Hanoi (VNA) - The student movement against French forces blossomed in Hanoi from 1947 to 1954. With a strong sense of patriotism, thousands of students there supported the resistance and became a solid foundation for the Vietnamese revolution, even from within the enemy base.
Walking down the cold, dim corridor of the Hoa Lo Prison relic site, Do Hong Phan, 91, former director for international cooperation at the then Ministry of Water Resources (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), recalled her days as a young revolutionary. Phan vividly remembered the passionate spirit of Hanoi’s youth, who were willing to face danger for their city, back when she was a high school student at Chu Van An.
“At that time, every Hanoi household had at least one or two young people involved in the resistance, either male or female, in one way or another. Girls, mostly from affluent families, stood side by side with their male friends on the front lines, defending every inch of the capital with a strong resolve,” Phan shared.
Talking about when she first joined the movement in late 1949, she remembered the drive that marked her youth, calling it the most exciting time in her life. By June 1950, the 17-year-old girl was inducted into the Communist Party of Vietnam despite not yet meeting the age requirement. Her induction took place at a storage facility at the Dong Xuan Market in the capital, a base for Dong Xuan women in the resistance.
The revolutionary fervour among Hanoi’s youth often started at home, inspired by older siblings and relatives. Nguyen Dinh Tan, for instance, followed his older brother Nguyen Sy Van, a martyr, into the resistance. On May 18, 1948, Van (born in 1936) and two friends – Nguyen Van Kham and Nguyen Trong Quang – swam to the turtle tower on the heart of Hoan Kiem Lake to hang the national flag, an act that stirred great patriotic pride among the people of Hanoi. Later, Van was sentenced and sent to the labour camp at Khe Tu, Tien Yen. He attempted a daring escape, but was recaptured and tortured to death in prison in 1948.
His steadfast example inspired his younger brother to become actively involved in Hanoi's student resistance movement. Alongside his classmates from the Chu Van An High School, Tan participated in various activities, including performing patriotic songs, distributing leaflets, and organising protests, in a bid to raise awareness, rally support for the revolution, and oppose the conscription of students into the military.
“Student resistance group activities were like waves beneath the surface,” Tan explained. “The enemy constantly tried to quash us, but the more they did, the more determined we became. As one group was arrested, another would take its place.”
Nguyen Hac Dam Thu (born in 1935), a former Deputy Head of the International Department at the Vietnam Women's Union, was similarly inspired by her cousin, Do Hong Phan. Back then, Thu joined the underground publication Nhua Song, the precursor of Tien Phong newspaper.
Producing and distributing Nhua Song was challenging and dangerous, but essential for spreading revolutionary ideas among the youth. It was printed on small sheets, the size of a notebook, and hidden in students' bags. Beyond distributing the publication through youth organisations, students also took advantage of recess to covertly slip copies into desk drawers or discreetly pass them to classmates, then observing how peers reacted to the paper. Those who quietly tucked it into their bags to read at home were likely supporters of the resistance.
Reflecting on those days, Thu said, “People thought we were privileged students, living comfortably. In reality, we scrimped and saved every penny to support our newspaper. Nhua Song gave us hope and resilience to endure the hardships of living in occupied Hanoi.”
Talking to VietnamPlus, she recounted the intense influence of the paper, which led to the arrest and brutal torture of many student activists by French forces. Despite these arrests, new groups continually emerged, determined to keep the spirit alive so that the underground newspaper continued to pulse within the hearts of a generation fueled by revolutionary fervour, nurturing their hopes for the liberation of Hanoi./.
