Commemorating the 130th anniversary of the birth of President Ton Duc Thang (August 20, 1888 - August 20, 2018): President Ton Duc Thang with the workers' movement
At the 120th anniversary of President Ton Duc Thang's birth on August 20, 2008, President Nguyen Minh Triet in his opening speech affirmed that he was the example of "a great patriot, an exemplary resilient communist, a beloved leader of the working class and people of all ethnic groups of our country, a close fighting friend of President Ho Chi Minh".
Comrade Ton Duc Thang, born on August 20, 1888, in a farming family in Ong Ho Islet, An Hoa village, Thanh Ha General Dinh, Long Xuyen district, now My Hoa Hung commune, Long Xuyen city, An Giang province. In 1909, Ton Duc Thang worked at the Ba Son shipbuilding workshop, becoming one of the skilled workers, and actively encouraged students of the marine school to drop out of school to fight against the harsh policies of the French colonialists, organize struggles of workers against beatings, fines, and improve working conditions.
In 1916, Ton Duc Thang was encouraged to work as a machinery worker for the French Navy. On April 20, 2019, the French warships brazenly attacked the Black Sea and shelled the Russian port of X issued most of the war, at which time Ton Duc Thang bravely, along with his soldiers in the French fleet, rose up to fight. Ton Duc Thang has drawn a red flag on a battlefield to support Russia, the first Soviet state in human history.
After the black sea, Ton Duc Thang left the French navy and returned to Saigon to operate. During the years of living in France and participating in the struggle movement of the French sailor, Ton Duc Thang was aware of the power of the working class. From the accumulated experiences when participating in the organization and union activities in the city of Tulong, southern France, in 1920 when returning to Saigon, Ton Duc Thang soon realized the need to organize the association in our country to gather, propagate, enlightenment and mobilize workers to fight oppressive, exploit and demand national independence.
This is also the time when the Saigon - Cho Lon workers' movement is developing quite strongly. In August 1920, the attack site combined with protests by crew members on ships anchored at Saigon port - supported by the Saigon Post Office Civil Servants' Association and other classes of workers - took place enthusiastically and won.
More than anyone else, Ton Duc Thang is more deeply aware of the strength of the organization, of the coordination and solidarity in the fight among the workers and that motivates Ton Duc Thang to quickly promote the formation of a gathering organization, guide and protect workers in life as well as in the fight.
Ton Duc Thang, together with a number of workers, mobilized and organized the establishment of the first Secret Trade Union facilities in the South and established a leadership group including a number of key players in the Saigon - Cho Lon workers.
In the context of operating secretly, facing many challenges and difficulties, Saigon Trade Union is still constantly growing and developing (by 1925 there were about 300 members), truly being an organization of mutual support and assistance for workers and mobilizing and guiding workers to fight to protect their rights.
In particular, the strike of workers Ba Son in August 1925, associated with the organizing and leadership role of the Saigon Secret Service, has become a historic milestone and a brilliant mark in the tradition of the working class and the Vietnamese workers' movement.
It can be said that the birth of the Secret Association in the 1920s and 1925s in Saigon, the industrial center of the whole country at that time, was extremely important political significance. It marks a new period in the history of the Vietnamese working class, the period of the Vietnamese working class began to be aware of the strength of its class.
Although it had to operate secretly, the Trade Union contributed to gradually bringing the Vietnamese working class to the political arena and gradually becoming an independent political force, opening a new stage - the stage of organized struggle, from spontaneous to self-conscious.
The dedication of Ton Duc Thang has contributed to the development of the Vietnamese workers' movement, one of the important establishments forming the Communist Party of Vietnam and creating the foundation and orientation for the Vietnam Trade Union activities. The life and revolutionary career of President Ton Duc Thang has left the Vietnamese working class valuable lessons and great significance.
First of all, it is organization and principle. No matter what you do, you must comply with the decisions of the organization or the collective. Ton Duc Thang believes that strength lies in organization; the entire Party has only one will, which is solidarity and unity on the basis of the Party's political guidelines and organizational principles. Organizing discipline must be strictly followed; that does not only come from principle but also from self-awareness of people.
On the occasion of the 130th anniversary of President Ton Duc Thang's birth, recalling the revolutionary activities and great contributions of President Ton Duc Thang, we pay more respect and express our deep gratitude to him - a steadfast revolutionary soldier, a long-time fighting friend of the great President Ho Chi Minh, a very loyal soldier of the communist movement and international workers, an exemplary leader of the Party and our nation, who devoted his whole life to the ideal of communism, national independence, national unity and building socialism.
This is also an opportunity for us to learn and follow comrade Ton Duc Thang - a shining example of revolutionary ethics of all our lives, thrift, integrity, integrity, dedication, and hetation to serve the Fatherland and the people.
