Fifty Five Years Ago
Insurrections in Hanoi, Hue and Saigon
August Revolution started in Hanoi
In the late night of August 18 and early morning of August 19, 1945, Hanoi
and other neighbouring provinces were filled
with revolutionary atmosphere. Groups of people organised by the Viet Minh
front (the League for the Independence of
Vietnam) from Ha Dong, Bac Ninh and other areas, together with the people
in the suburban localities, advanced into the
centre of Hanoi.
On the morning of August 19, all over the capital city, many people were
seen coming into the centre with red gold star flags
in their hands. Groups of people including armed guerrillas from all
streets flew into the city Opera House Square to attend a
meeting organised by the City Viet Minh unit. The meeting started at about
10 a.m. After a range of salute gun fires and the
song Tien Quan Ca ('March to the Front'), later adopted as the national
anthem of Vietnam, a representative of the revolution
military committee read the appeal of the Viet Minh, calling people to
launch the uprising and form the government of the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
Right after that, under the leadership of the city's Party Committee, the
Revolutionary Committee and the Revolution Military
Committee, the meeting turned into an armed march. The people, led by armed
guerrillas went to seize the Bac Bo Phu
(Residence du Tonkin), the security camp, the City Hall, Hoa Lo prison and
the police station.
In the afternoon, the revolutionary force had taken control of many
important positions of the Japanese backed puppet
government. The people's government of the city was formed which later ran
the city, without causing any interruption to
the city's daily life.
On the same day as the revolution in Hanoi, in other provinces and
localities such as Thai Binh, Phuc Yen, Khanh Hoa,
people also rose up to seize power. Earlier, on August 14, 1945, many
villages and districts in Quang Ngai and Ha Tinh had
seized power. Four provinces of Bac Giang, Ha Tinh, Quang Nam and Hai Duong
seized power on August 18, the earliest
in the whole country to seize power during the August revolution.
Uprising in Thua Thien-Hue
On August 23, 1945, the Uprising Committee of Thua Thien-Hue province
decided to wage an uprising to seize power.
In preparation for the uprising's victory, people from communes around Hue
city, where the revolutionary administration
had been set up, were mobilised to join demonstrations with people in the
city under the leadership of Viet Minh (the League
for the Independence of Vietnam) while soldiers were persuaded to hand over
their weapons.
The Uprising Committee sent an ultimatum to ask King Bao Dai to abdicate
and hand over the power to people.
Early morning of August 23, Hue city was seen flooded with the red and
golden star flags. Over 150,000 people from the
suburban areas and city held a demonstration and seized the remaining
offices of the puppet regime.
At the meeting to celebrate the victory of the uprising at the stadium of
Hue city, Viet Minh and the Uprising Committee
declared to abolish the puppet regime and introduced the revolutionary
administration.
On the same day, King Bao Dai, the last king of the Nguyen dynasty, was
officially asked to give up his throne.
On the same day, uprisings in Haiphong, Hoa Binh, Gia Lai, Quang Binh, Binh
Dinh and Bac Lieu were completed with
great victories.
Insurrection in Saigon
The insurrection in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) ended in complete victory
on August 25.
Although, it was far from the Central body, the Southern Party Committee
directed good preparations for the insurrection
plan. From the night of August 24, nearly one million people were mobilised
for the insurrection in Saigon. At 6pm on
August 24, the Southern Party Committee and the Insurrection Committee
issued an insurrection order. By 10pm, important
positions such as radio stations, the city mayor's residence, treasury,
power plant, water works, post office service, police
station and other important spots were seized by the armed people of the
insurrection force.
The insurrection occurred quickly, winning a peaceful victory without
conflict or bloodshed.
About 6am on August 25, the red and yellow star flags fluttered in the Tho
Ngu flag tower and on the top of office
buildings. The Southern People's Committee made its appearance in a grand
meeting with over one million people of
Saigon-Cho Lon, My Tho, Bien Hoa, Thu Dau Mot etc.
On the same day, the insurrection was also victorious in Cho Lon, Gia Dinh,
Binh Thuan, Long Xuyen, Vinh Long, Ba Ria,
Thu Dau Mot, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Tay Ninh, Sa Dec, Kon Tum, Lang Son, Phu
Tho and Son La provinces.
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