The story of a pre-uprising cadre in Ha Tinh

In the midst of the historic August days, we had the opportunity to meet and talk with Mr. Tran Hau Ngoc (80 years old, residing in Nam Ha ward, Ha Tinh city) - the son of pre-uprising cadre Tran Hau Xuong to review the heroic historical August Revolution days in Ha Tinh.

Portrait of pre-uprising cadre Tran Hau Xuong.

Participants in organizing the uprising in Thach Ha

Mr. Tran Hau Xuong was born in 1913, in a family with a tradition of patriotism and revolution in Van Yen village, Trung Tiet commune, Thach Ha district (now Van Yen ward, Ha Tinh city). In 1929, when he was just 16 years old, Mr. Tran Hau Xuong was enlightened about the revolution and was admitted to the Tan Viet Revolutionary Party. After that, he became a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam, working at the Trung Tiet commune Party cell. And after a short time, he was appointed to the position of Secretary of the Trung Tiet commune Party cell.

In November 1931, Mr. Tran Hau Xuong was the Head of the Mass Mobilization Committee, giving a speech in Thach Tri commune (Thach Ha). He and the people demonstrated, distributed leaflets, hung flags, and posted slogans: "Down with the French colonialists and their lackeys who exploit the people". After that, he was arrested by the French colonialists, brutally tortured, and imprisoned in Ha Tinh prison, sentenced to 3 years in prison. In the French colonial prison, despite being tortured, shackled, hungry, cold, and sick, he and his comrades remained loyal to the Party and fought on a hunger strike.

In January 1933, after his prison term ended, Mr. Tran Hau Xuong was released, then returned home to practice pulse examination - medicine - acupuncture. During this time, Mr. Tran Hau Xuong continued his revolutionary activities, preparing mentally and physically with the entire population to rise up and take power for the people when the opportunity came.

On April 10, 1945, he contacted Viet Minh cadres in the province and met in Ha Tinh town (the location of Phan Dinh Phung High School, Ha Tinh city today) to discuss preparations for the general uprising. Later, on August 7, 1945, he attended an important meeting in Phu Viet commune (Thach Ha), receiving instructions from the Viet Minh Front to prepare for the general uprising. On August 9, 1945, Mr. Tran Hau Xuong and comrades in the Viet Minh Front of Thach Ha district discussed and planned to organize a rally in Phu Viet commune, from which the uprising delegation would be arranged to return to Ha Tinh town. The history of Dong Mon commune Party Committee also recorded images and revolutionary activities in the commune and districts of Thach Ha and Can Loc from August 16 to 18, 1945, with Mr. Tran Hau Xuong participating in the organization. He worked urgently, continuously, and tirelessly with the Viet Minh Front to lead the uprising, regain power for the people, and quickly achieve victory.

Along with the whole country, the uprising to seize power in Ha Tinh contributed to the victory of the August Revolution. In the photo: Hundreds of thousands of people in Hanoi and neighboring provinces followed all the roads to the Hanoi Opera House square to attend the unprecedented large-scale rally of the revolutionary masses, responding to the General Uprising to seize power on the morning of August 19, 1945 ( Photo courtesy of VNA ).

According to the History of the Ha Tinh Party Committee (1930-1945), on August 17, 1945, after receiving the order to revolt from the inter-provincial Viet Minh, the Nam Ha Sub-region Uprising Committee ordered the uprising committees of the two districts of Thach Ha and Cam Xuyen to launch an uprising to seize power as a backing for seizing power in the provincial capital the following day (page 136). The demonstration had thousands of people, young and old, men and women participating. The revolutionary spirit was fervent, the momentum of the masses was like a dam bursting. Slogans were shouted such as: "Down with the French colonialists and their henchmen exploiting the people", "Long live the independence of Vietnam"... The demonstration marched straight to seize power in Trung Tiet commune and Thach Ha district.

Then, the demonstration groups from neighboring communes gathered to join the demonstration group to seize power in Ha Tinh town. The revolutionary spirit was fervent, the morale of the masses was high. The victory of the uprising to seize power in the province ended on August 18, 1945, and the provisional revolutionary government at all levels from commune - district to province was established. The self-defense teams of the villages in the whole Thach Ha district were established, and Mr. Tran Hau Xuong was assigned to be in charge of the military.

Mr. Le Nghi (left) recalls memories of the resistance period with Mr. Tran Hau Ngoc.

Mr. Le Nghi (87 years old), resident of Tien Phong residential group, Thach Quy ward, a witness of that period, recounted: “I was only 8 years old at that time but still remember everything clearly. My grandfather was the village chief of Trung Tiet commune, keeper of the commune seal. One autumn morning, when the weather was not sunny, I saw a group of 4 people (when I grew up, I learned that one of them was Mr. Tran Hau Xuong) come to my house to ask my grandfather to hand over the seal and documents to the new government. Mr. Xuong was in charge of the military, wearing a long sword, riding a horse, probably captured from the Japanese army. They spoke slowly and politely. My grandfather handed everything over to the new government.”

After seizing power for a while, Mr. Tran Hau Xuong joined the army, fought in Na Pe (Laos), Dien Bien Phu and spent time studying oriental medicine in China, serving in the army. He died in 1970, in Nam Ha ward. He received many orders, medals, certificates of merit from the army and was recognized by the Ha Tinh Provincial Party Committee as a revolutionary activist before January 1, 1945 who sacrificed and passed away.

Parent class first, child class later…

After listening to Mr. Tran Hau Ngoc tell about the revolutionary activities of Mr. Tran Hau Xuong, we went with him and his family to visit Ha Tinh Prison (Tan Giang Ward, Ha Tinh City), where communist Tran Hau Xuong and many other patriotic scholars and revolutionary soldiers were imprisoned.

Mr. Tran Hau Ngoc and his wife always remind each other to teach their children and grandchildren to live and study according to revolutionary ideals.

Touched as he placed his hand on the stele at Ha Tinh Prison, Mr. Ngoc shared: “My father fought steadfastly all his life for the independence and freedom of the nation. We are extremely proud of our family tradition. My father’s revolutionary spirit will forever be continued and preserved by his descendants and generations of Ha Tinh people.”

Following his father's tradition, Mr. Tran Hau Ngoc grew up and joined the army, fought in the Central Highlands battlefield, was admitted to the Party in the army, and is now retired, living in Nam Ha ward, Ha Tinh city. He is a 55-year Party member. His wife, Mrs. Bui Thi Xuan, after serving in the army, moved to work at the Provincial Labor Federation and then retired. Mrs. Xuan is also a 50-year Party member. The couple's family lives peacefully and happily with their children and grandchildren.

Descendants and relatives of Mr. Tran Hau Xuong at the Ha Tinh Prison stele - where Mr. Tran Hau Xuong and other patriots and revolutionary soldiers were imprisoned.

On the trip back to Ha Tinh Prison one early autumn morning, in addition to Mr. and Mrs. Ngoc's family, there were also Mr. Tran Hau Xuong's grandchildren and relatives. Mr. Tran Hau Hai and Tran Hau Tam, the two grandchildren who are also two businessmen in Ha Tinh, proudly introduced to us Mr. Xuong's paternal uncle, Mr. Tran Hau Tung, a staunch communist who had also participated in revolutionary activities since 1929. In early 1930, he was sentenced to prison and exiled to Buon Me Thuot with the prison number F1407, and was recognized as a pre-uprising cadre. And also under the relief recording the spirit of patriotic communists, we met Mr. Tran Thanh Giap - Squad Leader of the Suicide Squad clearing mines and magnetic bombs in Cua Hoi (Nghi Xuan), who called Mr. Xuong "uncle". After the mine clearing operation on February 26, 1972, Mr. Giap was the only one of the 8 survivors, seriously injured.

The story of the fathers, grandfathers, and relatives of a large family with a revolutionary tradition will be told forever by today's children as a reminder for them to live up to their ancestors.

Minh Hue - Anh Thuy

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/nui-hong-song-la/chuyen-ve-nguoi-can-bo-tien-khoi-nghia-o-ha-tinh/253025.htm