Special figures on the nation's first National Day.

(Baonghean.vn) - The person who designed the platform in Ba Dinh Square; the person who hoisted the flag on Independence Day; the person who sewed the shirt that President Ho Chi Minh wore on the first Independence Day... these are all extremely special figures on the first National Day (September 2, 1945).

1. Head of the Independence Day Organizing Committee

President Ho Chi Minh personally assigned Mr. Nguyen Huu Dang the task of organizing the Independence Day celebration with the order: "This is a major historical event that concludes the August Revolution and gives birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam," accompanied by a confident encouragement: "Only difficult tasks are entrusted to you!"

Having experience in mobilizing the masses and having matured through the practical work of the National Language Propagation Movement, Mr. Nguyen Huu Dang quickly gathered human and material resources, from architects who designed the plans to carpenters who directly carried out the construction, from industrialists who donated materials to technicians who supplied and installed sound systems... so that on the appointed day and time, the Independence Platform stood majestically in Ba Dinh Square.

From that platform, President Ho Chi Minh proclaimed national independence and the birth of the first democratic-republican government in Vietnamese history.

2. The person who sewed the shirt that President Ho Chi Minh wore on the first Independence Day.

Speaking of President Ho Chi Minh's clothing, what impresses those who met, lived, and worked alongside him is its simplicity, dignity, politeness, and approachability. The outfit he wore on the day he read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, was a yellow khaki jacket that has become a familiar image to every Vietnamese citizen.

The tailor who made the coat for Uncle Ho was Mr. Phuc Hung, the owner of a well-known tailor shop in Hang Quat at that time. On August 28, 1945, Mr. Phuc Hung arrived, knowing only that he would be making a coat for an elderly gentleman from the countryside visiting the capital. He wanted a four-pocket coat, designed to be worn with a high collar for important occasions, but with the buttons undone for everyday wear, suitable for both shoes and sandals. The coat was completed two days later.

3. The designer of the Independence Platform on Ba Dinh Square.

Design drawings of the Independence Day platform on September 2, 1945.

The architect who designed the Independence Platform at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945, was Ngo Huy Quynh. He was one of the last students of the Indochina Fine Arts School and also one of the leading figures in Vietnamese architecture.

On September 1, 1945, architect Ngo Huy Quynh was entrusted by his superiors with the responsibility of designing and constructing a ceremonial platform in Ba Dinh Square, a platform that could be simple but solemn. After some deliberation, architect Ngo Huy Quynh chose to build the platform using wood nailed together (due to time constraints) and covered it with silk, gold on top and red on the bottom, to create an aesthetically pleasing design that was both quick and easy to construct. The platform was erected in a circular grass basin in the middle of Ba Dinh Square. The structure was designed in a light yellow color, with two arms embracing the red base of the platform.

With talent and effort, he and his colleagues completed this famous project in just one day and night (the project was finished before dawn on September 2nd). The red and yellow colors of the platform with the two incense burners on either side, along with the red flag with a yellow star on the flagpole of the platform, all stand out brilliantly and vividly.

4. The flag-raising man on Independence Day

This photo shows Ms. Le Thi during her participation in the revolution, when she was only 19 years old.

At the "Declaration of Independence" ceremony on September 2, 1945, held in Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, Ms. Le Thi (real name Duong Thi Thoa), from Me So commune, Van Giang district, Hung Yen province, unexpectedly received the task of raising the national flag. At the time, she was only worried, focusing on completing the task. Later, she realized it was a special honor and a source of pride to be chosen to raise the flag of independence at that momentous historical moment.

After Independence Day, Ms. Le Thi enthusiastically participated in revolutionary movements. She was elected Secretary of the Women's National Salvation Association of Hoan Kiem District and Deputy Secretary of the Women's National Salvation Association of Vinh Phuc Province... In 1956, when peace was restored, she was sent to attend the first advanced theory course at the Nguyen Ai Quoc School. Graduating with honors, she was retained as a lecturer and subsequently held various other positions.

With the country at peace, she returned to work in Hanoi and established the Institute for Family and Gender Studies. After her tireless contributions to the country, in 1991 she was awarded the title of professor by the State.

5. The mysterious figure who filmed precious footage on September 2, 1945.

Precious footage from the historic day of September 2, 1945.

The film "Independence Day, September 2nd, 1945," directed by People's Artist Pham Ky Nam, was released in 1975. Exactly 30 years after the sacred ceremony held in Ba Dinh Square, marking the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the Vietnamese people had their first access to a valuable documentary film that authentically recorded the events and atmosphere of that historic day.

The black-and-white footage moved viewers with images of crowds flocking to Ba Dinh Square, holding hands, raising their arms high, and singing the song "Destroy Fascism," along with the resounding declaration of independence echoing throughout the square... Few know that just one year earlier, in 1974, during a trip to France to make a documentary about the life and work of President Ho Chi Minh, director Pham Ky Nam had first come across this footage quite by chance.

The person who gave him these precious film clips was a Vietnamese expatriate in Paris. According to director Pham Ky Nam, when he asked the expatriate about the author of the footage, he received the answer: "I don't know anything more because I wasn't the one who filmed it. I only know that these clips are useful to you, and I handed them over to you personally because I have great affection for Vietnam and its people."

From the time the film was released in 1975 until the death of director Pham Ky Nam (in 1984), he was always troubled by the question: Who secretly filmed those precious scenes? And to this day, that question remains unanswered.

Peace

(Synthetic)