Comrade Le Mao - A typical senior cadre of the Party in the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement

Comrade Le Mao lived heroically, died gloriously, contributing to the shining of the golden history of the Party. The name of Comrade Le Mao has become the pride of Nghe Tinh in general and of the heroic Red City in particular. His great contributions will always live forever in the hearts of every Nghe An citizen, becoming a shining example for the young generation in the heroic Soviet homeland to study and follow.

1. From a worker to the "vanguard" of the Vinh - Ben Thuy workers' movement

In 1903, in De Thap Street (now Ben Thuy Ward), Vinh City, Nghe An Province, little boy Le Viet Mao (aka Le Mao) cried out at birth in the loving arms of his parents, Mr. Le Viet Nhien and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Sau. Sharing the same suffering as the slaves, Mr. Le Viet Nhien had to work as a porter at Ben Thuy Port, and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Sau had to work hard to raise 4 children. Because the family was poor, had many children, and the family's circumstances were difficult, Le Mao was only able to go to school at the age of 9. At the age of 12, his father passed away, and Le Mao was forced to drop out of school to work as a worker at the Match Factory. Here, like many other workers, Le Mao had to work hard from 12 to 17 hours a day, under the supervision and exploitation of the foremen. Early on, immersed in the suffocating working atmosphere in the factory, under the whips of the capitalists, foremen, and workers, Le Mao understood the suffering of the enslaved people. He was delighted by the rebellious actions of his brothers and sisters, and made friends with patriotic youths who shared the same aspirations.

In 1921, Le Mao and his friends such as Le Viet Thuat, Nguyen Loi, Le Doan Suu... discussed the need to organize a form of spiritual activity to broaden their minds. They bought newspapers such as "Tieng Dan" and "Tan The Ky" to learn about the revolutionary movement in the world, learn more about the demonstration of the French people, about the activities of workers in the country... He often brought newspapers to read to his colleagues in the factory, and in his spare time he told stories and discussed enthusiastically about the issues newly published in the newspaper. Step by step, he educated patriotism, love of homeland and the desire to fight in young workers. He deeply understood the thoughts of workers, enthusiastically helping them when they encountered difficulties. Because of that concern, he was always loved by the workers, who considered him as an older brother or a relative in the family.

In 1922, Nghe Tinh experienced a crop failure, many workers' families were hungry, and capitalist speculators pushed the price of rice up 3 times. Faced with that situation, Le Mao and many workers joined together to fight for increased wages and lower rice prices, forcing the capitalists to make concessions. The struggles of the workers at the Match Factory showed the patriotic young man Le Mao the necessity of fighting and the power of fighting, although those struggles were still not enough to change the miserable situation of the people who lost their country.

During the years 1923-1924, the consciousness of national spirit and patriotism in the soul of young Le Mao was further fostered when he learned more about human history and patriotic examples through the talks of Tran Van Tang and Ha Huy Tap. Some young workers could not stand the oppression of the factory owners so they planned to use sticks to take revenge. Le Mao knew about this and gathered these workers together, analyzed that they should not act rashly, he organized them to fight by sending representatives to meet the factory owners to demand the implementation of economic demands. In March 1925, Le Mao and his friends such as Nguyen Phuc and Nguyen Loi continued to mobilize workers not to contribute money to the owner of the Match Factory to make a "Pray for Peace" offering as before. The workers of the Match Factory enthusiastically responded, and in the end the owners had to spend money to make the offering. The initial victory from these struggles contributed to enlightening the workers about the spirit and methods of struggle.

In July 1925, at Con Meo Mountain (Vinh - Ben Thuy), the Phuc Viet Association was born. This was a patriotic organization founded by intellectuals such as Le Huan, Tran Phu, Tran Mong Bach, Ton Quang Phiet... After its establishment, the Association sent cadres to localities to build bases, creating a new wave of patriotism among the youth of Nghe Tinh at that time. Workers in the Vinh - Ben Thuy area were thirsty for a reason to live, as if they were being watered by new and progressive patriotic thoughts from books, newspapers, and patriotic poems and literature. Young workers like Le Mao and his friends eagerly and happily welcomed the new breeze. Le Mao quickly found a way to contact members of the Phuc Viet Association and quickly established the Phuc Viet Association's sub-group at the Match Factory and Yen Dung Ha village. Under the alias Cat, he was responsible for this sub-group.

Admitted to the Phuc Viet Association, Le Mao actively propagated and enlightened the working masses to participate in Mutual Aid and Friendship Associations, educating workers in the spirit of solidarity, patriotism, love, mutual support, and sharing. His knowledge was increasingly expanded, and the revolutionary spirit was strongly aroused. With the ambition and desire of youth, he enthusiastically and passionately worked to realize his dream. He actively initiated a movement to talk to workers, analyzing for them the causes of the oppressive and exploitative regime, thereby leading them to the path of struggle. In addition, Le Mao also mobilized many young workers to attend night classes of Quoc Ngu at Cao Xuan Duc School taught by progressive teachers in the Phuc Viet Association.

By mid-1926, under the leadership of the Phuc Viet Association members, the people of Yen Dung Ha village filed a lawsuit against the village chiefs for corruption and oppression of the people. The fighting spirit of the masses forced the village chiefs to resign. Taking advantage of that opportunity, the organization arranged for Le Mao to run for the position of Village Chief and was elected. As the deputy village chief of Yen Dung village, Le Mao had easier access to activities. He continued to go to factories and poor worker neighborhoods to propagate and mobilize workers to strengthen associations and groups, mobilize workers to fight to abolish festivals and New Year's Eve, and replace evil foremen... Thanks to these activities, the bases of the Phuc Viet sub-groups grew stronger and stronger, and workers in Vinh - Ben Thuy stood up to fight for their daily rights.

From 1927 onwards, the patriotic movement was ignited in Nghe Tinh. Through the organization of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association, Marxism-Leninism was like a breath of new life breathed into Nghe Tinh. At this time, the Phuc Viet Association had a big division: The majority changed their name and operated according to the guidelines of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association, a part of the leadership operated according to the reformist trend. Le Mao stood firmly on the side of those who actively supported and operated according to the revolutionary guidelines of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association. He was passionate about his work and researched secret documents sent by leader Nguyen Ai Quoc from Guangzhou (China) and actively worked and became a core cadre of the working class in factories.

Faced with the French colonialists' arrest and imprisonment of a series of cadres and party members of the two organizations Thanh Nien and Tan Viet. Some comrades wavered in the face of difficult circumstances, Le Mao still persevered and maintained his base of operations at the Match Factory. He and Nguyen Viet Luc contacted Tan Viet party members to form a communist group operating among the Ben Thuy workers. During this time, Le Mao met comrades Nguyen Phong Sac and Tran Van Cung (two party members of the Indochina Communist Party organization sent to Vinh to build a base in Central Vietnam). From this close relationship, Le Mao was trusted by his comrades to be assigned the task of building revolutionary forces in the factories. As a mature worker in the factory, Le Mao tried his best to help and create favorable conditions for his comrades in the intellectual team to operate in the "proletarianization" movement.

The birth of the Red Trade Union and Red Peasant Association in Nghe An at the end of 1929 affirmed the important contributions of comrade Le Mao to the workers' movement, which was the premise for the revolution in Nghe Tinh to enter a new historical stage. This was also a major turning point in the revolutionary life of comrade Le Mao. From a worker, he became an outstanding party member of the Match Factory Party Cell, the "red flag", the "soul" of the Vinh - Ben Thuy workers' and peasants' movement before the Communist Party of Vietnam was born.

2. From a staunch communist soldier to a member of the Party Central Committee, the first Secretary of Vinh Province in 1930, and Secretary of the Central Region Party Committee in April 1931

Immediately after the Communist Party was founded, grassroots Party organizations in Nghe Tinh were established one after another. At the Ben Thuy Match Factory, the communist group headed by Le Mao transformed into a Party cell with him as Secretary.

In March 1930, comrade Nguyen Phong Sac - Member of the Party Central Committee (former Secretary of the Indochinese Communist Party in Central Vietnam) was assigned to coordinate with the Indochinese Communist Federation to organize a Conference to elect the Provisional Executive Committee of the Central Branch of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Central Vietnam (ie the Central Region Party Committee). Comrade Le Mao was one of the delegates invited to attend the Conference and was appointed as a Standing Member of the Central Branch, in charge of the workers' movement.

After being established, the Central Party Committee appointed two provisional Executive Committees of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Nghe An, including: Vinh Provincial Party Committee and Nghe An Provincial Party Committee. Comrade Le Mao was in charge of Vinh Provincial Party Committee (including Vinh - Ben Thuy, Nghi Loc district, Hung Nguyen and Thanh Hoa town).

Under the leadership of Vinh Provincial Party Committee, headed by comrade Le Mao, communist cells were quickly established from factories to rural areas throughout the two provinces of Nghe and Tinh. In just about 2 months of campaigning and organizing, comrade Le Mao built many cells such as: Yen Dung Thuong, Loc Da, Duc Thinh, Yen Luu, Duc Quang, Yen Dai, Vinh National School...

Besides, comrade Le Mao also went deep into each factory to build Party bases, mass bases, organize propaganda, mobilize, educate, and organize workers to join the Red Trade Union.

On April 19, 1930, Le Mao led the Match Factory Party Cell to mobilize more than 400 workers to strike, demanding that the factory owner fulfill demands such as increasing wages, reducing working hours, freedom of association, etc. This was one of the three major struggles of our country's workers after the Party was born, creating an important turning point to encourage the spirit of the people of Nghe Tinh to enter a period of uncompromising struggle with the enemy in the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement.

On April 20, 1930, comrade Le Mao and comrade Nguyen Phong Sac convened an expanded meeting at comrade Nguyen Phuc's house (Yen Dung Ha), disseminated the situation and tasks and launched a struggle movement to celebrate International Labor Day, May 1, 1930. This was the opening struggle for the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement, directly led by comrade Le Mao.

Having been carefully prepared in advance, on the morning of May 1, 1930, about 1,200 farmers from Yen Dung, Loc Da, Duc Thinh (in Hung Nguyen district), An Hau, Duc Hau (in Nghi Loc district) protested and marched to Vinh city to coordinate with factory workers to fight for the French colonialists to fulfill demands such as: increase wages, reduce taxes, 8-hour work day... The protest group was not armed, only hoisted hammer and sickle flags and hung banners, in neat ranks, marching and singing the Internationale. The French Consul in Vinh mobilized soldiers to guard and protect the factories and ordered the Hung Nguyen District Chief to send soldiers to stop them, but the soldiers did not shoot at the crowd and the protest group still advanced towards the gate of Truong Thi Factory. Workers in the factory were surrounded. Only workers outside the factory joined the protest group and marched along Colonial Road No. 1 to Ben Thuy. Here, the French colonialists fired at the demonstrators, killing 6 people and injuring 18 others. The highlights of the demonstration on May 1, 1930 in Vinh - Ben Thuy were:“For the first time in the history of our country's revolution, workers, farmers and soldiers joined hands on the front line.”

With the demonstration on May 1, 1930 of Vinh - Ben Thuy workers and farmers under the leadership of comrade Le Mao, Ben Thuy became the first place to rise up, setting a shining example of bravery for workers and farmers across the country to follow. The blood of farmers and workers mixed with the blood of the people of Nghe Tinh reddened the revolutionary flag of our Party. The intersection of Ben Thuy, Con Mo, and Yen Dung village continued to write glorious pages of history for the homeland, forever the pride of the people in the Red City.

After this historic demonstration, Le Mao and the Central Region Party Committee issued a call for workers, farmers, soldiers, youth, and students to follow the example of sacrifice of Nghe An farmers to stand up and organize demonstrations, strikes, and school closures to protest the shooting of civilians in Ben Thuy, to protest the sending of soldiers to suppress strikes and marches...

In Ben Thuy industrial zone, where comrade Le Mao was in charge, workers from a series of factories such as Match, Saw, Electricity, Truong Thi, porters at Ben Thuy Port... were on strike continuously. During the days of seething revolutionary spirit, comrade Le Mao continuously followed closely the Ben Thuy area, directly directing each struggle. His presence ensured that the workers' struggle movement was on the right track, adding spiritual strength to them in the struggles against the enemy.

After the struggle of Vinh - Ben Thuy workers and farmers and the struggle of students of the French - Vietnamese School and 3,000 farmers of Thanh Chuong district to destroy Ky Vien plantation, the struggle movement in Nghe Tinh spread like an oil stain to other localities from Nghe An to Ha Tinh with the birth of the Soviet government. The Communes of the Ministry of Agriculture took over the government, managed all activities of the villages and communes and implemented many policies beneficial to the masses.

At the end of September 1930, comrade Le Mao was sent by the Central Party Committee to attend the first Central Party Conference in Hong Kong (China). The conference heard him report to the Central Party Committee on the achievements of the Central Party Committee, the victories of the Nghe Tinh Soviet, and proposed solutions to consolidate, maintain and develop grassroots Party organizations, and maintain the people's struggle movement against the enemy's plots and tricks. He always took advantage of his time to study, acquire more knowledge and absorb the basic viewpoints of the "Political Platform" and new Resolutions of the Party. At this conference, he was elected as an alternate member of the Central Party Executive Committee.

Returning to his homeland, Le Mao and Nguyen Phong Sac convened an expanded conference of the Central Region Party Committee to discuss the Party's "Political Platform", conveying the conference's spirit and the Party's new policies. Comrades Le Mao and Nguyen Phong Sac became two key cadres of the Central Region Party Committee.

In April 1931, Le Mao and Nguyen Phong Sac continued to Saigon to attend the second Central Party Conference. They contributed many ideas to the new Resolution of the Party. At this conference, both comrades were elected as official members of the Central Party Executive Committee.

At the end of April 1931, the Central Region Party Committee convened a conference to reorganize the Party organization and discuss plans to organize a movement to fight to maintain the Soviet government. After the conference, comrade Nguyen Phong Sac was transferred to the Central Region, comrade Le Mao was assigned as Secretary of the Central Region Party Committee. Under the leadership of the Party Committee and comrade Le Mao, on the occasion of the International Labor Day celebration on May 1, 1931, the struggle movement of Nghe - Tinh workers and farmers in the Ben Thuy area flared up again strongly. On the way to work, comrade Le Mao heroically sacrificed himself in the area of ​​Ben Phe 6 - on the northern bank of the Lam River.

Sacrificing his life at the age of 28, full of revolutionary enthusiasm, comrade Le Mao - former member of the Party Central Committee, first Secretary of the Vinh City Party Committee in 1930, Secretary of the Central Region Party Committee in April 1931, left behind endless sorrow for his brothers, comrades and the masses in the heroic homeland of Ben Thuy. Although his revolutionary life was not long, it was very heroic and he made many great contributions to the workers' movement, the revolutionary movement in Nghe Tinh and the Central Region Party Committee.

The lessons that Comrade Le Mao left on organizing, mobilizing the masses, building the Party, the spirit of humanity, taking the people as the root to launch the revolutionary movement... through the vivid practice of the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement still have value for our Party as well as the Nghe An Party Committee in leading the country and homeland on the right revolutionary path that the Party and Uncle Ho have chosen. The example of revolutionary ethics, learning capacity and practical activities of Comrade Le Mao will always shine in the hearts of many cadres, party members and the masses - especially the young generation today and tomorrow.

References:

- History of Ben Thuy Ward Party Committee (1930-2015), Nghe An Publishing House, 2015;

- History of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee (1930-1954) Volume 1, Nghe An Publishing House, 2019;

- Nghe An typical children (1930-1975) volume 1, Nghe An Publishing House, 2019.