Vinh - Ben Thuy workers
in the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement

The Nghe Tinh Soviet was a earth-shattering revolution of our people under the leadership of the Party. For the first time in our country's history, Soviet governments were established in many places in the two provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh.

That miracle was made possible thanks to the contributions of many segments of the population, including the workers of Vinh - Ben Thuy, one of the key forces that played a crucial role in determining the success or failure of the movement.

After completing the invasion of Vietnam, the French colonialists proceeded with large-scale exploitation of the colony. Nghe Tinh, being a region rich in resources and with a convenient transportation network, was a target for French capitalists, who exploited it rapidly.

Before 1900, the French colonialists seized land in the Yen Dung Thuong areas and built a series of factories in Vinh-Ben Thuy such as the Vinh Wood Factory (1900), the Lao Xien Sawmill (1903), the Ben Thuy Match Factory (1908), the Truong Thi Railway Repair Factory (1908)...

The development of capitalist industry, agriculture, and commerce transformed the face of Vinh-Ben Thuy provincial capital. Dozens of large and small factories, and hundreds of shops owned by French, Indian, Chinese, and local capitalists sprang up.

After World War I, the French colonialists paid even more attention to investing in Vinh-Ben Thuy. Large factories were established one after another, such as Sifa Company, Ca Xatanh Factory, Sova Winery, Canned Fish Factory, etc.

Farmers impoverished by the loss of their land were forced to work in factories, selling their labor to support themselves. Unintentionally, the colonial exploitation policies of the French created a large, concentrated workforce in Vinh-Ben Thuy. This was one of the core, pioneering forces that contributed to the success of the revolutionary movement in Nghe Tinh.

From 1925 onwards, the patriotic movement in Nghe Tinh in general, and Vinh-Ben Thuy in particular, underwent a significant transformation through the activities of organizations such as Tan Viet and the Youth Union. Numerous struggles demanding higher wages, shorter working hours, and against fines and beatings by workers continuously broke out.

The vigorous development of the Vinh-Ben Thuy workers' movement influenced farmers, students, and other social classes, creating a wave of coordinated struggle involving multiple strata. After the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930), the Central Vietnam Regional Committee was also quickly established, with Comrade Nguyen Phong Sac as its Secretary.

Under the guidance of the Provincial Party Committee's resolution, the Nghe An Provincial Party Committees were successively established, marking a new phase in the workers' movement: the struggle under the leadership of the Party. The beginning of the workers' struggle in Vinh - Ben Thuy under the Party's leadership was the March 1, 1930, protest by workers at the Thai Hop Sawmill against a foreman who had beaten and dismissed three workers. Under pressure from the struggle, the factory owner was forced to dismiss the foreman and reinstate the workers.

On March 15, 1930, workers at the Distillery and the Sawmill united in a struggle, demanding a daily wage increase of 3 cents, forcing the factory owners to concede. These struggles were the opening salvo of a period of fervent struggle in Nghe Tinh.

The climax was the struggle on the morning of May 1st, commemorating International Labor Day. Under the leadership of the Vinh-Ben Thuy Provincial Party Committee, headed by Comrade Le Mao, workers from factories in Vinh-Ben Thuy, in coordination with farmers from the villages of Yen Dung, Loc Da, Duc Thinh, An Hau, and Song, demonstrated to present demands for higher wages, reduced corvée labor, and lower taxes.

When the masses descended on the Ben Thuy area, factory workers abandoned their jobs, but the French colonial authorities locked the factory gates and stationed armed guards. Only a few workers managed to climb over the factory walls and join the peasants in the struggle. Terrified by the combined strength of the workers and peasants, the French warden opened fire on the protesters, killing 7 and wounding 18, and arresting 97.

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This struggle was significant because, "For the first time in the revolutionary history of our country, workers, peasants, and soldiers joined hands on the battlefield."

Subsequently, on May 10th and 12th, 1930, workers at the Ben Thuy Match Factory, the Sawmill, and porters at Ben Thuy Port went on strike demanding higher wages and shorter working hours.

On May 31, 1930, workers at the Truong Thi Railway Repair Factory protested, marching to the town hall to present their demands for a wage increase and the implementation of an 8-hour workday.

In June 1930, the workers' struggle continued to grow stronger. On June 15th, workers at the Thai Hop Sawmill protested. On June 18th, owners of inns in the city submitted a petition to the Commissioner of Vinh demanding a reduction in business license taxes.

On June 27, 1930, workers from the Truong Thi Factory, the Power Plant, and the Ben Thuy Sawmill, in coordination with farmers from Yen Luu, protested to demand that the local officials return the public land that had been distributed to the poor.

On July 6, 1930, workers at the Match Factory went on strike en masse, presenting four demands: (1) Allow workers to elect six foremen and one female supervisor; (2) Male and female workers must have separate workspaces; (3) Buy blue cloth to cover the windows to reduce heat; (4) The owner must fire the wicked foreman Chuyen.

The strike dragged on, and the Vinh Red Trade Union issued an "Urgent Notice" calling on people everywhere to help and donate money. Responding to the union's call, Party committees and mass organizations in Nghe Tinh province donated money, potatoes, and rice to help families of workers participating in the strike.

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From June 1930, the French colonial authorities in Central Vietnam and Nghe Tinh made concessions to fulfill some of the demands of the workers and peasants, such as: abolishing the weekly watch, prohibiting the beating of workers, increasing wages for workers, and releasing women arrested during demonstrations…

The newspaper "The Suffering Worker" of the Central Vietnam Regional Party Committee published the news on July 13, 1930.

On July 28, 1930, workers at the Ben Thuy Distillery protested, presenting their demands to the factory owner. When these demands were not accepted, the workers declared a strike, and shortly thereafter the factory was forced to close and cease production.

On July 28, 1930, the Vinh Provincial Party Committee distributed leaflets calling on the masses to commemorate the International Day Against Imperialist War. Responding to the Provincial Party Committee's call, workers at the Match Factory and Sawmill in Ben Thuy gathered to celebrate the day of the imperialist war.

The workers' fierce struggles brought them tangible benefits. At the Match Factory, the capitalists were forced to uniformly increase wages by 30% for the workers. They also promised not to beat the workers, to install electric fans, and to replace male foremen with female foremen to prevent despicable acts.

On August 20, 1930, women from Yen Dung and women from the Match Factory in Ben Thuy joined forces to protest against the authorities' detention of striking workers and demanded their release.

On August 21, 1930, unemployed workers in the city, many of whom were members of the Red Trade Union, united in their struggle to demand that the authorities find jobs for the unemployed, provide food for the hungry, and not dismiss workers.

In September, the workers' struggle continued to escalate. The newspaper "The Suffering Worker" published a special issue on September 6, 1930, to encourage the struggle."...The general strike in Ben Thuy marked a new era, an era of fierce struggle, striking fear into the hearts of French imperialism with the power of the masses!... The workers in Ben Thuy paved the way for the struggle! Red flags fluttered throughout Nghe An province! The era of fierce struggle had arrived!"

Understanding the close relationship between workers and peasants in Nghe Tinh, the Vinh - Ben Thuy Party Committee brought the strongest ally of the proletariat, the peasants, into the struggle. In Vinh - Ben Thuy, following the call of the Provincial Party Committee, peasants both donated money to support strikes and organized demonstrations against employers lowering wages and laying off workers, demanding an 8-hour workday and increased wages for workers.

Between the workers of Ben Thuy and the farmers of Yen Dung and Loc Da, there was virtually no barrier separating their interests and sentiments. When the workers of the Match Factory went on strike and the French colonialists brought in soldiers to suppress them, the workers moved to the Yen Dung area to continue their demonstrations, speeches, and strike declarations.

On June 27, 1930, while workers from the Match Factory, Truong Thi, Thai Hop, and Cua-Lao Xien coordinated a protest, farmers in Yen Luu commune gathered to fight for their land rights. The scale and coordination of activities between workers and farmers expanded steadily.

The achievements of the workers and peasants during their arduous struggle were not only economic but, more importantly, reflected in the solidarity between the workers and peasants of Nghe Tinh, a factor that was decisive to the success of the revolution.

The rapid development of the revolutionary movement terrified the French colonialists. They frantically employed the most insidious policies to drown the Nghe Tinh Soviet in a sea of ​​blood.

The campaign of white terror began with the bombing of a protest march on September 12, 1930, in Thai Lao (Hung Nguyen). Following this struggle, many cadres and party members were arrested and imprisoned, and factory workers were also laid off, leaving insufficient forces to organize large-scale strikes and protests as before. Instead, they focused on protecting the Party and the Red Trade Union to spread revolutionary propaganda.

In just two years (1930-1931), in Vinh - Ben Thuy alone, hundreds of cadres, party members, and ordinary people were arrested and imprisoned. To avoid the brutal repression of the French colonialists, the Party decided to withdraw into clandestine activities to preserve its forces. The revolutionary movement of the people of Nghe Tinh in general, and of the workers of Vinh - Ben Thuy in particular, also temporarily subsided.

Thus, through the revolutionary upsurge of 1930-1931, culminating in the Nghe Tinh Soviet, the workers of Vinh - Ben Thuy demonstrated their pioneering role in the struggles against colonialism and feudalism.

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...without the earth-shattering class struggles of 1930-1931, in which workers and peasants unleashed their extraordinary energy, there could not have been the climax of 1936-1939...

General Secretary Le Duan