Red Village, Red Nghe-Tinh, Red City

For a long time, phrases like "Red Village," "Red Nghe An - Ha Tinh," and especially "Vinh - Red City" have been frequently used in speeches, rallies, book titles, and song titles. Occasionally, on Vinh City television, we also hear announcers say: Vinh - the heroic Red City...

Many people, especially young people, are interested in understanding the origins of these place names that have the word "Red" added to them. I decided to investigate.

The word "Red" originated during the Russian October Revolution of 1917, as seen in terms like "Red Square," "Red Army," and "Red Guards." In Vietnam, the word "Red" appeared during the Nghe-Tinh Soviet movement of 1930-1931, as seen in terms like "Red Peasant Associations" and "Red Guards" (in rural areas), and "Red Workers' Unions," "Red Student Associations," and "Red Relief" (in urban areas). The enemies of the revolution called it the "Red Wave." Macsty, Director of the Political Department of the French Governor-General of Indochina, wrote: "The Red Wave was caused by communist propaganda in 1930-1931 in some areas of Central Vietnam..." (History of Nghe-Tinh, Vol. 1, Nghe-Tinh Publishing House, 1984).

As the movement grew stronger, a new form of government, comprising workers, peasants, soldiers, and the poor, emerged in many villages and communes in the rural areas of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, known as the Soviet Government (quoted from Giac Ngo Newspaper, issue dated September 21, 1930, as stated in the book History of Nghe An and Ha Tinh).

In a letter to the International Peasant Union dated November 5, 1930, regarding the Nghe An - Thinh Hoa Soviet movement, leader Nguyen Ai Quoc affirmed: "Currently, in some Red villages, peasant Soviets have been established. One of those localities is Yen Dung Thuong village." (That is, Hung Dung ward, Vinh City today). Therefore, calling the Red village Hung Dung now a successor to the Red village Yen Dung Thuong in the Nghe An - Thinh Hoa Soviet movement from 1930-1931.

When the struggle reached its peak, the two provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh had 33 districts, 111 communes, and 1,234 villages rising up against imperialism and feudalism; meaning that the revolutionary red color had surged and spread throughout the homeland of Nghe An and Ha Tinh. In a report titled "Red Nghe An and Ha Tinh," sent to the Executive Committee of the Communist International on February 19, 1931, Nguyen Ai Quoc assessed: "During the period of French conquest and in the national revolutionary movement of 1905-1925, Nghe An and Ha Tinh were famous. In the current struggle, the workers and peasants of Nghe An and Ha Tinh still maintain their revolutionary traditions; Nghe An and Ha Tinh truly deserve the title 'Red'!"

So, the phrase "Red Nghe An - Thinh Hoa" was used by leader Nguyen Ai Quoc to refer to the Nghe An - Thinh Hoa Soviet movement (1930-1931). Regarding the phrase "Vinh - Red City," the city's history book only states: "Vinh - Ben Thuy had Red Peasant Associations, Red Student Associations, Red Relief Associations, Communist Youth Leagues, and Women's Liberation Organizations, all of which possessed Red qualities, so later Vinh was also called the Red City" (History of Vinh City, Volume 1, 1998). Thus, the title "Vinh - Red City" was given later (i.e., after 1930-1931), but who gave it, whether it was in writing or spoken, and at what specific time, the History of Vinh City book doesn't mention.

According to explanations from some veteran revolutionaries and conservationists at the Nghe An Provincial Museum, the title "Vinh - Red City" did not meet all the conditions for being given as a "Red Village" or "Red Nghe-Tinh". However, during the Nghe-Tinh Soviet movement (1930-1931), Vinh-Ben Thuy was a city with a strong movement among workers and the poor. "Ben Thuy was the first to rise up," the lyrics of a revolutionary propaganda song from that time reflect this.

On the other hand, Yen Dung Thuong village in Vinh - Ben Thuy, known as the "Red Village" back then, is still called Hung Dung Red Village today, belonging to Vinh City. The honor of Hung Dung is also the shared honor of the city. Therefore, later on, the titles "Red Village" and "Red City" were used whenever launching production or combat movements to motivate and encourage the people...

While some of the information I've gathered regarding the terms "Red Village," "Red Nghe An - Ha Tinh," and "Red Vinh City" may be incomplete, I would still like to present it to readers, hoping that everyone, especially provincial and city leaders from various periods, will discover, correct, and supplement it so that today's youth can better understand their homeland!

Vu An