What is National Resistance Day, December 19, 1946?
National Resistance Day, December 19, 1946, is the historical milestone marking when President Ho Chi Minh issued the Call for National Resistance, launching the resistance against French colonial rule nationwide. It followed the failure of diplomatic efforts by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam government to preserve peace, as France repeatedly sent ultimatums demanding the disarmament of self-defense forces and control of Ha Noi's security.
At exactly 20:00 on December 19, 1946, Ha Noi's troops and people began the resistance with a cannon barrage from Lang Fortress targeting positions in the city. At the same time, troops and people in many other localities nationwide rose up against French colonial invasion.
Historical Context Leading to December 19, 1946
After the August Revolution of 1945
The August Revolution of 1945 succeeded, and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was born. This was the greatest achievement of the Vietnamese people after nearly a century of struggle against imperialist and colonial oppression and exploitation. While the country desperately needed peace to rebuild, French colonialists were determined to seize our country once again.
French Colonialists Open Fire and Expand the War
With British troops' assistance, on September 23, 1945, French colonialists opened fire in Sai Gon, starting the second Indochina invasion war. France then expanded to capture the South and South Central regions, seeking to move troops to the North.
Facing this, the Party Central Committee and President Ho Chi Minh sought flexible, soft struggle measures to maintain peace, preserve national independence, and unify the Fatherland. Our government proactively negotiated with the French government to avoid war, signing the Preliminary Agreement on March 6, 1946, then the Temporary Agreement on September 14, 1946.
French Provocations and Ultimatums
French colonialists continuously provoked and violated signed agreements. In November 1946, France occupied Hai Phong and Lang Son, causing war in the North. In Ha Noi, from early December 1946, French troops used artillery and mortars to bombard many neighborhoods, massacring civilians and seizing some revolutionary offices.
On December 18 and 19, 1946, France sent consecutive ultimatums forcing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam government to dismantle fortifications in the city, disband self-defense forces, and hand over control of the capital. According to historical witnesses like General Vo Nguyen Giap and comrade Vu Ky, the third ultimatum on the morning of December 19 demanded disarming Ha Noi's Self-Defense, halting all resistance preparations, and giving French troops security control in the city.
Decision to Launch the Resistance
Facing French colonial schemes and aggression, on December 18 and 19, 1946, the Party Central Committee Standing Committee met in Van Phuc (Ha Dong ward, Ha Noi), deciding to launch nationwide resistance against French colonialists. The meeting studied and approved the document "Toan Dan Khang Chien" (All-People Resistance) drafted by General Secretary Truong Chinh, outlining the line, policies, methods, and forces of the resistance.
At noon on December 19, 1946, the Standing Committee telegraphed zones and provinces: "French enemy has issued an ultimatum demanding disarmament of our Army, Self-Defense, and Police. The Government has rejected it, so within 24 hours, the French will surely open fire. Everyone be ready!".
President Ho Chi Minh's Call for National Resistance
Circumstances of Its Creation
From late November 1946, to avoid enemy threats, President Ho Chi Minh moved to Ha Noi's outskirts. From the evening of December 3, 1946, he stayed and worked at Mr. Nguyen Van Duong's house in Van Phuc village, Ha Dong town, Ha Tay province. During those days, he prepared the call for national resistance on behalf of the Party Central Committee and Government.
According to Nhan Dan Newspaper, he wrote the call in a small room by a flickering oil lamp during cold winter days. The text was very short, concise, just over 200 words, but exposed French colonial invasion ambitions, presented our nation's stance and earnest desire for peace, and outlined the people's war strategy, mobilizing the nation's combined strength.
On the morning of December 19, President Ho Chi Minh still wrote to Sainteny, French Republic Commissioner in northern Indochina, requesting to join Mr. Hoang Minh Giam to "find solutions to improve the current atmosphere." But when comrade Hoang Minh Giam, our Deputy Foreign Minister, requested a meeting, Sainteny refused, saying he would receive him the next day. The next day was December 20, when French troops unilaterally declared they would "take charge of maintaining security in the city themselves."
Core Content
The call began with the appeal: "Dear compatriots nationwide! We want peace, we must make concessions. But the more we concede, the more the French colonialists push, because they are determined to seize our country again!".
Then came the affirmation of resolve: "No! We would rather sacrifice everything than lose our country, rather die than be slaves.".
And the call for all to rise: "Dear compatriots! We must rise up! Any man, any woman, any elder, any youth, regardless of religion, party, or ethnicity. Whoever is Vietnamese must rise up to fight the French colonialists to save the Fatherland. Whoever has a gun, use it. Whoever has a sword, use it; if no sword, use hoes, shovels, sticks. Everyone must strive to fight the French colonialists and save the country.".
Dissemination and Reception
On the morning of December 20, Voice of Vietnam Radio broadcast President Ho Chi Minh's Call. Cuu Quoc Newspaper and Ha Noi papers like Dong Xuan, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc, Cam Tu, Tien Phong, and Chien Thang all prominently published Uncle Ho's Call. His call reached soldiers bravely attacking each house and holding each rampart, and city residents eagerly carrying tables, chairs, beds, and cabinets to build more fortifications for National Defense fighters.
Events of December 19, 1946
In Ha Noi
Answering his call, Ha Noi's troops and people began the national resistance at 20:03 on December 19, 1946, with cannon barrages from Lang Fortress into the city, starting the long resistance. Specifically, at exactly 20:00, workers at Yen Phu Power Plant destroyed machines; at 20:03, city lights went out; minutes later, our artillery from Lang Fortress fired heavily into the Citadel.
In the unequal fight, the Ha Noi front became a model of people's war. Each house and street became a battlefield and trench. Everyone, from children to elders, from musicians to farmers, from petty bourgeois intellectuals to workers in blue shirts and canvas shoes, united in the will "Determined to die for the Fatherland's survival," creating Ha Noi's epic of 60 days and nights of fire and smoke.
In Other Localities
Along with Ha Noi, troops and people in localities across the North, Center, and South like Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Hue, Da Nang, and Sai Gon also heroically rose against French colonial invasion. Our entire nation, united as one, joined forces to rise up with weapons against foreign invaders with burning will, determination to sacrifice, and faith in certain victory.
Strategic Shift
By March 1947, central agencies of the Party, Government, Army, and Front had safely moved to Viet Bac. Viet Bac became the capital of the national resistance. Localities also moved agencies to rural or mountainous areas, establishing communication systems between localities and the center in Viet Bac base.
People in war zones also thoroughly implemented the "empty garden, empty house" policy, evacuating to free zones, enabling the country to enter war and deploy long-term battle positions. After a short time, all national activities shifted to wartime conditions and served long-term resistance.
Historical Significance of National Resistance Day
The fierce, creative fighting of Ha Noi's troops and people and the whole country in the early days of National Resistance dealt a heavy blow to the enemy's "quick fight, quick win" strategy and invasion will, laying a solid foundation for subsequent victories.
National Resistance Day, December 19, 1946, entered our nation's history as a major event, becoming a shining symbol of patriotic spirit and heroic unity before the nation's fate. Through decades, the country has experienced many historical events and changes, but the historical significance and epochal stature of the sacred call to protect the Fatherland remain intact, including lessons on arousing, gathering, and promoting all-people strength.
Promoting the national resistance spirit, our troops and people under the Party and President Ho Chi Minh's leadership achieved many miracles: pioneering in defeating old colonialism and the French expeditionary force, defeating new-style colonialism and the US imperialist army with modern weapons, restoring peace, unity, and territorial integrity, and successfully building a socialist state.
Lessons on Great National Unity Strength
The December 19, 1946 event left profound lessons on arousing, gathering, and promoting all-people strength. President Ho Chi Minh's call deeply touched the nation's patriotism and indomitable will, becoming a symbol of great unity strength. Reading his call, every Vietnamese, despite differences in religion, views, class, ethnicity, or awareness, met at one point: as Vietnamese, when the Fatherland is in danger, everyone must rise to fight French colonialists with any weapon, any way, as long as contributing to the nation's resistance.
In the renewal, industrialization, and modernization period, great national unity strength and the will to protect independence need to be promoted to new heights. Party documents through congresses emphasize strongly arousing patriotism, national self-reliance will, great national unity strength, and aspirations for a prosperous, happy country.
Summary Table of Key Milestones
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| September 23, 1945 | French colonialists opened fire in Sai Gon, starting the second Indochina invasion war |
| March 6, 1946 | Signed Preliminary Agreement with France |
| September 14, 1946 | Signed Temporary Agreement with France |
| November 1946 | France occupied Hai Phong and Lang Son |
| December 17, 1946 | France caused massacre on Hang Bun Street (Ha Noi) |
| December 18, 1946 | France sent first and second ultimatums |
| December 18 and 19, 1946 | Party Central Standing Committee met in Van Phuc, decided to launch national resistance |
| Morning of December 19, 1946 | France sent third ultimatum |
| 20:03 on December 19, 1946 | Our artillery from Lang Fortress fired into the city, starting national resistance |
| Morning of December 20, 1946 | Voice of Vietnam Radio broadcast President Ho Chi Minh's Call |
| March 1947 | Central agencies safely moved to Viet Bac |
How is December 19 Remembered Today?
National Resistance Day, December 19, 1946, is remembered as a major event in national history, tied to President Ho Chi Minh's Call for National Resistance. It is an occasion to reflect on all-people unity, the will to defend independence won after the August Revolution, and lessons on mobilizing combined national strength in building and protecting the country.
The event is also one of the important milestones in Vietnam's commemorations, alongside National Day on September 2, Southern Liberation Day on April 30, Dien Bien Phu Victory Day on May 7, and other anniversaries tied to historical periods.
