Teacher Tran Van Tang - a staunch communist example of his hometown Nghi Loc
In addition to teaching, Tran Van Tang, with his profound knowledge, also participated in the revolution with many activities such as giving speeches, writing books, newspapers, and propaganda.
Located on the North-South highway, Nghi Loc district is very proud to be a homeland rich in patriotic and revolutionary traditions; the people are brave and resilient in struggle; industrious and creative in labor and production; simple and sincere in life.
In the history of building and defending the nation, the people of Nghi Loc have witnessed generations of outstanding people who have heroically sacrificed for their homeland and country. They are shining examples for future generations to remember and show gratitude. One of the examples of loyal communist soldiers of Nghi Loc homeland is teacher Tran Van Tang.
Tran Van Tang was born on October 19, 1903, in a family with a rich tradition of learning and patriotism in Nam Doai village, Kim Nguyen commune (now Nghi Hoa commune, Nghi Loc district, Nghe An province). His father, Mr. Tran Van Nang, passed the Chinese Bachelor's degree and worked as a teacher. He was a close friend of Phan Boi Chau, Nguyen Sinh Sac, Dang Thai Than... His mother, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hue, was a responsible woman who loved her husband and children and took care of the family.
With his intelligence and studious nature, Tran Van Tang was sent by his parents to study from the village school to the French-Vietnamese Primary School (Nghi Loc), then continued to graduate from Cao Xuan Duc School (Vinh), and Hue National School.
Phan Boi Chau trusted Tran Van Tang's family to be a meeting place, to discuss national affairs, and to comment on poetry and literature of patriotic scholars. Therefore, he soon absorbed progressive ideas from a young age.
After graduating from Pedagogy, he was assigned to teach at Cao Xuan Duc School (Vinh). At this school, he and other teachers actively trained many generations of students with rich knowledge and aspiration to save the country.
In 1925, the Phuc Viet Association was founded by intellectuals such as Le Huan, Tran Phu, Ton Quang Phiet, Ngo Duc Dien... Under the influence of the Phuc Viet Association, Tran Van Tang and other comrades organized a class of patriotic students such as Nguyen Ngoc Ba, Tran Thi Lien, Nguyen Thi Vinh, Nguyen Thi Nhuan... to print leaflets and mobilize workers, farmers, laborers and students to attend rallies at Diec Pagoda, write petitions, collect signatures and send them to the Governor-General of Indochina to demand amnesty for Phan Boi Chau...
During this time, comrade Phan Dang Luu, who was working at the Nghe An Department of Agriculture, met and contacted comrades in the Phuc Viet Association such as Tran Dinh Thanh, Tran Van Tang, Tran Phu, Ha Huy Tap... Phan Dang Luu was enlightened and introduced to join this organization.
Besides, Tran Van Tang and Phan Dang Luu also actively worked with other teachers to organize cultural classes and propaganda and political education for workers, laborers, and laborers about national pride, condemning the tyrants, defending the poor; and contacted the Student Union group in Vinh to help them learn about revolutionary theories and revolutionary movements at home and abroad.
In addition to teaching, Tran Van Tang, with his profound knowledge, also participated in other activities such as giving speeches, writing books, and publishing propaganda articles in magazines that were widely supported by readers. His patriotic activities were closely monitored by secret police and he was classified as a stubborn element that needed to be severely punished.
In 1927, teacher Tran Van Tang was transferred to teach at the French-Vietnamese School in Yen Thanh district. During his time teaching here, Tran Van Tang met Phan Dang Luu who had just been dismissed by the Resident-Resident of Central Vietnam for the crime of “constantly opposing and repeatedly committing undisciplined acts against the French”. After only a short time, with the active activities of Tran Van Tang and Phan Dang Luu, large and small cells of the Vietnam Revolutionary Party were established in many places in Yen Thanh district.
In May 1928, when the Party's development was going well, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Revolutionary Party mobilized comrade Phan Dang Luu to strengthen the leadership team in Hue. Therefore, all activities of the Tan Viet Party in Yen Thanh district were assigned to Tran Van Tang. Under his leadership, the Yen Thanh revolutionary movement continued to develop rapidly. All of his activities were closely monitored, and the French colonialists quickly transferred Tran Van Tang to teach in Bai Thuong, Thanh Hoa to limit his influence on the rising revolutionary movement in Yen Thanh.
In Thanh Hoa, teacher Tran Van Tang continued to combine teaching with building local revolutionary bases. He actively propagated and mobilized students and youth to participate in associations and patriotic movements of the masses. In order to promptly prevent all of his revolutionary activities, the French colonialists continued to send Tran Van Tang to Kon Tum province to teach.
In the first days of entering the Central Highlands – a land considered to be a sacred land, with poisonous water, witnessing the miserable life of the people, with a different language, difficulties piled on difficulties, but with the courage of a communist, the passion of a teacher, Tran Van Tang quickly adapted and overcame all difficulties and challenges. He quickly learned the language of the people, thanks to which he integrated into the life, customs and activities of the people, completing the teaching of literacy, while actively propagating and mobilizing the people to make revolution.
However, the days of teaching and working of teacher Tran Van Tang did not last long, as the French colonialists transferred him to teach at the French-Vietnamese Primary School in Hoi An. Not discouraged, teacher Tran Van Tang continued to overcome new challenges, actively taught and participated in revolutionary activities and was appointed Secretary of the Hoi An Party Cell.
In March 1929, the Quang Nam Provincial Youth Committee separated from Da Nang, comrade Tran Van Tang was added to the Executive Committee of the Quang Nam Provincial Youth Committee and held the position of Secretary. Under his leadership, the association had practical activities to consolidate and develop members, and organize mass groups.
In June 1929, comrade Nguyen Phong Sac and Tran Van Cung (younger brother of Tran Van Tang) were sent by the Indochinese Communist Party to Nghe Tinh to establish the Central Region of this organization, headquartered in Vinh city. In Quang Nam, comrade Tran Van Tang quickly organized a meeting of the Quang Nam Provincial Youth Executive Committee to clearly state the objectives of the Indochinese Communist Party and directed propaganda work, distributing leaflets, publishing newspapers, calling for the unification of Party organizations. At the same time, he handed over the work to comrade Phan Van Dinh to go to Nghe An to attend the Conference chaired by comrade Nguyen Phong Sac.
Returning to his homeland after many days of working away from home, while the revolutionary movement of the masses was developing strongly, despite his declining health, comrade Tran Van Tang still stood side by side with his younger brother Tran Van Cung to organize and direct rallies and demonstrations denouncing the crimes of the colonial and feudal government. In August 1929, under the close surveillance of secret agents, the two brothers fell into the hands of the enemy right at their own home while comrade Tran Van Tang was recovering from illness.
At the end of 1929, the Southern Dynasty feudal court opened a trial in Vinh and sentenced comrades Tran Van Cung, Ngo Thiem, Vuong Thuc Oanh to death and sentenced Nguyen Ai Quoc and comrades operating abroad such as Ho Tung Mau, Le Duy Diem, Tran Phu to death in absentia.
Comrade Tran Van Cung's sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment and exiled to Guyam, but for now they were exiled to Lao Bao, while comrade Tran Van Tang was sentenced to 2 years in prison, 2 years of house arrest (according to Verdict No. 11 dated January 21, 1930 of the Nghe An Southern Court) and imprisoned at Vinh Prison.
Facing the savage torture and many bribery tricks of the enemy, comrade Tran Van Tang still maintained the integrity of a communist. His health gradually weakened with tuberculosis in the harsh prison. Knowing that comrade Tran Van Tang could not survive, the French colonialists informed his family to bring him home. On June 14, 1930, teacher Tran Van Tang, a staunch communist soldier of his hometown Nghe An, breathed his last, leaving behind a loss for his family, comrades and the revolutionary movement of his hometown.
In recognition of comrade Tran Van Tang's contributions to the Quang Nam revolutionary movement, the Provincial Party Committee decided to name a street in Tam Ky city after him and record his name in the Provincial Party Committee's History.
From a passionate patriotic youth, Tran Van Tang was enlightened to become a true communist, a teacher who wholeheartedly guided and trained many generations of students to become revolutionary soldiers of our Party and People. Despite the brutal terror of the French colonialists and the terrorization of many grassroots Party organizations, teacher Tran Van Tang, along with many cadres, Party members and the masses, remained devoted to the country and the people. His name and contributions will forever be remembered and honored by future generations.
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References:
- Comrade Tran Van Tang's prison records are kept at the Nghe Tinh Soviet Museum;
- Nghe An - Communist role models, volume 1, Nghe An Publishing House, 1998;
- Nghe An - Communist role models volume 5, Nghe An Publishing House, 2015.