Remembering that autumn...

For 79 years, every time autumn arrived, the hearts of the Vietnamese people in general and the people of Thu Dau Mot - Binh Duong in particular, nostalgically recalled the historic autumn of August 1945. Not only in Ba Dinh’s sunlight, but in Phu Cuong, a forest of yellow flags with red stars (the flag of the Vanguard Youth at that time) and red flags with yellow stars flew brightly. The people of Thu Dau Mot province, along with the entire nation, rose up in an uprising to seize power, shattering the chains of colonial and feudal slavery, contributing to the complete victory of the August Revolution, leading to the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Historical moment

August 25, 1945 became a significant historical event for Thu Dau Mot - Binh Duong province when more than 50,000 people marched to Phu Cuong Administrative Office to attend a rally and seize power, overthrowing the government established by Japanese fascists and setting up a workers' and peasants' government. The great victory of the August Revolution in Vietnam in general and in Thu Dau Mot - Binh Duong province in particular, was a triumph of the will to resist losing the country, resist being enslaved; it was a victory of the spirit of great unity, mobilizing the collective strength of the entire population.

Phu Cuong Administrative Office, where the uprising to seize power by the army and people of Thu Dau Mot province took place on August 25, 1945, has become a historical relic and a significant site for educating young generations about revolutionary traditions

The atmosphere in the days leading up to the uprising was recorded in the history of Binh Duong provincial Party Committee: “In Thu Dau Mot, by August 23, 1945, the momentum of the Viet Minh forces’ control was growing in central areas. On the market streets, only semi-armed self-defense units were maintaining order, with no more puppet police around. The National Salvation Association mobilized people to make red flags with yellow stars, prepare banners, write slogans and be ready for the uprising.

Bung Cau market, Tuong Binh Hiep village (now part of Thu Dau Mot city’s Hiep An ward), was a place where provincial Party Committee held an open meeting on the night of August 23, 1945, chaired by comrade Van Cong Khai. The meeting thoroughly grasped the Southern Regional Committee's resolution on the general uprising in Nam Ky, deciding to seize power in the provincial center on August 25, 1945. The meeting called on cadres, Party members, National Salvation associations, self-defense units and people to unite and quickly seize power on August 25, 1945. The Uprising Committee was headed by comrade Van Cong Khai, Secretary of provincial Party Committee.

After the meeting, the uprising order was issued throughout the province. The local pre-uprising forces in Phu Cuong and surrounding villages hastily prepared for this important event for the people in the province on the morning of August 25, 1945. The self-defense armed units of Phu Cuong, Phu Hoa and Chanh Hiep were assigned to guard important positions, being ready to prevent the enemy from sabotaging. Throughout the province, revolutionary forces advanced to surround the "police post", disarming the Japanese soldiers and officers. Some Vietnamese working for the Japanese in the post took the weapons of the Japanese soldiers and handed them over to revolutionary soldiers.

As of August 24 afternoon, a self-defense unit raised the flag at provincial Commissioner’s office, provincial Uprising Committee and comrade Van Cong Khai went to Phu Cuong Administrative Office to command the uprising. On the night of August 24 into the morning of August 25, rubber workers' self-defense forces and those from districts in the province went to the province’s center, divided into groups to support the uprising. Along with the self-defense units seizing power, mass organizations quickly arranged, organized, assigned tasks and protected the local villages and streets. The local people stayed up all night to sew red flags with yellow stars, paste slogans, preparing for the set time of action.

In the face of the power of people and revolutionary forces, the Japanese soldiers stationed in the posts and their collaborators remained inactive. In fact, from August 23, 1945, the Japanese collaborators had already disbanded and become ineffective. The people of Thu Dau Mot province, under the leadership of provincial Uprising Committee, seized power without bloodshed.

Victory of great national unity

Along with the whole country, the general uprising of August Revolution in Thu Dau Mot province was a complete success, further highlighting the indomitable tradition of the Vietnamese nation and marking a breakthrough in the development of our revolution. This victory is the result of a long process of forging revolutionary will, resilience and sacrifice by organizations and the masses under the leadership of Thu Dau Mot provincial Party Committee; a victory of the great nation unity bloc, based on the alliance between workers and farmers under the glorious banner of the Party.

Nguyen Van Loi (center), Member of the Central Party Committee, Secretary of provincial Party Committee, Head of provincial National Assembly deputy delegation visits Tran Xuan Minh, a pre-uprising cadre in Thu Dau Mot city’s Phu Tho ward on the occasion of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27)

According to Tran Xuan Minh, a pre-revolutionary cadre in Thu Dau Mot city’s Phu Tho ward, the success of the August Revolution, in addition to the opportunity, was also due to the decisive leadership role of the Party, the trust and support of the people... Through fierce struggles with the enemy, the revolutionary movement in Thu Dau Mot province become stronger. The local cadres and Party members became more mature, were trained and proved their abilities and political courage. Meanwhile, the masses in the province were educated. Their strength was awakened, and they were tested and trained.

Mai Thanh Chi, a pre-uprising cadre in Thu Dau Mot city’s Phu Cuong ward said: “The glorious achievements were due to our Party relying on the workers and peasants through legal public organizations, with youth as the core and particularly awakening the patriotic spirit of the masses...”. Sharing the joy of celebrating Independence Day, Tran Xuan Minh proudly said: “After years of hardship, there was no greater joy than hearing the victory speech. The joy was even greater when tens of thousands of compatriots, including Kinh, Hoa, and ethnic minorities, shared the same heart, the same joy on the day of national independence...”.

Reported by Thu Thao-Translated by Kim Tin