The Southern Uprising - the indomitable spirit of the nation.

(Baonghean.vn) - The Southern Uprising of November 23, 1940, was one of the most heroic and tragic epics in the history of the revolutionary struggle of the people of Southern Vietnam. Along with the Bac Son Uprising, the people of Southern Vietnam simultaneously rose up against the French colonial rule and its collaborators, dismantling their administrative apparatus in some rural areas and towns.

A monument commemorating the resistance spirit of the people of Southern Vietnam at the Nga Ba Giong Historical Site (Hoc Mon).

In September 1939, World War II broke out. The oppression and exploitation of our people by the French colonialists reached its peak, coupled with their scheme of surrender and compromise with the Japanese fascists, posing a matter of survival for the peoples of Indochina. The conflict between our nation and the French colonialists intensified.

Drawing on their fervent patriotism and unwillingness to endure a life of slavery, under the leadership of the Party, the people of Southern Vietnam rose up in unison to fight. By mid-November 1940, faced with the surging revolutionary movement and the rising anti-war sentiment among Vietnamese soldiers, the Southern Vietnam Regional Party Committee decided to launch a nationwide uprising to overthrow the colonial government and seize power for the people.

The early days of the resistance in Ben Tre.

In some areas, we seized control, inflicting losses on the enemy and severely undermining their oppressive power. For the first time in history, the red flag with a yellow star flew atop the colonial government buildings that our army had captured, becoming a symbol of unwavering faith in victory and national pride.

Although it lasted only a short time, the Southern Uprising was the most widespread and fierce armed uprising since the French colonial invasion of our country. The French colonialists brutally suppressed the uprising.

Many compatriots, Party members, cadres, and soldiers were captured, tortured, imprisoned, and brutally murdered by the enemy, resulting in immense losses. Leading comrades and outstanding sons and daughters of the nation and the Party, such as Nguyen Van Cu, Ha Huy Tap, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Vo Van Tan, Nguyen Huu Tien, Phan Dang Luu... bravely sacrificed their lives in the face of enemy gunfire.

Compared to the Nghệ Tĩnh Soviet Uprising (1930-1931) and the two uprisings that took place in 1940 (the Ba Tơ uprising: March 11th and the Bắc Sơn uprising: September 27th), the Southern Uprising was on a much larger scale. It was the largest and most powerful demonstration of the people of Southern Vietnam and the entire country since the French colonial invasion (1858) until then.

The roof of Long Hung communal house, where the My Tho provincial office was located during the Southern Uprising.

Although the Southern Uprising failed, it resonated strongly, not only domestically but also inspiring revolutionary fighters in France. Following the Southern Uprising, the French Communist Party sent a letter to the Indochinese Communist Party, which included the following passage: “We bow our heads before the spirits of the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives in November under the machine guns of Decoux, Beaudouin, Pétain… We respectfully bow before these heroes, and especially before our heroic brothers and sisters who were members of the Indochinese Communist Party.”

These are soldiers who participated in the Southern Uprising.

On April 14, 1948, President Ho Chi Minh signed Decree No. 163/SL awarding the First Class Military Merit Order to the Southern Uprising Army, honoring the great significance of the uprising to the history of the Vietnamese revolution. The spirit of self-sacrifice for the nation shown by the Southern Uprising soldiers contributed to fostering courage and unwavering determination in our Party and the entire nation, leading to victory in the August Revolution of 1945, and in the resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism.

The memorial stele commemorating the Southern Uprising was erected by the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet in the grounds of Binh Phung communal house (Vinh Long).

Along with the Bac Son Uprising, the Southern Uprising was a powerful trumpet call to liberation, heralding the great victory of the August 1945 Revolution.

The Southern Uprising set a shining example of the indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese people. Through this trial by fire, the masses became even more closely bound to the Party, their revolutionary spirit was further tempered, and their understanding was strengthened: The only path to survival for the nation is to use revolutionary violence to crush the counter-revolutionary violence of the imperialists and feudalists, and regain independence and freedom.

Peace

(Synthetic)