Nguyen Thi Binh - Emotional memories of the first National Day September 2nd

"Early in the morning of September 2, 1945, almost all the people poured into the streets. My two older brothers and I also headed towards the Notre Dame Cathedral square, where we learned that a very important event would take place: representatives of the Revolutionary Government, the Provisional Administrative Committee of the South would introduce themselves to the people," former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh wrote in her memoir Family, Friends and Country (Tri Thuc Publishing House, 2012).

Born in 1927 in Tan Hiep commune, Chau Thanh district, Sa Dec province (now An Hiep commune, Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap province), Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh's birth name was Nguyen Thi Chau Sa. Her father was an official in the surveying industry, who worked in Phnom Penh (Cambodia), and her sisters all followed him. From July 1945, he brought the whole family back to Vietnam. "In July 1945, my whole family was in Saigon. Those who lived through that time know that, following the call of the country, all Vietnamese people wanted to be there," Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh recalled the days of returning to her homeland.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh during her time as Head of the Delegation of the Government of the Republic of South Vietnam at the Paris Conference (1969 - 1973)

PHOTO: DOCUMENTARY

In July and August 1945, Saigon experienced bustling days. Day and night, people and vehicles moved about busily. The Vanguard Youth groups practiced walking one by one, singing loudly the song "Leaning" by Luu Huu Phuoc. Before that, when hearing the lyrics "Hey young people, stand up and answer the call of the mountains and rivers" by Luu Huu Phuoc, the female student Chau Sa felt the call for youth burning in her heart. It was truly a "pre-uprising" atmosphere. Bustling but extremely orderly, everyone seemed to hear and feel the hot breath of a major event about to break out - Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh recalled. Early in the morning of September 2, 1945, nearly 2 million people in Saigon and the provinces poured into the streets. The gathering place was Notre Dame Cathedral. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh said: "My two older brothers and I also went to the Notre Dame Cathedral square, where we were told that a very important event would take place: representatives of the Revolutionary Government and the Provisional Administrative Committee of the South would be introduced to the people."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh (right cover) meets her comrades from the resistance war (1945 - 1975)

PHOTO: KM TAKEN AGAIN

Because the signal was jammed, the Saigon masses could not hear President Ho Chi Minh 's reading of the Declaration of Independence directly. Immediately, Mr. Tran Van Giau - Chairman of the Southern Committee, made an impromptu speech to millions of people. But as soon as the rally ended, from the upper floors of the houses of some French colonialists on Catinat and Pasteur streets, shots were fired into the ranks of the masses, mainly at teenagers. Many innocent people attending the peace rally fell in pools of blood. To protect the government, her father immediately joined the Eastern Squadron 1 with his friends already there. Chau Sa was just 18 years old, and whatever her uncles called her to do, she did. The first job she received was assigned by an agricultural engineer named Ha, who had participated in the Viet Minh movement early. That was to participate in welcoming representatives of the British-Indian Allied forces to Saigon to disarm the Japanese army. The reason Chau Sa was chosen was because Mr. Ha heard that she knew English. The representatives of the Allied forces she contacted were mainly British, while the Indian army and some legionnaires were only on guard duty. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh still remembers the awkwardness of carrying out revolutionary duties during the days of the provisional government: "The first time I had to speak English with the British, I was extremely embarrassed, but the most embarrassing thing was that they only asked me about entertainment venues, dances, things I had absolutely no idea about, so after a few days I asked to stop. Comrade Ha assigned me another task - later I understood it was intelligence work - to follow a number of characters, see what they did, where they went. I was also unfamiliar with this job, so I could not follow and investigate anyone...". From September 23, 1945, a tense atmosphere filled Saigon - Cho Lon. The French army openly provoked the Viet Minh. Guns were fired everywhere in the city. As the eldest sister who took care of her younger siblings at Phan Chau Trinh's church (Phan Thuc Duyen Street today), Chau Sa also participated in self-defense fighting: "I was assigned the task of moving several pistols from the inner city to the outskirts. We all enthusiastically carried out all tasks, regardless of the danger. At that time, everyone, especially the youth, only thought of the two words Independence and Freedom of the country. The two words Independence and Freedom are so sacred!" (to be continued)

Since 1968, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh officially entered the longest diplomatic negotiation in history: the Paris Conference. In Paris, she met Mrs. Phan Thi Minh, also known as Le Thi Kinh, daughter of Mrs. Phan Thi Chau Lien - the eldest daughter of patriot Phan Chau Trinh. This fall, Mrs. Phan Thi Minh turned 100 years old and was awarded the 80-year Party membership badge by the Da Nang City Party Committee.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguyen-thi-binh-ky-niem-xuc-dong-ve-ngay-quoc-khanh-29-dau-tien-18524083121270534.htm