(Baonghean.vn)- In the 113 years from 1862 to 1975, approximately more than 20,000 Vietnamese people were classified as 'the most dangerous' threat to the rule ofFrance andAmericans in Indochina were imprisoned in the 'hell on earth' Con Dao.
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| Con Dao Prison (now in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province) was established by Governor Bonard in Cochinchina on February 1, 1862. This is a prison system with many solitary confinement areas and tiger cages. Banh 1 Camp (later renamed Phu Hai Camp) is the most crowded detention facility, including 10 large cells (large prison cells), 20 solitary confinement stone cells, 1 special cell, a rice milling cellar and a stone breaking area. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| In the prison system spread across the country at that time such as Son La, Buon Ma Thuot, Hoa Lo ...., Con Dao prison was the largest, most brutal prison with many tortures, hunger, and diseases. However, Con Dao was turned into a battlefield and a revolutionary school by communist prisoners, and truly became the nursery of the Vietnamese revolution. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| Each large cell at Phu Hai camp can only hold a few dozen people, but sometimes they hold up to a hundred people. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| Prison 7, also known as cell number 7 in Phu Hai camp, was where steadfast revolutionary soldiers were detained, including comrades Pham Hung, Le Duc Tho, Ngo Gia Tu, Le Van Luong, Nguyen Duy Trinh... This was also the birthplace of the secret newspaper "Tien Len" run by comrades Pham Hung and Le Van Luong from 1930 to 1939. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| Forced labor in the rice mill was the last form of repression listed in the Con Dao prison regulations. The cellar was dark with five mills made from old metal barrels, packed with clay. It took six prisoners to turn the mill and they also carried a weight on their feet. Two prisoners were shackled together, and prisoners had to work from 6am to 5pm under the constant whipping of pairs of guards on their bare backs whenever they were late. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| Due to working in a dark and dusty environment, after a year of working here, prisoners often suffer from pneumonia and blurred vision. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| Phu Tuong Prison, famous for its "tiger cages", was built in 1940, with an area of over 5,000 square meters including 120 cells with iron bars above, and 60 "sunbathing" rooms without roofs. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| Being shackled single or double, eating bland rice, drinking plain water, being forced to starve, and using the toilet on the spot are the punishments often applied in this tiger cage. These political prisoners are also shackled even when they go out to "get some fresh air". Photo: Duc Anh |
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| This solitary confinement area was completely hidden for 30 years and it was not until 1970 that it was discovered by a delegation of American congressmen. The truth revealed shocked and shocked international public opinion. In the photo: The female prisoners' cell. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| One of the cruel practices in the tiger cages was that on hot days, the prison guards would pour cold water down from above, then sprinkle lime powder so that the lime would come into contact with the water and burn the prisoners. Most of the prisoners in the cages were reduced to skin and bones after a short time. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| More cruel than the prison guards, whenever they saw any reaction in the cells, they used copper-tipped sticks to stab the prisoners, injuring many. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| Prisoners were tortured by "sunbathing" and hugging toilet buckets. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| At Phu Tuong prison, right in the "sunbathing" cells is where prisoners are often tortured with the most vicious methods, including batons, whips, beef tendon whips, hot iron pliers, electric boxes, and nail-inserting needles. If one is beaten here, one must be a very brave prisoner to not confess. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| The solarium was where the colonialists kept prisoners between four stone walls, covered with barbed wire. Not only were they tortured, they were also stripped naked, exposed to the sun and dew until they died. Photo: An Nhan |
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| Immediately after taking over, with the number of prisoners skyrocketing, the US imperialists built more tiger cages, so this was called the American-style tiger cage. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| The cowshed system in Con Dao was at times turned into prison cells for prisoners. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| The cow dung pit was built in 1930, 3m deep, containing dung and water to wash the cow pens, used to torture prisoners. On the day of liberation of Con Dao, the liberation force rescued 2 prisoners who were being soaked here. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| Con Dao has long been considered the common altar of the whole country because this is the resting place of thousands of outstanding children from the three regions of North, Central and South of Vietnam. This is forever a sacred and intimate land, a place of admiration and remembrance for revolutionaries and people of the whole country. Photo: Duc Anh |
An Nhan - Duc Anh
