The crowd listened to every word.

“Special Guest”

Major Archimedes LA Patti - the commander of the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) unit had many honors and historical opportunities with the S-shaped country that perhaps few foreigners have. On August 19, 1945, when Hanoi gained power, on the afternoon of August 22, 1945, the American major and the OSS delegation arrived in Hanoi on an allied military plane with the mission of collecting intelligence, assisting and coordinating with the Republic of China army (Chiang Kai-shek's army) to organize the disarming of the defeated Japanese fascist army and resolve the issue of prisoners of war. In addition, Major Patti also agreed to help deliver some letters and telegrams from the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh to the US, acting as an intermediary for the first Vietnam - France contacts in September 1945.

Major Archimedes Patti.

On August 25, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh also returned to Hanoi from Tan Trao. Hearing that there was an American delegation led by a general, including LA Patti, Uncle Ho was very happy. He told everyone around him: " This is a special guest, hopefully it will be a good thing" . Actually, that was not the first time President Ho Chi Minh and Major Patti met.

More than 4 months earlier, on April 13, 1945, Archimede Patti, then a captain - OSS Team Leader, was sent to Kunming (China) with the mission of gathering intelligence there, finding ways to rescue and protect American soldiers in the war with the Japanese army as well as learning about the secret activities that Japanese fascists were carrying out in Indochina. For A. Patti, the name Ho Chi Minh was first mentioned in a telegram dated December 31, 1942 from the US Ambassador (in Chongqing) announcing the arrest and detention of Ho Chi Minh in Liuzhou, Guangxi.

Later, Major Patti had the opportunity to meet and talk with President Ho Chi Minh in the small village of Chin Chou Chieh in Jingxi, Guangxi (China) on April 27, 1945. During that meeting, the two sides discussed and talked about coordinating anti-Japanese activities between the Viet Minh Front and the OSS. It was this meeting that made the major feel and have a deep impression of the great leader of the Vietnamese people. Mr. Patti was extremely impressed by Uncle Ho's profound intelligence, simple but convincing diplomatic style.

Returning to Hanoi in late August 1945. At that time, President Ho Chi Minh was busy with a thousand and one things, especially urgent work for the Independence Day, but just one day after returning to Hanoi, at noon on August 26, 1945, he solemnly organized a welcoming ceremony for the American delegation led by Major Archimede Patti in the small flower garden in front of the Metropole Hotel.

After the ceremony, Major A. Patti was invited by President Ho Chi Minh to the house of " The Man Who Wrote the Declaration of Independence " at 48 Hang Ngang Street for an intimate dinner. According to A. Patti's memory, the guests with the President of the new Vietnam were also Mr. Truong Chinh, Vo Nguyen Giap... At the party that day, Major A. Patti and Ho Chi Minh had a friendly conversation like old friends.

Then, on the afternoon of September 1, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh invited Major A. Patti to a friendly dinner before Vietnam's Independence Day at the Northern Government Office. Here, President Ho Chi Minh expressed his welcome and appreciation for all the material and spiritual support that the Vietnamese national liberation movement had received from the US and its allies. He also highly appreciated and thanked the OSS for its assistance and hoped that the spirit of "friendly cooperation" would continue to develop.

Twice heard the Declaration of Independence

During his short time in Hanoi (from August 22 to September 30, 1945), Mr. Patti met President Ho Chi Minh many times and had a rare opportunity: twice listening to President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence.

The first time was on the afternoon of August 30, 1945, Uncle Ho invited LA Patti to the room on the second floor of the house at 48 Hang Ngang, to read to him the draft of the Declaration of Independence giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Uncle Ho wanted the Americans themselves to hear the declaration before it was officially broadcast around the world.

According to the Major, he was startled when he heard the opening sentence: “ All men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are the right to life, the right to liberty, and the right to the pursuit of happiness .” At that time, Patti thought he had misheard because it sounded like an American declaration. After asking again, Uncle Ho affirmed: “ That’s right! The noble purpose of the Vietnamese revolution, of the American revolution, is for the happiness of the people. We fight for the happiness of the people.”

That same evening, Patti called the United States: “ On September 2, 1945, Vietnam will hold a ceremony to declare independence. The opening sentence of the declaration read by Ho Chi Minh will be the opening sentence of the United States Declaration of Independence.”

The memoir in which Major Archimedes Patti recounted memorable memories with the country of Vietnam.

Also according to LA Patti, “that same day, President Ho Chi Minh invited me to attend the ceremony on September 2 at Place Ponier (Pugininer Square, now Ba Dinh Square), right next to the Governor-General's Palace ”. On September 2, 1945, together with his working group, Patti was present at Ba Dinh Square.

Later, in his memoirs, Major Archimedes LA Patti described that momentous moment in detail and vividly: “ From early morning, the people of Hanoi were like swarms of bees, in large and small groups, pouring into the area around Ba Dinh Square to attend the historic event. I decided to decline Mr. Ho's invitation to the area of ​​the Ceremony Stage reserved for guests. I wanted to witness the ceremony as a normal observer, to immerse myself in the bustling, excited atmosphere of the masses to record the most authentic and vivid feelings...

…The honor guard and the military units stood up straight and watched attentively to see who would be the first to appear on the stage. A few minutes later, a shout arose: “Salute with your guns!” The crowd suddenly fell silent. On the stage, everyone was dressed in white, wearing ties and bare heads, except for one small-figured person wearing a dark khaki shirt… That was President Ho Chi Minh…

Then, a voice from the loudspeaker broke the silence, introducing Mr. Ho as “the liberator, the savior of the nation”. The crowd, guided by the party members, sang and for several minutes shouted “Independence”. Mr. Ho stood still, smiling, and the people below cheered. He raised his hand to signal silence and began to read the Declaration - now the famous Declaration... Mr. Ho stopped suddenly and asked the people: “Can you hear me clearly?” The crowd shouted back: “Clearly”. What a masterful orator!

From that moment on, the masses listened and followed every word and gesture of Mr. Ho. We did not understand what Mr. Ho said. Le Xuan - our former liaison - had to try very hard to translate Mr. Ho's words for us, but it was very difficult. But just listening to Mr. Ho's voice, calm and clear, warm and friendly, and hearing the masses' responses, we had no doubt that he had reached the masses.

“At about two o’clock, Ho finished the Declaration and then Vo Nguyen Giap spoke about the role of the Viet Minh, emphasizing the Party’s work in the political-military fields, socio-economic development, education and cultural programs… After the speech, the newly appointed Ministers were introduced one by one to the people. The ceremony ended with the Ministers declaring their loyalty and total support for the Provisional Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam” - Major Archimedes LA Patti recalled.

Ha Anh

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/quan-chung-lang-nghe-lay-tung-loi-post262405.html