A lifetime for the cause of enlightening the people and liberating the nation

On the morning of June 2, the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly, the President, the Government, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Hanoi City solemnly held a ceremony to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Nguyen Van To (June 5, 1889 - June 5, 2019), former Head of the first Standing Committee of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), an ardent patriotic intellectual, a talented leader of the National Assembly and the Government, a learned cultural figure of the nation, a close and intimate associate of President Ho Chi Minh, an outstanding son of his homeland Hanoi.

Attending the ceremony were National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan; Former General Secretary Nong Duc Manh; former National Assembly Chairmen Nguyen Van An and Nguyen Sinh Hung; Standing member of the Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong; Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai...

Mr. Nguyen Van To was born on June 5, 1889 in a family with a Confucian tradition, in Dong Thanh village, now Bat Su street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi city.

Born and raised in a country under foreign domination, Nguyen Van To witnessed many patriotic movements led by scholars and mandarins, such as the Duy Tan movement (1906-1908); the "Ha Thanh poisoning" incident (1908), the anti-tax movement in Central Vietnam... all of which were brutally suppressed and drowned in blood. From that historical reality, Nguyen Van To soon absorbed the tradition of patriotism and the spirit of national pride.

Absorbing the quintessence of the culture of the Capital, Nguyen Van To showed his intelligence and love of learning from a young age, and was famous for being well-versed in Confucianism, good at French and knowledgeable about Western culture. In 1905, at the age of 16, Nguyen Van To passed the examination for the position of Judge - Interpreter organized by the Governor General of Tonkin. In 1906, he was officially accepted to work at the Hanoi School of the Far East (EFEO) - a French social science research agency in Indochina at that time. With his profound intelligence, after only a few years of diligent research, Nguyen Van To became a famous scholar, with many research works on Eastern and Western culture, especially on Vietnamese history and culture.

In 1921, scholar Nguyen Van To was appointed as Editor-in-Chief of Tri Tri Magazine of Tri Tri Association - a prestigious organization in supporting and promoting the teaching and learning of French in the North. By 1934, he was elected as President of Tri Tri Association.

With a broad understanding, scientific research methods, serious working spirit, steadfast character and above all, patriotism, Nguyen Van To researched and compiled many valuable works and articles on history, archaeology, literature, linguistics, cultural studies... of the nation, published in prestigious magazines at that time, such as: Nam Phong Magazine, Dong Thanh Magazine, Thanh Nghi Newspaper and especially Tri Tan Magazine. These works and articles have made an important contribution to the study, preservation and promotion of the good traditional cultural and historical values ​​of the nation. At the same time, Nguyen Van To's writings on national history and culture also evoked the patriotic fighting spirit of our people.

Implementing the policy of the Indochinese Communist Party, in early 1938, the Northern Regional Party Committee decided to establish a public organization called the National Language Propagation Association (abbreviated as the National Language Propagation Association), aiming to mobilize people to participate in the movement to eliminate illiteracy. Mr. Nguyen Van To and many prominent intellectuals, such as Mr. Bui Ky, Le Thuoc; Professor Hoang Xuan Han; Comrade Tran Huy Lieu (editor-in-chief of Tin Tuc newspaper), Professor Dang Thai Mai, Vo Nguyen Giap, Phan Thanh and a number of professors of Thang Long private school ... participated in the establishment of the Association and unanimously elected Mr. Nguyen Van To as the President.

As the President, Mr. Nguyen Van To mobilized and organized a vibrant national language teaching and learning movement throughout the country, which was actively responded to and participated in by all classes of people. Along with the tireless efforts of the members of the National Language Propagation Association, from 1938 until the success of the August Revolution, Mr. Nguyen Van To helped more than 70,000 Vietnamese people escape illiteracy, contributing to the defeat of the "policy of keeping people ignorant" of the French colonialists. Through the national language teaching and learning movement, the people's patriotism and revolutionary awareness were nurtured, consolidated and enhanced. Through the movement to promote the study of the national language and eliminate illiteracy, many Party cadres learned valuable experiences, were trained and matured, especially in the work of mobilizing and organizing the masses.

On the other hand, under the direction of Mr. Nguyen Van To, the National Language Propagation Association, with its widespread organization and membership system throughout the country, created an important premise for the success of the revolutionary government's fight against "illiteracy" after the success of the August Revolution. It was the people, experience, and methods of the National Language Propagation Association that were applied to the work of "popular education"; "Eradicating illiteracy" of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the cause of both resistance and nation building.

The August Revolution succeeded, the new democracy was born, but had to face extremely severe challenges, due to the sabotage of internal and external enemies. With the spirit of national unity, respecting and calling on talented and virtuous people to help the country, President Ho Chi Minh respectfully invited Mr. Nguyen Van To to join the provisional revolutionary government, taking on the position of Minister of Social Relief.

With the enthusiasm of a patriot who loved his country and people, Mr. Nguyen Van To organized and established "Famine Relief Associations" in many localities, mobilizing people from all walks of life to promote the spirit of mutual love and support, responding to President Ho Chi Minh's call to "share rice and clothes", helping those who were starving.

To fundamentally solve the famine, along with urgent measures, Mr. Nguyen Van To and the Government encouraged all classes of people to increase production and practice thrift. Thanks to the urgent direction of the Government and the efforts of the entire people, the famine was pushed back, the position and strength of the revolution increased, contributing to helping our country's revolution overcome the dangerous situation, gradually consolidate and develop. In that common achievement of the nation, there was a worthy contribution of Mr. Nguyen Van To.

With important and meaningful contributions, on January 6, 1946, in the first general election to elect the country's National Assembly, Mr. Nguyen Van To was elected by the people as a National Assembly delegate and on March 2, 1946, at the first session of the first National Assembly, he was elected as the first Head of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Delivering a speech at the ceremony, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan emphasized that in the context of the country's extreme difficulties, Head of the National Assembly Standing Committee Nguyen Van To and members of the National Assembly Standing Committee closely united, stood side by side with the Government headed by President Ho Chi Minh, planned and directed the implementation of domestic and foreign policies; on behalf of the National Assembly and the people, contributed ideas and proposed amendments to the Government's decrees on economic, financial, cultural and social fields (before the decrees were issued).

One of the great contributions of Mr. Nguyen Van To in his position as Head of the National Assembly Standing Committee was to direct the National Assembly to contribute ideas, build and pass the first Constitution of our country - the 1946 Constitution. With its progressive ideological contents that have lasting and profound values ​​until today, the 1946 Constitution affirmed the independence and freedom of the nation, the happiness of the Vietnamese people; affirmed the right to be the master of the State of each citizen, the right and obligation to build a state of the people, by the people and for the people.

As the Head of the National Assembly Standing Committee, Mr. Nguyen Van To and the National Assembly Standing Committee actively supported the Government's policy in implementing the foreign policy of temporary reconciliation with France to expel the Chiang army and its henchmen. Specifically, the National Assembly Standing Committee headed by Mr. Nguyen Van To supported President Ho Chi Minh in signing the Preliminary Agreement on March 6, 1946 and the Provisional Agreement on September 14, 1946. This shows that the sympathy of great minds always meets each other, President Ho Chi Minh and Mr. Nguyen Van To were completely united in important decisions related to the fate of the country.

According to National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Mr. Nguyen Van To held the position of Head of the National Assembly Standing Committee for 8 months from March to November 1946, which was the most difficult and intense time of the Vietnamese revolution. As the head of the National Assembly, he and the National Assembly Standing Committee gave many opinions to the Government to implement many appropriate policies to care for the national interests and people's lives. The activities of the National Assembly during his time as Head of the Standing Committee left a deep impression, and made great decisions for the country and the people. The solidarity, support, and attachment of the National Assembly to the Government during this period was one of the great lessons of the Vietnamese revolution that Mr. Nguyen Van To contributed to implementing.

In November 1946, at the Second Session of the First National Assembly, Mr. Nguyen Van To was invited back to join the Government as a Minister without a Ministry. In his new position, he not only contributed to giving opinions and building the Government's domestic and foreign policies, but also contributed to motivating people of all walks of life to actively build a new life, creating momentum and strength for the revolutionary cause.

When the national resistance war broke out (December 19, 1946), Mr. Nguyen Van To and the Government retreated to Viet Bac, participating in many Government activities alongside President Ho Chi Minh. In his position as Vice Chairman of the Evacuation and Migration Committee, he actively directed the dismantling and moving of machinery and equipment to Viet Bac to serve the long-term resistance war; organized food and accommodation for the evacuated people, encouraged the people to uphold their patriotism and believe in the final victory of the resistance war.

While the people's struggle was fierce, in October 1947, the French army launched an attack on Viet Bac in order to destroy our resistance headquarters. Mr. Nguyen Van To was captured by the enemy and died heroically before the enemy's guns. His sacrifice was a great loss for the Government, leaving behind endless sorrow for the National Assembly and the people of the whole country.

“Mr. Nguyen Van To devoted and sacrificed his whole life for the cause of enlightening the people and liberating the nation. He set an exemplary example of an ardent patriot, a learned culturalist, a virtuous and talented leader of the National Assembly and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. He was a shining example of always upholding the spirit of thrift, modesty, simplicity, and disregard for personal fame, wealth and fortune,” said National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan emphasized that the 130th anniversary of the birth of the patriotic scholar and first Head of the National Assembly Standing Committee Nguyen Van To is an opportunity for us to pay tribute to and remember his great contributions to the Vietnamese revolutionary cause, and also to demonstrate the morality of "when drinking water, remember its source" of our people. Mr. Nguyen Van To's life of dedicated work and sacrifice for the country and the people is a beautiful example for National Assembly deputies, cadres, party members and all our people to learn and follow. Mr. Nguyen Van To's example is of great significance in contributing to nurturing the ideals and revolutionary traditions of our cadres, party members and people, especially the young generation, in the cause of building and defending the country.

“Following his example, in all activities and work, each of us must always put the interests of the country, the people and the Party above all; constantly strive for the everlasting independence and freedom of the nation, for the happiness of the people; firmly follow the revolutionary path that President Ho Chi Minh and the nation have chosen, strive to build a prosperous, strong, democratic, equitable and civilized Vietnam; worthy of the noble sacrifice of the national heroes, including Martyr Nguyen Van To - the first Head of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of the Vietnamese National Assembly”, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said./.