The Red City Resilient

(Baonghean.vn) - When bullets and fire were blazing in the sky, when the people's hearts were united, when "the army and the people had one will", the country was in danger, the whole country went to war. With those noble reasons, Vinh city - the Red city, together with the whole country, set out. Remembering this day, 48 years ago.

In mid-1964, after consecutive defeats in the Southern battlefield, the US imperialists recklessly launched a destructive war in the North. US President Johnson directly ordered the US air force to bomb the North of our country, in order to prevent the great support of the Northern people for the resistance of the Southern compatriots, strengthen the spirit of the puppet army and puppet government, sabotage the construction of socialism and the economic and defense potential of the North, and at the same time reduce the determination of our people to fight against the US to save the country.

Military and people of Vinh city in 1958 (photo: Document)

Correctly assessing the enemy's strategic plots and tricks, ........898♣ 84,m. The Party set out the urgent task of "Promptly changing the direction of ideology and organization, strengthening national defense potential". The Party directed the strengthening of the construction of standing forces, strengthening the air defense network, developing the militia and self-defense forces... after a short time, many new military branches were established.

Along with the whole country, Vinh City is the economic - political - cultural center of Nghe An, the gateway to support human and material resources for the great frontline in the South, and at the same time is a key point that the enemy has long been eyeing and plotting to destroy.

Thoroughly implementing the Resolution of the Party Central Committee, the Resolution of the Special National Political Conference, and the Resolution of the Vinh City Party Committee at that time, it was clearly stated: "We must quickly move from a peaceful situation to adapting to a war situation, promptly respond to all situations, proactively prevent and minimize damage to people and property, and at the same time mobilize the spirit of the entire people fighting the enemy, the entire people doing prevention work, the entire people shooting down low-flying aircraft."

After a short time, more than 100 tons of machinery were evacuated to continue production. In coordination with the Ministry's armed forces, the Military Region, the Province, and Vinh City, 15 n,.kk stations were built.
kj;7ko18;p5luan sat, 23 alarm points, 92 artillery positions of all kinds, digging and filling 247,786 m3 of earth and rock fortifications, 23,939 meters of trenches, 23,272 shelters, establishing 20 bomb and mine clearance teams, 18 traffic rescue teams, 173 ambulance teams... By the end of June and the beginning of July 1964, Red City had entered a combat-ready position with confidence in victory.

After creating the "Gulf of Tonkin incident", on August 5, 1964, the US imperialists sent many groups of aircraft to operate in some important coastal areas of the North such as Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh. At exactly 12:25, 4 A4D jets of the US Air Force flew straight towards Vinh city, starting the attack on the North of our country. After only 5 minutes of firing, right from the first volley of bullets from the units of the 280th anti-aircraft artillery regiment and low-range infantry guns of the Hung Thuy commune militia, Ben Thuy ferry, and oil depot, an A4D had to pay the price. This was the first aircraft shot down in the North.

At 4:30 p.m. the same day, after failing to launch the attack, the US imperialists sent 4 more A4Ds to attack the oil and gas area (in the residential area of ​​Nghi Phong commune, Nghi Loc district, located next to Vinh city) and several other places in the city once again. Building on the results of the first battle, the city's army and people simultaneously opened fire, destroying one plane and injuring several others. As a result of shooting down 2 planes, the army and people of the Red City contributed to the whole country shooting down 8 planes on August 5, 1964.

The victory on August 5, 1964 excited the hearts of the people and soldiers of both the North and the South, and peace-loving people around the world. The enemy was stunned by a sudden blow, and did not understand why we had fought back so fiercely and effectively in the very first air raid...

During the ceremony to honor the units with outstanding achievements on August 5, 1964, beloved Uncle Ho advised: "You have achieved glorious victory, but do not be complacent, subjective and underestimate the enemy because of victory. We must know that the American imperialists and their lackeys: "If we die, we die, but they do not change their bad habits. They still have many evil plots..."

True to Uncle Ho's teachings, from August 5, 1964 onwards, the fight of the army and people of Vinh city against the destructive air war of the American imperialists became even more fierce.

With an area of ​​less than 32 square kilometers at that time, the enemy dropped 97,543 bombs of all kinds, equivalent to 250,554 tons, on average each square kilometer had to endure 3,048 bombs, each person had to endure 1,900 kg. The enemy attacked the city 8,768 times with 16,230 bombs, equivalent to 30,397 bombs, all types of aircraft, including B52s and large artillery from the fleet at sea. There were places where they bombarded fiercely, such as: Ben Thuy area, less than 2 square kilometers, the enemy fought 2,912 times, on average each person here had to endure 3,422 bombs... by the end of 1972 the whole city was almost completely destroyed, not a single house was left intact, thousands of compatriots and soldiers were sacrificed and injured, tens of thousands of houses and factories were leveled.

However, with the will "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom", the army and people of the city under the leadership of the Party, directly the Provincial Party Committee and with the coordination and support of the Ministry, Military Region and Province have promoted the tradition of winning the first battle, raised the will and determination to completely defeat the American invaders to protect the heroic land of the city, and fulfilled their sacred duty to the people of the South.

In summary, in the two periods from 1964 - 1968 and from 1968 - 1972, the army and people of Vinh city shot down 146 American planes and captured 6 pilots. They are especially proud of shooting down the first plane in the North (August 5, 1964), the 100th plane of the City (September 14, 1966), the 200th plane of the Province and the 300th plane of the North (May 27, 1965).

In the fierce war conditions, the City always fulfilled the target of "not a single kilo of rice was missing, not a single soldier was missing". From 1965 to 1972, the City sent off 7,592 children to defend the Fatherland, accounting for 25 - 30% of the population. Most families had members participating in the war, including many families where both grandfather, father and son joined the army, fighting on the battlefields during this historical period.

In the life-and-death struggle with the enemy, in this city there were exemplary examples of Vietnamese revolutionary heroism such as: comrade Phan Dang Cat, who was on leave when he heard that the American invaders were attacking the city, immediately returned to his combat unit and on August 5, 1964, he was wounded three times but continued to command the battery until his last breath; there were children like Vo Chi Dung who received camouflage leaves for artillery and heroically sacrificed; workers who walked through bombs and bullets to bring vehicles and ferries to the front line; there were women like Chi Mai who maintained the traffic flow and adjusted vehicles through key points. There are also many collectives and individuals who were honored by the state as Labor Heroes and People's Armed Forces Heroes such as Hung Thuy Commune, Ben Thuy Ferry, Power Plant, Vinh Wood Factory, Vinh Railway Station Police Station and Police Station No. 5. There were units honored as Heroes twice such as Hung Thuy Commune and Ben Thuy Ferry. And there are also individuals like Mr. Huynh Ngoc Du, Nguyen Trong Tuong, Nguyen Huu Tung. The Party and the State have awarded 118 noble medals of various types to groups and individuals, especially on September 14, 1966, the army and people of Vinh City received a letter of praise from Uncle Ho on the occasion of shooting down the city's 100th plane.

The victory on August 5, 1964 as well as the feat of nearly 10 years of fighting against the destructive and destructive war of the American imperialists is one of the heroic pages in the tradition of fighting against foreign invaders of the army and people of the heroic Red City and will forever be the pride of the Party Committee and people of Vinh City.

CBCS City Armed Forces on a night picnic

With great achievements in the process of building, fighting and growing, the Red City Armed Forces were awarded many noble titles by the Party, the State and the Ministry of National Defense: Hero of the People's Armed Forces for the City Armed Forces and 17 collectives and 7 individuals with outstanding achievements in combat. 51 Medals of Military Exploit of various types for 50 collectives and individuals and many units achieved the title of Determined to Win and hundreds of collectives and individuals were awarded certificates of merit, titles of Emulation Fighter, Determined to Win. In the new period, the City Armed Forces were awarded 2 Medals of Military Exploit, 2 Certificates of Merit by the Government; 3 flags and 5 certificates of merit by the Ministry of National Defense; many flags, titles of Determined to Win Unit and certificates of merit were awarded by the Command of Military Region 4 and the Provincial People's Committee. Nghe An Provincial Party Committee awarded the Party Committee the flag for 10 consecutive years of outstanding strength (2001 - 2010), Vinh City Party Committee awarded the flag for 10 consecutive years of clean and strong strength (2001-2010) and many Certificates of Merit to the City Military Party Committee.

Remembering the day of the first victory 48 years ago, once again to understand and love more the patriotic and revolutionary tradition of the heroic and resilient people of the Red City. The verse “Sword on the back, soft hand with flower pen”, by the late poet Huy Can expressed that. The people and this country love peace passionately, never want war. But they are also very courageous and resilient to protect the Independence and Freedom of the Fatherland.

Tran Hai