Tran Hung Dao Landscape Protection Area, Cao Bang – Source: https://bachdanggiang.vn/
The historical and cultural relic site of Tran Hung Dao forest has an area of 1,156 hectares, where the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army was established (December 22, 1944); has been ranked by the State as a special national relic site; has majestic natural landscapes. Geographical scope, belongs to Tam Kim commune, Nguyen Binh district.
The relic includes 05 points: Tran Hung Dao Forest, Tham Khau Cave, Phai Khat Fort, Va Pha relic, Tam Kim commune and Na Ngan Fort relic, Hoa Tham commune.
1. Tran Hung Dao Forest: is a primeval forest, with an area of 201.7 hectares, with a rugged terrain “Advancing can attack, retreating can defend”, convenient for guerrilla warfare and retreat. This relic complex includes 4 important locations:
– The location of the establishment of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army (December 22, 1944): is a flat land – the place marking the establishment of the VNTTGPQ team. At this location, in 1994, a central stele house with 2 floors and 8 roofs was built. The stele has 4 sides, is 1.3m high, 0.76m wide, engraved with the full text of the Directive on the establishment of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army by leader Nguyen Ai Quoc; 10 honorary oaths read by comrade Vo Nguyen Giap during the oath-taking ceremony (later became the honorary oath of the Vietnam People’s Army) and a list of 34 soldiers.
– Location of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army Team’s Resting Shelter and Kitchen: located about 30m from the central stele house, simulating the Team’s old barracks – two rows of houses built in the style of lowland people’s houses, made of reinforced concrete. Opposite the resting shed is the kitchen of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army Team.
– Location of the water source serving the daily life of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army: from the rest house – kitchen, follow the small road down about 50m, there is a continuously flowing water source, this is the place to get daily life water for the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army. Here, there are still ancient dracontomelon trees that the Propaganda Team used for daily life.
– Slam Cao Peak: is where comrade Vo Nguyen Giap and the Team Command set up an observation post. This is the highest peak of Den Sinh Mountain. From here, you can observe the following directions: to the Northwest is Phai Khat Fort, Phai Khat village and Tham Khau Mountain; to the Northeast is Na Ngan Fort; to the Southeast is Benle Fort, on Highway 3B – on the way to Cao Bac Pass. On the top of Slam Cao is a flat piece of land, over 500m2 wide, currently there is a flagpole and a stele marking the event.
2. Tham Khau Cave (Tam Kim Commune): is a stone cave halfway up the mountain, located to the northwest of Phai Khat village. The cave is about 3m deep, about 12m long, dry, airy, with many small, rugged rocks, and can accommodate about 40 people. This is a secret location, convenient for observation and receiving communication information. On the right side of the cave, there is a large stone slab with a relatively flat surface, which was used as a table to draw a map to prepare for the attack on Phai Khat and Na Ngan Forts. During the years 1941 – 1944, Tham Khau Cave was used as a communication station, serving meals to revolutionary comrades and was the gathering place of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army on December 24, 1944 to prepare for the attack on Phai Khat Fort.
3. Phai Khat Station (Tam Kim Commune): located right next to Provincial Road 202, in the center of Phai Khat village. This is where the first battle of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army took place (December 25, 1944). This station was originally the house of comrade Nong Van Lac, built in 1940, with an area of 210m2, including 4 rooms, brick walls, floors made of ironwood. From here there are three roads: to the South to Ngan Son, to the Northeast to Na Ngan and a single road to Nguyen Binh district. Therefore, in early 1944, the enemy occupied this house to make a station. Currently, Phai Khat Station has been restored and is used as an additional exhibition house of the relic site. Here, there are displayed images and artifacts recreating the founding ceremony, the activities of the Team and the sincere feelings, attachment, and material and spiritual support of the local ethnic people for the Team’s officers and soldiers at that time. On all four sides of the Station are protective fences; inside, on both sides of the campus, there are ornamental plants and some other fruit trees; behind, there is a simulation of a guard station to protect the Station.
4. Na Ngan Post (Hoa Tham Commune): is the place that marked the second victorious battle of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army Team (December 26, 1944). Na Ngan Post was originally the house of Mr. Nong Van Pao (also known as Deputy Village Chief Pao), located on a high hill, in a difficult terrain, in Na Ngan hamlet, Hoa Tham commune, Nguyen Binh district, so the enemy turned it into a military post. This is the most solid 3-room, 2-wing stilt house with tile roof in the village, surrounded by several layers of fence. After we occupied the post, a few months later, Deputy Village Chief Pao moved this house to another hill. Currently, the old house no longer exists, at this location, a stele house has been built to mark the heroic feat of the Team.
5. Va Pha (Tam Kim commune): is a wide, relatively flat valley, right at the foot of Slam Khau hill, in front you can see Ban Um field and the road to Tran Hung Dao Forest relic site, behind is Slam Khau hill, the road down to Thuong An commune (Ngan Son – Bac Can) is a discreet location, far from the people, can “advance to attack, retreat to defend”. Here, in February 1944, the Viet Minh Cao Bang Headquarters opened a training class for cadres for the whole province, led by comrades Vo Nguyen Giap and Le Thiet Hung. The military training class was a step in preparing the force, actively contributing to the establishment of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army. Currently, Va Pha still has traces of the military class’s barracks, with an area of about 150m2.
Tran Hung Dao Forest Historical Site has a particularly important value in the system of relics of Vietnam’s military and revolutionary history. In addition to its historical and cultural values, this relic site is also a scenic spot with beautiful mountains and rivers, mild weather, and is a destination for domestic and foreign tourists.
With the special values of the Relic Site, the Prime Minister decided to rank the Tran Hung Dao Forest Historical Relic (Nguyen Binh District, Cao Bang Province) as a special national relic (Decision No. 2383/QD-TTg dated December 9, 2013).
Source: Department of Natural Resources and Environment