Bắc Kạn

Bắc Kạn ( listen) is the capital of Bắc Kạn Province, Vietnam. The province's only town, it is bordered by Bạch Thông District to the north, north-east and west and Chợ Mới District to the south-east and south-west.

The town traces its origins to a fort established in 1880. It is divided into four wards: Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Đức Xuân, Sông Cầu and Phùng Chí Kiên, and 4 communes: Huyền Tụng, Dương Quang, Nông Thượng, Xuất Hóa.

History

Bắc Kạn (chữ nôm: 北𣴓) was established as a fort in 1880 for troops of the Nguyễn government during the 1878 revolt of Li Yung Choï (Vietnamese: Lý Dương Tài) coincident with the Black Flag Army. Following Li's capture and decapitation, the remains of his group reformed under Liu Zhiping (Vietnamese: Lục Chi Bình) and with 5,000 men attacked the fort defended by 300 Annamite soldiers in 1881.

The town of Bắc Kạn was one of the early headquarters of the Viet Minh in the war against the French. Jean-Étienne Valluy aimed to surround the area and capture the town in Operation Léa between 7 October and 22 December 1947. A parachute drop caught the Viet Minh by surprise and seized letters left on the desk of Ho Chi Minh. Both Ho and Vo Nguyen Giap escaped only by hiding in camouflaged holes nearby. It was also an area of fighting between the communists and Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng armed forces.