General Nam Long: From Uncle Ho's bodyguard to a general who spent his life on the battlefield

It is not only the story of battles that shook history, but also the story of outstanding sons, willing to sacrifice their intelligence, blood and absolute loyalty to protect their leader.

Among those outstanding children, the image of the Tay ethnic young man Doan Van Uu stands out, who was trusted by the Party Central Committee and President Ho Chi Minh to command the unit protecting Uncle Ho from the war zone to the capital. That young man later became Lieutenant General Nam Long of the Vietnam People's Army, and completely fulfilled his historic mission.

Based on documents from the National Museum of History, documents provided by Lieutenant General Nam Long's family, along with historical sources and in-depth analysis from Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Tran Huu Huy (Vietnam Institute of Defense Strategy and History), we respectfully introduce to readers an article about the life and career of Lieutenant General Nam Long.

The bodyguard chosen as the "human shield" to protect the leader

In 1945, the world entered a period of intense change. In Europe, Nazi Germany and Italy collapsed one after another; the war in the Pacific came to an end, creating the context for a wave of independence struggles in many colonial countries.

In Vietnam, on March 9, 1945, Japan overthrew the French and established the Tran Trong Kim government . In reality, the country was still under occupation.

Lieutenant General Nam Long (left cover) took a souvenir photo with the Command Board of B4 Command (Photo: GĐCC).

At the same time, the 1945 famine spread, claiming the lives of more than two million people. The direct cause was the Japanese policy of plundering and forcing people to grow jute to support the war, along with the French policy, combined with floods and crop failures.

From the Viet Bac base, the Indochinese Communist Party and leader Nguyen Ai Quoc clearly identified the opportunity. On March 12, 1945, the Directive “Japan and France are fighting each other and our actions” was issued, clearly stating that the main enemy at that time was Japanese fascism.

On August 13, 1945, upon receiving news that Japan had lost the battle and was about to surrender, the Central Committee and the General Headquarters of the Viet Minh established the National Uprising Committee and issued Military Order No. 1, ordering a General Uprising. The Emperor announced Japan's surrender on the radio at noon on August 15, 1945.

In Tan Trao, the Party's National Conference met from August 13 to 15, 1945; then, the National Congress met from August 16 to 17, 1945, decided on the General Uprising and established the Vietnam National Liberation Committee. The entire people rose up to seize power during the historic days of August 1945.

Lieutenant General Nam Long took a photo with the first generation sent to study in the Soviet Union (Photo: GĐCC).

Amidst the climax of the August Revolution, when major decisions were made, there was a particularly important task: ensuring absolute safety for the Party Central Committee and President Ho Chi Minh.

That responsibility requires people with steadfast loyalty, a strong will in the face of danger, and trained fighting ability.

Young Tay soldier Doan Van Uu was chosen as Captain of the unit protecting Uncle Ho.

He was born and raised in Pac Bo (Cao Bang) - the place Uncle Ho chose as a base, and participated in revolutionary activities early.

After the 8th Central Conference (May 1941), following the policy of the Party and leader Nguyen Ai Quoc, many outstanding young people were sent to China for training. In June 1941, Doan Van Uu was sent to study at the Whampoa Military School (Guangxi, China), when he was only 20 years old.

Returning to the country, he was one of the first 34 members of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army - the predecessor of the Vietnam People's Army, and served as Political Commissar of Platoons 2 and 4. In January 1945, he was admitted to the Indochinese Communist Party, marking an important turning point in his revolutionary career.

Trained in practice, famous for his martial arts and weapons skills, Doan Van Uu was quickly assigned the important responsibility of protecting Uncle Ho during his time in the Viet Bac resistance base.

During the march from Tan Trao to Hanoi, he directly commanded the security unit, organizing a multi-layered security ring to ensure the safety of Uncle Ho and the Central Committee, especially on September 2, 1945, when Uncle Ho read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Dinh Square.

Since then, he has been likened to a "living shield", a trusted commander of the protective layer, contributing to the safety of the leader and the revolutionary command at the decisive moment of the nation's history.

Volunteer to lead the unit to the South

On September 2, 1945, at Ba Dinh Square, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Ba Dinh Square, where President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence - giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (Photo: Archive).

The joy was not complete, only three weeks later, on September 23, 1945, the Southern resistance war against the French colonialists broke out. The Nam Long guard entered a new phase: from the commander protecting Uncle Ho, he volunteered to lead the unit to the South - the Nam Long Squad. From here, the name Nam Long replaced Doan Van Uu, expressing the aspiration to liberate the South and unify the country.

During the years of resistance against the French, he held many positions from regimental commander to chief of staff, deputy division commander, directly participating in the campaigns of Thap Van Dai Son, Border, Midland, Hoa Binh, Tay Bac, Dien Bien Phu. On the battlefield, he was known as the "Gray Tiger of the Northwest".

In 1949, he commanded a wing to help China liberate more than 10 towns. In 1954, at Dien Bien Phu, he commanded an attack on the Hong Cum sub-region, destroying and capturing more than 2,000 enemy soldiers, including high-ranking officers, contributing to the complete paralysis of the southern stronghold, making an important contribution to the victory of the Dien Bien Phu campaign.

During the resistance war against the US, Lieutenant General Nam Long held important positions in Military Region 4 and Tri-Thien Military Region, the fiercest battlefield in the Central region.

Despite his glorious achievements, he lived a simple and humble life. In his son's eyes, he was always "a soldier" before a general. When he retired, he lived in a small house, used his pension to fix it up, and did not bother with the organization.

Lieutenant General Nam Long, on the far right (left photo) at a conference in the Soviet Union and on the right photo with General Vo Nguyen Giap attending the Historical Science Conference: 30 years of Dien Bien Phu Victory (Photo: GĐCC).

When asked to move to a guarded area, he refused: “I don’t need security, I am a citizen.” To him, there is no stronger wall than the people’s trust.

The person who protected Uncle Ho on Independence Day, and later chose to rely on the people, is also the most beautiful crystallization of an Uncle Ho soldier.

An immortal legacy

Eighty years have passed since that historic autumn. The country has gone through many ups and downs and changes. Lieutenant General Nam Long, the former "Gray Tiger of the Northwest", has rested in peace.

Sharing with Dan Tri newspaper reporter , Lieutenant Colonel, Doctor Tran Huu Huy, Vietnam Institute of Defense Strategy and History affirmed: “The legacy that Lieutenant General Nam Long left behind is immortal. Looking back at his life in the context of the 80th anniversary of National Day, we realize more deeply its values.

Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Tran Huu Huy, Vietnam Institute of Defense History and Strategy (Photo: NVCC).

Lieutenant General Nam Long's military career is closely linked to the growth of the Vietnam People's Army, from the small troops in the early days to a regular, modern force. At every stage, he left his mark as a brave and dedicated commander.

According to Mr. Huy, what makes him valuable in the long run is not only his achievements, but also his personality. Although he holds the position of general, he still chooses a simple lifestyle, always considering himself first and foremost a soldier, a citizen.

That image clearly reflects the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" - close, pure, attached to the people - a spiritual value that needs to be respected and continued in building and protecting the Fatherland today.

From the young man Doan Van Uu during the August Revolution to the battle-hardened General Nam Long, his story continues to inspire generations. He was not only Uncle Ho's bodyguard, but also contributed to preserving and writing important pages of the nation's history.

That heritage, simple yet profound, will remain with the people and history.

Lieutenant General Nam Long, real name Doan Van Uu (October 8, 1921 - July 1, 1999), from Cao Bang, came from a Tay ethnic family.

-He was one of the first 34 members of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army - the predecessor of the Vietnam People's Army.

- In June 1941, he was sent to China for military training, then became one of the first 34 members of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army, holding the position of Political Commissar of Platoons 2 and 4. He joined the Party in January 1945.

- In August 1945, he was the Captain of the unit protecting Uncle Ho from Pac Bo to Tan Trao and Hanoi on September 2, 1945. After that, he commanded the Southern Advance Squadron - called by the people "Nam Long Squadron" - fighting in the South Central and Southern regions.

- From 1946 to 1955, he successively held the position of regimental commander of many units, then division commander of Division 304. In the Dien Bien Phu campaign, he commanded the army to fight Hong Cum, capturing thousands of French soldiers.

- During the period 1956-1959, he studied at Voroshilov Academy (Soviet Union), returned to Vietnam and held the position of Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of Artillery. From 1961-1973, he held the position of Deputy Commander of the Left Bank Military Region, Commander of the 4th Military Region, and Deputy Commander of the Tri-Thien Military Region.

- In 1974, he became Deputy Director of the Military Academy; in April 1975, he was a special envoy of the Ministry of National Defense in the Ho Chi Minh campaign; from 1977, he held the position of Deputy Director of the Senior Military Academy.

- He was awarded the rank of Colonel (1958), Major General (1974), Lieutenant General (1981); was awarded the Ho Chi Minh Medal and many other noble awards; retired in 1988.

- In 2007, the Vietnam Historical Science Association cast his statue and placed it in Cao Bang, the Military and Family Museum. He was the 9th general to have his statue sculpted.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/tuong-nam-long-tu-nguoi-can-ve-cua-bac-ho-toi-vi-tuong-mot-doi-tran-mac-20250820220347803.htm