Nghe An soldiers in the army taking over the capital

From my hometown Nghe An

On August 21, 1945, the uprising to seize power in Nghe An was victorious, and the Provisional Revolutionary People's Committee was introduced to the masses. On August 24, a complete revolutionary government apparatus was established. On August 28, 1945, based on the Action Program of the Viet Minh, the Revolutionary People's Committee of Nghe An announced 10 new policies, including:"Organize the liberation army, strengthen the militia and police."Accordingly, the self-defense teams, which were the shock force in the General Uprising, now became the armed forces of the new government.

By the end of 1945, most villages had militias; streets and factories had self-defense teams. This could be seen as a successor to the red self-defense teams (also known as Red Guards) formed during the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement. In addition to the militia and self-defense force, a liberation army unit called the Cung Team was established in Vinh city with comrade Nguyen Van Uyen as squad leader, comrade Nguyen Phan as political commissar, and Mr. Nguyen Van Tran, a former security guard of the old government, as squad deputy.

After the August Revolution, the political and security situation in Nghe An was quite complicated. Ten thousand Japanese soldiers still had their weapons, and the remnants of the French army were still actively operating on the border of the western districts. Then, on September 24, 1945, ten thousand Chiang Kai-shek troops began to take the place of the Japanese troops, causing many complications in order to sabotage the revolutionary government. The Cung Team stood side by side with the revolutionary government to handle the situation cleverly and resourcefully, not falling into their provocation traps, maintaining national sovereignty and national unity.

To protect the security of the western border, the Cung Doi Squadron and Nghe An armed forces proactively attacked the remnants of the French army, preventing them from entering the territory. A unit of the Cung Doi Squadron and the militia of Thanh Chuong, Anh Son, Con Cuong, and Tuong Duong districts attacked the French army at Noong Het post (Xieng Khouang province - Laos).

To Dien Bien Phu

To complete the organization of the armed forces, on June 1, 1946, the Archery Team changed its name to Regiment 57. The regiment's formation at this time had 3 infantry battalions 346, 265 and 418.

The national resistance war broke out, implementing President Ho's call for national resistance, at exactly 11pm on December 19, 1946, Regiment 57 and Nghe An armed forces simultaneously opened fire and by 0:30am on December 20, 1946 forced the French army in Vinh city to surrender unconditionally. Next, under the command of War Zone Tu, Regiment 57 sent forces to the West to operate, fight and build forces in the Muong Xen and Quy Chau areas. Another unit combined with Battalion 400 (Regiment 103 - Ha Tinh) to fight in Quang Binh, continuously attacking and destroying the enemy in Sen Bang, Thu Loc, Hoan Lao, expanding the guerrilla zone in Bo Trach, then retreating to the North, together with friendly units to build a defensive line on Gianh River and Ngang Pass.

In November 1949, the entire Regiment entered Quang Binh with the 18th, 95th, 101st Regiments, the 888th Artillery Battalion and the local armed forces of Binh Tri Thien to participate in the Le Lai campaign in the districts of Tuyen Hoa, Bo Trach, and Quang Trach (from December 22, 1949 to January 27, 1950). During this campaign, the 57th Regiment won many battles in Dai Nam, Phu Kenh, Don Sa, and Ba Don, most notably the ambush on the Gianh River that destroyed 200 Euro-African soldiers in Phu Trich - La Ha (Quang Trach).

On March 10, 1950, implementing Decree No. 62-NDA of the General Command on February 9, 1950, the 304th Main Division was established. Regiment 57, after the famous Gianh River victory, returned from the Binh Tri Thien battlefield to join forces in Thanh Hoa in the division formation with Regiments 9 and 66. At this time, Regiment 57 was supplemented with forces from Regiment 103 (Ha Tinh), whose predecessor was Phan Dinh Phung Squadron.

In the 304th Division, the 57th Regiment participated in the Tran Hung Dao campaign (Winter-Spring 1950-1951) in Ninh Binh, Northeast Thanh Hoa; participated in the Quang Trung campaign (from May 28 to June 20, 1951), contributing to breaking the Day River defense line and shaking the enemy's political center of Phat Diem.

During the Hoa Binh campaign (from December 10, 1951 to February 25, 1952), Regiment 57 was assigned the task of fighting the enemy on Highway 21 from Cho Ben to Xuan Mai, winning many battles, most notably destroying the Doi Moi peak blocking Highway 21, organizing ambushes on the enemy on Highway 21 and Highway 6, and participating in the liberation of Hoa Binh town.

After the Hoa Binh campaign, the 57th Regiment was assigned to operate in the enemy's rear area in Nam Dinh province, coordinating activities with the Left Bank battlefield, consolidating base areas and stepping up guerrilla warfare, mobilizing people to fight against sweeps, and mobilizing additional forces for the main force. In about 3 months, the Regiment fought 12 battles, winning many battles such as ambushing enemy ships on the Day River, destroying Lac Quan post, ambushing the enemy in Tra Thuong village, liberating Luc Thuy prison, rescuing 200 cadres who were about to be killed by the enemy... In total, 700 enemies were killed and captured.

During the 1952 Northwest Campaign, Regiment 57 and units of Division 304 and Division 320 operated on the southern front of the Northern Delta, in the provinces of Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh. Regiment 57 was assigned to join Regiment 66 in fighting the enemy on Highway 10, the Ninh Binh - Phat Diem route. The regiment destroyed the Tuy Loc Thuong stronghold, intercepted enemy reinforcements to Phat Diem on the Day River, and destroyed Van Lai fort and many other forts and posts on Highway 10.

During the Upper Laos campaign, from April 13 to May 18, 1953, Regiment 57 crossed Puxailaileng Pass, advanced in the direction of Muong Ngan and Muong Ngan to liberate Xieng Khouang town, making a worthy contribution to the campaign with the goal of stretching the enemy out to attack of the General Command.

During the 1953-1954 Winter-Spring campaign, the Regiment was assigned to hide troops in the Son Nhieu and Kieu Thon areas (Phu Tho) to be ready with friendly units to destroy the enemy and protect the Viet Bac base. After that, the Regiment moved to Thanh Hoa and on November 20, 1953, it began secretly marching to Moc Chau and on January 5, 1954, it was ordered to march to Dien Bien Phu, entering the area east of Hong Cum. During the Dien Bien Phu campaign, from the very beginning, Battalion 418 was ordered to participate in pulling artillery in and then pulling artillery out under the direction of the General Command. During the first phase (from March 13 to March 17), Regiment 57 completed the task of restraining enemy artillery in Hong Cum. Phase 2 (from March 30 to April 30) coordinated with friendly units to complete the mission of restraining enemy artillery and encroaching on Hong Cum area, blocking reinforcements from Hong Cum to Muong Thanh and fighting paratroopers around and south of Hong Cum. Phase 3 of the campaign (May 1 to May 7), the regimental battalion set up a blockade on the road to Tay Trang, preventing the enemy from retreating to Laos.

Immediately after the campaign ended successfully, the 57th Regiment advanced towards Son Tay and Ha Dong, defeated the enemy in Gia Hoa, Dai Dong, and Pho Gach, threatened the outposts along Highways 11, 21A, and 21B, and liberated most of these two provinces.

Advance to take over the capital

On July 20, the Geneva Agreement was signed. On August 19, the 57th Regiment entered to liberate Son Tay town and made all preparations to reinforce the 308th Division to take over Hanoi.

Previously, the unit had sent a number of officers to the Central Armistice Committee to agree on the regulations for receiving the specific handover of each stronghold, each post, each economic zone, industrial park, port, airport... occupied by the French army.

On the morning of October 9, 1954, Battalion 346, followed two routes from Ha Dong to take over Bach Mai airport and Vinh Tuy station.

On the morning of October 10, 1954, Battalion 346 sent a platoon to take over Bach Mai Hospital. At the same time, Battalion 418 entered to take over the Buoi area including Buoi School, Quan Ngua, and Thuy Khue Leather Factory.

On the morning of October 10, 1954, Battalion 265 received the handover from the French army at Cau Giay station. Then, it advanced to Kim Ma, Ngoc Khanh, and deployed companies at Dong Da mound, Exhibition House, and Hanoi train station.

Thus, before the main army entered the capital, on the 9th and early morning of October 10, 1954, the 57th Regiment successfully completed the task of taking over key positions in the northern, western and southwestern arcs of Hanoi, ensuring that the main army entered the capital safely and solemnly.

Upholding the tradition of the Nghe Tinh Soviet Red Self-Defense Force, the brave soldiers of the 57th Regiment went through nine years of resistance against the French, fought and won, sacrificed and matured in blood and fire. The Regiment's footprints spread across battlefields, from Nghe Tinh to Binh Tri Thien, from Xieng Khoang to Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, from Hoa Binh to Son La, Dien Bien, and finally from Son Tay, Ha Dong to take over the Capital. In the formation of the 304th Division, II Corps, the soldiers of the 57th Regiment continued to go through the entire resistance war against the US, being present in the vanguard army entering to liberate Saigon on April 30, 1975./.