Nghe An mobilized human and material resources to support the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.

After the Politburo decided to launch the Dien Bien Phu Campaign (December 6, 1953), Thanh - Nghe - Tinh was assigned the task of providing maximum human and material support for this strategic battle.

The Party Committee, the government and all the people of Nghe An enthusiastically competed to excellently complete the task. The province established the Provincial Front Supply Council to mobilize all potentials to serve the campaign.

Workers used bicycles to serve the Dien Bien Phu campaign. Photo archive

On the occasion of the 1954 Giap Ngo New Year, Nghe An mobilized 32,000 laborers, including 2,000 bicycle porters, along with thousands of new soldiers, youth volunteers, and military technical workers to go to the front line.

Thanks to prior preparation, on the occasion of the 1954 Giap Ngo New Year, Nghe An mobilized 32,000 laborers, including 2,000 bicycle laborers, along with thousands of new soldiers, youth volunteers, and military technical workers to go to the front line.

With the spirit of “All for the front! All for victory!”, Nghe An highly mobilized human and material resources for the front. Every industry, every class, every household was enthusiastic and determined to do their best to contribute to the front.

Among the tens of thousands of laborers who went on this trip, there were many who had participated in previous trips, had a lot of experience and had endured hardships, and became active factors in encouraging and helping those who were going for the first time. Nghe An laborers were mobilized to transport rice and food to the front line. Despite the heavy burden on their shoulders, the long distance, having to climb mountains, wade through streams... but everyone was happy and enthusiastic to complete the task.

According to the plan of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign Supply Council, Nghe An porters were tasked with transporting 5,000 tons of food from Nghe An to Suoi Rut (Hoa Binh). Due to the change in the motto from “fight fast, win fast” to “fight steady, advance steady”, the Nghe An porters had to cross Moc Chau, bringing goods all the way to Son La to serve the campaign.

Quynh Luu District Fire Brigade. Photo courtesy

According to the policy of the Central Youth Union, Nghe An Provincial Youth Union sent a Youth Volunteer Company, led by Comrade Nguyen Van Can - Member of the Provincial Youth Union Executive Committee as Company Commander, to march to Son La, joining with 3 Youth Volunteer Companies from Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa provinces to form Youth Volunteer Team 40, participating in the task of ensuring traffic on the route from Moc Chau (Son La) to near Dien Bien Phu, with a length of about 200 km. This is the vital route supporting Dien Bien Phu, with many key points of attack by the enemy (Ta Vai bridge, Yen Chau bridge, Tuan Giao intersection, Co Noi intersection)...

Despite the enemy's attacks, Nghe An laborers and friendly units were always present where needed, filling bomb craters, repairing roads, and ensuring smooth traffic. At the Dien Bien Phu front, the 40th Youth Volunteer Team contributed a lot of effort, joining the fighting forces and serving the combat.

Along with that, the 34th Youth Volunteer Team participated in serving the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. This team was responsible for ensuring traffic along 200 km of road from Suoi Rut (Hoa Binh) to kilometer 31 Tuan Giao (Lai Chau, now part of Dien Bien province) and serving at the transport stations from Suoi Rut to kilometer 80 Dien Bien Phu.

Bicycle porter company of Dien Chau district. Photo courtesy

Along with mobilizing laborers and youth volunteers to serve the campaign, Nghe An actively supplemented forces for the main army units. In February 1954, implementing the general mobilization order for human and material resources for the front line, 5,438 young men from districts and communes in the province completed medical examinations on time and enthusiastically enlisted to fight on the front lines. In Thanh Chuong, the medical examination target was 100 people but there were 600 young men applying for the recruitment.

Implementing the plan to organize local troops according to the decision of the Inter-Zone 4 Command, Nghe An has mobilized 1,924 young men into the local troops. Thanks to the initiative, Nghe An has completed the following mobilizations of forces well, both supplementing the entire unit with high quality troops and promptly organizing new units.

Along with this activity, students of Nghi Phu II Primary School also participated in the parade, dressing up as soldiers in the resistance war against the French, the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Photo: Ngan Ha

Typical of the fighting spirit of the Nghe An Youth Volunteers are Le Van Hieu, Nguyen Van Hoa, Dang Xuan Buu, Le Van Thuong, Ngo Tri Tuong, Bui Dinh Yen (Company 294), Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Nguyen Thi Truc, Nguyen Van Han, Nguyen Van Tam... and the groups such as the Quang Thanh Commune Youth Rescue Branch (Yen Thanh District) under the 1st Civilian Worker Company, the Youth Rescue Branch in the Anh Son District Bicycle Company. The Nghe An Youth Volunteers contributed their strength and many people dedicated their lives to the victorious campaign.

Competing with the fighting and combat support forces on the battlefield and in the rear, the people of Nghe An did their best to support the frontline in fighting the enemy. In all localities, the people of Nghe An promoted increased production and thoroughly saved. In just the first few months of 1954, the whole province imported 1,460 tons of rice, exceeding the assigned target.

Workers of enterprises throughout the province enthusiastically helped overcome difficulties and shortages of raw materials to improve techniques, increase productivity, meet military and defense needs, and contribute to serving people's lives.

Mountainous districts (Tuong Duong, Tan Ky, Quy Chau ...) and lowland districts mobilized thousands of buffaloes, cows, and horses for draft power; and tens of thousands of chickens and pigs for food to serve the forces participating in combat and combat support.

In localities with embroidery, weaving, and knitting such as Hung Nguyen, Nam Dan, Quynh Luu, Nghi Loc..., people competed to produce and support the front line with thousands of meters of fabric, clothes, and hats. People won support of more than 300 kg of tobacco, embroidered 2,950 handkerchiefs to give to soldiers; along with that were thousands of letters from the rear sent to the front line to encourage the fighting spirit of the troops.

Taking souvenir photos at Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum. Photo archive

With the wholehearted support from the rear, on May 7, 1954, our army and people won a resounding victory on the Dien Bien Phu battlefield.

The victory of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign was the most glorious victory of our army and people in the resistance war against the French colonialists. That victory was the result of many factors, of which a not small part of decisive importance was thanks to the great support from the rear, of which Nghe An was a part, both materially and spiritually.

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References:Military History of Nghe An, Volume 1 (1930-1975)