Memories of celebrating Independence Day in an imperial prison

Flags at Cam Ranh Prison

As people across the country eagerly look forward to the 75th anniversary of National Day, September 2, soldiers returning from prison are nostalgically recalling memories of the past. These days, every night Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoan (born in 1933) often tells his children, relatives and friends about the memory of 63 years ago, when he was detained by the French army in Cam Ranh Prison (Khanh Hoa).

Mr. Hoan was born in Trieu Phong district, Quang Tri province, joined the army in 1950, fought against the French in the Tri Thien region, and after the Geneva Agreement (1954), he gathered in Nghe An. During the resistance war against the US, he returned to the South to fight, and retired in 1983 and lived in Truong Thi ward (Vinh city). "Throughout my life, I cannot forget the Independence Day celebration in 1953 at Cam Ranh prison. Thinking back now, it seems like it was just yesterday. I miss my comrades in prison so much, I miss the national flag on the prison wall..."

Mr. Tran Huu Hoan talks about the 1953 Independence Day celebration at Cam Ranh Prison. Photo: Cong Kien

In 1952, soldier Nguyen Huu Hoan was in the combat formation of Company 156, Battalion 310, Regiment 95 (Division 325) fighting in Thua Thien - Hue. During a fierce battle, due to the pressure of a series of large-caliber bullets, he became deaf and could not hear the commander's orders, so he got lost from his unit and fell into the enemy's hands. He was tortured and enticed but did not confess even a word, and was eventually taken by the enemy to Cam Ranh Prison for detention.

At the end of August 1953, about to celebrate the 8th National Day, the Party organization in prison decided to make a national flag to celebrate.Independence Day. Mr. Hoan was assigned to find red and yellow paper to make the national flag. At dawn, when the villagers returned from the sea, the soldier found a way to climb over the prison fence to the beach and asked the villagers to buy colored paper, put it in a plastic bag and buried it in an agreed location. A few days later, taking advantage of the enemy's weak guard, late at night, in pouring rain, Mr. Hoan went outside again, dug up the soil to get the pile of colored paper and brought it into the prison.

Delegation of the Association of Revolutionary Soldiers Imprisoned by the Enemy in Nghe An Province offered incense at Hang Duong Cemetery (Con Dao). Photo: NVCC

The yellow papers were secretly cut into five-pointed stars by revolutionary soldiers and pasted onto red papers to form the national flag. “When the first flags were completed, everyone was moved to tears. Some people hugged the flag to their chests, then kissed the yellow star, kissed the bright red paper…” - Mr. Hoan recalled. Waiting for the right National Day, more than a dozen national flags were pasted all over the walls of the prison cell. Mr. Hoan and his fellow prisoners stood solemnly, eyes looking up at the flags and raised their hands in salute.

Discovering the red flags with yellow stars pasted on the walls of the prison cells, the prison guards rushed in and pulled them down, beating and torturing the prisoners in the cells. They frantically questioned them to find the people who organized this work, but Mr. Hoan and his comrades and teammates all answered: "I didn't do it, and I don't know who did it." So that day, the communist prisoners continuously suffered extremely fierce beatings...

Special flag-raising ceremony at Phu Quoc Prison

The years of fighting against America,Phu Quoc Prisonconsidered a “hell on earth”, a place of exile for communist soldiers considered “stubborn” by the enemy. On this occasion, we were told by two former prisoners about celebrating Independence Day in the middle of the stormy sea, under the control of prison guards.

First is the story of the night of September 2, 1969 of Mr. Nguyen Nhat Thang (born in 1945) in Cua Nam ward (Vinh city). After 2 years of exile to Phu Quoc, in 1969, Mr. Thang was transferred to room 13, area B5, a cell of about 100 prisoners from the North. Until now, more than half a century has passed, but the former prisoner still remembers clearly the scene and the words of that year.

Reenactment of the torture of prisoners by the US and the puppet regime at Phu Quoc Prison. Photo archive

With tears in his eyes, Mr. Thang recounted emotionally: “That night, at the beginning of curfew, all the prisoners were present in the cramped cell, the lights were off. Around 9 p.m., someone raised his voice loud enough for those in the cell to hear: “Please stand up, comrades who cannot stand, put your arms around the person next to you to stand, lean on each other to stand. Please all comrades turn to face North.

Today is September 2nd, we are here to celebrate, comrades imagine in front of us a table, on the table there is a picture of Uncle Ho and the Party flag, the national flag. Have you finished imagining? We will hold a flag-raising ceremony to celebrate National Day. We will sing the National Anthem, but remember to sing softly. Begin! After that command, we held hands tightly and sang softly...

Mr. Nguyen Nhat Thang returned to celebrate Independence Day 1969 at Phu Quoc Prison. Photo: Cong Kien

After singing the National Anthem, the voice continued: “On September 2, 1945, Uncle Ho read the “Declaration of Independence”, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, from then on our country had its name on the world map. But the French colonialists returned to invade, our army and people took up arms again, ending with the world-famous Dien Bien Phu victory.

The US imperialists jumped in again to carry out their plot to divide the country. Under the leadership of the Party and Uncle Ho, we took up arms to fight to liberate the South and unify the country. Unfortunately, we fell into the enemy's hands and were imprisoned by the enemy. We had to maintain the integrity of communist soldiers and fight steadfastly to reach the final victory..."

“That night, almost no one in cell number 13 slept, everyone was sobbing. We told each other about our families, our hometowns, and our memories of Independence Day when we were children. Then we promised to find our hometowns when we could return...” - Mr. Thang recalled with emotion.

Mr. Duong Van Gia (born in 1949) in Cong Thanh commune (Yen Thanh) will never forget the 26th Independence Day celebration in this “hell on earth”. In 1971, the situation on the southern battlefield was favorable for the Liberation Army, so the enemy prisons were more lenient for prisoners of war.

In Phu Quoc Prison, the enemy divided the detention areas for Southern and Northern prisoners. Southern prisoners were entitled to visit relatives and were allowed to receive necessities. Northern prisoners were not and were often guarded more strictly.

Mr. Duong Van Gia talks about the 1953 Independence Day celebration at Phu Quoc Prison. Photo: Cong Kien

In mid-August, the Prison Party Committee decided to celebrate the 26th National Day and the 2nd anniversary of Uncle Ho's death. Mr. Duong Van Gia and the soldiers imprisoned in area C5 tried to contact the neighboring area B5, where Southern prisoners were held, to ask their relatives to buy candy and cigarettes to celebrate the holiday.

Mr. Gia said: “On the morning of September 2, we set up an altar for Uncle Ho. All 150 people in the cell stood up and faced north to remember their homeland and commemorate President Ho Chi Minh. Then we smoked, ate candy and told each other about our childhood memories of Independence Day. Partly because the enemy loosened their grip, and partly because we did a good job of enemy propaganda, we were not terrorized or beaten that day.”

The stories of former prisoners of war demonstrated the spirit and bravery of communists. Despite being exiled in colonial and imperialist prisons, communist soldiers still turned their hearts to theNational Day,towards the homeland, the country and the struggle for national liberation. Forever steadfast and indomitable examples for today's generation...