Vinh - Hung Nguyen: The days of the August Revolution

(Baonghean) - Vinh and Hung Nguyen have a close and organic relationship, being an important geopolitical region in the revolutionary process of gaining independence for the Fatherland and liberating the homeland.

Before the Revolution, Vinh town was small but served as the political and military center of the puppet government, with thousands of Japanese troops stationed there who constantly sought to suppress the revolution and arrest patriots. However, they were surrounded by the patriotic and revolutionary people of Hung Nguyen. Vinh, Ben Thuy, and Truong Thi were also the birthplace of a significant segment of the Vietnamese working class who became enlightened by the revolution, enthusiastically supported by the people of Hung Nguyen. They became important base areas for revolutionary organizations, especially the base of the Central Committee of the Central Vietnam region and the Viet Minh Nghe Tinh branch at Ru hamlet, Phuc My village, now Chau Son hamlet, Hung Chau commune, Hung Nguyen district.

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After the Japanese coup against the French (September 3, 1945), many political prisoners in both Vinh and Hung Nguyen were released. Although they had not yet re-established contact with the revolutionary organization, they quickly joined the remaining party members in rallying the masses, organizing struggles against the enemy and oppression, providing famine relief to the people, building the movement, and waiting for the opportune moment.

On April 5, 1945, Mr. Vo Trong Cu (Phu Xa) and Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh (Phuc My) contacted Comrade Nguyen Xuan Linh in the Viet Minh Nghe Tinh Mobilization Committee to establish the Viet Minh Hung Nguyen Mobilization Committee, with Mr. Vo Trong Cu as its head. Subsequently, with the assistance of the Viet Minh Nghe Tinh Mobilization Committee, the Viet Minh Hung Nguyen Mobilization Committee organized a conference to elect a Viet Minh District Executive Committee consisting of 9 people, with Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh as secretary. The members included Vo Trong An, Dang Dinh Trung, Nguyen Quang, Nguyen Hieu, and Hoang Em, who coordinated closely with the Viet Minh in Vinh town.

In Vinh town, after the Japanese ousted the French, officials, civil servants, and soldiers within the French colonial administration were in disarray and confusion. The newly formed pro-Japanese government was unstable, so we took advantage of the situation to spread propaganda and persuade them to follow the demands of the Viet Minh. Some local gentry and security guards had become enlightened and joined the revolution. During this time, the pro-Japanese government also advocated for the establishment of several mass organizations to gain control of the people. Seizing the opportunity, we advocated for infiltrating these organizations to operate legally. The Viet Minh in Hung Nguyen appointed Mr. Dang Dinh Trung as the leader of the Phan Anh Youth – a pro-Japanese organization – and instructed the Viet Minh in the districts and villages to cleverly place enlightened patriotic youths into these organizations. In Vinh and the villages, we also infiltrated the pro-Japanese security forces to transform them into armed forces of the Viet Minh.

Following the Central Committee's directive, "The Japanese and French are fighting each other, and our task is to prepare for a nationwide general uprising," on August 8, 1945, the Viet Minh of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces held a conference in Ru hamlet, Phuc My village, to discuss plans to respond to the general uprising. The conference had 40 delegates from the Viet Minh in the districts and counties of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, chaired by Comrade Nguyen Xuan Linh. At the closing of the conference, news arrived that "Japan is preparing to surrender to the Allies." The delegates were very excited and quickly returned to their localities to lead the movement. The Viet Minh of Nghe An decided to seize power in Hung Nguyen first to provide support for Vinh. On August 15, 1945, taking advantage of the large rally held by the Phan Anh Youth Organization in Phu Long village (Hung Long - Hung Nguyen) to create a show of force, we decided to transform this rally into a Viet Minh rally, mobilizing a large number of people and youth from the villages to attend.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Linh and Comrade Vo Trong An prepared the speeches in advance. When the rally began, the self-defense forces (prepared beforehand) seized the stage so that the Viet Minh representatives could take the podium, exposing the French and Japanese fascist colonial regimes, calling on the people and youth to rise up and overthrow the puppet government, reclaim power for the people. Leaflets and red flags with yellow stars were thrown out, and Viet Minh documents were distributed on the spot. The masses chanted slogans: "Down with French colonialism, down with Japanese fascism," "Long live independent Vietnam," "Support the Viet Minh," and marched in all directions. The reactionaries could do nothing and had to retreat. The nearby Japanese military outpost, fully armed, also had to give up in the face of the masses' momentum.

Sensitive to the extremely rapid and new changes, many villages, even without orders from higher authorities, proactively and successfully seized power. The Viet Minh in the villages of Yen Dung, Loc Da, Duc Thinh, and Duc Quang (near Vinh) led the Hung Nguyen movement. On August 19, 1945, Hung Nguyen completed the seizure of power at the district level. Following the orders of the Uprising Committee, in an instant, from all the villages and from all directions, throngs of people and armed forces surged to the district headquarters, blockading the officials, controlling the security forces and other enemy forces. District Chief Nguyen Tien Don surrendered unconditionally, handing over all his seals, documents, and records to the revolution and pleading for leniency. Mr. Ngo Mau, on behalf of the Revolutionary Committee, received them. At exactly 5 PM on August 19, 1945, the Provisional Revolutionary Committee of Hung Nguyen, chaired by Mr. Ngo Mau and comprising five members (responsible for justice, military affairs, propaganda, shareholders, and finance), was introduced to the people.

In Vinh, where Japanese forces still remained, drawing lessons from Hung Nguyen and other localities, the Nghe Tinh Uprising Committee convened and concluded: Although the Japanese army had suffered a major defeat, they still possessed weapons, and an armed seizure of power would inevitably lead to bloodshed. Therefore, the strategy was to use mass demonstrations to build momentum and propaganda, urging them to surrender and seize power.

On the morning of August 21, 1945, the people of the neighborhoods and villages on the outskirts of Vinh, including workers, farmers, intellectuals, students, urban poor, and revolutionary armed forces, armed with swords, spears, sticks, and guns, marched in unison, raising red flags with yellow stars, shouting slogans, and demonstrating along the streets. Finally, they gathered at the town stadium, led by Mr. Chu Van Bien, who issued the order for the general uprising. Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Tai, representing the Viet Minh, met with the Japanese military commander to request non-interference in Vietnam's internal affairs. The Japanese General at the time, Oada, accepted all of our requests and even promised to provide the Viet Minh with 500 guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition.

The revolutionary forces were assigned to surround and seize the offices of the puppet government. The Vinh City self-defense force, led by Mr. Tran Xuan, advanced to occupy the governor's residence and the secret police headquarters. Governor Dang Van Hua, along with other officials, the chief minister, and the judge, waited in front of the hall and declared their surrender to the revolution. At exactly 12:00 PM on August 21, 1945, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of Nghe An Province (the name at that time), chaired by Mr. Le Viet Luong, was introduced to the people, declaring the abolition of the colonial and feudal administrative apparatus and the establishment of a revolutionary government. Mr. Nguyen Tai was the Vice Chairman of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of Nghe An Province and also served as the first Mayor of Vinh City under the new regime...

Today, many villages of Hung Nguyen district (before the revolution) have become wards and communes of Vinh City, such as Hung Binh, Hung Chinh, Hung Loc, Hung Thuy, Hung Hoa, Hung Dong, Hung Tay, Hung Vinh, and Hung Dung, which are contributing to building Vinh into a type I urban area, aiming to be the center of development for the North Central region...

Nguyen Dinh Vo