In July 1941, the Thanh Hoa provincial party committee decided to choose Ngoc Trao village (belongs to Trac Nhat canton, Thach Thanh district) to be the provincial revolutionary base. On the 10th July 1941, 11 outstanding guerillas chosen from many places in the province were sent to Ngoc Trao to build up the supply base, set up the working areas for base’s steering committee and the provincial printing office.
At the end of July 1941, the base’s steering committee were set up, including three people: Dang Chau Hue, standing member of the provincial party committee, in charge of general operation. Tran Tien Quan and Dang Van Hy, members of the provincial party committee, in charge of security. Because of the rapid development of base’s strength and to avoid the seeking out information of the enemy, all the base’s forces moved to Treo Cave (15km far from Ngoc Trao, bordering area between Thach Thanh and Ha Trung districts. Here, the Ngoc Trao guerilla unit, the forerunner of the Thanh Hoa revolutionary armed forces, was officially found with 21 people and the song “Doi ta bay lau kho roi” was chosen as unit’s song. Under the national flag, the whole unit did take an oath “Fighting and scarifying for the national liberation cause”
On the 16th October 1941, the enemy did blockade the Ngoc Trao base. They mobilized 500 guardman and village night watchman from many places, simultaneously attacked in three directions into Ngoc Trao base. In the early morning on 19th October 1941, they attacked by supprise to the base. Taking the advantage of the mountainous terrain, the base security aquads did spead and fight the enemy. The fight happened drastically. The base’s soldiers did fight courageously, rolled back many attacks. Being counterd drastically by guerilla force, the enemy concentrated in front of the Ngoc Trao community house and fired fast and thick, three soldiers: Pham Van Hinh, Do Van Tuoc, Hoang Van Mon got seriously injuried and laid down.
In 1991, The Ngoc Trao base relic was ranked as “National Revolutionary Relic” by state and invested money by Thanh Hoa province to repair the relic, build Ngoc Trao soldier monument and base’s museum on the area that was imbrued with heroic matyrs blood.
Through nearly 20 years, the Ngoc Trao base relic has attracted hundreds thousands “Toward Spring” tour visitors, go sightseeing the base and commemorate the heroic martys. It is the “red address” to educate the youth about patriotic tradition, national pride now and future.
Hoang Thi Van
Reference: Hoang Thi Chien: Ngoc Trao base - The Revolutionary base in Thanh Hoa, Scientific Reports, Vol 2, Thanh Hoa museum, 2007.