Son La city in the early days of summer is as hot as fire. In the small room – also the headquarters of the Association of Former Volunteers of Son La province, Mr. Hai is busy with a pile of records and historical documents. This year he has turned 74 years old, but Mr. Hai still looks healthy and active. Stop answering phone calls from teammates and then arrange plans with teammates to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory. Every time the place Dien Bien Phu is mentioned, Mr. Hai feels empowered. “I joined the TNXP during the anti-American era, but every time I meet former TNXP during the resistance war against the French, especially those who participated in protecting the Co Noi intersection, they leave me with deep feelings,” Mr. Hai said. .
“A time of fire and flowers” of former young volunteers
Once I was seated, I noticed that there were many photos hanging around Mr. Hai’s office. The content of these extremely precious pictures are all activities of the Association and famous historical figures of the time. On his desk, he kept many thick files neatly arranged. Mr. Hai said: “Every page I write is a touching story about former volunteers. Currently in Son La city, there are only 2 elderly people who participated in volunteering at Co Noi intersection still alive. This year they are old. I’m old and weak, so my ability to travel and the memory of those heroic years have disappeared. I’m glad that many years ago, when I took over the “position” of President of the Association, I often visited the houses Listening to the elders tell stories about that time of blood and flowers, I can still keep them.”
Mr. Vu Xuan Hai, Chairman of Son La Provincial Youth Volunteer Association, has collected many meaningful stories about young volunteers during the anti-French era. Photo: Thuan Viet
Mr. Hai is attached to the Northwest land as his second homeland. He used to participate in the TNXP during the anti-American period. Now that he has retired, he has joined the Association as Chairman, so he feels very lucky. Before the tea week ended, he quickly opened the cabinet and took out the yearbook, which was printed in color, thick and beautifully presented for us to see. This is the yearbook of the Association of Former Youth Volunteers of Son La province, which he diligently collected. Mr. Hai said: “Each story in this yearbook is the heroic fighting days of the TNXP during the anti-French period.”
Looking back through his memories, Mr. Hai remembers most the time he met Mr. Vuong Dinh Chi, a former TNXP during the resistance war against the French in Group 8, To Hieu ward. Mr. Chi has turned 90 years old this year, but when he recalls the heroic days of the past, he seems to be in good health. Mr. Chi said that that day he volunteered to participate in the duty at Ta Vai bridge area. The French colonialists sent planes to bomb fiercely, causing rocks and trees on the side of the road to collapse onto the road. They attacked two of our key traffic points, Ta Vai bridge and Co Noi intersection, in an attempt to cut off the supply route to Dien Bien Phu.
Co Noi Junction historical monument, a place marking the heroic victory of young volunteers. Photo: Thuan Viet
With each wave of French planes dropping bombs, the ground shook, roads and bridges were plowed to pieces. When the plane withdrew, Mr. Chi and his teammates used knives, hoes, and shovels to quickly level the road to let the car pass. People weave bamboo baskets, put pebbles inside, arrange the gabions on both sides of the road, then place bundles of horizontal trees between the two baskets to create a spillway, an underground road for cars, carts and soldiers to pass safely. At this point, Mr. Chi suddenly stopped and raised his hand to affirm: “At that time, we all determined that even though it was difficult and dangerous, we were all determined to ensure the roads could pass through vehicles.”
Every story that Mr. Hai collected shows the iron will of his father’s previous generation. During the meeting with Mr. Nguyen Van Ky, Quyet Tam ward, City. Son La, Mr. Hai has collected valuable documents. Mr. Ky and his teammates spent 180 days and nights fighting, serving to protect the traffic arteries on Pha Din Pass.
At that time, Mr. Ky said: Along with Co Noi Junction, Pha Din Pass was continuously plowed and plowed by enemy planes dropping bombs. They bombed from dawn until sunset. There was a time when the enemy mobilized dozens of planes to attack continuously for 18 days and nights. French planes plowed and plowed the Pha Din pass full of bomb craters. In early April 1954, the first rains of the season caused roads to collapse, making transportation difficult. At this time, superiors urgently ordered 10 trucks carrying ammunition to cross Pha Din pass during the day. The enemy sent planes to bombard the islands, causing the first vehicle to be hit by a bomb and set on fire, then the second and third vehicles. Faced with this situation, my unit and I, despite the danger, went down to the streets together to put out the fire and load the cargo. The vehicle moves to a safe place. Despite the fierce bombardment of the French enemy, he was worried that the ammunition cart could explode at any time. With brave ingenuity, my teammates and I saved 7 ammunition carts to a safe place.
In the days when the whole country is eagerly awaiting the 70th anniversary of the victory at Dien Bien Phu, former TNXP people are even more excited. Many memories of “a time when flowers were on fire” came rushing back. Mr. Hai shared: “During the days when I returned to Co Noi intersection, Mai Son district, I was fortunate to hear the story of an old Thai man who was still alive. That was Mr. Lo Van Pom in Co Noi village, Co Noi commune. Guerrilla militia participates in protection at Co Noi intersection”. This year, Mr. Pom is about to turn 90 years old, but when recalling memories from the past, he still remembers vividly: “I remember most the day March 13, 1954, the enemy attacked most fiercely, we lost quite a few people. On the 14th, I went to look for the bodies of TNXP, some of them only had legs, arms… we really couldn’t hold back our tears big”.
Mr. Pom is a Thai ethnic person who has been attached to this land full of achievements all his life. During the years of participating in the militia and guerrillas, he heard many times from officials about the important strategic location of Co Noi intersection. Sitting by the stone bench, he turned his old eyes towards the Co Noi victory monument and continued to recount that all TNXP and local militiamen had heard that the Co Noi intersection had a critical position. important. French enemy planes continuously attacked the Co Noi intersection in an attempt to cut off the traffic of our army and people towards the Dien Bien Phu battlefield. Therefore, at all costs we must ensure that this route is smooth.
The sacrifices of the young volunteers wrote the historical Crossroads
70 years have passed, the war has receded, the heroic Co Noi Junction, once covered with many bomb craters, has now been built into a relic, becoming a red address for tourists. incense to visit and commemorate. Here, the trees are lush and green in all four seasons, and the pine trees are ringing loudly. This place also has a cluster of victory monuments, epitaphs, and a gallery of artifacts. During the years of fighting the French, 100 soldiers and volunteers sacrificed their lives for the integrity of Co Noi Junction.
Mr. Hai is very enthusiastic about this relic. He diligently collected documents, then met with volunteers of Son La province who participated in protecting road access at Co Noi intersection. “Most of the TPXP participants in the past were old and weak, many of them had passed away. What remained with me in my interactions with them was the spirit of determination and willingness to sacrifice to ensure the life of the vital road. “That spirit has empowered future generations to remember the contributions of their fathers to build the country,” Mr. Hai said.
Co Noi intersection has now become a historical evidence, attracting the attention of many generations. Photo: Van Ngoc
Not stopping at collecting documents, Mr. Hai, on behalf of the Son La Provincial Youth Association, also regularly sends comments and proposals to renovate the Co Noi Junction Relic Area into a tourist destination back to its origin. “The contributions and sacrifices of the volunteers at the Co Noi intersection are incomparable. Now the war has receded, but what we want most is 100 soldiers and volunteers who sacrificed at the intersection. Co Noi will be engraved on the stone stele built at this relic. We have proposed to Son La province, hoping that our wish will come true,” Mr. Hai added.
