Comrade Dang Tho Tri - an outstanding son of Nghi Long (Nghi Loc) in the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement

Nghi Long is a coastal plain commune in the North of Nghi Loc district, located on the main traffic route of the whole country. In the history of fighting against foreign invaders to protect the Fatherland, especially in the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement in 1930 - 1931, many outstanding children of Nghi Long commune contributed to beautifying the patriotic and revolutionary tradition of their homeland.

Comrade Dang Tho Tri (alias Hoc, Tri) was born in 1896, in Kim Khe Thuong village (Kim Nguyen commune), now Nghi Long commune, Nghi Loc district, Nghe An province. With the good traditions of his hometown and family, Dang Tho Tri was educated early and absorbed progressive ideas, following the patriotic path of his predecessors.

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In 1926, the Tan Hoc youth class such as Dang Tho Tri, Nguyen Viet Thien, Dang Doan Xan, Tran Van Tang, Tran Van Cung... were the first Tan Viet Party members to mobilize the people, fight against tyranny, oppression, and exploitation by: reducing cheap fields, reducing "Van communes", "Bo communes", reducing public debt to establish commercial enterprises, mobilizing short hair, white teeth, wearing short shirts and opening a school to teach Quoc Ngu in Kim La communal house, named "La Dinh Trang Hoc". Every week, the comrades organized readings of the "Voice of the People" and "Vietnam Hon" newspapers... to propagate the Tan Viet Party's policies.

In 1930, after the Communist Party of Vietnam was born, the Central Region Party Committee and the provisional Provincial Party Committees were also established in Nghe Tinh. Under the direction of the Central Region Party Committee and Nghe An Provincial Party Committee, the Nghi Loc Provisional District Party Committee was established in April 1930. Immediately after that, the Nghi Long Party Cell (Kim Khe) was also established with the following party members: Dang Tho Tri, Le Huy Diep, Hoang Van My, Dinh Van Tho, Dinh Van De, Dang Khac Thiep, Dang Van Tuat, Nguyen Viet Nguyen, Tran Ngoc Chuc, with comrade Nguyen Viet Thien as Secretary. From here, the Party Cell carried out revolutionary enlightenment for the masses, especially the poor farmers, and built organizations: Red Peasant Association, Red Self-Defense Force, Women's Union, Youth Union, etc.

Becoming a Communist Party member, comrade Dang Tho Tri enthusiastically participated in the struggles. A typical example was the demonstration on May 29, 1930 held at Dinh market. In response to the district-wide struggle movement, comrades Dang Tho Tri, Le Huy Diep, Hoang Van My, Dinh Van De, Dang Khac Thiep, Nguyen Viet Thien... directed and mobilized 80 people in the whole commune to go to the district to force the Nghi Loc District Chief to postpone debts and reduce taxes.

The demonstration was successful, the fighting spirit of the masses grew deeper and wider throughout the district, the red hammer and sickle flag appeared in many places such as at the communal house market, on the tops of tall trees..., leaflets were passed around and recited by heart by the people, and folk songs and poems calling on the masses were widely disseminated.

Building on the victories achieved to bring the movement to a new step, in August 1930, the people of the villages belonging to Kim Khe Party Cell (Nghi Long) under the leadership of comrades Dang Tho Tri, Nguyen Viet Thien... gathered at Dinh market to listen to speeches and block the road to fight the soldiers.

Panicked, District Chief Ton That Hoan had to report to the province that there were "enemies" in Kim Khe (Nghi Long). The French colonialists sent planes to spy. Governor Pham Ba Ho brought soldiers in green uniforms to the market to interrogate, but everyone replied: "We didn't see anything... the market was still open as usual". The Governor reprimanded the District Chief for false accusations and then sent the soldiers back.

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Next was the struggle and demonstration on October 8, 1930, under the direction of the Party cell and the Red Peasant Association, Red Self-Defense Force, etc., comrades Dang Tho Tri, Nguyen Viet Nguyen, Nguyen Viet Thien led the masses to gather at the house of Cuu Luoc, the village chief of Kim Khe Thuong village, and destroyed a number of guard posts set up by the local tyrants to fight against the communists. The revolutionary movement spread throughout the commune, and the people's fighting spirit became increasingly fervent.

On October 15, 1930, implementing the policy of Nghi Loc District Party Committee to gather the masses to destroy Thuong Market Temple to free cadres, party members and people who were surrounded and imprisoned by French soldiers in Van Loc village (Nghi Tan), under the leadership of the Party Cell, comrades Dang Tho Tri, Nguyen Viet Nguyen, Nguyen Viet Thien... organized a large-scale demonstration with hundreds of people, old, young, men, women, lay people, teachers, in their hands, with sticks, ropes, red flags, hammers and sickles flying.

The loud chanting and cheering of slogans and thunderous applause joined the crowd gathered at Dinh market, then moved down to Son market, coordinating with the district delegation to destroy Thuong market temple (Nghi Quang). The delegation had just arrived at Thuong Xa school when they were blocked by Thuong market soldiers, who opened fire on the protesters, killing 7 people and injuring dozens.

On the evening of October 20, 1930, implementing the Resolution of the District Party Committee Executive Committee, under the direction of the Kim Khe Party Cell, comrade Dang Tho Tri, together with the Youth Union and the Red Self-Defense Force, led the masses to gather at Dinh Market to plant flags, give speeches, hold rallies, mourn the comrades and compatriots who had sacrificed, expose the crimes of the French colonialists and the Southern Dynasty, and contribute money to help the families of the victims.

In early 1931, before the victories of the struggle movement of Nghi Long commune and other localities in Nghe Tinh, the tyrants were afraid and tried every way to collude with the French colonialists to suppress it. They tried their best to terrorize, increased the number of soldiers in blue uniforms, secret agents, and notoriously evil officials to suppress the movement in order to drown it in blood.

To carry out the above plot, they set up more posts, outposts, and guard posts. At the Xam market post, the house of Colonel Nguyen Quang Phan was the place where revolutionary soldiers were imprisoned and tortured. For them, “if they don’t fight hard for a day, they can’t eat well or sleep well.” Many communist party members and patriotic people were shot and killed or imprisoned, while others went into secret activities.

In Nghi Long commune alone, 7 party members were arrested and shot dead at Xam market station, 5 party members were arrested and died in Kon Tum prison, 12 comrades were imprisoned in French prisons, many families had fathers, sons, brothers, and siblings who participated in revolutionary activities were arrested, tortured, and imprisoned by the enemy, many houses were burned down. The Party cell and the Red Peasant Association and the Self-Defense Force faced difficulties and challenges due to the enemy's siege and arrest. To preserve their forces, comrade Dang Tho Tri and his comrades in the Party cell had to temporarily retreat into secret activities to maintain the revolutionary movement.

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In 1933, comrades Dang Tho Tri, Le Dinh Vy... contacted a number of political prisoners in prisons who were released to the locality such as Nguyen Viet Nguyen, Le Huy Tru, Le Van Anh, Dang Khac Thiep and enlightened a number of active masses such as Tran Ngoc Minh, Nguyen Gia Nen, Nguyen Dinh Ly... to re-establish the Kim Khe Thuong Party Cell (Nghi Long), comrade Dang Tho Tri was elected Secretary (from 1933-1936).

In 1937-1938, comrade Dang Tho Tri and a number of other comrades escaped and actively carried out secret activities in the district and province.

In October 1939, he was arrested and later released due to insufficient evidence to convict him, but he was considered a dangerous element to national security. On June 11, 1940, he was arrested for the second time for leading a special movement of workers in Dakley protesting against Decision No. 2712 dated June 5, 1940 of the Resident General of Central Vietnam. On June 16, 1940, he was taken to Kon Tum Prison.

On March 9, 1945, Japan staged a coup against France, the feudal government was in turmoil, taking advantage of the chaotic political situation, comrades Dang Tho Tri, Le Anh, Le Dinh Vy, Le Huy Tru... successfully escaped from prison and returned to their homeland to continue revolutionary activities, participating in the secret Viet Minh movement.

In June 1945, he was elected to the Viet Minh Front Mobilization Committee of Nghi Loc district to prepare for the uprising to seize power. On September 5, 1945, after seizing power for the revolution, the Revolutionary People's Committee was established, and he held the position of Secretary of the Nghi Loc District Farmers' Association for National Salvation. In October 1945, he was elected to the Provisional District Party Committee Executive Committee...

For his contributions to the cause of national liberation, comrade Dang Tho Tri was awarded the Second Class Independence Medal by the Party and State (Decision No. 1576 dated October 19, 1998) and many other noble awards./.

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References:

• History book of Nghi Long commune Party Committee; Nghe An Newspaper Publishing House, 2005.
• BookHistory of the Communist Party of VietnamdistrictNghi Loc. Nghe An Publishing House 1991.
• Prison records kept at the XVNT Museum.