The story of the silk shirt that President Ho Chi Minh gave to the Red Self-Defense Force captain.

According to documents from the Museum of Military Region 4, Mr. Nguyen Van Uy (1890-1968) was a well-known figure in Phuc Son commune, formerly Anh Son district, now Anh Son commune, Nghe An province. Born into a peasant family in Yen Phuc village (Anh Son district), he witnessed the bitter suffering of the enslaved people and the brutality of the colonial-feudal regime, thus becoming early enlightened about the revolution.

In response to the revolutionary movementNghe Tinh SovietIn 1930-1931, the people of Yen Phuc organized demonstrations demanding that the colonial-feudal government abolish taxes and social injustices. The revolutionary masses of Yen Phuc village marched to the homes of local gentry to punish them, established a Soviet government, and redistributed land to the poor.

At that time, the Party advocated the establishment of Red Self-Defense teams with the task of supporting the masses and protecting the fledgling Soviet government. In Anh Son, 27 Red Self-Defense teams were established, among which the Red Self-Defense team of Yen Phuc village was one of the earliest established and most well-organized.

Under the command of Captain Nguyen Van Uy,Red Self-DefenseYen Phuc has repeatedly carried out punitive actions, ruthlessly suppressing the cruel elements within the ruling apparatus. The self-defense force was truly an important support for the people and the Party organization, especially during the period when the people of Yen Phuc had to evacuate to the wild mountainous areas to escape the revenge of the powerful landlords and landowners.

As the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement entered its decline, the colonial-feudal regime returned to suppressing demonstrations, hunting down revolutionary fighters for revenge, and threatening the masses. Mr. Nguyen Van Uy was one of those relentlessly pursued, eventually falling into the enemy's hands and being imprisoned in Vinh prison, later transferred to Kon Tum prison.

In prison, the outstanding son of Yen Phuc village was subjected to all kinds of 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, lift some harsh regulations, and improve the prisoners' diet.

In early 1945, the Viet Minh Front's struggle 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. This outstanding communist fighter from Yen Phuc sought to contact revolutionary bases to continue participating in the struggle.

During those historic autumn days, along with the rest of the country, the revolutionary struggle in Yen Phuc began to surge. On August 18th, people from Yen Phuc and surrounding districts streamed from all directions to the center of Anh Son district to participate in a rally organized by the Viet Minh.

Next, on the night of August 22, 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, where a large number of Japanese soldiers were concentrated, to fight. The revolutionary fervor, like a "flood breaking through a dam," terrified the Japanese soldiers, forcing them to lay down their weapons and surrender. The red flag with a yellow star was hoisted at the outpost gate and fluttered proudly, signaling that the largest enemy military base in Anh Son had fallen into the hands of the revolution.

After capturing 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 quickly surrender and hand over their seals and records. This made it 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 Anh Son district headquarters to witness the inauguration of the new government.revolutionTemporarily, the colonial-feudal regime was officially abolished.

With the country and homeland gaining independence and freedom, Mr. Nguyen Van Uy returned to the fields and gardens, befriending the hoe and plow. During his first visit to his hometown (1957), after hearing the story of the exemplary revolutionary fighter Nguyen Van Uy, President Ho Chi Minh asked the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee to present him with a silk shirt. A year later, Mr. Uy went to the capital to attend the Northern Agricultural Congress and met President Ho Chi Minh, and was honored to receive his badge.

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The silk shirt that President Ho Chi Minh gifted to Mr. Nguyen Van Uy is a precious artifact, marking the President's affection for a steadfast revolutionary fighter. At the same time, it affirms the pride in the revolutionary struggle movement in the Yen Phuc region in particular, and Nghe An province in general.”

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Hoanh - Assistant to the Museum of Military Region 4

Cong Kien