August Revolution: Historic autumn and heroic epic

Photo: Le Duc Van (Nguyen Huu Phuc), head of the liaise board of the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union.

Hanoi (VNA) - Every time remembering the historic days of August 75 years ago, the spirit of devotion to the Fatherland remains lively in the mind of ex members of the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union.

75 years ago, under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, the people across the country simultaneously rose up, conducting a general uprising and took the power. In particular, the milestone of August 19, 1945, which marked the victory of the revolution to take the power in Hanoi, created a stepping stone for the uprisings in other localities and the final victory when the national ruling power was handed over to the people.

The success of the August Revolution in 1945 was the result of a long, resilient, indomitable struggle process of Vietnamese people to overthrow the colonial yoke for hundreds of years.

Although he is now 94, Le Duc Van (real name Nguyen Huu Phuc), a former member of Hanoi’s Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union, can still clearly recall the memories of the exciting days when he and other comrades participated in the 1945 General Uprising.

“On those days, we were just 15/16-year-old students and joined the common struggle of the nation without fear or wondering what we would gain or lose. Stories of Uncle Ho's journey to find a way to save the country, traveling across the five continents and then returning to lead the revolutionary cause to overcome all hardships and dangers inspired us to take action,” Van said.

Then, along with about 10 other students, Van formed the Tu Than (Improving Oneself) group, which aimed to motivate its members to train themselves to become useful citizens. The group's membership was later increased to 20 and renamed Ngo Quyen after a national hero.

In 1944, Van was sent to take part in a training class for Party members in Cam Giang in Hai Duong district. The class was named after Hoang Van Thu – a leader of the Party who had just been killed by the enemy.

“This name reminded us that, when one soldier fell down, there would be more patriotic young person ready to follow,” Van said.

In late 1942, the Party Central Committee instructed Party organisations, especially those in big cities, to set up mobilization committees and publish their own newspapers.

Van and his two comrades published the Hon Nuoc (Soul of the Nation) newspaper secretly and canvassed young people in Hanoi to prepare for an uprising to seize power.

Van still keeps copies of the newspaper Hon Nuoc as a souvenir.

Prompted by the needs of the revolution and under the leadership of the Party, in August 1944, the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union was established at No 46 Bat Dan street in Hanoi.

With courage and intelligence, members of the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union held talks on streets or in crowded areas in front of the police, aiming to inspire patriotism among youths and people from all walks of life.

“We shouted slogans to support Viet Minh (the short name for Vietnam Doc Lap Dong Minh (Vietnam Independence League) and oppose invaders. The speakers then quickly withdrew, leaving behind just a national flag,” Van recalled.

The Hoang Dieu Citadel youth volunteer popularisation team and the suburban volunteer self-defense team - the forerunners of Hanoi’s armed forces, made a great contribution to the General Uprising to take power on August 19, Van stressed.

National flags held up across streets

Receiving the information that Tran Trong Kim's pro-Japanese puppet government will hold a rally at 14:00 on August 17, 1945 at the square of the Opera House with the purpose of calling for support of the public, Van and tens of thousands of young people were summoned and assigned to attend the activity in order to turn it into a rally to support the Viet Minh.

When the rally had just started, members of the youth union suddenly took over the venue for their speeches, reporting that Japan had surrendered to its allies unconditionally, and calling on the people to support the Viet Minh to overthrow the pro-Japanese puppet government and take the power. A red flag with a golden star in the middle was lowered from the Opera House's attic. The 20,000 attendees including people from all walks of life such as workers, women, and young people, took out their flags and waved high.

The rally then turned into a demonstration, marching from the Opera House to other streets, with more and more people joining in, shouting slogans supporting the Viet Minh and protesting the puppet government, Japanese fascists and French colonialists.

In the evening the same day, the revolutionary military committee and Hanoi Party Committee met and decided to launch an uprising in Hanoi on August 19.

On August 19, the Uprising committee issued an appeal, and by late afternoon the same day, most key offices of the pro-Japanese administration were taken over by revolutionary forces.

On August 20, 1945, the Northern Region Party Committee decided to establish a provisional revolutionary government in the North, with Nguyen Khang appointed as Chairman of the Northern Revolutionary People's Committee. The committee informed other localities about the victory in Hanoi.

“The light of the revolutionary autumn has always been burning in the heart of young members of the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Union,” Van said.

“I think we did not waste our youth, and are always proud to dedicate our life to the national revolution”, he added./.