The story of Uncle Ho's guards and the advice about 'sugar-coated bullets'

(Dan Tri) - Before returning to the capital in 1954, Uncle Ho advised the soldiers of Regiment 600 "to be steadfast and not fall before sugar-coated bullets".

On May 7, 1954, the Dien Bien Phu campaign ended in victory, "resounding throughout the five continents, shaking the earth". The French colonialists were defeated and forced to sign the Geneva Agreement, restoring peace in Indochina, including Vietnam. However, our country was temporarily divided into two regions, the South and the North, by the 17th parallel. The North of our country was completely liberated, gradually advancing towards socialism. Uncle Ho's advice on "sugar-coated bullets" Fearing that the wave of socialism would spread throughout Southeast Asia, the US imperialists jumped into Indochina, replacing France, invading South Vietnam with a new colonial policy. Faced with that situation, Uncle Ho, the Party Central Committee, and the Government decided to return to the Capital to continue leading the Vietnamese revolution to fight for national reunification. In the joy of victory, Battalion 600 prepared for a new and extremely important mission, which was to protect Uncle Ho, the Party Central Committee, and the Government to take over the Capital. To meet the new mission, the Battalion was supplemented with troops and officially established the 600th Regiment. The mission of organizing the march and the plan to protect the Central Party and Government to take over the Capital were carefully prepared by the officers and soldiers of the Regiment.

Battalion 600 protected the 3rd session of the National Assembly in Viet Bac in December 1953 (Photo: Guard Command).

Regiment Commander Ta Dinh Hieu was a member of the Advance Working Group sent by the Central Secretariat to go ahead to determine the marching route and rest stops; investigate and survey the area to develop a protection plan, as well as prepare barracks for battalions and Regimental Headquarters; prepare facilities, ensure absolute safety for the activities of high-ranking leaders and the Central headquarters when taking over the capital. After completing the mission, the Advance Working Group was ordered to return to the Viet Bac resistance base to welcome President Ho Chi Minh to take over the capital Hanoi. The group protecting President Ho Chi Minh and a number of Central Party Standing Committee officials moved from Yen Son (Tuyen Quang) to Vai Cay village, Van Lang commune, Dai Tu district, Thai Nguyen province in early August 1954. To ensure the quick and safe takeover of the capital, in Vai Cay village, President Ho Chi Minh summoned all the officers and soldiers to protect and serve before returning to the capital Hanoi. Like a father instructing his children when coming to work in a new environment and area, Uncle said: "We have suffered hardships in the resistance war and are used to it. Now that we have returned to Hanoi, the enemy has occupied it for many years, and it is full of scenes of luxury and debauchery, so it is easy to develop thoughts of enjoyment. Therefore, Uncle told you to be steadfast and not fall before the sugar-coated bullets." Accordingly, each officer and soldier when carrying out the task of taking over the capital must maintain a firm stance and revolutionary nature, always be steadfast and responsible for the assigned work, and not waver before the prosperity of urban life. Although brief and concise, that teaching is a profound reminder for each officer and soldier of Regiment 600 in particular, and officers and soldiers of the army and police in general, to maintain the qualities, revolutionary ethics, and integrity of a communist soldier; to be exemplary in every word, action, and deed; to promote the great solidarity of the people to carry out tasks quickly and accurately, avoiding falling into the traps of everyday life. Imbued with Uncle Ho's teachings , the march of more than 100km was very difficult, and the means of transportation were scarce, mainly carried by the comrades to transport them back to Hanoi. The protection mission and the march encountered many difficulties and hardships, but with a high spirit of determination, the officers and soldiers of Regiment 600 successfully completed the task of protecting Uncle Ho, the Party Central Committee, and the Government back to Hanoi safely. Upon arriving in Hanoi, Uncle Ho temporarily stayed in a house in the Thuy Station area (now the Institute 108 area). On December 19, 1954, Uncle Ho moved to live and work in the Presidential Palace. The armed task of protecting Uncle Ho and the Presidential Palace area was undertaken by Battalion 11 of Regiment 600. The political security situation and social order in the capital Hanoi in the early days of liberation were extremely complicated. The reactionary lackeys of the imperialists such as the Vietnam Nationalist Party, the Restoration Party... tried their best to sabotage the revolution, trying to re-establish their lackeys to carry out sabotage plots, especially trying to assassinate President Ho Chi Minh and the leaders of the Party and State.

Uncle Ho visited and instructed officers and soldiers of Battalion 11, Regiment 600, before returning to take over the capital in 1954 (Photo: Guard Command).

In addition, social evils such as prostitution, drug addiction, theft, and remnants of the old regime are very serious; living conditions in the capital are completely different from the mountainous environment. However, imbued with Uncle Ho's teachings, officers and soldiers of Regiment 600 have promoted their sense of responsibility, overcome difficulties; closely coordinated with relevant forces to deploy all aspects of work, stabilize accommodation, improve organization, develop protection plans for each area, and arrange closed security forces to protect the safety of President Ho Chi Minh and other senior leaders of the Party and State in Hanoi. 70 years have passed, but President Ho Chi Minh's teachings still hold true, especially in the Party's current uncompromising fight against corruption. Promoting the tradition of the heroic unit of the people's armed forces, officers and soldiers of Regiment 600 in particular, officers and soldiers of the Guard force in general always keep in mind the teachings of President Ho Chi Minh, constantly cultivate and train revolutionary qualities and ethics, not to fall into traps and extravagance; always uphold the spirit of readiness to fight and sacrifice for the cause of "Protecting the Party, protecting the leader", "only knowing that as long as the Party exists, we exist".

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Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/chuyen-nhung-canh-ve-cua-bac-ho-va-loi-dan-do-ve-vien-dan-boc-duong-20240511225616409.htm