Comrade Vi Van Lam - an outstanding party member of the people of Mon Son (Con Cuong) in the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement

Mon Son - Luc Da is a land with a long-standing tradition of patriotism and a cultural tradition imbued with national identity. From the examples of soldiers participating in the anti-French uprising such as Cai Lang, Lang Van Ut, Quan The... along with many fairy tales, legends, folk songs about solidarity, love of labor, heroic deeds... like a source of cool milk to nourish the souls of many patriotic children of the homeland, including comrade Vi Van Lam.

When the French colonialists invaded our country, with their brutal oppression and exploitation, they pushed people from the lowlands to the highlands, from the cities to the countryside into a life of poverty with no way out. In Mon Son - Luc Da, since 1899, 16 families had to pay poll tax and many other unreasonable taxes to the French colonialists. By 1930, the amount of taxes that the villagers had to pay had increased many times over. The scene of French soldiers and their gangs and henchmen entering Mon Son villages to deceive the people and bully women happened regularly... was deeply engraved in the mind of comrade Vi Van Lam, kindling in him the flame of patriotism, waiting for the opportunity when he was enlightened to flare up strongly.

In early 1931, to maintain the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement which was being bloodily suppressed by the French colonialists, the Central Region Party Committee and the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee decided to develop forces and move the revolutionary movement to the mountainous districts of the West. Comrade Le Xuan Dao (in charge of the Finance Department of the Regional Party Committee) and comrades Le Manh Duyet and Nguyen Huu Binh were special envoys of the Provincial Party Committee from Vinh to Dong Khua, Bau village, Mon Son to build bases and develop the local revolutionary style. Many patriots here were enlightened about the revolution, including comrade Vi Van Lam. He became one of the active masses, the nucleus of the movement with vibrant activities such as communication, leaflet distribution, propaganda of the Party's guidelines and policies and enlightening many other masses.

In April 1931, the Mon Son Commune Party Cell was established with 6 party members: Vi Van Khang, Le Manh Duyet, Vi Van Quy, Vi Van Hanh, Vi Van Lam, Tran Ngan. Comrade Vi Van Khang was elected as Party Cell Secretary. Being a member of the Party, Comrade Vi Van Lam worked hard day and night, contributing to the victories of the revolutionary movement in the land of Mon Son, rich in patriotic traditions.

After a short time, the Mon Son Party Cell, although having only 6 members, was able to establish Red Peasant Associations, Red Self-Defense Forces, Women's Unions, etc. in Mon village, Bau village, Dong Khua village, Cua Rao village, Ke Tai village, Yen village, and Luc Da village. With the active contributions of comrade Vi Van Lam, the Mon Son Party Cell directly directed the establishment of 3 Red Self-Defense Forces consisting of 20 members to protect the Party base and the fighting masses. The Peasant Associations carried out practical activities, mobilizing people to donate food to support the Phuc Son (Anh Son) people who were taking refuge from the oppression of the French colonialists.

During his activities, Comrade Vi Van Lam used his house as a base for communication, meetings, hiding Party cadres and hiding leaflets and documents. He also enlightened his wife, Mrs. Pham Thi Chau, to participate in revolutionary activities. Every time comrades Le Xuan Dao, Nguyen Huu Binh, Le Manh Duyet and the Mon Son Party Cell came to Comrade Vi Van Lam's house to hold a meeting to deploy the plan to protest and borrow rice from the rich to help the people starve, Mrs. Pham Thi Chau welcomed and served them attentively, while guarding, protecting, ensuring safety and secrecy.

Under the direction of comrade Le Xuan Dao, the Mon Son Party Cell organized the printing of leaflets and documents at Khe Bam stone. With a quiet, discreet nature, and careful in everything they did, comrades Vi Van Lam, Vi Van Quy, and Vi Van Hanh were assigned this important task by the Party Cell. Comrade Vi Van Lam was skillful and educated, so when he was instructed, he quickly learned the stone printing technique, working both quickly and beautifully. Each time, the comrades printed hundreds of leaflets to call on the people to unite in the struggle, to protest against high taxes, heavy duties, and miscellaneous labor... After the leaflets were printed, before they could be distributed in the villages, comrade Vi Van Lam secretly brought them home and gave them to his wife to hide in a basket to avoid being hunted down and searched by the enemy.

The colonial and feudal government did not expect that comrade Vi Van Lam, in the guise of a student, had many times carried barber tools on top, leaflets and documents underneath, and traveled to remote villages in Mon Son and Luc Da to sow the seeds of revolution. Although he was searched many times, he was quick-witted and clever enough to outwit the secret police and henchmen.

Under the direct leadership of the Central Region Party Committee cadres, on August 9, 1931, the Mon Son Party Cell organized a march and demonstration around the commune with the participation of about 300 people. To prepare for this demonstration, comrades Vi Van Lam and Vi Van Quy secretly climbed the Con Chua banyan tree, hung the red hammer and sickle flag, posted slogans and hung flags in Luc Da, Cua Rao, and Ben Cho. Amidst the continuous sound of drums, the demonstration group set off from Bai Canh village to Nam Bo village, up to Cua Rao, Ca temple, to the Con Chua banyan tree, through Hua Na village, and arrived at the house of the evil Ba Uon delegation leader. Facing the enthusiastic atmosphere of the masses, Ba Uon people were frightened and ran to the district to report. His family members gave 500 kg of rice and money to the revolution. The Red Farmers' Association distributed rice and money to poor families. The struggle won initial victory, and the masses believed in the Party's leadership. Comrade Vi Van Lam played a part in the success of this struggle. He was the one who guided the masses to properly implement the contents set forth by the Party cell. The demonstration took place enthusiastically but was organized and disciplined, and the results were achieved according to plan.

Before the struggle movement of the people of Mon Son (Con Cuong), the French colonialists carried out repression in order to suppress the movement. The district chief sent soldiers to the house of comrade Vi Van Lam and took him to the house of comrade Vi Van Khang. Here, when he saw comrade Vi Van Khang being hung from the house, comrade Vi Van Lam was extremely worried about his comrade but still kept a calm face, calmly answering their question: Is this Ich the ringleader of the communists here? If he doesn't tell, I'll shoot him. He replied firmly: I don't know anything, it's up to you, you kill Mr. Khang, shoot me, someone will take a machete and chop off your heads. The bandits were afraid and released comrade Vi Van Khang, arrested both comrades and took them to the district, detained them for a while, and without being able to get anything out of them, they had to release comrade Vi Van Lam and return.

With the steadfast revolutionary spirit of an exemplary party member, comrade Vi Van Lam continued his revolutionary activities in his hometown and held various positions from 1945-1960 such as: Working in the traffic in the Mon Son Commune Uprising Committee, Member of the Farmers' Executive Committee, Chairman of the Mon Son Commune Administrative Committee, Secretary of the Con Cuong District Party Committee. He was also honored to be sent to visit and study in the Soviet Union. In 1965, he retired in his hometown with his virtuous wife who had worked with him to contribute to the development of the Party Cell and the revolutionary movement in Mon Son.

From a talented and skillful young man of Mon Son land, rich in cultural and revolutionary traditions, comrade Vi Van Lam became one of the first party members of this land. With great contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party, comrade Vi Van Lam and his family deserve to be typical examples of the spirit, enthusiasm, and patriotism of the ethnic people of Western Nghe Tinh in the revolutionary movement of 1930-1931.