TASK 3
VO THI SAU HEROINE
Vo Thi Sau was born in 1933 in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. She wasn’t even a teenager when Ho Chi Minh declared independence from France on September 2, 1945. Swept in the fervor of anti-colonial resistance, Vo Thi Sau joined a local guerilla unit. By the age of 14, Sau was already a staunch militant and she proved this by throwing a grenade at a group of French soldiers, killing one and injuring at least a dozen.
Two years later, Vo Thi Sau attempted another grenade strike, but this time, she was arrested before any more French bodies were blown into bits. Like many fighters before her and after her, she was sentenced to death via firing squad.
On January 23, 1952, Vo Thi Sau spent the last minutes of her life singing. She refused to be blindfolded as they tied her to a stake and song still flowed from her mouth—until it was silenced by the sound of bullets. She was 19…
Vo Thi Sau is currently interred at Con Dao Island but this place has changed a lot since her time. What used to be a final destination has now become a tourist destination.
Each year, thousands of people visit Vo Thi Sau’s grave. They bring with them fresh cut flowers and incense sticks to pay homage to a heroine who rebelled until the very end. Although she’s no longer singing, her name can be heard in Vietnamese songs celebrating her life and bravery.
(Adapted from: Global success workbook 12)
