The silk shirt that President Ho Chi Minh gifted to the outstanding son of Yen Phuc village.

(Baonghean) - The Museum of Military Region 4 is preserving a rather special artifact - a silk shirt that President Ho Chi Minh gifted to Mr. Nguyen Van Uy - Team Leader of the Red Self-Defense Team of Yen Phuc (now Phuc Son - Anh Son).

Speaking of Mr. Nguyen Van Uy (1890-1968), generations of people in Anh Son district, especially in Phuc Son commune, always express their respect and gratitude. He was born and raised in a peasant family in Yen Phuc village (Anh Son district), and early on witnessed the bitter suffering and humiliation of enslaved people and the brutality of the colonial and feudal regimes, thus he quickly embraced revolutionary ideals.

Responding to the struggle movement under the leadership of the Party, in 1930-1931 the people of Yen Phuc organized demonstrations demanding that the colonial-feudal government abolish taxes and social injustices. The masses of Yen Phuc village marched to punish the local landlords, established a Soviet government, and redistributed land to the poor.

Mr. Nguyen Van Uy. Archival photo.

Recognizing that sooner or later the colonial-feudal regime would return to suppress the revolutionary movement, the Party advocated the establishment of Red Self-Defense Teams with the task of supporting the masses in revolutionary struggles and protecting the fledgling Soviet government. At that time, Anh Son had 27 Red Self-Defense Teams, with Yen Phuc village being one of the places where the Self-Defense Team was established earliest and operated most systematically.

Under the command of Captain Nguyen Van Uy, the Yen Phuc Red Self-Defense Force repeatedly carried out punitive actions and ruthlessly suppressed cruel elements within the ruling apparatus. The self-defense force truly served as an important support for the people and the Party organization.

In late 1931, the Nghe An - Thinh Hoa Soviet movement entered a period of decline. In Yen Phuc, this was a dark time, with villages being burned, and widespread searches, arrests, beatings, and brutal torture. Many people had to leave their homes and villages and flee to the deep forests bordering Vietnam and Laos to escape the enemy's pursuit.

Mr. Nguyen Van Uy commanded the Red Self-Defense team of Yen Phuc village. (Archival photo)

Nguyen Van Uy, the leader of the Red Self-Defense Team, fell into enemy hands and was imprisoned in Vinh prison, then transferred to Kon Tum prison. In prison, this outstanding son of Yen Phuc village was subjected to brutal and savage torture, but he always remained determined to maintain the integrity and spirit of a communist.

He and his fellow prisoners organized a struggle to demand certain rights, forcing the prison guards to make concessions. Kon Tum prison has now become a historical site, a place that records the crimes and barbarity of the French colonialists and their feudal collaborators. At the same time, it is also a place that affirms the unwavering loyalty and will of the communists in prison.

Here, the story of a prisoner nicknamed "Old Uy," from Yen Phuc village, Anh Son district (Nghe An province) - one of the leaders of the struggles that made the prison guards wary - is often mentioned by the tour guides.

The silk shirt that President Ho Chi Minh gifted to Mr. Nguyen Van Uy is on display at the Museum of Military Region 4. Photo: Cong Kien

In early 1945, the revolutionary movement grew stronger and spread widely, forcing the colonial-feudal regime to release some prisoners. Nguyen Van Uy was one of those released, returning to his hometown after nearly 15 years in prison. Like a bird returning to its sky, he sought to contact the revolutionary base to continue participating in the struggle.

During those historic autumn days, the revolutionary spirit in Yen Phuc began to surge. On August 18th, the people of Yen Phuc and surrounding districts flocked to the center of Anh Son district to participate in a rally. Then, on the night of August 22nd, 1945, Mr. Nguyen Van Uy led the Yen Phuc Village Self-Defense Team, coordinating with other villages in the district to advance in four directions towards the Kim Nhan outpost. The revolutionary fervor was so overwhelming that the Japanese soldiers had to lay down their weapons and surrender.

Having captured the Kim Nhan outpost, the self-defense force and the people of Yen Phuc returned to their village to continue the struggle against the local gentry, forcing them to surrender and hand over their official seals. This was the earliest place to seize power in Anh Son district. The following morning, the people of Yen Phuc and tens of thousands of people from all over the region flocked to the district headquarters to witness the inauguration of the provisional revolutionary government, officially abolishing the colonial-feudal regime.

The silk shirt that President Ho Chi Minh sent to Mr. Nguyen Van Uy was a gift from the Hoa-Viet War Mothers Association and the Women's Union of Lang Son Town to President Ho Chi Minh. Photo: Cong Kien

With the country and homeland gaining independence and freedom, the people of Yen Phuc recognized Mr. Nguyen Van Uy as a pioneer in mobilizing farmers to reclaim land for production. During his first visit to his hometown (June 1957), after hearing the story of the revolutionary soldier Nguyen Van Uy's exemplary fighting spirit, President Ho Chi Minh asked the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee to present him with a silk shirt, a gift from the Hoa-Viet Mothers of Soldiers Association and the Women's Union of Lang Son Town.

A year later, Mr. Uy went to the capital to attend the Northern Agricultural Congress and met President Ho Chi Minh, where he was honored to receive his badge.

The village of Yen Phuc has truly transformed; life in all aspects has improved, and the people always remember the contributions and sacrifices of their ancestors. Among them, we must mention Mr. Nguyen Van Uy, a steadfast communist soldier who brought glory to his homeland.

Cong Kien