The process of establishing the first Communist Party organizations in Lang Son

Lang Son is a land with patriotic and revolutionary traditions. In the twentieth century, when the nation was suffering from both colonialism and feudalism, Lang Son was also the place where revolutionary movements soon appeared. In 1925 and 1926, together with the movement of the whole country, under the encouragement of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association, the movement demanding the release of Phan Boi Chau (1925) and the mourning of Phan Chau Trinh (1926) was held quite widely in Lang Son, especially in Lang Son town, and there were activities in spreading Marxism – Leninism and mobilizing all classes of people to fight for national liberation, which created a vibrant revolutionary struggle movement in the area, especially among the youth.

Standing out in the enthusiastic, vibrant and patriotic youth class were Hoang Van Thu and Luong Van Tri who are studying at Lang Son France – Vietnam Primary School of Lang Son town.

The process of establishing the first Communist Party cells in Lang Son

In 1926, in response to the movement of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association, groups of patriotic young people with the aim of saving the country were founded, typically a group of patriotic youths at the Lang Son France – Vietnam Primary School. In the first lunar month of 1928, from Dong Dang, Hoang Van Thu went to China to get in touch with Bui Ngoc Thanh, representative of Vietnam’s Youth Revolution operating in Longzhou – Nanning (Guangxi), at the end of 1928, they were both admitted to Vietnam’s Revolutionary Youth League. At the end of 1929, Hoang Van Thu, together with Hoang Dinh Giong and Hoang Van Non (in Cao Bang province) were admitted to the Indochinese Communist Party.

Mr. Hoang Van Nghiem, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation speaks at the Scientific conference to determine the date of establishment as well as the tradition day of the Provincial Party Committee (September 2022). Photo: THANH MAI

In order to create a convenient operation area for our Party, the Communist Party cell in charge of Cao – Bac – Lang border region was established (in mid-1930) including Hoang Dinh Giong, Hoang Van Thu, Hoang Van Non. Its Secretary was Hoang Dinh Giong. In early 1933, from the first establishments in Khau Da, Ma Meo, Tan Thanh, Tan Yen, the revolutionary movement spread to many communes such as Thuy Hung, Hong Phong, Phu Xa…

During the rapid development of the revolutionary mass movement, the Party cell in the border region decided to establish a Party organization as the core to direct the movement. Implementing that policy, authorized by the Party, in mid-1933, Hoang Van Thu and Doan Viet Tho went to Thuy Hung, Van Uyen (now Thuy Hung commune, Cao Loc district) recruited new member into the Party, established Thuy Hung cell, which was the first cell in Van Uyen and Lang Son province with 5 members who were Doan Viet Bung, Doan Viet Canh, Dong Viet Dai, Nong Viet Bao and Ma Khanh Phuong. Hoang Van Thu was the Secretary. From this first Communist cell, the revolutionary movement spread in the province.

By the end of July 1936, through Duong Van Thong, Hoang Van Thu went to Bac Son to propagate and enlighten the masses. After two months of building a revolutionary base, on September 25, 1936, the first Party cell in Bac Son was established in Mo Tat village, Vu Lang commune (now Tan Huong commune, Bac Son district). Duong Van Thong was appointed as Secretary, the cell consisted of Hoang Doan Tao (ie Ha Khai Lac), Duong Van Tu (ie Duong Quang Long), Nguyen Van Phong (ie Mai Huyen).

At the beginning of 1938, under the authorization of the Party Committee of Tonkin, Hoang Van Thu went to Phi My, enlightened, trained the enthusiastic people, recruited them into party and established a Communist Party cell. On April 11, 1938, under the organization of Hoang Van Thu and Luong Van Tri, the first Communist Party cell in Trang Dinh was established in Na Han village, Phi My commune (now Tri Phuong commune, Trang Dinh district) including Be Van Binh – Secretary, Hoang Kim Son, Hoang Van Cuong, Hoang Van Ban, Ma Van Ngan, Hoang Van Thao and Trieu Din Ne.

The birth of the first party cells in Lang Son unified the organization and operation of the People’s revolutionary movement in the area as well as followed the revolutionary movement of the whole country, marking the growth of the revolutionary movement in Lang Son province.

After their establishment, the cells continued to encourage the masses in the area to participate in the revolutionary movement, developed more mass bases, expanded the Party’s sphere of influence, opened secret roads in order to create favorable conditions for Party cadres to travel and operate in the two border regions. At the same time, they widely provided information about the Party’s revolutionary guideline to many localities with the aim to launch the movement in the whole province.

In the working method, the cells set out specific plans for each locality, called mass organizations for fighting against the recruiting workers and soldiers by force; against high tax collection; demanding freedom of traveling and meeting. Through propaganda and encouragement of Party cells, mass associations and groups such as Mutual Support Association, Study Association, and Revolutionary Book Study Association were born and developed strongly in Van Uyen, Thoat Lang , Bac Son, Trang Dinh; The guerrilla bases of Hoi Hoan (Thoat Lang), Van Mich (Binh Gia), and Chi Minh (Trang Dinh) were established to form a system of guerrilla bases connected to the Bac Son – Vo Nhai base.

During the strong development of the revolutionary movement, the Meeting on consolidation of Lang Son Provincial Party Committee was held in mid-May 1945 in Khau Kham forest, Hoa Tham commune, Binh Gia district. The meeting appointed an interim Executive Committee with 4 members. Lo Quang Nam was assigned as the provisional Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. The first Lang Son Provincial Party Congress was held from June 15 to 19, 1948 at Ban Dao, Tan Van commune, Binh Gia district and it elected the Executive Committee of the Provincial Party Committee in the first term with 13 members, Hoang Van Kieu was elected Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee.

Since the first provincial Party cell was established in mid-1933 with 5 party members, up to now, Lang Son Provincial Party Committee has held 17 congresses. Each of them is an important historical milestone, marking the maturity of the entire Provincial Party Committee both in theory and creatively concretizing the Party’s lines, policies and the State’s laws into the situation of the province.

Traditional Day of the Provincial Party Committee

From the establishment of the first cell in 1933 to the first Provincial Party Congress in 1948, up to now, the history of the Provincial Party Committee has undergone 90 years of formation and development. However, due to the historical context, the date of establishment of Lang Son Provincial Party Committee has not yet been determined specifically and clearly. Therefore, in September 2022, Lang Son Provincial Party Committee coordinated with the Institute of Party History, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics to organize a scientific conference determining the founding date as well as the traditional day of Lang Son Provincial Party Committee.

At the conference, there were 7 presentations analyzing and evaluating historical events associated with the formation and development of the first cell of Lang Son province which was Thuy Hung cell established in mid-1933. However, documents at the Archives of the Central Office of the Party, the archives of the Institute of Party History, the first National Archives Center, the National Museum of History and publications all recorded no information, data on the founding date of Lang Son Provincial Party Committee.

The Party Cell of the Office of Van Quan District Party Committee organized an activity on “Propaganda, education and promotion of revolutionary tradition on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the tradition day of the Provincial Party Committee” at the relic of Hang Pai communal house, Thuy Hung commune, district. Cao Loc. Photo: PHUONG DUNG

Through discussions and opinions of scientists, researchers, leaders, former leaders of the province, the conference determined the establishment date of Thuy Hung Cell in mid-1933 as the traditional day of the Party Committee of Lang Son province.

On the basis of historical documents, proposals of former leaders of the province and recommendations of scientists, the Executive Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, on December 22, 2022, issued Resolution No. 101-NQ/TU selecting June 15 as the opening date of the first Lang Son Provincial Party Congress (June 15, 1948) and also the time when the first Party cell was established in Thuy Hung in the middle of 1933 to be the milestone. June 15, 1933 was chosen to be the traditional day of the Party Committee of Lang Son province. The traditional day was added to the history of the Party Committee of Lang Son province and popularized. It would be celebrated in accordance with the regulations of the Party and State.