historic demonstration on September 1, 1930, in Thanh Chuong is considered the starting point marking the birth of the Soviet government in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces.

The revolutionary movement developed dramatically, exceeding the initial plans of the Regional and Provincial Party Committees. The intense pressure from the peasants' struggle paralyzed and disintegrated the colonial-feudal administrative apparatus from the district to the village level. In this situation, the Red Peasant Association executive committees took over the management of village affairs on behalf of the people. Soviet-style governments were formed in almost all villages in Thanh Chuong, Nam Dan, and many other areas in Anh Son (including present-day Do Luong), Nghi Loc, and Hung Nguyen. In the mountainous areas, Soviet-style party and government bases were established in Mon Son and Luc Da (Con Cuong).

Articles from the Central Committee of the Vietnam People's Army encouraging the revolutionary fighting spirit of the people during the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement. (Photo: Duc Anh)

While the movement was gaining momentum in the countryside, on the same day, September 1, 1930, the Vinh General Confederation of Labor promptly launched a general strike among factory workers to coordinate action with farmers in Thanh Chuong and Nam Dan districts.

On September 8, 1930, approximately 7,000 farmers from Anh Son protested and marched to the district headquarters to present their demands. The French colonial authorities sent planes to bomb the crowd twice, killing nine people and injuring many others. Furthermore, soldiers from the Do Luong outpost, upon returning to the Ro ferry crossing, fired on the protesters attempting to cross the river, killing one and injuring several more. Unable to contain their anger, immediately after the memorial service, some of the protesters vandalized the house of Deputy Chief Can.

In Hung Nguyen, on September 12, 1930, approximately 8,000 farmers from three districts: Phu Long, Thong Lang, and Nam Kim (Nam Dan), marched in orderly ranks, armed with sticks, spears, and ropes, waving red flags with the hammer and sickle, to Yen Xuan Station. The Command ordered the station master to be tied up and the telegraph line cut, while simultaneously signaling the train from the North to stop. Passengers on the train joined the demonstration, turning it into a large rally.

To protest the brutal acts of terror by the French colonialists, factory workers in Vinh - Ben Thuy went on strike repeatedly. Workers at the Song Con plantation also demonstrated. Students in schools in the districts of Anh Son, Do Luong, Nghi Loc, and Phu Dien went on strike. People in the districts of Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, and Quynh Luu marched to the provincial and district offices to present demands against the colonial-feudal government.

A painting depicting the climax of the Nghe Tinh Soviet Uprising by artist Nguyen Duc Nung.

WhenThe protesters advanced towards Thai Lao.The French colonialists sent two planes to drop bombs and fire machine guns into the crowd, killing and injuring many people, and also brought in soldiers to suppress the protest. In the afternoon, when the farmers came to prepare the bodies and bury their fallen compatriots, French planes returned and massacred them once again. The total number of dead reached 217 and 125 were injured. In addition, they arrested dozens of others. This extremely brutal massacre shocked public opinion both domestically and internationally.

The French colonialists thought they could quickly extinguish the Soviet Nghệ Tĩnh uprising with bombs and bullets, but they were mistaken. The flames of hatred burned even more fiercely in the hearts of millions, and the revolutionary wave surged throughout the two provinces of Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh. On the night of September 12, 1930, nearly 5,000 people in Nam Đàn marched to the district headquarters to protest the killings committed by the colonial-feudal government. French soldiers stationed there opened fire, killing two people. That same night, about 4,000 farmers from the two communes of Bích Hào and Võ Liệt (Thanh Chương) also protested the inhumane actions of the French imperialists and held a memorial service for the fallen soldiers.

From mid-September 1930, rallies, demonstrations, and memorial services for the compatriots who had sacrificed their lives in Thai Lao on September 12th were held throughout the province. The largest were the memorial services organized by the Provincial Party Committee in Loc Da village (now part of Hung Loc commune, Vinh city) and at Con Market (Thanh Chuong district). The rally and memorial service at Con Market attracted tens of thousands of people, protected by hundreds of Red Guards.

Graves of Soviet martyrs who died on September 12, 1930 in Thai Lao, Hung Nguyen district (above); Memorial plaque and list of Soviet martyrs who died on September 12, 1930. Photo: Hai Vuong

In late October 1930, amidst the developing revolutionary fervor despite the brutal terror of the enemy and the need to confront their new schemes and tactics, the Nghe An Party Committee organized its First Congress of Delegates in Dong Xuan village (Xuan Lieu commune, Nam Dan district; now that location belongs to Xuan Tuong commune, Thanh Chuong district).

The Congress elected the official Executive Committee of the Party Committee, consisting of the following comrades: Nguyen Tiem (Secretary), Ton Gia Chung, Nguyen Sinh Dien, Phan Dinh Dong, Nguyen Tran Tham, Phan Huy Thuong, and Tran Thi Minh Chau.

Following the Congress, despite the French imperialists' attempts to suppress the revolutionary movement with bombs and bullets, large demonstrations still took place in October and November 1930. The most prominent and significant of these were the two demonstrations commemorating the Russian October Revolution in Yen Thanh and Dien Chau districts on November 7, 1930.

Faced with the strong development of the revolutionary movement and the brutal repression of the enemy, in September and October 1930, the Central Committee of the Party issued a directive to the Party committees of Central Vietnam to guide the movement and mobilize the people nationwide to support the Red Nghe An - Ha Tinh: “The urgent duty of the entire Party throughout the country is to wholeheartedly defend the Red Nghe An - Ha Tinh, expand the movement of demonstrations and protests against the wicked tactics of imperialism. The lives of our brothers and sisters, the peasants of Nghe An - Ha Tinh, now depend on the support and protection of all workers and peasants throughout the country…” The communiqué of the Central Committee of the Party spurred the fighting spirit of the working class and peasants from North to South. Many demonstrations and struggles in support of the Nghe An - Ha Tinh Soviet with the slogan “Do not touch the workers and peasants of Nghe An - Ha Tinh” broke out in the provinces and cities: Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hon Gai, Thai Binh, Ha Dong, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, Thanh Hoa, Saigon, Cao Lanh,…

Many new constructions have sprung up in Hung Nguyen, including the VSIP modern urban and service complex. Photo: Hai Vuong

However, due to the lack of a revolutionary situation, seizing power could not be the immediate goal of the Communist Party. The Central Committee of Vietnam and the Party committees at all levels in Nghe An and Ha Tinh did not have a plan to launch an uprising to seize power. Meanwhile, in the face of the revolutionary storm of the masses, the colonial-feudal administrative system of Nghe An and Ha Tinh was severely shaken. The French officials, civil servants, and soldiers were extremely confused and frightened. In Vinh, every Frenchman had prepared a safe place to hide, while the ranks of the feudal officials of the Southern Dynasty were either seeking excuses to resign or requesting transfers. In the last six months of 1930, the Resident Commissioner of Central Vietnam and the Hue Court had to replace three governors-general in Nghe An and two prefects in Ha Tinh. The district and commune administrative apparatus was in disarray.

Faced with this situation, the Red Peasant Association Executive Committees in villages and communes, under the guidance of the Party branches, took on the function of governing the villages. The first thing the commune's peasant committee did was redistribute land to the farmers, ending the payment of taxes to the imperial-feudal government; at the same time, they forced the village chiefs to return the collected taxes to the people, compelled creditors to postpone debt payments, forced landowners to reduce rent, and regulated wages for hired laborers. The commune's peasant committee also organized the construction of dams, digging of canals, and irrigation to combat drought. In some places, they used public land to organize collective production for farmers according to the cooperative model.

The Soviet government dismantled the colonial-feudal administrative apparatus and old laws, implementing freedoms and democracy for the people such as freedom of education; gender equality in marriage and in all social and family matters. Red self-defense units were established to suppress and punish counter-revolutionaries, and protect order and security in villages…

The unprecedentedly strong struggle of the workers and peasants of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces was thanks to the indomitable spirit of the masses and the leadership of the Central Vietnam Regional Party Committee and the Nghe An Party Committee…

Ben Thuy Bridge connecting Ha Tinh and Nghe An, viewed from Dung Quyet Mountain. (Photo courtesy of Nguyen Sach)

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The article uses a lot of historical sources.