Updated date: 05/02/2025 09:30:36

DTO - The victory on April 30, 1975 is one of the most brilliant milestones in the history of building and defending the country of our people in general, and the Cao Lanh Army and people in particular. It is a shining symbol of revolutionary heroism, the pinnacle of the spirit and intelligence of the Vietnamese people.

Rally to celebrate the victory of April 30, 1975 in Cao Lanh town (now Cao Lanh city)

Implementing Resolution No. 227-NQ/TW dated October 13, 1973 of the 21st Conference of the Party Central Committee, the determination of the Politburo and the 2-year plan to liberate the South, the Sa Dec Provincial Party Committee directed units and localities to study the Letter of the Regional Command, the Regional Party Committee and the Military Region Command. Districts and towns implemented the Provincial Party Committee's Directive on "General inspection of forces" to prepare for the 1975 dry season according to the directive of the Central Office for the South.

Implementing the 1975 dry season plan, the Sa Dec Provincial Party Committee advocated the establishment of the Front Command (Forward) and Regional Commands, establishing a radio and telegraph station and a mobile telegraph station for the Forward Command... From December 20, 1974, implementing the strategic determination of the Party Central Committee, the entire South simultaneously attacked and rose up. The 1975 Spring-Summer Campaign began.

In Sa Dec province, peak I (from December 20, 1974 to January 20, 1975), the activities of the army and people of Sa Dec achieved low results because our D502 force had not yet been deployed to the South of Tien River. Although the results were not high, we created a new offensive momentum, especially in the area south of Tien River. The enemy continued to decline, was stretched and moved into a defensive position.

Entering the second peak (from January 20 to February 20, 1975), in the area south of Tien River, Battalion 502A, Battalion 1 Vinh Long and district troops and guerrillas operated quite well; the northern districts and towns attacked on their own because the province sent Battalion 502B to the South.

Separately, Cao Lanh town's forces heavily damaged the Cut Kinh post, destroyed Cut Kinh bridge, shelled the Quang Khanh artillery position in zone 2 (My Tra), and destroyed 4 105mm and 155mm artillery pieces. Zone 2 guerrillas planted mines to destroy a GMC vehicle from Cao Lanh sub-zone to Quang Khanh.

On April 15 and 16, 1975, the Standing Committee of the Sa Dec Provincial Party Committee held an urgent expanded meeting to discuss the Special Resolution and receive the order of the General Offensive and General Uprising from the Central Committee. The conference agreed with the assessment that this was a strategic opportunity to achieve total victory for the cause of liberating the South and liberating the province.

Approved by the Politburo, at 5:00 p.m. on April 26, 1975, the Ho Chi Minh Campaign began. At 11:30 a.m. on April 30, 1975, President Duong Van Minh announced his unconditional surrender and it was broadcast on Saigon Radio. At 3:00 p.m. on April 30, 1975, from Ong To canal, Nhi My commune, we began to advance to An Binh to Tac Thay Cai, crossed the Cao Lanh river and advanced to the inner city. From 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on April 30, 1975, we took over the Administrative Building, Kien Phong Sub-region and broadcast the policy of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam as the time to liberate the town; by 12:00 p.m., the wings had taken over the main targets in Cao Lanh town.

Ms. Tran Thi Minh Thanh (born in 1945) was recognized by the Party and State with the Independence Medal, a noble title given to individuals who have excellently completed the task of regaining independence and freedom for the nation. According to her memoirs, in 1959, she participated in the student movement at Kien Phong Public High School, Cao Lanh town, Kien Phong province (now Cao Lanh city, Dong Thap province). Throughout the process of striving in studying and participating in the revolution with her fellow students, although she was a woman, Ms. Tran Thi Minh Thanh still showed the spirit of an enthusiastic student and on April 20, 1964, she was admitted to the Communist Party of Vietnam. On April 30, 1975, the moment of preparing for peace, the fighting spirit of herself and her comrades and teammates multiplied, ready to sacrifice for the country, determined not to be slaves. And especially for this loyal woman, she participated in sewing the national flag and climbed the star tree near Dinh Trung bridge (now) to hang the national flag to celebrate the day of complete victory, when Vietnam was completely independent and free.

According to Mrs. Tran Thi Minh Thanh, there was only a short time left before liberation, the Provincial Party Committee decisively directed the outlying areas to make the enemy terrified. Finally, the Provincial Party Committee directed the Town Party Committee to decide to attack the fort. At that time, I was assigned to participate as Secretary of Zone 1. The first task was to mobilize the people to sew flags, ready for liberation; at the same time, dig a tunnel from Dinh Trung bridge to Mr. Tam The's house bridge so that the enemy would not detect when the flag was hung. Around 8-9 pm on April 30, at Dinh Trung bridge there was a very tall star tree, when the troops gathered, there were no more scattered trees, I was determined to climb up the star tree as far as I could to hang the national flag so that I could announce that General Diem had surrendered. In general, the atmosphere on April 30 could be said to be very joyful. I hope and am passionate that the next generation must try to maintain independence and freedom, because the blood of our soldiers and people has been shed too much to gain independence and freedom for the nation.

On the morning of May 2, 1975, tens of thousands of people from Cao Lanh communes, districts and Cao Lanh town attended a rally at Kien Phong Administration Building (now the headquarters of Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee) to celebrate the victory. Comrade Nguyen Thanh Khe - Chairman of the Sa Dec Provincial Revolutionary People's Committee read a speech reviewing the tradition of patriotism, heroic indomitable resistance against foreign invaders of the people in the province, condemning the crimes of the American imperialists against our people, highlighting the significance of the victory of the resistance war against the US, saving the country, the peak of which was the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, and affirming that the long night of slavery had passed forever, a new page of history was opening up a bright future for our nation and the people of our province.

Following the Central's direction, on May 15, 1975, the whole country celebrated the victory. Cao Lanh town held a rally at the stadium with tens of thousands of people attending. When it ended, many groups marched along the main streets of the town, and there were performances at night.

On May 19, 1975, the 85th anniversary of Uncle Ho's birthday, the Provincial Party Committee decided to hold a solemn ceremony in Cao Lanh town. After a rally in the town center, tens of thousands of people representing the people of the whole country held a ceremony to bring Uncle Ho's picture to visit the tomb of his father - Vice-Chancellor Nguyen Sinh Sac so that the whole Party, the whole army, and the whole people could further engrave his great merit, and at the same time satisfy the people's wish to soon liberate the South so that the people of Dong Thap - Cao Lanh could welcome Uncle Ho to visit his father's tomb.

It can be affirmed that, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, the entire Party Committee, Army and people of Cao Lanh in particular and the province in general, promoted the spirit of self-reliance and self-strengthening, carried out the General Offensive and Uprising in the Spring of 1975, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, successfully completing the task of liberating the province, contributing with the people and soldiers of the whole country to completely liberate the South and reunify the country on April 30, 1975.

Snow Jade