Special Citizens of the Capital

At a rare age, Mr. Le Duc Van (real name Nguyen Huu Phuc) received the title of Outstanding Capital Citizen 2023, along with the pride of being a Hero of the People's Armed Forces with members of the Hoang Dieu National Salvation Youth Union.

Mr. Le Duc Van talks to young people in the capital in 2020. (Photo: Archive)

Having spent many years in charge of the student, pupil and youth movement in the capital, then holding the position of Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and then working at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr. Le Duc Van, is currently the Head of the Liaison Committee of the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union...

Pioneer of the youth movement

Born in 1926, as a student at Buoi School, Mr. Le Duc Van joined the Ngo Quyen Team - a patriotic student organization at the school and was soon admitted to the Hoang Dieu National Salvation Youth Union in August 1944 at 46 Bat Dan Street (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi).

In his memory, the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union when it was first established had about 60 members, many of them were students from Buoi, Thang Long, Gia Long, Dong Khanh, Van Lang schools... operating semi-publicly, carrying out the task of spreading and posting leaflets, hand-delivering revolutionary news, and organizing rallies and demonstrations in offices and schools...

He said: “The organization’s activities received a lot of help from the people, everyone considered each other as family, and could meet anywhere. In particular, under the leadership of the Party and the direct direction of the Hanoi Party Committee, the Hoang Dieu National Salvation Youth Union participated and took the lead in most of the struggles until the day the revolution succeeded.”

Mr. Le Duc Van clearly remembers the boiling atmosphere of the August Revolution days of 1945 and the young men and women in their eighteens and twenties, carrying within them the flame of revolutionary enthusiasm, and the belief in following the Party and President Ho Chi Minh.

In order for activities to be widely deployed on all fronts, as well as to promote and exploit the strengths of each member, the Executive Committee of the Hoang Dieu National Salvation Youth Union has established semi-professional teams and groups, operating professionally and separately, associated with each specific task.

Notably, during 260 days of operation, the Hoang Dieu City Youth Volunteer Propaganda Group under the Executive Committee of the Hoang Dieu City Youth Rescue Group successfully carried out tasks such as: organizing and protecting the rally at Canh market (Hoai Duc, Ha Tay); breaking into and organizing a rally at EPIV school; organizing an armed march in Me Tri village; coordinating with the National Rescue Youth of Nhan Chinh commune, Tu Liem to break into the Japanese rice warehouse at Moc village communal house, Quan Nhan to distribute to the poor; breaking into and giving speeches to destroy the fake independent exhibition organized by the puppet government right after the opening day...

Typically, at noon on August 17, 1945, the Hoang Dieu Youth Propaganda Volunteers broke up the rally of the General Association of Civil Servants, took the initiative, turned the rally of the General Association of Civil Servants into a rally to demonstrate the spirit and determination of the revolutionary masses of Hanoi in the movement against the Japanese and their lackeys, and successfully carried out a demonstration march starting from the Opera House, along Trang Tien Street and spreading in all directions until 10:00 p.m. the same day.

The peak was on Sunday, August 19, 1945, the Hoang Dieu Citadel Youth Propaganda Volunteers successfully organized a rally, called for an uprising, demonstrated and marched to occupy the Imperial Commissioner's office, the City Hall, the Treasury, the Lake Post Office and the Hang Trong Police Station, and occupied the Bao An Binh camp...

The Executive Committee of the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union also established the Honorary Anti-Traitor Team, the National Salvation Youth Team and the volunteer self-defense team on the outskirts of Hanoi, and other teams and groups such as the combat self-defense squad, the student self-defense team, the female team, the liaison team, the volunteer self-defense team... which were closely connected with each other and contributed to the uprising and the seizure of power in August 1945.

Mr. Hai Hung, Mai Luan, Tran Thu, Le Duc Van and Nguyen Kim Chi - members of Hon Nuoc newspaper. (Photo archive)

Soul of the Country - the voice of Hoang Dieu youth

During his years of revolutionary activities at the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union, Mr. Le Duc Van was also assigned by the Hanoi Party Committee to be in charge of the Hon Nuoc newspaper - the mouthpiece of the male and female national salvation youth of Hoang Dieu area.

He said that the Hon Nuoc newspaper was born to implement the policy of "Each big city must have a youth movement committee and publish a separate newspaper for the youth" of the Central Party Standing Committee. At that time, there were five people participating in the newspaper, of which he was in charge of the content, printing organization and distribution.

Initially, Hon Nuoc published two pages per issue, printing about one hundred to two hundred copies, with editorials, news, revolutionary poetry and literature focusing on propagating the revolutionary policies and guidelines of the Viet Minh, reflecting the activities of the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union...

Currently, the first issues of Hon Nuoc are being kept at the Vietnam National Museum of History, including the fifth issue published on July 1, 1945, printed in lithography, blue ink, two pages on opaque white paper, measuring 28cm x 37cm. The front page of the newspaper has prominent articles such as: "Culture and Revolution", "Stay Calm in the Face of Terror", "Cut the Chains and Break the Yoke"...

Due to the war situation, the location and printing technique of Hon Nuoc newspaper changed many times. At first, the newspaper was printed at 15 Hang Phen street, using rudimentary printing techniques. At first, it used amethyst to print but was not successful, then it switched to printing with stone powder mixed with water as a printing mold, using purple ink to write on long paper and then placing it on the rolling mold until it was done, then peeling the paper off.

In early 1945, after Tet Nguyen Dan, the printing office of Hon Nuoc newspaper was moved to Giap Nhat village, belonging to Hoan Long agency (now Thanh Xuan district). Later, the facility was exposed, the printing office moved to a new location, a small, abandoned brick house in Lang Trung village, then to Xuan Canh village (on the road from Nhon to Ha Dong).

On the eve of the uprising, the printing office of Hon Nuoc newspaper moved once again to Dich Vong, Tu Liem. When the August Revolution succeeded, the newspaper's public printing office was located near the present Central Bank, at which time the newspaper switched to machine printing.

Besides the arduous printing, the most dangerous step was still the distribution of the newspaper and leaflets. Those who carried out this task often went in groups of three people and were assigned specific tasks: one person kept watch, one person spread the paste made from glutinous rice flour on the wall, and the remaining person pressed the leaflets and the Hon Nuoc newspaper onto it.

The Hon Nuoc newspaper, along with Viet Minh leaflets, were posted at crowded places such as the gate of Lang pagoda, Quan Nhan and Chinh Kinh communal houses, Ha Yen Quyet and Thuong Dinh communal houses... The newspaper, along with various leaflets, documents, and posters, contributed to encouraging Hanoi youth in particular and the people of the capital in general to rise up and seize power.

Hon Nuoc Newspaper published on July 1, 1945 (Original photo from National History Museum)

Revolutionary spirit in peacetime

After the success of the August Revolution, the members of the Hoang Dieu Youth Union continued to participate in protecting the revolutionary government in the capital, going through the resistance war against France and the US.

After the liberation in 1975, the Liaison Committee of Viet Minh soldiers in Hoang Dieu citadel before the August Revolution (now called the Liaison Committee of the National Salvation Youth Union in Hoang Dieu citadel) was established.

Up to now, the former youth union members are all at a rare age but still maintain their revolutionary enthusiasm, passion, and responsibility in the activities of the Veterans Association, the Elderly Association, and the Fatherland Front in residential areas.

As an enthusiastic person, Mr. Le Duc Van has held many positions. Later, even though he has retired, he still enthusiastically participates in activities, especially exchanges and talks to help the younger generation better understand the heroic moments of the resistance years, increasing their patriotism.

With the title of Outstanding Capital Citizen 2023 at the age of 97, he is an exemplary role model for today's and tomorrow's young generations to study, work, and take the lead in all areas of life, contributing to the process of national renewal.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/cong-dan-dac-biet-cua-thu-do-245027.html