Nghe An and the final battle to unify the country.

New situation, new tasks.

Following heavy defeats on both the battlefields of the South and the North, on January 27, 1973, the US imperialists and the Saigon government were forced to sign the Paris Agreement with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam to end the Vietnam War.

However, even before the ink on the agreement had dried, the United States and the Saigon government deliberately violated it. Although the US had withdrawn all its regular troops, it continued to provide military advisors, weapons, and large-scale financial aid to the Saigon government. The US still hoped that "Vietnamization" would help Saigon stand on its own two feet. The Saigon government refused to recognize the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam, failed to fulfill its commitment to national reconciliation, and even intensified military operations to expand its territorial control.

Right on Nghe An province, the US and the Saigon government deliberately violated regulations through various means and tactics, such as espionage, sabotage of national defense and the economy, and disruption of public order and security. The US shelled the Nghe An coast 14 times; on the night of October 29, 1973 alone, they shelled 16 communes in Dien Chau and Nghi Loc districts; they used commando boats to threaten and provoke fishing boats, arrested fishermen to extract intelligence, and even detained them for several days before releasing them, aiming to create confusion, suspicion, and division among officials and the people.

In the first eight months of 1973, the US used RF71 aircraft and reconnaissance drones 33 times over Nghe An province. In addition, the enemy colluded with bandits in Laos to send spies and commandos into villages to plunder and entice people to migrate to Laos. These espionage and commando activities were not limited to border areas but extended deep into the interior, especially among Catholic communities, using religion as a cover to incite sabotage and destruction…

Given the evolving situation, and drawing on decades of revolutionary experience, immediately after the Paris Agreement was signed, the Politburo assessed: "The Paris Agreement is only an initial victory, not the final victory; the revolution in the South continues, and the task of liberating the South remains central."

To concretize this viewpoint, on February 20, 1973, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 225/NQ, defining the continuation of revolutionary tasks in the immediate future for the entire country and each region. For the North, the task was to maximize favorable conditions to accelerate the construction of the material foundations of socialism, strengthen economic and defense potential, improve the people's lives, and fulfill the role of the revolutionary base for the entire country. For the South, the revolutionary struggle had to continue, forcing the enemy to implement the Paris Agreement, maintaining peace, achieving genuine independence and freedom, and national reconciliation.

At the 21st Central Committee Conference (July 1973), the Party determined: We must resolutely advance to achieve final victory through violent revolution. We must not harbor illusions about peaceful means or compromise with the Saigon government. We must prepare in all aspects so that when the opportunity arises, we can launch a general offensive to liberate the South.

Subsequently, at the end of 1973, the 22nd Central Committee Conference further defined the central task of the North in the years 1973-1975 as healing the wounds of war, restoring the economy, developing production, and increasing support for the South; strengthening and reorganizing forces, establishing main army corps, and preparing for the possibility of a general offensive when the opportunity arose.

Overcoming the consequences of war

Following the directives of the Central Committee, the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee identified its tasks for the years 1973-1975 as quickly overcoming the consequences of war and natural disasters, restoring and developing the economy and culture, stabilizing people's lives, and maximizing all potential and strength to support the South and fulfill international obligations to Laos.

Immediately after the Paris Agreement was signed, Nghe An focused on demining, filling bomb craters, repairing old roads, building new roads, repairing bridges, assembling ferries and culverts, and clearing warehouses, supply depots, and docks. Tens of thousands of bombs and mines were cleared and defused. By June 1973, all road and river routes in the province had been basically cleared of bombs and mines, roads were leveled, and 248 bridges with a total length of 4,094m were repaired. Ben Thuy – a vital road transport artery to the South – was fitted with a pontoon bridge… Water and land transport vehicles were repaired and upgraded to restore production and living conditions and to be ready to serve and support the battlefield.

The economic recovery and development in Nghe An was urgently accelerated. Irrigation works were quickly restored, and several large-scale projects were invested in and constructed. By 1975, the entire province had completed 517 large and small projects, excavating and filling 2,900,000 cubic meters of earth and rock, ensuring irrigation for 36,000 hectares of cultivated land. A movement to reclaim and restore land to expand cultivated areas was launched. The organization and management of agricultural cooperatives were improved towards expanding scale and specialized production. Economic zones were established. Quynh Luu was selected as one of five districts in the North to pilot the construction of model districts by the Central Government.

Nghe An's food production increased significantly, reaching 372,018 tons in 1973, 396,514 tons in 1974, and 341,459 tons in 1975. The amount of food contributed to the State also increased considerably. While the total contribution to the State in 1971 was 43,703 tons, the 1973 Winter-Spring crop alone contributed 41,376 tons. Industrial crops also increased in both area and production. In 1973, the province planted 1,475 hectares of peanuts, and by 1975, this had increased to 7,653 hectares, supplying the State with 6,200 tons of shelled peanuts. Forestry and fisheries were both restored and developed. In 1973, the catch was 7,000 tons of fish, but by 1975 it had reached 14,000 tons.

Industry gradually recovered. The Ben Thuy Power Plant was restored; diesel power stations were reinforced and upgraded. Mechanical factories and construction material production facilities were restored or newly built. Financial and commercial activities underwent positive changes, effectively serving production and daily life…

Culture and education quickly overcame difficulties and stabilized in peacetime. Attention was paid to the welfare of wounded soldiers, martyrs, and the military's rear support. Since 1973, 10,034 wounded and sick soldiers and nearly 8,000 officers and soldiers returning from the battlefield were cared for; many returned to the battlefield after recovering their health. National defense and security were maintained. Espionage and commando activities by Vang Pao's rebels and even by Chinese nationals in the border region were detected, prevented, and suppressed. Social order and safety were ensured. Corruption and theft of public property were curbed and pushed back to a certain extent.

Pour all our resources into the battlefield.

In line with the Politburo's strategic viewpoint on the development of the national revolution in the new context after the Paris Agreement, especially the task of protecting the rear and providing support to the Southern battlefield, on April 18, 1973, the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee issued a Resolution on local military work. In addition to the task of raising vigilance and strengthening local military work, the Resolution clearly defined the task of excellently fulfilling the mission of supporting the Southern battlefield, completing international duties with Laos, exceeding recruitment targets for soldiers and volunteer youth, mobilizing civilian laborers for the front lines, and delivering troops, weapons, food, and supplies to the battlefields.

Regarding military recruitment, in 1973, Nghe An province sent 11,073 new recruits, achieving 109% of the target. Notably, the number of Catholic youth and youth from ethnic minorities enlisting in the army in all localities met and exceeded the targets. Quynh Luu district alone had 1,278 new recruits, exceeding the target by 107.4%. Duc Thanh and Thinh Thanh communes (Yen Thanh district) achieved 245-250% of their targets… Also in 1973, Nghe An sent 4 artillery battalions, 1 engineering battalion, and 6 infantry battalions to the battlefield.

In 1974, thanks to proactive planning and the mobilization of the people's patriotic spirit, especially among the youth, Nghe An province recruited over 8,000 new soldiers by October 1974, exceeding the target by 7%. Quynh Luu district had 1,278 new recruits, and Nam Dan district had 962. In addition to the troops assigned to units, Nghe An also organized and prepared one reserve infantry regiment, three artillery battalions, two anti-aircraft battalions, and one engineering battalion. At this time, Nghe An had 13,000 reserve troops for battlefield A and 20,000 reserve troops for battlefield B, ready to support the battlefields in Southern Vietnam and Laos.

In late 1974 and early 1975, the battlefield situation changed rapidly, and the opportunity to liberate South Vietnam became increasingly clear. The Central Committee and the General Staff decided to establish main army corps to support the battlefield. Recruitment became urgent and large-scale. The General Staff and Military Region IV assigned Nghe An province to recruit a large number of soldiers in one phase in early 1975 (1975-1976). The Nghe An Provincial Party Committee recognized this as a crucial task, a total mobilization of manpower for the front lines, and therefore focused on directing the operation decisively, urgently, and meticulously.

As a result, by March 15, 1975, the entire province had completed its military recruitment quota for both years (1975 and 1976) in one go, achieving 104% of the assigned target. Eight districts achieved between 108% and 128%, led by Vinh City and the districts of Quynh Luu, Thanh Chuong, and Dien Chau. Also in February 1975, Nghe An sent the 316th Division and subsequently the 341st Division to the Southern battlefield. After sending troops to the battlefield, Nghe An quickly built three infantry regiments (Regiments 1, 2, and 6) and one anti-aircraft artillery regiment (Regiment 281) ready to serve as reserves for the battlefield. In April 1975, Regiment 6 was deployed to the battlefield; 400 officers and soldiers were added to Regiment 89 in Quang Tri and Thua Thien provinces to carry out bomb and mine clearance duties. Thousands of civilian and party officials, scientists, engineers, teachers, medical personnel, and over 1,000 police officers and soldiers were urgently deployed to the South to take over the liberated areas. 400 students from Vinh Pedagogical University were sent to the South immediately after graduation. After completing the troop deployment, in April 1975, Nghe An continued to establish four more infantry battalions and 15 anti-aircraft artillery companies, reorganize defense areas, and firmly consolidate the rear-area protection strategy.

To urgently support the battlefield, Nghe An province established a Steering Committee for Battlefield Support. Almost all means of transport were mobilized to move troops and supplies to the battlefield. By April 1975, 1,000,000 tons of goods from the central government passing through Nghe An had been delivered to the 559th Brigade. In the first six months of 1975, goods delivered to Tri Thien reached 150% of the target, and to the South reached 169%. Nghe An farmers actively contributed food and supplies to the battlefield. In early 1975, Nghe An contributed 24,000 tons of grain and 300 tons of other foodstuffs (including 18,000 tons of grain temporarily borrowed from the State) to support the battlefield.

Fulfilling international obligations

To support the Lao revolution, protect the rear areas of North Vietnam, and divert fire from the battlefields of South Vietnam, in 1972 and early 1973, the armed forces of Nghe An participated in opening Front 772 to expand and protect the liberated areas of Laos before the Vientiane Agreement on ending the war in Laos was signed. In the two months before the agreement was signed, the Nghe An armed forces fought 25 battles, large and small, killing and capturing 350 enemy soldiers, completely liberating Muong Moc district, and expanding into the Tha Si and Bao Man areas, connecting the liberated areas of Xieng Khouang and Bolikhamsai provinces.

After the Vientiane Agreement was signed (February 21, 1973), the armed forces of Nghe An continued to maintain a presence in Laos to help their allies fight against the enemy's violations of the Agreement and maintain the liberated areas. In 1973, Battalion 43, in coordination with the Laotian side, organized 28 raids to eliminate bandits, killing 266 and clearing the area. In addition, Battalion 40 was tasked with guarding targets, and over 1,000 civilian laborers transported weapons, ammunition, and supplies to support both our troops and the Laotian forces. From 1974, Battalion 43 of Nghe An and Battalion 48 of Ha Tinh merged to form Regiment 176, under Military Region IV, which volunteered in Laos. In 1974, the 43rd Battalion, part of the 176th Regiment (968th Division), continued to stand its ground in Laos, helping the country defeat enemy attacks, maintain the liberated areas, and contributing to the Lao revolution's complete victory on August 23, 1975.

With its exceptionally important strategic location, Nghe An served as a strategic rear base for the Southern battlefield and the Laotian revolution during the resistance war against the US. During the Spring Offensive of 1975, Nghe An poured all its human and material resources into the Southern battlefield. In the final battle to unify the country, many sons and daughters of Nghe An sacrificed their lives. This contribution demonstrates the profound patriotism, unwavering revolutionary tradition, and immense responsibility towards the front lines of the people of Nghe An.