Ha Huy Tap - A staunch and indomitable communist

(Baonghean.vn) -General Secretary Ha Huy Tap belonged to the first generation of communists, the core of the Party. Although his revolutionary activities were not long, Ha Huy Tap lived a vibrant and glorious revolutionary life; devoted his whole life to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation; leaving the Party valuable lessons in both theory and practice of revolutionary activities.

I- Brief biography

General Secretary Ha Huy Tap (1906-2016)

Comrade Ha Huy Tap was born on April 24, 1906, in a patriotic Confucian family in Kim Nac village, Tho Ngoa commune, now Cam Hung commune, Cam Xuyen district, Ha Tinh province. His father, Ha Huy Tuong, passed the imperial examinations but did not become an official. Instead, he stayed in his hometown to teach and prescribe medicine to help people.

His mother was Mrs. Nguyen Thi Loc, a simple farmer who loved her husband and worked hard to raise her children. Her whole life was devoted to the countryside. Mr. Ha Huy Tuong and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Loc had 5 children, Ha Huy Tap was the third child in the family.

At first, Ha Huy Tap was taught Chinese at home by his father, then went to school and passed the primary school graduation exam in Tho Ngoa commune, but due to difficult family circumstances, he was not able to continue studying. From September 1917, thanks to someone's help, Ha Huy Tap was able to go to Ha Tinh province to study at the French-Vietnamese Primary School. In 1919, Ha Huy Tap was the top scorer in the excellent student selection exam organized by the school, was awarded a scholarship, and then entered the Hue National School.

In 1923, he graduated from Hue National School with honors, but because he did not have the opportunity to continue his studies, he became a teacher at the French-Vietnamese Primary School in Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa). During this time, Ha Huy Tap came into contact with and read many documents, learning more about the crimes of French colonialism and the poor lives of the working people in Vietnam and Indochina.

In August 1926, comrade Ha Huy Tap transferred to teach at Cao Xuan Duc School in Vinh, Nghe An; actively participated in the Phuc Viet Association (later renamed the Hung Nam Association), actively propagating anti-authoritarianism and anti-French colonialism ideology among students and the working class. In March 1927, he taught at a primary school in Gia Dinh, then went to Ba Ria to work as a worker, established a party cell, a reading association and organized literacy classes for workers.

At first, Ha Huy Tap was taught Chinese at home by his father, then went to school and passed the primary school graduation exam in Tho Ngoa commune, but due to difficult family circumstances, he was not able to continue studying. From September 1917, thanks to someone's help, Ha Huy Tap was able to go to Ha Tinh province to study at the French-Vietnamese Primary School. In 1919, Ha Huy Tap was the top scorer in the excellent student selection exam organized by the school, was awarded a scholarship, and then entered the Hue National School.

In 1923, he graduated from Hue National School with honors, but because he did not have the opportunity to continue his studies, he returned to work as a teacher at the French-Vietnamese Primary School in Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa). During this time, comrade Ha Huy Tap came into contact with and read many documents, learning more about the crimes of French colonialism and the poor lives of working people in Vietnam and Indochina. Comrade Ha Huy Tap was born on April 24, 1906, in a patriotic Confucian family in Kim Nac village, Tho Ngoa commune, now Cam Hung commune, Cam Xuyen district, Ha Tinh province.

His father was Mr. Ha Huy Tuong, who passed the imperial examinations but did not become an official but stayed in the countryside to teach and prescribe medicine to help people. His mother was Mrs. Nguyen Thi Loc, a simple farmer who loved her husband, worked hard to raise her children, and devoted her whole life to the countryside. Mr. Ha Huy Tuong and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Loc had 5 children, Ha Huy Tap was the third child in the family.

Teacher Ha Huy Tap and his students in Khanh Hoa (Photo: Archive)

From July 1936 to March 1938, comrade Ha Huy Tap's revolutionary activities as General Secretary of the Party, from the 3rd Conference (1st term) of the Party Central Committee in March 1938, he resigned from the position of General Secretary, but still participated in the Central Standing Committee. At the end of December 1928, Ha Huy Tap and a number of other comrades were sent to Guangzhou (China) to discuss the unification of the Tan Viet Revolutionary Party with the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association.

From July 1929 to April 1932, he was sent to study at the Oriental University in Moscow (former Soviet Union). Around June 1933, comrade Ha Huy Tap returned to China to participate in revolutionary activities, participating in the Overseas Command Committee of the Indochinese Communist Party; deploying the work of preparing and organizing the First Congress of the Party.

On May 1, 1938, while on a business trip, General Secretary Ha Huy Tap was captured by the enemy and later imprisoned in Saigon and Nghe An. On August 28, 1941, the French colonialists executed comrade Ha Huy Tap. He died heroically at the age of 35, leaving behind an example of loyalty, indomitability, and lifelong dedication to the revolutionary cause of our Party and nation.

Peace