Comrade Nguyen Trong Cu made great contributions to the Soviet movement in Thanh Chuong.

Comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was born in 1906, in a poor, patriotic family in Ngoc Son village, Xuan Lam commune (now Ngoc Son commune), Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province. His father was Mr. Nguyen Van Oi (also known as Mr. Do Kia) who was a teacher, his mother was Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoe, a loyal, capable woman who worked hard all year round in the fields.

Ngoc Son is a commune on the left bank of Lam River, Thanh Chuong District. Throughout the history of the nation's struggle to build and defend the country, this is a land with a tradition of patriotism and mandarin education with many famous generals and mandarins such as: the father and son of the General Staff of the Military Nguyen Canh Chan, the Royal Protector of Thuy Quoc Cong Nguyen Canh Di; Phuc Khanh District Cong Nguyen Canh Huy; the father and son of Doctor Nguyen Phung Thoi, Nguyen Ba Quynh...

When the Can Vuong movement to save the country broke out at the end of the 19th century, along with the patriotic soldiers who recruited soldiers to revolt in Thanh Chuong, Ngoc Son land had many outstanding sons who actively participated. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Dong Du movement initiated by Phan Boi Chau attracted a large number of patriotic youth from Nghe Tinh to go abroad.

Among the 15 Thanh Chuong children who went to Siam (Thailand) in 1913, there were a number of patriotic youths from Ngoc Son commune who participated. Since 1925, the Phuc Viet Association and the Youth Association were born and quickly developed in many localities. In Thanh Chuong, these two organizations attracted many members from the ranks of teachers and students of the French-Vietnamese Primary School to patriotic youth from the villages of Vo Liet, Quang Xa, Ngoc Son, Xuan Duong, Xuan Tuong, Tu Vien, Cat Ngan...

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Born in a land with a tradition of patriotism and a spirit of indomitable struggle, growing up in a situation of national loss and home destruction, having to witness daily the brutal oppression and exploitation of colonialists and feudalists, the desire to fight to bring a prosperous life to the people burned even more in the soul of the patriotic young man Nguyen Trong Cu.

In early 1928, two brothers (uncle's son and uncle's son) Nguyen Trong Cu and Nguyen Trong Kia, along with a number of others, were mobilized and enlightened by Mr. Tran Quoc Phang (a member of the Tan Viet Party operating in Ngoc Son village) to participate in patriotic activities...

After the Communist Party of Vietnam was founded, party cells and mass organizations in Thanh Chuong were also established to lead the people in the struggle. In March 1930, comrade Nguyen Dang Phuc, who was active in the Xuan Tuong Party Cell, returned to Ngoc Son village to propagate and enlighten the revolution to outstanding masses such as Pham Ba Bat and Le Dinh Xung and soon admitted comrades into the cell.

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On the afternoon of April 4, 1930, under the direction of comrade Le Dinh Xung, the two brothers Nguyen Trong Cu and Nguyen Trong Kia received the task of spreading leaflets in two villages (Van Lam and Ngoc Son). That night, the two comrades continued to secretly plant flags on the roof of Ngoc Son village communal house. The next morning, leaflets were spread all over the streets of the two villages, the hammer and sickle flags fluttered, making the people happy but the colonialists and feudalists extremely confused and worried.

Implementing the plan to celebrate International Labor Day from the superiors, Thanh Chuong District Party Committee directed all people to hang red hammer and sickle flags and distribute leaflets throughout the district. Where conditions permit, they organize rallies, give speeches, and make demands. From early morning on May 1, 1930, throughout the communes in the district, people gathered at the village communal house to listen to speeches, including 100 students of the French-Vietnamese Primary School who gathered at Ngu Phuc restaurant (Vo Liet) to hold a rally to celebrate International Labor Day,...

Nguyen Trong Cu also actively participated in the struggle movement of the masses. Faced with the fighting spirit of the masses, on May 3, 1930, the French colonial government brutally suppressed the movement. They sent soldiers to the school to arrest 5 students, including comrades Dinh Xuan Giai and Nguyen Dinh Tung, and took them to Vinh Prison for detention and interrogation. However, the fighting spirit of comrade Nguyen Trong Cu and the masses did not diminish.

During this time, at the General Secretary's house, the first Party cell in Nguyet Bong was established, called Tuong Lam Party Cell, consisting of 9 comrades. The Party cell operated together with the Xuan Tuong village Party Cell. At Mr. Dinh Hoe's house, the Communist Party of Vietnam cell in Ngoc Son village was established, consisting of 9 comrades, including: Nguyen Dang Phuc, Le Dinh Xung, Nguyen Trong Cu, Nguyen Dang Huynh, Pham Ba Bat, Vo Luyen, Nguyen Kia, Nguyen Quang Luoc, Vo Tieu Dinh, with comrade Le Dinh Xung as Secretary.

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Honored to join the Party, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu worked enthusiastically day and night and completed many tasks assigned by the Party Cell.

On the night of May 11th to 12th, 1930, when the roosters had not yet crowed, the moon was still high overhead, shining brightly everywhere, comrades Nguyen Trong Cu, Le Chuyen, Cao Khoi led buffaloes and cows, and carried plows to the field with the people. Groups of people excitedly crossed the Lam River and spread out to Bai Oi to plow. The bustling, joyful atmosphere was unprecedented.

Under the leadership of comrades Nguyen Trong Cu, Le Chuyen and Cao Khoi, the masses plowed more than 5 hectares of alluvial fields (which had been seized by the tyrants for generations and now returned to the hands of the farmers). Thanks to this, the people were given more strength in their struggle and labor production. With the enthusiasm of youth, promoting the patriotic tradition of his homeland, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu continued to enthusiastically take the lead in the struggles to demand that the village chiefs abolish the custom of "respectful gifts".

The beginning of the peasant struggle movement in the whole province in June 1930 was the demonstration on June 1, 1930, in Thanh Chuong, with about 3,000 people, including more than 100 women and more than 100 students participating. Joining the struggle, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu and more than 100 people from two villages (Phong Nam and Nguyet Bong), Ngoc Son village marched to the District Office and then gathered at Ro market. District chief Phan Thanh Ky had to personally walk out to meet the representatives of the masses to receive the people's petition and promised to submit to superiors to implement a number of petitions such as:

- Postpone tax collection until October;

- Abolish the yield tax and the dew tax;

- Compensation for those shot dead in Hanh Lam, Ben Thuy and Thai Binh;

- Release all political prisoners and those arrested, do not send Annamese soldiers abroad and foreign soldiers to Annam; release 5 students arrested at the French-Vietnamese Thanh Chuong Primary School; transfer Director of Education Phan Trong Dinh to another place...

For the first time, the people of the communes in the district directly fought with the District Chief and won. Comrade Nguyen Trong Cu and the demonstrators returned in joy of victory. After this struggle, Ngoc Son Party Cell met to discuss plans and assign tasks to each comrade in charge of organizations such as the Red Farmers' Association, Women's Union, Self-Defense Force, and Youth Union. Comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was assigned to go to Van Lam, Phuc Xa, Yen Lac Thuong, and Yen Lac Ha villages to build party bases and mass organizations.

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On June 2, 1930, the Ngoc Son village Party Cell organized a rally at Phuc Xa communal house with a large number of people participating. Comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was tasked with giving a speech, propagating patriotism and denouncing the crimes of colonialists and feudalists, calling on and mobilizing people to follow the revolution, participating in mass organizations to both fight the enemy and help each other in life, etc. Everyone gathered to listen to the speech and then left in an excited mood with faith in the Party's leadership. From here, Comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was increasingly loved and trusted by the people. When he was sick, the people took turns taking care of him wholeheartedly.

As if empowered by the victories of the struggles and the sentiments of the masses, Nguyen Trong Cu went day and night to villages such as Phuc Xa, Yen Lac, My Ngoc, Ngoc Mong to propagate and mobilize the masses, introducing many outstanding comrades to join the party cells. At the end of 1930, Thanh Chuong District Party Committee decided to cut the Ngoc Son Party Cell and above to merge with Dai Dong General Committee, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was transferred to join the Executive Committee. At the beginning of 1931, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was elected to hold the position of Secretary of Dai Dong General Committee.

At that time, the struggle movement in the district in general, and the Dai Dong General Committee in particular, encountered many difficulties. The French colonialists sent soldiers to the villages to station everywhere and established gangs and coolie groups. On the other hand, they also established "Communist Councils" and "Clan Councils" to prohibit and entice descendants in the clan, on that basis, they organized many tricks to demagogue the people such as carrying yellow flags and issuing surrender cards. A system of henchmen was established to search and arrest those they suspected of being communists day and night.

However, Nguyen Trong Cu and his comrades in the General Committee still mobilized the masses day and night to gather for demonstrations, to destroy reactionaries and evil henchmen such as: Concentrating on the entire population to punish Deputy General Giang (March 3, 1931), holding a memorial service for 20 coolie brothers killed at Cau Gang (March 24, 1931), going to destroy Phuc Xa station (April 14, 1931); going to relieve the siege of Di Luan and Hien Lang villages (April 19, 1930); concentrating on tearing down yellow flags and surrender cards (May 25, 1931)...

The communication between the Party cells and the commune, between the commune and the district was still connected until August 1931. Comrade Nguyen Trong Cu and his comrades in the General Committee also divided themselves to go to villages such as Ngoc Son, Dinh Chu, Du Phuc, Di Luan, Phuong Tri to contact the Party base. Receiving the task of returning to Ngoc Son village to operate, facing the fierce pursuit of the secret police, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was protected, sheltered, and hidden by the people.

The situation became increasingly difficult, facing the enemy's pursuit and search, the mass organizations in the villages were gradually broken. The General Committee of Dai Dong also gradually fell into the enemy's hands, leaving only comrade Nguyen Trong Cu and two other comrades. The communication line between the General Committee and the District Committee was also gradually cut off.

To avoid being hunted by secret agents, Nguyen Trong Cu and his comrades retreated to the bushes at night and returned to the village in the morning to operate. The comrades discussed disguising themselves as carpenters to reconnect with the District Party Committee. Tools such as saws, axes, and chisels were prepared and the departure date was set. However, in the face of the enemy's siege, Nguyen Trong Cu and his comrades were captured by the enemy one morning in October 1931.

They took him to the Phuc Xa prison. Here, Nguyen Trong Cu and many other comrades were brutally tortured to get their confessions, but the enemy's whips did not shake the comrades. Unable to shake the communists' spirit, they took Nguyen Trong Cu back to the district prison. Finally, after a month of interrogation but without achieving their goal, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was sentenced to three years of hard labor for "acting as the General Committee" and sent to Vinh Prison.

As soon as they arrived at Vinh Prison, Nguyen Trong Cu and his fellow prisoners from Thanh Chuong were beaten by the third team leader. After the beating, they took him and several other comrades to a sixth cell and monitored their every move day and night.

At Vinh Prison, the comrades had to endure extremely harsh prison regimes. Each prisoner was given 0.5 kg of rice each day, divided into 3 meals: porridge for breakfast, rice for lunch and rice for dinner. However, the prisoners' diet was already very meager, and now, with the contractors and wardens cutting down on their food, they used moldy, rotten rice, rice full of grit and rice husks, and rice used to feed livestock and poultry to cook for the prisoners. The fixed food rations were: rotten rice and fish sauce, no vegetable soup, no meat. Drinking water was not enough, and water for bathing and washing was even more limited. There was no medicine to treat illnesses. This was one of the reasons why most prisoners suffered from dysentery and died so quickly at Vinh Prison.…Those plots and tricks were all aimed at destroying the Nghe Tinh Soviet revolutionary soldiers both physically and mentally.

However, the colonialists still could not subdue the will of the political prisoners in Vinh Prison. On the contrary, it became the driving force for Nguyen Trong Cu and generations of political prisoners in Vinh Prison to stand up and fight, turning the prison into a revolutionary school, a place to train the will and mettle of communists.

At the end of 1931, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was sent to Da Nang Prison. From here, Nguyen Trong Cu's journey of training in prison turned to a new page.

Da Nang Prison was built close to the sea gate, with 2 rows of houses divided into 4 rooms, each room has 2 rows of iron shackles on both sides, containing about 50 - 60 people, the cell area consists of 3 main rooms in the middle, 4 sides are built 5m high, from the outside you have to go through 4 iron doors. The prison regime here is no different from Vinh Prison: not enough food, all stale rice, full of stones, food for all four seasons is morning glory dipped in salt, drinking water is only guava leaves, bathing once a week, even if prisoners come home from work with dirty hands and feet, they still have to endure. Prisoners are brutally beaten every day, life is extremely harsh.

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Faced with that situation, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu and his fellow political prisoners met and raised the slogan: “Unite to fight, fight to survive”. They made plans and methods to prepare for the great struggle, and at the same time outlined 7 demands:
- Abolish shackles, working days and holidays are not shackled as before;
- Rice must be served hot, weighed correctly in front of everyone and must be hygienic;
- Two days a week, Sunday and Thursday, must eat meat and fish twice;
- Daily drinking water must be clean;
- Must be free to bathe and have soap every day;
- When sick, one must be treated promptly and allowed to rest;
- Letters must be sent home, any postal items sent home cannot be kept.

After gaining sympathy from the masses inside and outside the city, and at the same time grasping some key figures among the economic prisoners, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu and the political prisoners decided to fight on May 1, 1932.

That midnight, the economic prisoners were arranged to get up and break the light bulbs. After the power went out, Nguyen Trong Cu and 50 political prisoners stood up and clapped their hands and cheered loudly, shaking the whole city. The enemy was extremely confused and panicked, they were forced to alert the red-clad and blue-clad soldiers to surround the political prisoners' cells from midnight until morning.

After the struggle, the French colonialists arrested a number of comrades and imprisoned them in solitary confinement. Here, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu and his fellow political prisoners continued their struggle by going on a hunger strike. After 8 days of steadfast hunger strike, the struggle was victorious, the Resident was forced to accept the 7 demands previously made by the comrades, the prison regime was improved,...

In 1934, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu left Da Nang Prison for Vinh Prison and was sentenced by the Southern Court to 13 more years of hard labor, with all of his assets in his hometown confiscated for leading the murder of Deputy General Giang.

From the end of June 1934 to mid-1935, they sent comrade Nguyen Trong Cu to Duc Thinh Prison in Yen Thanh District and then Kim Nham Prison in Anh Son District to produce lime and bricks to supply for the construction of forts and posts in the province. In prison, he continued to unite with his comrades to fight to improve the diet, celebrate holidays, enlighten the guards, etc. With those activities, Nguyen Trong Cu was imprisoned in a solitary cell and his sentence was increased to 3 years.

In 1941, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was sent back to Vinh Prison, then continued to Cau Giat station to break rocks, build roads, etc. Here, he both did hard labor and actively propagated and enlightened his fellow soldiers, etc.

After 13 years in prison, in 1944, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was released from prison but was under house arrest for 3 years.

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Returning to his homeland, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu continued to engage in revolutionary activities. In October 1944, the Viet Minh Ngoc Son Executive Committee was established, including comrades: Nguyen Huynh, Pham Dao, Nguyen Trong Cu, Nguyen Tinh, Le Quynh, Nguyen Huyen, and Le Thu. From here, the struggle movement of the Ngoc Son masses took a new step forward under the leadership of the Viet Minh Executive Committee,...

In May 1945, the inter-provincial Viet Minh Front was established. In early June 1945, the Viet Minh Thanh Chuong Executive Committee was formed, with comrade Nguyen Nhu Cau as Chairman. Viet Minh organizations at the grassroots level were established one after another to prepare for the uprising to seize power.

On August 13, 1945, the Japanese government announced its surrender to the Allies. On August 16, 1945, the Viet Minh convened a Congress and decided to establish Uprising Committees at all levels to discuss plans to lead the people to rise up and seize power. The Viet Minh district decided to organize a general demonstration in the entire district on August 18, 1945 to demonstrate its strength and prepare for the uprising to seize power. Preparations for the demonstration took place urgently.

As planned, on the morning of August 18, 1945, the people of Thanh Chuong district from all communes poured into Ro market. Joining in the exciting fighting atmosphere, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu and the district's Self-Defense Force stormed the District Office and occupied key locations as planned.

Faced with the revolutionary spirit of the masses, the governing apparatus from district to commune was paralyzed. District Chief Nguyen Chuong bowed his head and accepted the conditions of the Viet Minh. Japanese security posts were surrounded by militia and surrendered. Evil mandarins and chiefs were arrested. The struggle was victorious. The uprising committee decided to revolt and seize power on August 23.

Faced with the power of the masses, District Chief Nguyen Chuong had to hand over his seal and books to the Viet Minh and surrender to the revolution. Comrade Nguyen Con, on behalf of the Viet Minh, declared the abolition of the Japanese puppet government apparatus, established the district's Provisional Revolutionary Committee, and successfully ended the struggle for power in Thanh Chuong district.

After the victory at the District Office, under the leadership of the Viet Minh, the people continued to hold rallies and demonstrations, demanding that the village chief return to the village temple to hand over his seal and books to the new government and announce the list of the Provisional Revolutionary Committee. The Provisional Revolutionary Committee of Thanh Lam commune was established with comrade Nguyen Trong Cu as Chairman.

At the end of 1953, according to the policy of the superiors, the upper areas of Mai Lam commune were divided into 3 communes (Thanh Lam, Thanh Nam, Xuan Tuong).

In early 1954, Thanh Lam Party Cell held a Congress, elected a new Executive Committee, consisting of 9 comrades, in which comrade Nguyen Trong Cu held the position of Standing Committee of the Party Cell, Chairman of the Resistance - Administrative Committee.

After the earth-shaking Dien Bien Phu victory, together with the people of the whole country, the people of Thanh Lam, under the leadership of comrade Nguyen Trong Cu and the Party Cell Executive Committee, overcame difficulties and continued to excellently complete the task of building and protecting the homeland in the following stages.

From July 1954 to 1958, he participated in overcoming the consequences of war and land reform in Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh.

In 1959-1960, he was Party Secretary and Chairman of Thanh Lam Cooperative.

In 1961-1962, he worked as Party Cell Secretary, Deputy Head of Lam Son Cooperative, Head of Construction Board of 4 electric pumping stations in Thanh Chuong district.

In 1964, he was Party Cell Secretary and Chairman of Lam Hoa Agricultural Cooperative.

From 1967 to 1970, he was Head of the Front Committee, Captain of the Tree Planting Team of Lam Son Cooperative...

For his contributions to the revolutionary cause, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu was awarded the First Class Resistance Medal (1985), the Third Class Independence Medal (1987) and many other noble awards by the Party and State.

Throughout his revolutionary career, comrade Nguyen Trong Cu always maintained the will and mettle of a communist soldier. He actively participated in and contributed to the victories in the struggles in his hometown Thanh Chuong in the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement of 1930-1931 and the uprising to seize power in 1945.

Despite many years of imprisonment and brutal torture in prisons from district to provincial levels, he still maintained the spirit of a communist, remained calm, optimistic, and believed in the glorious victory of the revolution, actively mobilizing fellow political prisoners to participate in the struggle movement in imperialist prisons. His contributions to the Party's revolutionary cause were recorded in the history of his homeland and became a shining example for today's young generation to learn and follow.

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References:

- Thanh Chuong District Party Committee,History of Thanh Chuong District Party Committee (1930-1975), National Political Publishing House, 2005

- Party Committee of Ngoc Son commune,History of Ngoc S Commune Party Committeethanks (1969 - 2015), Labor Publishing House, 2020.

- Revolutionary memoirs of comrade Nguyen Trong Cu are kept at the Nghe Tinh Soviet Museum.

- Story of comrade Nguyen Trong Cu's family members.