CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF LAM DONG LIBERATION (April 3, 1975 - April 3, 2025): The heroic struggle for independence

Exactly 50 years have passed since the liberation of Lam Dong (April 3, 1975 - April 3, 2025), towards the 50th anniversary of the complete liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025), the historic days of April remind us of the heroic struggle for independence of the army and people of Lam Dong - Da Lat, contributing to the Great Spring Victory of 1975 - the brilliant peak of the national liberation cause.

Da Lat people rally to celebrate liberation, April 3, 1975. Photo: Document

• HARD BUT HEROIC YEARS

Although he is over 80 years old, veteran Huynh Minh Xuyen - former Standing Deputy Secretary of Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee - still has vivid memories of his days participating in the resistance war. From a soldier in the Tuyen Duc battlefield, in 1974, he was transferred to Don Duong district to be in charge of the district's Revolutionary Youth Union, then became the Captain of the Armed Propaganda Team (Team K1).

In the story, which is clearly told in each time frame and each event, Mr. Huynh Minh Xuyen said that Don Duong district in the years 1972 - 1974 fell into a state of "recession", being attacked by the enemy, causing heavy losses to our forces. When the K4 Task Force was "erased", his K1 Task Force also had to be re-established several times because many people sacrificed and took on many areas in the district. During the days living in enemy territory, he and his teammates tried to connect and build bases from the inside. Despite the hardships and dangers, and even being wounded once, in the heart of this Uncle Ho soldier, he was still ready to fight to protect the Fatherland. Until April 2, 1975, when we won many places, the enemy panicked and fled to Phan Rang, the K1 Task Force took over and established the government in Thanh My, Lac Lam, then together with the 815 troops reinforced the villages and hamlets to establish military administration.

After 50 years of liberation, Da Lat has changed and developed a lot, but in the mind of Mr. Nguyen Trong Hoang - Head of the Youth, Student and Pupil Working Team in Da Lat from 1960 to April 1975, former Director of the Department of Information and Communications of Lam Dong province, he cannot forget the days of "living in the enemy's heart". As someone who once fought through a fiery period participating in the political struggle movement of Da Lat youth, students and pupils during the resistance war against the US, he said that those were difficult but heroic years. "Our mission was to make the political struggle movement in the city flare up, creating political pressure to shake the enemy, make them afraid, and from there the people's spirit became more and more heroic, moving forward to fight to liberate the city...", Mr. Hoang shared.

Political struggle, without weapons, facing the enemy and accepting sacrifice, he and his teammates had to be skillful and creative in their activities so that the enemy would not detect them and still complete their mission. And the inner-city political struggle movement of the People, in which the Youth Union and the youth, students and pupils in the heart of Da Lat city made positive contributions to the liberation of Da Lat - Lam Dong on April 3, 1975, contributing significantly to the victory of the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, creating the Great Spring Victory of 1975, completely liberating the South and unifying the country.

Veteran Huynh Minh Xuyen - former Standing Deputy Secretary of Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee, was moved by the souvenirs from his days participating in the resistance war in Don Duong district.

THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE IS ON FLAME

According to the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department, Da Lat - Lam Dong is a locality where the revolutionary struggle movement took place continuously and vigorously from the first difficult and arduous days to complete victory with the historic Spring campaign of 1975, contributing with the people of the whole country to write heroic pages of national history.

At the end of 1974, the Politburo decided to complete the liberation of the South in two years 1975 - 1976. Implementing the Politburo's policy, the revolutionary movement in the two provinces of Lam Dong (old) and Tuyen Duc had new developments, gradually preventing and repelling the enemy's pacification and encroachment plots, consolidating and building revolutionary forces inside. After liberating the Central Highlands and some coastal provinces in the Central region, with the support of main units, the Lam Dong armed forces together with the mass movement quickly seized the opportunity to attack and rise up to fight the enemy and won resounding and decisive victories in the towns of B'lao, Bao Loc, and Dong Do (Di Linh). On March 28, 1975, Lam Dong province (old) was completely liberated.

After Lam Dong province was liberated, the Forward Command of the Regional Party Committee and Military Region 6 decided to continue attacking and pursuing the enemy, implementing the plan to liberate Tuyen Duc - Da Lat. In Da Lat, the enemy was extremely confused and their morale was low. During the days of March 27 and 28, the Liberation Front's leaflets calling on the people to rise up and revolt were distributed throughout the city. On the evening of March 31, 1975, the enemy burned ammunition depots at Ba Mountain, Cam Ly airport, and Military School and fled Da Lat. Some party members and internal bases quickly established a Self-Management Committee, organized self-defense forces to take over important positions such as the Atomic Research Center, power plant, water plant, post office, etc., and at the same time suppressed saboteurs and those who disturbed security and order. From April 1 and 2, 1975, the people in the outlying hamlets were completely in control of the situation.

At 3:00 a.m. on April 3, 1975, our forces reached the Phi Nom junction and divided into two groups, advancing to liberate D'ran town. The main force focused on advancing to Da Lat. At exactly 8:20 a.m. on April 3, 1975, the Liberation flag flew over the Tuyen Duc - Da Lat Administration Building, the headquarters of the old local government, marking the historic moment: Tuyen Duc Province and Da Lat town were completely liberated.

While Tuyen Duc province, Da Lat town and many other localities were liberated, the 1975 Spring General Offensive entered its decisive moments. Despite facing many difficulties, in order to contribute to the common task of the revolution, the army and people of Da Lat did not hesitate to mobilize all resources to support the campaign. Hundreds of tons of rice, thousands of liters of gasoline and oil were transferred to the front line to supply the troops. In particular, with a high sense of responsibility and awareness of the urgent time, the Geographical Office, thanks to being safely protected and not being sabotaged, was then taken over and worked with all its might day and night. It was here that tens of thousands of photos of Uncle Ho, the Front flag, the red flag with yellow star and the map of Saigon - Gia Dinh City were printed to promptly provide to the main units on the rapid march to liberate Saigon and unify the country.

The general offensive and uprising of the army and people of the two provinces of Lam Dong (old) and Tuyen Duc ended in victory. With the great support of the main force of the Southern army and the armed forces of Military Region 6, the army and people of the two provinces destroyed and disintegrated more than 27,000 enemy soldiers, captured 10 sub-regions, sub-regions, district capitals and hundreds of posts, liberating more than 300,000 people. After the liberation, the army and people of the two provinces continued to hunt down the remnants of the army, called on 20,757 puppet soldiers and authorities to present themselves, captured 1,230 of them, and seized 11,355 guns of various types.

The liberation of Lam Dong, Tuyen Duc - Da Lat had great historical significance, creating favorable conditions for the main units to continue attacking the enemy, liberating the remaining provinces of Zone VI connecting National Highway 1A and Road 20 to support human and material resources for our army and people to advance to liberate Saigon, through the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign to completely liberate the South and unify the country.

In recognition of their glorious achievements in the great national defense struggle, the army and people of Lam Dong - Tuyen Duc were awarded the Gold Star Order by the Party and State; 4 Ho Chi Minh Orders; 46 titles of Hero of the People's Armed Forces (30 collectives, 16 individuals); 257 titles of Heroic Vietnamese Mother; 220 Independence Orders, 164 Military Exploit Orders, 3,784 War Exploit Orders... Of which, Da Lat was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces.

After 50 years of liberation, from a poor and backward province with destroyed infrastructure and frequent sabotage by reactionary organizations, Lam Dong has now developed remarkably. The socio-economic development situation in the province in 2024 has achieved positive results, becoming a fairly developed province in the country. GRDP per capita reached 103.6 million VND; the average labor productivity growth rate reached 21%. The economy maintained a growth rate of 5.3%; the agricultural sector continued to be the pillar of the economy, increasing by 5.1%, ensuring food supply for domestic consumption and export. Budget revenue was 13,100 billion VND, equal to 100.1% of the central government's estimate; infrastructure was constantly invested in upgrading and expanding; the fields of health, culture and education developed strongly; national defense and security were maintained and stable...

The 50th anniversary of Lam Dong Liberation Day (April 3, 1975 - April 3, 2025) is an opportunity to look back on a glorious historical journey, steps of growth and development to become more and more proud. From that pride, the Party Committee, government and people of Lam Dong strive to overcome all difficulties and challenges, continue to successfully implement the Resolution of the 11th Provincial Party Congress, term 2020 - 2025, determined to join the whole country in entering a new era - the era of national growth.

Source: http://baolamdong.vn/chinh-tri/202504/chao-mung-50-nam-ngay-giai-phong-lam-dong-341975-342025-hao-hung-qua-trinh-dau-tranh-gianh-doc-lap-afa79c4/