During the country’s resistance war against the French colonists, this site witnessed war crime of the French colonists and commemorated local people’s unsubmissiveness and patriotism. Accordingly, between 1949 and 1954, in an attempt to stamp out locals’ struggle, the French tortured and executed 1,145 revolutionary soldiers and people, including 121 citizens in Nguyen Hoa commune.
In order to express deep gratitude to those fallen people, an artistic performance and exchange program, “La Tien oath,” was organized right under the banian tree’s shade on December 10 evening by Hung Yen provincial authorities, association t with the People’s Army Newspaper, the Dai Doan Ket (Great Unity) Newspaper, and the Vietnam Television.
National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong presenting flowers to national contributors
The event, broadcast live on the VTV channels and the Hung Yen Radio, saw the participation of National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong, Public Security Minister To Lam, and former Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army Pham Thanh Ngan, among others.
Delivering the opening speech, Hung Yen provincial Party Committee Secretary Do Tien Sy highlighted the revolutionary tradition and contributions of the province’s people during the national construction and defense cause, especially in the resistance wars against the French and American invaders. Particularly, each square meter in La Tien hamlet is permeated by sacrifice of soldiers and local people. In order to uphold the tradition, Hung Yen leadership and people will do their best to further dedvelop the province for national development in general.
Then, audiences watched a documentary by the People’s Army Newspaper retracing the heart-breaking but glorious time of people in La Tien. Though French colonists barbarously tortured and then massacred revolutionary soldiers and local people, the enemy could not put down the patriotism and aspiration for independence and freedom of people in the province. In January 1954, regular combatants in association with locals to defeat French troops stationed in La Tien hamlet, and then liberate the whole province.
Participating in the exchange was Senior Colonel Hoang Dang Vinh, one of soldiers captured French General De Castries during the Dien Bien Phu Campaign in 1954. Vinh shared that his hometown is four kilometers from the La Tien banian tree. In 1949, his elder brother was among people who were captured and killed by the French near the tree. Vinh was also arrested and tortured by the enemy in their post in La Tien. However, he successfully did the prison break and continued to join revolutionary activities to revenge to his brother and those who were killed by the French colonists.
An artistic performance at the event
Notably, the tree also witnessed love between revolutionary soldiers and local girls. One of the couples was at the exchange. They are veteran Nguyen Duc Khoat and his wife Tran Thi Khuyen. During the time that the French were stationed in La Tien, young soldier Khoat was among locals to gather intelligence, while Khuyen was forced by the enemy to build their fortification. They joined a campaign against the enemy, then fell in love together. In August 1955, they held a wedding ceremony in the newly-liberated province of Hung Yen.
Within the framework of the artistic exchange, audiences also learned about a “connection” between the People’s Army Newspaper and La Tien hamlet. The newspaper was one of the organizers of the program. 63 years ago, the name of La Tien and the La Tien victory appeared on various editions of the newspaper.
On January 31, 1954, Vietnamese revolutionary forces decimated French troop stationed in La Tien. On February 11, 1954, the People’s Army Newspaper published news of a decision of the General Headquarters of the Vietnam People's Army (now the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army) to present a Third-class Feat of Arms Order to the unit achieving the feat. This victory was considered a very important event as it helped pave the way for opening a life-line to serve combat activities of Vietnamese combatants in the Red River Delta against the French. For this reason, General Vo Nguyen Giap, Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People's Army, directed the People’s Army Newspaper to continuously publish articles highlighting the La Tien victory. The newspaper totally did five times, which contributed to encouraging Vietnamese soldiers and people in battlefields, soon putting an end to the French war apparatus in Vietnam.
Other speeches by guest speakers continued to stress contributions of Hung Yen people in the wars against foreign invaders as well as their efforts in developing the province. The province was honored to be visited by President Ho Chi Minh nine times. Over the past years, Hung Yen is one of provinces earning the most sustainable achievements focusing on services, construction, and aquiculture.
Additionally, the artistic exchange featured performances in praise of the land and people of Vietnam by famous artists.
The program was not only to commemorate a glorious era of people in La Tien hamlet in particular and Hung Yen province in general, but also to ask each person to uphold the revolutionary tradition and further build up their hometown.
Translated by Duong Thanh