58 years ago, on October 15th, 1964 (tomorrow for my Western friends), Vietnamese hero and martyr Nguyễn Văn Trỗi was executed by firing squad in Saigon, under direct orders by the invading American forces. A thread

58 years ago, on October 15th, 1964 (tomorrow for my Western friends), Vietnamese hero and martyr Nguyễn Văn Trỗi was executed by firing squad in Saigon, under direct orders by the invading American forces. A thread 

Trỗi was born on February 1st, 1940, in Quảng Nam Province of Central Vietnam. His family had a history of revolutionary movement; both his father Nguyễn Văn Hòa and Nguyễn Văn Toàn both having joined the revolutionary resistance movement against occupying French forces. /2

Trỗi’s mother died while he was still 10, leaving behind only his brothers and sisters, as his father was working in Saigon at the time. While Trỗi was only 16, he stole 900 dong from his brother, and bought a boat ticket to Saigon. He left a letter, bidding farewell. /3

In mid-1963, joined the revolutionary movement. On the 15th October, exactly one year before his execution, he visited his home for the final time before departing for Saigon. He famously used the thorn of a soapberry tree to carve onto an areca tree the numbers “15.10.1963” /4

The Saigon Revolutionary Partisan Group, the revolutionary group Trỗi had joined, sent out Trỗi along with his comrades Lê Đức Hiền, Nguyễn Hoàng Sơn and Nguyễn Hữu Lời on a mission to assassinate general McNamara, via setting a bomb on Công Lý bridge. /5

Trỗi had been initially denied permission to join the assassination mission, as he had recently married his wife, as such, being barred from signing a ‘fight to the death’ book. As such, he was not allowed from joining, being given a job only to check on electrical wire. /6

Trỗi however, was riding high on anti-American spirit, and begged Lê Đức Hiền to allow him to join the mission, who reluctantly agreed. Their mission however, had experienced troubles. They weren’t able to rent a house by the bridge to set explosives with. /7

Their plan B was to put two 8kg into a cart full of dead concrete, and hide it by the landfill nearby. On the day of the mission, they had loaded the explosives onto a truck, and managed to sneak by American forces. They had only limited time left before McNamara came /8

Trỗi’s job was to ensure that the explosives would go off, and Nguyễn Hữu Lời’s job was to set the detonator near the place they would make their escape: across the bridge. /9

Only one job was left - to drag the detonator across the river. Nguyễn Hời held onto the wire, and swam across the muddy water. The water level, however, was significantly more shallow than anticipated, only half the level usually was at, leaving Nguyễn Hời half-exposed. /10

Nguyễn Hời did his best to disguise himself with floating trash, but eventually was discovered. Their cover was blown, and armed forces quickly swarmed the area, managing to catch both Trỗi and Hời. Trỗi was brought to Chí Hòa Prison Center. Trỗi was sentenced to death. /11

Trỗi was tortured multiple times, but staunchly refused to surrender any information. He also attempted to escape by jumping off a balcony, but sustained leg injuries and was once again caught and brought back for further torture and interrogation. /12

In Venezuela, a revolutionary guerilla group, hearing news of Trỗi’s arrest, offered a hostage exchange, offering to set free Michael Smolen, an American lieutenant, in exchange for Trỗi’s freedom. Both sides agreed, and Smolen was set free. /13

Trỗi however, was not set free, and set to be executed without trial on the 15th of October, 1964. Before his death, he was surrounded by journalists. He had said to them, “You are journalists and so you must know well about what is happening. It is the Americans … /14

who have brought death and evil to our country; it is they who have been slaughtering us [Vietnamese] with their planes and their bombs. I have never done anything against my people. It is only against the invaders that I have taken action.” /15

Trỗi was also offered forgiveness by a priest, but he refused. He said, “I have committed no evil. It is only the Americans who have killed, to have sinned.” He refused to be blindfolded for his execution, but they forced it onto him. His last words before being shot were, /16

“Remember my words! Demolish the Americans! Overthrow Nguyễn Khánh! American Fascists, get out of Vietnam! Long live Ho Chi Minh, long live Vietnam!” /17

A short video of his execution can be seen here:

*TW: Graphic (Maybe?) 

Trỗi’s legacy lives on forever. There are roads named after him, both abroad and in Vietnam. His memory and sacrifice will echo for as long as the history pages are long, and Trỗi will be remembered as a martyr who sacrificed himself to defeat US fascist imperialism. /18

Thank you for reading this thread all the way through, if you’re still here! I just wanted to dedicate this day to a martyr who sacrificed himself for the independence of our country and our socialist revolution against fascist American forces. Anyways, thank you again! End /19

Thanks for reading, leave your thoughts in the comments section below.