Comrade Le Huu Vien - A staunch communist soldier from his hometown of Thach Ha, Ha Tinh

His father, Mr. Le Huu Nhu, was a very good student, ranked among the “Four Tigers of Ha Tinh”, passed the Bachelor’s exam with the second rank in Nghe An University (in the same class as Mr. Giai Huan), and was appointed as a teacher in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien. His mother, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Bay, was a hard-working woman who worked hard in the fields to support her husband and children.

As a child, Le Huu Vien was good at both Chinese and French, graduating from Primaire. Following his father to Quang Binh and Quang Tri to teach, Le Huu Vien often heard his father tell stories about patriotic examples, about the uprisings of Phan Dinh Phung and Hoang Hoa Tham, about the path to save the country of Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chau Trinh... from which Le Huu Vien was instilled with a deep spirit of patriotism and hatred for the enemy.

In 1925, Le Huu Vien left his hometown for Thanh Hoa to work as a secretary for the Thanh Hoa court, while working and trying to establish contact with patriotic organizations. After a period of working, he became acquainted with teacher Le The Hieu and was introduced to a teaching job in Thieu Hoa. Through the introduction of teacher Le The Hieu, Le Huu Vien became acquainted with teacher Tran Dinh Nhi, one of the party members of the Indochinese Communist Party in Thanh Hoa later.

From 1926 to 1929, patriotic organizations of the Thanh Hoa petty bourgeois intellectual class were born one after another, namely Phuc Viet, or Tan Viet Revolutionary Party, and the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association. The bases of this organization developed rapidly in Thieu Hoa, Thanh Hoa. Introduced by Mr. Tran Dinh Nhi, Le Huu Vien actively participated in the activities of organizing the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association in Thieu Hoa.

In 1929, Le Huu Vien was assigned by teacher Tran Dinh Nhi to distribute leaflets to prepare for the establishment of the Indochinese Communist Party in Thanh Hoa. By mid-1929, the Indochinese Communist Party in Thanh Hoa was hunted down and arrested by the French colonialists, teacher Nhi was arrested, and the Hung Nghiep Hoi Xa in Thanh Hoa was dissolved. After 4 years of teaching and working in Thanh Hoa, he returned to his hometown in early 1930.

At home, Le Huu Vien was often visited by comrade Nguyen Thiep.⁽¹⁾exchange and talk about current events. After a while, comrade Nguyen Thiep introduced Le Huu Vien to comrade Nguyen Trung Thien.⁽²⁾.

Introduced by comrade Nguyen Thiep and comrade Nguyen Trong Hao, in March 1930, comrade Le Huu Vien was admitted to the Party in Thach Lien, with the presence of comrade Nguyen Trung Thien. After joining the Party, comrade Le Huu Vien was assigned the task of organizing the Party cell in Dong Ban. The cell initially had 3 comrades, then it grew and was able to contact the cells in Thach Kenh and Thach Minh.

On September 8, 1930, following the policy of the Provincial Party Committee, some communes in the district such as Dong Ban, Thach Viet, Thach Minh, Thach Long, Thach Tien... organized a lively demonstration and marched into the town against the oppression and exploitation of the French colonialists and the feudalism of the Southern Dynasty, supporting the demonstrations in Ben Thuy, Thanh Chuong, Nam Dan of Nghe An province. Taking advantage of the provincial market, comrade Le Huu Vien mobilized and called on the people to participate in large numbers. Knowing that the masses were demonstrating, the enemy government arranged whips, guns and troops to wait at the beginning of the road. The demonstrators marched to the intersection at 7 am and were suppressed by soldiers... but the command still waved flags calling on the people to move forward. Some enthusiastic self-defense forces such as comrade Nguyen Hao in Thach Minh commune bravely rushed forward and pushed the soldiers to let everyone move forward. Frightened by the fighting spirit of the masses, the French colonialists used guns to shoot and injure many people, forcing the demonstrators to disperse. Comrade Nguyen Trong Hao and many other comrades were arrested, including 5 pioneer women. About 3 days later, the French colonialists sent soldiers to burn down all of Comrade Nguyen Trong Hao's houses. Faced with that situation, Comrade Le Huu Vien stood up and called on the villagers to contribute money and property to rebuild the house for Comrade Hao's wife and children to have a place to live. On the other hand, he also organized a collection of paintings, bamboo, money, rice... to help the people in Phu Viet.

After the demonstration, the enemy carried out terror and repression, they set up more guard posts everywhere, burned down Bui Xa village in Thach Viet and the houses of some comrades in Dong Ban. The situation became increasingly difficult and dangerous. In order to promptly lead the struggle movement, the District Party Committee appointed comrade Le Huu Vien as Secretary of the Ha Tay Party Cell.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the Guangzhou Commune Day (December 12), responding to the policy of the Provincial Party Committee, the Thach Ha District Party Committee organized a large demonstration against the enemy's terror and responded to the people of Phu Viet, Dong Ban... Thanks to the close guidance of the District Party Committee, directly by comrade Le Huu Vien, the revolutionary movement developed widely throughout the district. The village chiefs of some places handed over their seals to the Red Peasant Association. Many communes in Thach Ha established Soviet governments, the Red Peasant Association took charge of managing the communes and villages, and mass organizations were also born such as: the Mutual Aid Association, the Red Relief Association, the Women's Liberation Association... Road construction and well excavation were also carried out.

Faced with the strong development of the movement, the enemy was extremely frightened, they sought to suppress the revolutionary movement, a series of new posts such as: Lau Cau, Hop Tien, Dan Che, Vinh Hoa... were established, besides that the enemy also sent gang lieutenants to sweep everywhere in the district. Faced with that situation, to preserve the force, our Party advocated retreating into secret activities.

In January 1931, the District Party Congress was held in Dan Che commune. The Congress elected the District Party Executive Committee consisting of 5 comrades. At this Congress, comrade Le Huu Vien was elected as Secretary.

In April 1931, the Provincial Party Committee appointed comrade Le Huu Vien as a member of the district's Propaganda Committee and editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Tieng Goi" to promote revolutionary struggle, fight against violence, and individual assassination...

By May 1931, the revolutionary movement in Thach Ha was in decline, many cadres and party members were arrested, exiled and killed. In November 1931, comrade Le Huu Vien fell into enemy hands and was sentenced to 3 years in prison in Ha Tinh. In prison, he tried to propagandize the soldiers and cadres to follow the revolutionary path.

In 1934, comrade Le Huu Vien was released from prison and continued to make contacts for revolutionary activities. He contacted comrade Bui Tan to establish disguised associations such as: roofing association, mutual aid association to help each other in difficult times. He stood up to mobilize people to cut rice and contribute to a charity fund to distribute to poor families so that they would not have to borrow from landlords. Also from that charity fund, he mobilized people to contribute money to redeem some land and redistribute it to the people to work together.

From 1936 to 1944, he joined the Ha Tinh Lien Thanh Thu Quan organization to contact old comrades to get books for comrades to study; mobilize the masses to participate in welcoming Go Da; and participate in the high tide of resistance against Japan to save the country.

In 1945, comrade Le Huu Vien participated in the Viet Minh Conference in Bac Ha to promote the General Uprising.

In August 1945, he attended the District Congress in Thach Viet. The Congress assessed the situation and opportunities for the entire district to seize power. The Congress elected an Insurrection Committee consisting of 5 people: Le Huu Vien, Phan Thao, Tran Tuong, Bui Ba Binh, Bui Anh Hien. On the evening of August 17, 1945, thousands of people, following the orders of the Insurrection Committee, lined up in neat rows, holding spears and sticks, raising high the red flag with a yellow star, shouting slogans, and marched into the district capital. Within just 3 days from August 17 to 19, 1945, the revolutionary government was established throughout Thach Ha district.

The August Revolution succeeded, the Uprising Committee was changed to the Provisional Revolutionary Committee. Comrade Le Huu Vien was assigned as Head of the District's Judicial Committee, then Vice Chairman of Thach Ha District. In 1946, the general election was successful, comrade Le Huu Vien was elected to the District People's Council...

In recognition of comrade Le Huu Vien's great contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation, in 1985, he was awarded the Second Class Independence Medal, the 55-year Party membership badge, the Revolutionary Veteran Commemorative Medal and many other noble awards by President Truong Chinh.

The life and revolutionary career of comrade Le Huu Vien, the first communist party member of Thach Ha District Party Committee, who was not afraid of sacrifice and hardship, always standing firm under the glorious flag of the Party, is a shining example for our generation today to learn and follow./.

Note:
(1) Comrade Nguyen Thiep (1894-1932), alias Kim Don, Nguyen Chau, Nguyen Cau, was from Phu Viet village, Thach Ha district, Ha Tinh province. From 1927-1928, he was in charge of the Tan Viet Grand Organization in Thach Ha district. In 1930, he was admitted to the Party and appointed as Secretary of the Phu Viet Commune Party Cell. In September 1930, at the first Provincial Party Congress, comrade Nguyen Thiep was elected as Secretary of the first Provincial Party Committee.
(2) Comrade Nguyen Trung Thien: real name is Tran Huu Thieu (1906-1931), also known by the alias Tran Lan... from Duong Xuan village, Dang Son commune, now Linh Son commune, Anh Son district, Nghe An province. In January 1930, the Indochinese Communist Party Central Committee mobilized him to build a Party base in Ha Tinh. Together with comrades Le Ba Canh and Nguyen Huy Lung, he established the Indochinese Communist Party cell in Ha Tinh. In March 1930, at Thuong Tru ferry (Noi Ngoai commune, now Thien Loc commune), the Conference to establish the Communist Party of Vietnam in Ha Tinh province took place. The conference elected a provisional Executive Committee with comrade Tran Huu Thieu as provisional Secretary.