Son La prison sits atop Khau Ca hill, from which one has a panoramic view of Son La city. Between 1930 and 1945, a total of 1,013 inmates were jailed here, where many undaunted soldiers and Party members were trained in preparation for the general uprising of the 1945 August Revolution: Party General Secretary Truong Chinh, Party General Secretary Le Duan, army commander Van Tien Dung, and iconic patriot To Hieu to name a few.
Nguyen Van Khoa of Dien Bien province always finds some time to visit the prison whenever he comes to Son La province because this historical site is a reminder of the courage and sacrifice of our predecessors. He says young Vietnamese should study, work, and live in a way that pays back such devotion.
“I’ve been to Son La prison many times and filled with emotion. Historical artifacts kept here tell us how brutal French colonialism was. The unyielding spirit of our predecessors to fight for national independence stands out against their terrible suffering. I take great pride in our revolutionary traditions, which motivate me to work harder to contribute to Vietnam’s development,” said Khoa.
 Son La prison (Photo: VOV) |
Cam Thi May feels fortunate and proud to work as a tour guide at Son La prison. May keeps learning more about Vietnam’s history so she can do more than just recite information about the prison and its artifacts. She wants to vividly recount the stories of suffering and resilience of the patriots who lived in the revolutionary period.
May said, “I think passion for this job and a strong work ethic are prerequisites for inspiring patriotism in young people. In order to grab the visitors’ attention, I’ve tried new delivery methods beyond just reciting information. Moving stories will be remembered for a long time.”
Son La prison was recognized as a national relic in 1962 and as a special national relic in 2014. It welcomes hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese and foreign visitors each year. The Management Board of Son La prison and the Son La provincial authorities are collecting more artifacts and restoring the site to preserve its historical values.
 A historical museum is part of Son La prison. (Photo: VOV) |
Pham Van Tuan, Deputy Director of Son La Museum, said, “As we expanded our research, we talked with people in Vietnam’s northwestern region and collected artifacts from them to illustrate how they lived under the French oppression. Then we upgraded our exhibition area with audio-visual and lighting equipment to strike viewers’ senses. We hope to inspire pride and patriotism in young people.”
The special national relic site of Son La Prison is an inexhaustible source of inspiration to empower today’s generations in their defense of Vietnam’s independence and their building a prosperous nation.