10 years ago, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, we organized a live television broadcast with the theme “From ATK Thai Nguyen to the Dien Bien Phu Campaign”. When preparing the script, Comrade Lo Mai Trinh, Secretary of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee, kept reminding us about the appropriate dosage for the victory in Muong Pon. Unfortunately, within 100 minutes, the A1 Hill bridgehead and the Tin Keo bridgehead were both filled with content... And I promise that when the opportunity comes, I will write more about the victory in Muong Pon, Dien Bien...
Muong Pon, a new rural commune today - Photo: HUU MINH
Our car drove straight and smooth on Nguyen Huu Tho Avenue in the direction of Muong Lay. On the left was the newly upgraded Dien Bien airport; on the right, hundreds of excavators were urgently dredging the Nam Rom river in time to beautify it for the 70th anniversary celebration next month. The rice fields in Muong Thanh were forming ears, wafting a faint scent...
Reporters Nguyen Ngoc, Linh Lan, Xuan Hai, Hoai Anh of Thai Nguyen Newspaper wondered about the rice clumps here that seemed small and a bit low... I said: They are indigenous, the nursery rhyme "Nhat Thanh, nhi Lo, tam Than, tu Tac" refers to the four large fields, the granary, the delicious rice of the Northwest... And so, we followed National Highway No. 12 from Dien Bien Phu City to Muong Lay town about 20 km to Muong Pon.
Going back in history, more than 70 years ago, during the fierce days of the long-term resistance war, at the top-secret ATK Thai Nguyen, on November 20, 1953, the Politburo met and decided to launch the Winter-Spring Campaign of 1953 - 1954. At that time, continuing to implement Nava's plan, the French colonialists sent paratroopers to completely monopolize Dien Bien Phu. On December 6, 1953, Co-nhi ordered the French troops to withdraw from Lai Chau, a part of the enemy troops were brought back by plane, and some withdrew by road. Upon receiving news of the enemy's withdrawal, on December 7, 1953, the Forward Command of the General Command (at that time, the headquarters was located in Tham Pua cave, km 15 of Tuan Giao - Dien Bien road) ordered the 316th Division to quickly send a unit along Highway 41 to attack Lai Chau town, while the majority went to Tuan Giao via the shortcut through Pa Phong pass, cutting across Lai Chau - Dien Bien road to destroy the retreating enemy.
On December 10, 1953, our army was ordered to attack and liberate Lai Chau. The enemy was heavily defeated in Lai Chau and was forced to retreat to Dien Bien Phu. On the morning of December 12, 1953, Company 674 of Battalion 251, Regiment 174 marched to Muong Pon and discovered that many enemy troops were gathering in the village. The company immediately surrounded and opened fire to destroy the enemy. At this time, the enemy had aircraft support. Seeing that our forces were weak, they resolutely fought back to open the way to retreat to Dien Bien Phu.
The soldiers of Company 674 fought very bravely, determined to tighten the siege. The liaison soldier Be Van Dan brought the order to squad leader Chu Van Pu, at a time when Pu's squad, with only 4 men left, was having to block an army pouring down from above.
One machine gun could not fire because the gunner had died, and Chu Van Pu's other machine gun could not fire because there was no place to put the gun... In the fierce situation, Be Van Dan rushed forward, lifted the two gun mounts on his shoulders and urged his comrades to fire. Chu Van Pu was still hesitant, Be Van Dan said: "The enemy is in front of us, if you love me, then shoot them all dead", comrade Pu gritted his teeth and pulled the trigger, unloading bullets at the enemy, causing them to panic and run away. The enemy's counterattack was broken. Be Van Dan heroically sacrificed himself with both hands still holding the gun mounts tightly on his shoulders.
The fierce battle of that day is still intact in the memories of today's and future generations like the song praising his life: Be Van Dan, oh!/A thousand years later you still live forever/Your homeland is a green forest/The oranges of Muong Pon around your grave are red/The rice is ripe and golden on the old battlefield of Muong Thanh/Children are singing praises to you"...
Mr. Be Ich Tien - Russian translator for Thai Nguyen Radio and Television Station is a relative, from the same Cao Bang hometown as the hero martyr Be Van Dan. He once told me: The elders of my hometown told me that Cao Bang and the whole Viet Bac were free zones at that time, so the victory in Muong Pon and the heroic sacrifice of Be Van Dan's squad - a 21-year-old Tay boy from my hometown quickly spread throughout the region. Thousands of young people eagerly went to fight and serve in the Dien Bien battlefield following the desire to liberate the Northwest, to avenge Be Van Dan...
Senior Lieutenant General Be Xuan Truong, current President of the Vietnam Veterans Association, when he assumed the position of Commander of Military Region 1, talked about his fellow countryman, martyr Be Van Dan: Born into a poor family with a revolutionary tradition, his father was a miner, his mother died early, growing up he participated in guerrilla activities. In January 1948, he volunteered to join the army and participated in many campaigns.
Be Van Dan always upheld the spirit of courage, actively overcame all fierce difficulties, resolutely carried out all instructions and orders seriously, accurately, promptly, and excellently completed the assigned tasks. The victory of the Muong Pon battle, before the opening of the Dien Bien Phu battle, was like a battle whistle, heroic and confident...
With his outstanding achievements, on August 31, 1955, Be Van Dan (1931-1953) was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces and the Second Class Military Exploit Medal by the National Assembly... The Muong Pon Victory Relic is associated with the name and resting place of the heroic martyr Be Van Dan along with the feats of Company 674, Battalion 251, Regiment 174 located in the majestic Dien Bien Phu Victory relic complex...
Muong Pon commune has now changed a lot. Infrastructure, income, and people's lives are improving day by day. Average income per capita in 2023 will reach over 27 million people/year. Traffic is concreted. Focusing on mobilizing people to develop livestock, manage and protect forests, plant trees... to increase income and stabilize people's lives is the goal that Muong Pon Party Committee and government focus on.
Mr. Quàng Văn Lò, a Thai ethnic, 80 years old this year, is the person who feels the changes in Muong Pon most clearly. “Muong Pon had only a few dozen households back then, but now the population is large, with more than 100 households. My village of Muong Pon 1 is now spacious, the economy is developing very strongly, water is available to every household, and every household has livestock. I hope my descendants will continue the tradition of their ancestors, making Muong Pon commune richer and richer,” said Mr. Quàng Văn Lò.
Looking at the beautiful, prosperous scenery of Dien Bien, Muong Pon, Muong Phang today... I suddenly remember some verses of To Huu's poem:
“ Hey sisters and brothers!
Fallen on the battlefield
Your blood, her blood, our blood is not in vain
Vietnam's fields will be green
Muong Thanh, Hong Cum, Him Lam
Apricot blossoms are white, orange garden is yellow"
HUU MINH
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