Vitality in the first place to gain power in Nghe An during the August Revolution

Memories of the Revolutionary Autumn

One late summer afternoon, in a simple house in Thach Nghia hamlet, Nam Dan commune, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Duc - 97 years old, 77 years of Party membership, was still lucid as he recounted the heroic moments of the fall of 1945.

Mr. Duc was the second son in a poor farming family. He participated in the National Salvation Youth Union, the self-defense team, and was one of the first people to organize the Thanh Thuy Commune Guerrilla Team.

His voice was slow, sometimes shining with pride: “At that time, the revolutionary atmosphere was extremely exciting. The young people in the commune and the region were all enthusiastic. Some ran everywhere to spread the news, others shouted slogans. In just one morning, the government was in the hands of the people. Joy and confidence spread throughout every hamlet and every house.”

His story took me back in time to Thanh Thuy commune of Nam Dan canton in the past (later Nam Thanh commune of the old Nam Dan district) - a purely agricultural land but rich in revolutionary traditions.

On August 15, 1945, at Vien Quang Pagoda, Viet Minh Front cadres convened a secret meeting to deliver the order to revolt. The next morning, August 16, 1945, when the drums sounded and the red flag with yellow star fluttered in front of the communal house yard, people from all hamlets simultaneously went to the village chief's office, restrained the tyrants, confiscated boxes, books and rice to distribute to the poor.

The colonial-feudal government collapsed quickly, and the Nam Thanh Uprising Committee was established on the same day.

Gaining power was only the first step; protecting the fledgling government in the midst of chaos was the challenge. Mr. Duc and many young people at that time organized patrols day and night, implementing the policy of “no one in or out” so that the rebels could not infiltrate. The revolutionary government was maintained until the entire Nam Dan district rose up in revolt.

Thanh Thuy’s victory became a strong source of encouragement, opening the uprising movement in the whole province. From here, the news of victory quickly spread to neighboring communes, then to Quynh Luu, Vinh town, Ben Thuy… After just over a week, Nghe An completely took power into the hands of the people.

After the August Revolution, Mr. Duc continued to engage in the resistance war. In 1948, he joined the army, became an engineer soldier, and fought in many battlefields from the Northwest to Binh-Tri-Thien. Through bombs and bullets and years of hardship, he remained steadfast in his oath as a soldier.

When the country was unified, he returned to his hometown, took on many local jobs, and contributed to production movements and the building of a new life. He was awarded the 75-year Party membership badge - a noble award recognizing a lifetime of steadfast devotion to ideals.

Continuing the revolutionary fire

Over the past 80 years, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Duc has witnessed many changes in the local administrative structure as well as the strong transformations of his homeland. From the dream of “farmers having fields” of that Autumn, Nam Thanh today has put on a new coat. The concrete road stretches under the rows of sycamore trees, connecting the bright red-tiled houses; on the fields, rice carpets stretch out under the brilliant yellow sunlight.

Before merging into Nam Dan commune, Nam Thanh was a model new rural commune, with a poverty rate of only 0.53%. More than 10 standard farm models, each household earns 75-80 million VND/year. Agriculture has entered the high-tech era: vegetables in greenhouses, crossbred cows, crossbred fighting chickens, specialty seafood. Typical products such as soy sauce and tapioca starch meet 3-star OCOP standards.

In the first 6 months of 2024, the total production value reached 55.25 billion VND, an increase of 4.5% over the same period. The rice area is 1,092 hectares, vegetables are 150 hectares, and the fruit tree area is expanded. Canals and overflows are maintained to ensure irrigation. Traffic infrastructure, lighting, and clean water continue to be invested synchronously.

The local cultural life is also vibrant. On summer evenings, the yard of the cultural house is filled with the sounds of volleyball, lion drum practice, and singing during cultural exchanges. The rate of cultural families is nearly 95%, and hamlets have held the title of cultural hamlet for many years. Monuments and landscapes such as Vien Quang Pagoda, Thanh Mau Temple, and Da Han Dam are both historical witnesses and tourist destinations.

In the flow of constant development, Nam Thanh commune (old) has undergone a historical transformation when it merged with Nam Hung and Nghia Thai communes to formNam Dan communeWith this merger, the Thanh Thuy and Nam Thanh place names that were once deeply imprinted in history no longer stand alone on the administrative map.

However, this does not diminish the historical significance or revolutionary spirit of the land. On the contrary, the spirit of the August Revolution, the will to be self-reliant and self-reliant, and the desire for development will still be inherited and strongly promoted in the vast land of Nam Dan, opening a new chapter full of promise.

From the heroic Thanh Thuy of the August Revolution to the model new rural Nam Thanh and now the vast Nam Dan commune, this land has gone through a turbulent but also vibrant historical journey. Although the place name has changed, the revolutionary spirit, the will to be self-reliant, self-reliant and the aspiration to rise up are still the source that flows throughout, shaping the identity and promoting development.

Today, amidst the bountiful harvests, the laughter at the early morning market and the sparkling eyes of the young people going to school, the flame of 1945 still burns, lighting the way for the homeland to new golden seasons.