The staunch communist soldier of the heroic Red City

(Baonghean) -Vinh City with its long history and culture, with its convergence, absorption and transformation, has created new developments, forming a heroic Red City. Throughout its history, there have been significant contributions from the outstanding children of the homeland, typically comrade Le Mao, an outstanding revolutionary predecessor of the Party, former member of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Secretary of Vinh - Ben Thuy Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Central Party Committee. On the occasion of the 110th anniversary of his birth, the 50th anniversary of Vinh City's establishment, and the 5th anniversary of Vinh City's recognition as a class I urban area, let's look back at his revolutionary life.

Comrade Le Mao was born in 1903, in a poor working class family in De Thap Street (now Ben Thuy Ward). At the age of 14, he became a worker at the Ben Thuy Match Factory. Witnessing the oppressed life and miserable working conditions of the working people, he soon developed a strong hatred for the capitalists and the ruling clique, and at the same time recognized the strength of the working class. In July 1925, under the advocacy and organization of comrade Le Mao, workers at the Ben Thuy Match Factory waged a struggle to demand a wage increase.

This strong, organized, and disciplined struggle forced the employers to accept the demands. At the end of 1925, he joined the Phuc Viet Association and was assigned to be in charge of the Phuc Viet sub-group in the factory. In early 1928, the sub-group organized a large strike, mobilizing all workers to quit their jobs, demanding improved living conditions, an end to beatings, and fines... In July 1928, the Phuc Viet Association developed into the Tan Viet Revolutionary Party, advocating expanding the scope of propaganda and education on revolutionary lines in many forms.

Comrade Le Mao actively mobilized and organized mutual aid and friendship associations, groups to learn the national language... and directly participated in studying. These active activities contributed significantly to the process of propaganda and enlightenment of workers not only at the Ben Thuy Match Factory but also in the Vinh - Ben Thuy area, contributing to raising awareness of class sentiment, solidarity and fighting attitude for workers.

Teachers and students of Dang Thai Mai Secondary School visit the Nghe Tinh Soviet Museum
Photo: My Ha

In February 1930, three communist organizations merged and the Communist Party of Vietnam was born. At the Central Committee's Central Committee building conference convened by comrade Nguyen Phong Sac, comrade Le Mao was elected as the provisional Secretary of Vinh - Ben Thuy Provincial Committee. From here, the Vinh - Ben Thuy workers' movement entered a new phase, from spontaneous to self-conscious, with clear organization, principles and goals. At the end of September 1930, comrade Le Mao attended the first Central Committee Conference in Hong Kong (China) and was elected as an alternate member of the Party Central Committee. Responding to the movement to celebrate International Labor Day, under the direction of the Central Committee, comrade Le Mao and the Provincial Committee organized a demonstration of 1,200 workers and farmers to demonstrate the spirit of revolutionary solidarity with the working class around the world. The demonstration promoted the revolutionary struggle movement of Vinh - Ben Thuy workers and farmers, contributing to the revolutionary high tide of 1930 - 1931, culminating in the Nghe Tinh Soviet high tide.

In April 1931, at the second Central Conference, he was elected as an official member of the Central Executive Committee, Secretary of the Central Party Committee, continuing his career of leading the revolutionary struggle movement of the masses, linking the worker-peasant alliance to carry out the mission for the nation. On the night of May 2, 1931, on his way back from a business trip from Ha Tinh, he was surrounded and captured by the French colonialists and heroically sacrificed himself in the middle of the Lam River, next to Ben Thuy wharf - the homeland where 14 years ago he became a worker, starting his path of fighting for the nation. He sacrificed himself when he was only 28 years old.

With fourteen years of continuous, persistent and enthusiastic revolutionary activities, comrade Le Mao devoted his entire life to the cause of national liberation. His revolutionary life will always be the pride of every son in the Soviet homeland. To show gratitude and honor the revolutionary cause of comrade Le Mao, today, in the beloved city of Vinh, there are schools and streets named after him. Especially in the Vinh City Party Committee campus, in a solemn position in front of the City Conference Center, the statue of comrade Le Mao - the first Secretary of the City Party Committee, an outstanding revolutionary predecessor of the Party will always be an example for generations of descendants, cadres and party members in the heroic Red City to strive to follow.

Patriotic and revolutionary traditions are the fundamental factors that have fostered the spirit and bravery of Vinh City - the heroic Red City. The life and work of the city's loyal sons such as comrade Le Mao have contributed to creating the identity of Vinh City, a priceless spiritual heritage that needs to be inherited and promoted. Today, the Party Committee, government and people of the city are striving to compete, innovate and develop, creating new achievements in the period of industrialization and modernization of the country. After nearly three decades of carrying out the renovation process, the city has had many improvements.

From a "Heroic City laughing in the ruins" (2), Vinh has risen, achieved many important achievements, and affirmed itself as the political - economic - cultural center of the whole province. Material, cultural and spiritual life has been improved, the urban appearance has increasingly flourished in the direction of civilization and modernity. Implementing Decision 239-QD/TTg dated September 30, 2005 of the Prime Minister approving the Project "Developing Vinh City to become the economic and cultural center of the North Central region", the city has made quite comprehensive developments in all areas of economy, culture, society, Party building and the political system.

Proud to be a land rich in patriotic and revolutionary traditions, the people and cadres of Vinh City are enthusiastically competing to achieve achievements to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the city's founding and 5 years of being recognized as a Class I City. On July 30, 2013, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 26-NQ/T.Ư on the direction and tasks of developing Nghe An province until 2020, which clearly stated the need to focus on "Building Vinh City into a center of the North Central region in finance, trade, tourism, science - technology, information technology, high-tech industry, health care, culture, sports, education - training... ". New tasks, along with new opportunities and chances, require the Party Committee, government and people of the city to continue to strive to overcome difficulties, promote achieved results, overcome limitations and weaknesses to build Vinh City to develop comprehensively, soon become the center of the North Central region, worthy of being the homeland of the loyal communist soldier Le Mao.

Nguyen Hoai An (Standing Deputy Secretary of Vinh City Party Committee)