Phan Dang Luu - A staunch communist, an excellent revolutionary journalist

(Baonghean.vn) - As a patriot with strong will and courage, Phan Dang Luu joined the revolution when he was still in school. Phan Dang Luu has become a symbol and pride of a homeland rich in patriotic, revolutionary and humanistic traditions. His name and revolutionary career not only shine in history books but are also associated with many localities in our country.

Comrade Phan Dang Luu. Photo: Archive

Phan Dang Luu was born on May 5, 1902 in Dong village, Trang Thanh commune (now Hoa Thanh commune), Yen Thanh district, Nghe An province. From a young age, Phan Dang Luu was famous for his studiousness, intelligence, and quick-wittedness. That quality helped the Phan student to soon come to patriotic and progressive thoughts.

From studying Chinese characters at the village school, studying at the Franco-Vietnamese school in Vinh, studying at high school in Hue, studying at the Tuyen Quang Agricultural School, returning to Vinh to participate in the Phuc Viet Association, Phan Dang Luu always clearly recognized the evil nature of the feudal colonial regime, the suffering of the working class and farmers; admired respected patriots and revolutionaries such as: Phan Boi Chau, Phan Chu Trinh, Nguyen Ai Quoc.

Phan Dang Luu's revolutionary and journalistic career was really vibrant and rich when he joined the Tan Viet Party - one of the predecessor organizations of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Around the end of 1927 and the beginning of 1928, to propagate socialist and new democratic ideas, Dao Duy Anh and the leaders of the Tan Viet Party in Hue established the Quan Hai Tung Thu Bookstore.

Phan Dang Luu monument in Yen Thanh town (Nghe An).

In his position as the Standing Member of the General Department in charge of propaganda, Phan Dang Luu - with his knowledge of Chinese studies and refined French, translated and compiled many valuable documents such as "ABC of Marxism", "New Democracy"; translated books such as "Sociology", "Brief History of Economic Doctrines"... The books and articles of Phan Dang Luu, Dao Duy Anh and the authors at Quan Hai Tung Thu contributed to awakening many patriotic youth and students. From them, progressive and revolutionary ideas spread and gradually permeated all classes of people.

During his subsequent trip to China, he visited Beijing, Shanghai, Nanning, etc. Phan Dang Luu brought back many valuable documents and books on Marxism. Some of the documents he translated (while staying at Dang Trong Ninh's house on Hang Voi Street, Hanoi) are still preserved at the Vietnam Revolutionary Museum.

In September 1929, during his second trip to China to meet and link the Tan Viet Party with the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association, Phan Dang Luu was arrested in Hai Phong, taken to Vinh prison and sentenced to 5 years of hard labor, exiled to Buon Ma Thuot. On February 3, 1930, the Communist Party of Vietnam was born, Phan Dang Luu was admitted to the Party while in prison and joined the leadership of the communists in prison.

In mid-1932, after the prison break of prisoners at Kon Tum prison, the French colonialists tightened the prison regime to a harsh level. The leaders of Buon Ma Thuot prison, including Phan Dang Luu, advocated writing articles in both Vietnamese and French, so that when someone was released from prison or through secret channels, they could send them to newspapers to denounce the prison regime and call on public opinion outside to support the prisoners' struggle. A few such articles were lucky enough to get out. The prison guards at Buon Ma Thuot prison were furious, prying and searching the cells more carefully.

A scene from the opera "Dawn" about Phan Dang Luu. Photo: Internet

One time, Phan Dang Luu's comrade Dau Ham, from Ha Tinh, had just finished serving his prison term. Phan Dang Luu wrote an article in French. That night, he ripped the soles off his friend's rubber sandals and stuffed the newspaper inside. At around 3 a.m., because there was an insider, the prison warden and guards broke in. The incident was exposed, Phan Dang Luu was brutally tortured and his prison sentence was extended.

In France, in early 1936, the French Popular Front and the French Government issued an amnesty decree for political prisoners in Indochina and issued a number of other progressive policies. Phan Dang Luu was released from Buon Me Thuot prison in February 1936 but was forced to "settle down" in Hue. Here, he and his comrades contacted the Party and prepared for a new struggle through articles in newspapers.

In March 1937, at the Indochina Inn, No. 7 Dong Ba Street, the Central Vietnam Press Congress opened with the participation of more than 70 journalists. Phan Dang Luu and other revolutionary journalists contributed to directing the Congress to the key and meaningful tasks at that time.

On December 24, 1937, a number of newly elected representatives of the Central Vietnam House of Representatives, through the suggestion and proposal of Phan Dang Luu, submitted an application to publish a newspaper called “Dan”. The two managers of Dan newspaper were Nguyen Dan Que and Nguyen Xuan Cat. However, in essence, this was a newspaper of the Central Vietnam Regional Party Committee, directly directed by Phan Dang Luu.

Dan Newspaper closely cooperated with progressive representatives in the House of Representatives and the revolutionary movement of the masses, creating great strength against high taxes, heavy taxes, oppression, injustice, demanding freedom of speech, especially defeating the poll tax project and the land tax project proposed by the Central Region Resident, shaking the ruling apparatus at their headquarters.

In that great success, Phan Dang Luu made extremely important contributions. Along with his skillful and sharp leadership and direction, his articles are truly journalistic works rich in fighting spirit, class spirit, culture spirit, and people spirit.

Phan Dang Luu High School in Yen Thanh (Nghe An). Photo from the internet.

In September 1939, Phan Dang Luu was directed by the Central Committee to withdraw to the South to operate secretly. In November 1939, he went to Viet Bac to attend the 7th Central Committee Conference (November 1939), was elected as a member of the Central Committee Standing Committee and became one of the key leaders of our Party at that time. At this Conference, he reported and analyzed the situation in the South, stating that the revolutionary situation was not yet ripe, and asked the Central Committee to postpone the Southern uprising.

His request was accepted. He hurriedly returned to the land where the revolutionary spirit was boiling, but it was too late. The uprising had broken out. Phan Dang Luu was captured by the enemy as soon as he set foot in Saigon. In mid-1941, Phan Dang Luu, along with elite communist soldiers Nguyen Van Cu, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Ha Huy Tap and many other comrades, heroically sacrificed themselves before the enemy's guns in the belief that the revolution would surely win.

76 years have passed since the day Phan Dang Luu fell, the revolutionary boat of our Party and our people has reached the shore of independence, freedom, prosperity and happiness. In the golden history of the Vietnamese revolution, of the Vietnamese revolutionary press, Phan Dang Luu has a worthy and respected position. He is one of the outstanding leaders of our Party and our people, an excellent revolutionary journalist, extremely representative of the 1930s of the 20th century.

Peace

(Synthetic)