100th Anniversary of Nguyen Thi Dinh's birthday

“The Deputy Commander of the Southern Liberation Armed Forces is Madame Nguyen Thi Ðinh. Our country alone in the whole world has such a woman in general. This is a glorious thing for the South and our entire nation.” That’s what President Ho Chi Minh said at the meeting commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Vietnamese Women’s Union (20/10/1930 - 20/10/1950).

Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh was born on March 15th, 1920 in a revolutionary family in Luong Hoa village, Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province. At the age of 16, she took part in the revolutionary army and became a member of the Indochinese Communist Party when she turned 18.

Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh and other female delegates The Second Congress of Heroes of Emulation Soldiers in the South (9/1967) (image from public source)

In 1946, at the age of 26, she was a member of a cadre group of zone 8 coming to the North to meet Uncle Ho and reported the resistance situation of Ben Tre and the South to look for weapons. She commanded and brought back a replete ship weapon to the South safely, supported for all the provinces in the South. This was the first ship and also one of a 70-ships-group in the “No number ships” in the Ho Chi Minh street on the sea.

In 1960, she was Ben Tre Provincial Communist Party Secretary and one of the local people’s revolution commanders. She was the direct leader of the first Dong Khoi Movement (17/01/1960) with the main force was women. The victory of Dong Khoi Movement opened a new way for Ben Tre province and Vietnam Revolution later. Then, Uncle Ho has given them the name: “Long-haired communist group/troop”.

She was given different roles by the Communist Party and Government of Vietnam: Ben Tre Provincial Party Secretary, chairwoman of the South Vietnam Women’s Liberation Association, Deputy Commander of the People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam,… She was given the rank of Major General in 1974.

After the war and the reunification of Vietnam, she kept a lot of roles: Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalid and Social Affair, Chair Women of Vietnamese Women’s Union, Vice President of State Council.

She died on 26/8/1992. In 1995, she was posthumously awarded the heroic title of the People's Armed Forces. To be rewarded for services rendered to Vietnamese country, Ben Tre has built the Nguyen Thi Dinh Temple in her hometown - Luong Hoa village, Giong Trom district. This is an artistic architecture and a place to remind people of her huge merit. This culture structure attracts a lot of tourists coming to visit, retrieve the past, and thank Madame Dinh and lots of other heroes.

Nguyen Thi Dinh Temple (image from public source)

In the evening of 16/01/2020, Ben Tre solemnly celebrated 60th anniversary of Ben Tre Movement (17/01/1960 - 17/01/2020) and 100th anniversary of the Hero of the People’s Armed Forces - Nguyen Thi Dinh’s birthday (15/03/1920 - 15/03/2020).

Recreate the scene of Dong Khoi Movement 60 years ago (image from public source)

In this ceremony, President of Vietnamese Congress - Madame Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan emphasized that: With 60th anniversary of Ben Tre Movement, Ben Tre local people and Committee Party celebrated solemnly 100th anniversary of the People’s Armed Forces, former Vice President of State Council, Nguyen Thi Dinh - an excellent person in Ben Tre - where Dong Khoi Movement began.

Mr. Phan Van Mai - Provincial Communist Party Secretary, member of Central Communist Party gave a speech to remind everyone of our tradition, he continuously emphasized on the historical value of Dong Khoi Movement and our gratefulness for Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh: “Every time mentioning about Dong Khoi Movement in 1960, we can’t forget Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh, one of the leaders as well as the soul of Dong Khoi Movement in Ben Tre and also the South. Since this movement, Madame Dinh became more and more famous by her unique revolution method: The three attack spearheads (military and politics and enemy, propaganda), especially in her political fighting, military skills of women, of the long-haired warriors. They associated with our guerrilla warfare in American - Vietnam War.”

Ben Tre Communist Party is proud of our heroine of the People’s Armed Forces, Vice President of State Council, Deputy Commander of the Southern Liberation Armed Forces, the leader of Dong Khoi Movement - Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh in 1960. Her life and her revolutionary achievement have been embedded into our Vietnamese golden history and always be remembered. 

Author: Phuong Thy

Translator: Minh Thuy