The hero who planted the mine at Cong Ly bridge and the story of the Saigon government's 'turning back'

(Baonghean.vn)- Knowing that Nguyen Van Troi was awaiting execution, Venezuelan guerrillas captured an American lieutenant colonel right on the streets of Caracas to exchange him. Despite the agreement, the Saigon government turned around and went back on their word.

From young noodle maker to special forces soldier

Nguyen Van Troi was born on February 1, 1940 in Thanh Quyt village, now Dien Thang Trung commune, Dien Ban district, Quang Nam province.

Due to difficult family circumstances, when he was just over 10 years old, Nguyen Van Troi had to work for a noodle factory in the village to earn money to support his family. Then, he followed his brother Nguyen Van Toan to Da Nang, working to earn a living and learning the tailoring profession.

Portrait of Hero Martyr Nguyen Van Troi.

In the summer of 1956, at the age of 16, Nguyen Van Troi showed his bravery and will as a man who did not accept a mediocre life. He secretly bought a boat ticket and left Da Nang alone for Saigon to start a career.

When he first arrived in Saigon, he stayed in a fellow countryman's house, worked as a hired hand during the day, and rode a cyclo at night, learning the electrical trade, and then became a worker at Cho Quan Power Plant (the oldest power plant in Saigon, built by the French colonialists in 1896).

Around mid-1963 (some documents say early 1964), he joined the organization and became a Saigon special forces soldier.

In October 1963, he returned to his hometown and visited his teacher Nguyen Van Nhung - who had taught him wholeheartedly when he was studying at Mieu Xom School (now Nguyen Trai School in Thanh Quyt 4 Village, Dien Thang Commune). He used a soapberry thorn to write on the tree in front of his teacher's house a memorable moment: October 15, 1963. Unexpectedly, this was the day that marked the last time he returned to his hometown.

The event of placing mines at Cong Ly bridge

With the Geneva Agreement in 1954, our nation's war against France ended. But the US imperialists and their lackeys sought every way to sabotage, carrying out their plot to divide our country into two regions with two different political and military regimes.

Since 1960, our army in the Southern battlefield continuously launched large-scale attacks, combining political struggle with armed struggle, creating the Dong Khoi movement, controlling a significant part of the Southern countryside.

Next, we established the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam and the National Liberation Army of South Vietnam. This made the government of the Republic of Vietnam under Ngo Dinh Diem extremely confused and frightened.

On November 1, 1963, under the command of General Duong Van Minh, a coup took place to overthrow Ngo Dinh Diem and Ngo Dinh Nhu and also executed Ngo Dinh Can.

Upon hearing this news, US President Kennedy and later Lyndon B. Johnson were extremely shocked. The continuous defeats on the battlefield and the chaotic political situation of the Republic of Vietnam forced the United States to cancel the Staley-Taylor plan, then send troops to directly participate in the fighting in the South, implementing the strategy of Local War.

In that context, in order to have a timely response, the US had to send delegations to inspect the actual situation on the battlefield in the South. Knowing that a high-ranking US military delegation led by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara would come to Saigon to inspect the battlefield in May 1964, the Saigon commando force immediately drew up a plan to destroy them.

Observing the previous times Robert McNamara went to Saigon, he always went from Tan Son Nhat airport to the city center via Cong Ly street, so the Command Board came up with three options:

1) Rent a house next to Cong Ly street to set up mines and ambush;

2) Mines were buried at Cong Ly Bridge, when the car carrying Robert McNamara was going down the gentle slope of the bridge, the mines exploded;

3) If Robert McNamara did not enter the city via Cong Ly Street, then continue to monitor and destroy him when he leaves Saigon. In the end, based on actual conditions, we chose option 2.

Memorial site for Hero Nguyen Van Troi at the location where the hero buried a mine at Cong Ly Bridge while waiting for the car carrying Robert McNamara to pass by.

Although he had only been married for more than ten days (married on April 21, 1964), Nguyen Van Troi still volunteered to join his teammates in planting mines at Cong Ly Bridge (now Nguyen Van Troi Bridge, Ho Chi Minh City). He even sold his wedding ring to buy some equipment for the mine laying.

Because the delegation included many important figures with enough authority to decide on many war issues, a few days before, the Saigon government of the Republic of Vietnam had strictly controlled the routes the delegation would pass through.

However, with clever combat operations, we escaped the guards' sight, brought the 8kg mine in a metal box and placed it near Cong Ly bridge at noon on May 8, 1964. By the evening of May 9, 1964, Tu Kiem and Ba Son were on the outer perimeter protecting Troi and Loi, laying the electric wire to connect the mine, and completing some remaining details. But unfortunately, the incident was exposed, Nguyen Van Troi and Nguyen Huu Loi were arrested.

At first, he was taken to the Police Department. A few days later, he jumped off a building to escape but unfortunately injured his leg, then was captured by the enemy and imprisoned in Chi Hoa Prison. The enemy used all kinds of brutal torture but could not subdue his will. To ensure the safety of the organization and his teammates, Troi took all responsibility upon himself.

On August 10, 1964, the Nguyen Khanh government (November 8, 1927 - January 11, 2013, who held the position of Head of State and Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam) brought Troi to court and sentenced him to death.

Knowing that Nguyen Van Troi was awaiting execution in Saigon, and impressed by his fighting spirit, Venezuelan guerrillas captured an American lieutenant colonel right on the streets of Caracas to exchange for his release and declared that if the Saigon government executed Nguyen Van Troi, the American lieutenant colonel would be shot dead immediately.

Although there was an agreement, when the American lieutenant colonel was released, the Saigon government turned around and went back on its word. They cowardly executed him at the execution ground in Chi Hoa Prison, Saigon on the morning of October 15, 1964.

A shining example of revolution

Nguyen Van Troi not only acted in defiance of danger by planting mines at Cong Ly Bridge in 1964, but also showed his strong will and faith until the moment of execution. He refused to accept baptism because he realized he was innocent.

During his time in prison, he endured many tortures from the enemy, but he always maintained his communist spirit, protected the revolutionary base and found a way to escape to continue fighting. Many times he said straight to the enemy's face: As long as the American invaders are here, no one will be happy.

Heroic martyr Nguyen Van Troi (1940 - 1964) stood steadfast and indomitable at the execution ground.

When he went to the execution ground, Nguyen Van Troi was very calm, with a proud and indomitable posture. He took advantage of every moment in front of a large number of domestic and foreign journalists to expose the crimes of the American imperialists and their lackeys who sold out the country and betrayed the interests of the nation.

When the enemy blindfolded him, he tore off the black bandage and said: “No, let me see this land, my beloved land.”

At the last moment, he loudly shouted: Remember my words/ Down with American imperialism/ Down with Nguyen Khanh/ Long live Ho Chi Minh/ Long live Ho Chi Minh/ Long live Ho Chi Minh! When he was shot, he still struggled to get up and shouted: Long live Vietnam!

The statue of hero Nguyen Van Troi is located at the intersection of the street of the same name and Boyeros Avenue in the capital La Habana (Cuba).

A school named after Heroic Martyr Nguyen Van Troi - The man who put the interests of the Fatherland above all else.

Praising the brave spirit of sacrifice of hero Nguyen Van Troi, President Ho Chi Minh wrote:

“For the Fatherland, for the people, martyr Nguyen Van Troi fought bravely against American imperialism until his last breath. The heroic spirit of hero Troi is a shining example of revolutionary sacrifice for all patriots, especially for young people to learn from”, that is, to learn “the heroic spirit until the last breath like martyr Nguyen Van Troi”./.

PearHis Majesty,

(Central Propaganda Department)