President Ton Duc Thang: A revoluntary journey

The 130^th birthday anniversary of President Ton Duc Thang was marked at a grand ceremony held on August 20 in the late President’s home village in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang.

President Ton Duc Thang. (document photo)

Speaking at the ceremony, President Tran Dai Quang stressed that with nearly 70 years engagement in the Vietnamese revolution, 26 successive years serving as President of the Lien Viet Front and the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and more than 10 years holding the Presidency of the nation, Uncle Ton’s 92-year life and revolutionary career was a bright example of patriotism, devotion to the revolutionary cause, firm will and revolutionary ethics.

In Ho Chi Minh City, a delegation of the city’ Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front offered incense and floral tribute to the late President Ton Duc Thang at the museum dedicated to him on the occasion of his birthday. The museum is holding a display on the childhood of President Ton Duc Thang, with around 100 exhibits showing the situation in An Giang province and the southern region in late 19th and early 20th centuries.​

The exhibitions aim to honor Late President Ton Duc Thang whose life and career are great moral example of a true communist soldier went through severe hardships in war time and devoted his entire life to the cause of national liberation.

President Tran Dai Quang delivers his speech at a grand ceremony to mark the 130th birthday anniversary of President Ton Duc Thang in the late President’s home village in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on August 20. (Photo: VNA)

On occasion of President Ton Duc Thang’s 130^th birthday (August 20, 1888-2018), let us turn back the time to learn about the revolutionary respectful leader of the country.

President Ton Thang Thang was born in My Hoa Hung Commune, Long Xuyen City with the name Thoai Son, An Giang Province. His hometown was the undaunted and hurtful piece of land that had been suffered from the French colonial invasion over 20 years.

Some photos capturing the time when President Ton Duc Thang was in Con Dao prison. (source: VOV)

Ton Duc Thang had lived and studied in a provincial school there. After having finished the primary education, he came to Saigon, left behind his family and amity to start anindefatigable revolutionary life for his country and his people.

In 1906, the 18-year-old, Ton Duc Thang studied in VienDong Industrial College, then bacome a worker in The Ba Son Shipyard –a Floatingdock constructed for French Navy, SaiGon.

That was when the ‘revolutionary seed’ was sowed in the young heart. While working in the firm, he organised and took the lead of Ba Son’s workers’ strike.

During the 5 year, from 1914 to 1918, Ton Duc Thang carried out revolution from The World War, then became military worker in Toulon naval port (Southern Region of France) and worked as a mechanic in France battleship.

On April 20 1919, under the guiding of French Labour Union, he joined the objector and flew the Red flag in a battleship to support the Russian October Revolution, participated the mutiny of French soldiers in Hac Hai sea surface, expelled from France afterward.In 1920: Established the Secret Labour Union in SaiGon, the first Labour union of VietNam working-class.

Returning to Vietnam in 1920, the late President founded the first workers’ union in Vietnam and led the worker’ movement in Sai Gon, with the Ba Son strike being the most typical example of the movement’s activities. He then joined the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth's Union and was entrusted with several key positions.

In 1927, he participated in the VietNam Revolutionary Youth League and directly headed the SaiGon-Cho Lon Labour’s movement, until December, 1928, when he was arrested in Saigon by the enemy, and was later condemned 20 years in labour camp in Con Dao prison, he was among the founders of the first Party cell in prison.

With the success of the August Revolution, Ton Duc Thang regained his freedom and immediately joined the resistance war against the French invaders. He was assigned many important missions by the Party, and in any position, Ton Duc Thang fulfilled his duty, setting a bright example of patriotism, firm revolutionary will, loyalty and revolutionary ethics.

His great contributions to the Vietnamese revolution, the world peace movement and international friendship had won recognition in the form of many noble order and awards. He was the first person to be conferred with the Sao Vang (Golden Star) Order by the Vietnamese Party and State. He was also awarded with the Lenin Order and the Lenin Prize of the Soviet Union./.

( VNF )