This was the headquarters of the French colonial government and the South Vietnam government in Quang Nam Province until 1975 and included the legation and the administrative office of Quang Nam. Many important events in revolutionary history took place here
In March 1908, thousands of people from across Hoi An and Quang Nam Province gathered around the legation building and protested for nearly a month against the high tax system of the colonial - feudal government.
At 6 a.m. on August 18, 1945, the Hoi An uprising army surrounded the administrative office, forcing the puppet provincial government to hand over its seals and documents, announcing the end of the colonial feudal regime in Quang Nam.
On July 20, 1955, thousands of people in Hoi An marched to the provincial administrative office to protest, demanding that the Quang Nam puppet government strictly implement the Geneva Agreement and issued hundreds of petitions asking for a general election to unify the country.
At 5:00 on March 28, 1975, the Hoi An army and civilians occupied the Quang Nam Administrative office and completely liberated Hoi An town.
HOI AN DURING THE AUGUST REVOLUTION
On the night of March 9, 1945, the Japanese fascists launched a coup and overthrew the French colonial rule in Indochina. From then on, our country was ruled by the Japanese army. In Quang Nam - Da Nang, the Japanese moved the provincial administrative office from La Qua to the old French legation (in Hoi An), and the pro-Japanese bureaucracy was Vietnameseized. However, shortly after the Japanese army seized power, Japan suffered disastrous defeats in many places. This situation marked the end of the Japanese army in Vietnam.
Faced with this situation, on March 12, 1945, the Party Central Committee promptly issued the directive "Japan and France shoot at each other, and we take action", instructing all localities to prepare troops, advance towards a general uprising, expel the Japanese army, and seize power. In May 1945, according to the instructions of the Party Central Committee, the Provincial Party Committee held a meeting in Dai Loc and decided to strengthen propaganda and mobilization, strengthen the Viet Minh system at all levels, and prepare for the general uprising. In May 1945, Comrade Nguyen Phe, Secretary of the Hoi An Municipal Party Committee, held an enlarged meeting of the Municipal Party Committee at Mrs Thu Khoa’s house (Trung Chau Village - Kim Bong commune) to implement the resolution of the Provincial Party Committee. Subsequently, Ngoc Thanh, Vinh Hung, and Ngoc Uan urgently formed two self-defense platoons. By August, the number of Hoi An self-defense forces had reached 100. Workers, youth and women's associations also flourished in Hoi An, especially in Kim Bong, Thanh Ha and Cam Pho. This was the core mass force of the August Uprising.
On August 16, 1945, the Provincial Uprising Committee sent Comrades Vo Toan and Phan Thi Ne to assist in preparing for the Hoi An Uprising. On the afternoon of August 17, 1945, a meeting of the Hoi An Uprising Committee was held at Mr. Huynh Du’s house (now No. 65, 18 Thang Tam street, No.2 section, Cam Pho ward). The meeting proposed to the Provincial Party Committee to allow Hoi An to revolt on the night of August 17 (earlier than the expected date of August 21). The proposal was agreed upon by the Provincial Party Committee.
On August 17, in Ngoc Thanh Village, documents serving the general uprising were quickly printed and distributed by officials and people. At the home of Comrade Truong Tong, Comrades Luu Quy Ky and Phan Tri were ordered to sew a large Viet Minh flag for the uprising army. Also in Ngoc Thanh, on the evening of August 17, 1945, the Hoi An Uprising Committee issued an order to launch an uprising to overthrow the feudal and Japanese fascist governments stationed in Hoi An.
At 3 a.m on August 18, 1945, 5,000 people, together with the Self-Defense Forces consisting of five companies and four platoons, set out in accordance with the orders of the uprising. The uprising forces from the suburbs held high the flag of liberation and armed with spears, marched into the inner city of Hoi An. As they walked, they shouted slogans such as "Down the Tran Trong Kim puppet government", "Establish revolutionary government" and "Independent Vietnam" which inspired the powerful spirit of the revolutionary force. The enemy were frightened and all their headquarters were occupied by the revolutionary army. At 6 o'clock in the morning on August 18, 1945, the puppet governor Ton That Giang was forced to hand over the seals and documents, marking the complete collapse of the feudal and lackey government in Hoi An. The uprising was a complete success. Hoi An became one of the first four places in the country to seize power.
On the morning of August 18, 1945, from the Provincial Governor's building, under the direction of Comrade Vo Toan, Commander Nguyen Thanh Son led the Kim Bong Self-defense Company headed to Vinh Dien to support the uprisings at Duy Xuyen, Thang Binh, Tam Ky districts.
The success of the August Revolution in Hoi An and Quang Nam promoted the rapid progress of the August Revolution across the country. As a result, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, formally announcing to the people and the world that Vietnam had become an independent country.
Source: Hoi An Center for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation
