Nguyen Thi Dinh - A close friend of the Cuban people

Vietnam and Cuba have many similarities in the history of the struggle for independence, especially the appearance of typical female heroes. If Vietnam has Hai Ba Trung, Ba Trieu, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Nguyen Thi Dinh, Nguyen Thi Binh, Cuba has Mother Mariana Grajales Cuello - the iron woman in the resistance war against Spanish colonialism, along with loyal soldiers such as Melba Hernández, Haydée Santamaría, Vilma Espin...

This similarity is part of the origin of the loyal friendship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Cuba, two peoples on the front line against colonialism and imperialism, national liberation and building a social regime of democracy, justice, freedom and happiness for the people over the past 65 glorious years (1960-2025).

Nguyen Thi Dinh's meeting with soldiers of the Cuban Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment. (Photo: VNA)

From Dong Khoi Ben Tre to "Ben Tre Village" in Cuba

One year after Cuba was liberated (January 1, 1959), the Dong Khoi uprising broke out in Ben Tre (January 17, 1960). The Cuban people were excited and saw Vietnam as a comrade sharing the fire in the trenches against the US.

On December 20, 1969, a village named “Ben Tre Village” was born in Artemisa province (Cuba) in a widespread movement in Cuba to express solidarity, support, and encouragement for the people of the South in general and the people of Ben Tre in particular in the struggle against the invaders and their henchmen. Ben Tre Village has a replica of Uncle Ho’s stilt house, which is a symbol of solidarity between the people of Vietnam and Cuba. Every year, Ben Tre Village celebrates the traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year and commemorates the Ben Tre Dong Khoi Day (January 17, 1960).

From the land of Dong Khoi Ben Tre, Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh became a beautiful symbol of Vietnamese women in the war against America, liberating the South, and unifying the country. She was famous for her role as commander of the long-haired army of the South, with an effective three-pronged attack strategy.

Ms. Ba Dinh and the Cuban people

During her glorious revolutionary life, Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh held many important positions: Deputy Commander of the Southern Liberation Armed Forces (1965 - 1975); President of the Women's Union for the Liberation of Southern Vietnam (1965); Member of the Party Central Committee of the IV, V, and VI terms; President of the Vietnam Women's Union of the V and VI terms (1982 - 1992); Vice President of the State Council (1987 - 1992); National Assembly Delegate of the VI, VII, and VIII terms; especially President of the Vietnam - Cuba Friendship Association (1983-1992).

Leader Fidel Castro welcomed Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh to visit Cuba on July 18, 1974. (Photo: KT)

In July 1974, Vietnamese female general Nguyen Thi Dinh visited Cuba and was warmly and sincerely welcomed by President Fidel Castro and other Party and State leaders. There, she was awarded the National Order of the Beach of Hiron, a noble award from the Cuban State.

She often emotionally talked about this trip when she was alive: “Comrades Fidel Castro, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba; Raul Castro, Minister of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces; Vilma Espin - President of the Cuban Women's Union and Melba Hernandez - President of the Cuba - Vietnam Solidarity Committee shook my hand and congratulated me very tightly. At that moment, I was filled with emotion, wondering how we could respond to the trust and wishes of our friends around the world.”

In the memorial house of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Dinh on Pasteur Street, there is a picture of her standing side by side with leader Fidel Castro, capturing the moment of two people who entered the history of the struggle for national liberation, although they were half a world apart, yet so close and similar.

Writer Nguyen Ngoc once wrote about Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh: “Perhaps she is one of the Vietnamese people with the most friends in the world, from ordinary people to famous heads of state and from many different political regimes. She is a small, humble but knowledgeable, friendly but elegant woman representing a Vietnam that is fighting steadfastly and confidently.”

Symbol of Vietnam - Cuba friendship

In May 1982, a working delegation of the Vietnam - Cuba Friendship Association came to Ben Tre. On this trip, the Cuban side had Ms. Melba Hernandez, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to Vietnam as head of the delegation. Accompanying her was Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh, then President of the Vietnam Women's Union. The purpose of this trip was that Ms. Menba wanted to meet the provincial leaders to express the desire of the Cuban people to have Moncada village in Ben Tre, because in Cuba there was already Ben Tre village.

The road to Moncada village - Luong Hoa commune (Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province). (Photo: Nhan Dan Newspaper)

In response to the precious affection of the people of the neighboring country, the leaders of Ben Tre province present at the reception that day proposed three typical communes to be considered for the name "Moncada Village" including: Tan Xuan (Ba Tri), Dinh Thuy (Mo Cay) - where the Dong Khoi movement started and Luong Hoa (Giong Trom) - where the river was known as the "Bach Dang River" of the era because it was famous for sinking many American warships.

After discussion and analysis, the provincial leaders found that although Luong Hoa established its party cell later, it had many achievements during the resistance war, notably the feat of fighting American warships, so it was nicknamed the "Bach Dang River" of the era. After the war, Luong Hoa was one of the communes with economic recovery, fast transportation, and a bustling trading cooperative, one of the most famous in the province. This was also the hometown of the talented general Nguyen Thi Dinh. Choosing Luong Hoa was worthy.

After this meeting, Mrs. Melba called Cuba to report that there would be a “Moncada - Luong Hoa Village in Ben Tre”. All procedures to officially recognize Moncada - Luong Hoa Village in Ben Tre were carried out very quickly. On January 1, 1983, on the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Cuba, Moncada - Luong Hoa Village was officially established, becoming a bridge connecting the friendship between Vietnam and Cuba.

In 2023, Ben Tre province inaugurated the Moncada Village Memorial House with a total investment and construction capital of more than 4.5 billion VND. Of which, each party member, cadre, civil servant, public employee, and armed force in Giong Trom district contributed 2 days' salary with a total amount of 1.2 billion VND, the rest from the district budget. The memorial house was built with a total floor area of ​​290 m2, with a reinforced concrete foundation, columns, beams, beams, and trusses. The walls are built of terracotta bricks, finished with plaster, paint, etc. The project preserves and introduces documents, images, and artifacts about the affectionate relationship between Vietnam and Cuba in general and Monada village with Ben Tre village in particular.

In Cuba, there are more than 100 places, schools, villages, and bridges named after Vietnam. In Moncada village, Luong Hoa commune, Giong Trom, many families hang pictures of leader Fidel Castro as a way to express their love and admiration.

Professor of History Christine Whate, University of Hawaii, USA, once wrote a letter to Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh, in which she said: “I feel very honored to write this letter to visit you, a famous woman who played an important role in world history, an example of a true woman. I am very happy to use your memoir to teach my students about the Vietnamese revolutionary tradition.”

Continuing the precious legacy left by Ms. Ba Dinh and generations of fathers and brothers, the Vietnam - Cuba relationship shines with new pages of history with the pure internationalism of true revolutionaries in the fight to protect, maintain, consolidate and develop socialism in all fields.

The historic visits of the two countries' senior leaders have shaped the direction, content and solutions for developing Vietnam - Cuba relations in the new context. The two countries continue to innovate cooperation methods towards improving practicality and efficiency, focusing on promoting cooperation in areas of both sides' strengths and mutual interest such as trade, investment, agriculture, biotechnology, health, construction, industry, transportation, information and communications, finance, banking, culture, sports, education and training and science and technology.

In the history of the world, there is rarely a friendship as loyal and steadfast as that between Vietnam and Cuba. And in that great friendship, female general Nguyen Thi Dinh will forever be a timeless symbol!

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/nguyen-thi-dinh-nguoi-ban-than-thiet-cua-nhan-dan-cuba-211659.html