On October 20, 1890, the Governor General of Indochina issued the Decree on establishment of Ha Nam province, Ly Nhan was expanded. At such time, the new province of Ha Nam consisted of the entire old Ly Nhan, and Moc Hoan and Chuyen Nghiep of Phu Xuyen district, Thuong Tin of Ha Noi Province merged into Duy Tien and 17 communes of Vu Ban District, Nghia Hung, Thuong Nguyen district, Xuan Truong in Nam Dinh province merged into Ly Nhan. Therefore, the newly formed Ha Nam province was a part of Ly Nhan territory expanded towards Hanoi and Nam Dinh. At this time Ha Nam consisted of five districts namely Kim Bang, Thanh Liem, Ly Nhan, Binh Luc and Duy Tien.
On October 24, 1908, Lac Thuy in Hoa Binh was merged into Ha Nam. In May 1953, the Central Government decided to cut the northern districts of Nam Dinh province namely Y Yen, Vu Ban, My Loc and seven communes in the north of Nghia Hung and merged into Ha Nam province, transferring Lac Thuy to Hoa Binh. In April 1956, following the tax reduction and land reform, 3 districts of Y Yen, Vu Ban, My Loc and seven communes in the north of Nghia Hung were returned to Nam Dinh. In 1965, Ha Nam and Nam Dinh were merged together and Nam Ha province was incorporated. In early 1976, Nam Ha merged with Ninh Binh to form Ha Nam Ninh. In 1992, Ha Nam Ninh province was split into Ha Nam and Ninh Binh Nam. In 1997, Nam Ha was split into Nam Dinh and Ha Nam. At such time, Ha Nam included five districts namely Kim Bang, Duy Tien, Thanh Liem, Ly Nhan, Binh Luc and Phu Ly town. The province consisted of 114 communes, wards and townships.
Noticeable revolts in the movement against the French in Ha Nam were Ba Dinh revolt in Thanh Hoa led by Dinh Cong Trang and De Yen revolt, however, all revolts failed.
The working class appeared in Ha Nam during this period. In 1930, the number of workers in Ha Nam was 1,400 people, mostly in Phu Ly plantations, mines and railway stations.
In 1927, Tran Tu Yen, a student of Indochina Commercial College, a member of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth, travelled to Lung Xuyen (Duy Tien) to teach the local people. He and Mr. Nguyen Huu Tien, Mr. Vu Hung Uyen established the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth association at Lung Xuyen’s communal house.
In October 1929, Mr. Le Cong Thanh was assigned to Ha Nam to established the agencies of the Party. In October 1930, the interim provincial committee was established. Under the leadership of the provincial party committee, the revolutionary movement Ha Nam achieved successful steps. During the period of 1930 – 1939, the remarkable activities were the drumming of Bo De farmers (Binh Luc), and the large-scaled movement of reading revolutionary books. Nguyen Thuong Cat had a summarized translation of “About Capitalism” book (“Tu ban luan” in Vietnamese), printed in three volumes. Farmers actively struggled against surcharges abuse, landlord harassment, etc.
The period 1939-1945 was the peak leading to the insurrection to seize the power in the country and in Ha Nam. In Hanoi, for 5 days from 20-24/8/1945, the insurrection occurred in all districts and won a landslide victory.
The success of the struggle to protect and strengthen the revolutionary government of the country in general and Ha Nam people in particular and the fight against hunger and illiteracy was achieved not long before the French again invaded our country. Ha Nam people together with the country’s army established combat zones and strengthened the rear, uncompromisingly struggling against the enemy. In the war against the French, Ha Nam army and people beat more than 10,000 small and big games, killing more than 40,000 enemies.
Ha Nam people also actively increased the production capacity, built self-sufficiency, self-supply economics to support the national army with foods and contributed to Dien Bien historical victory. In nine years of the struggle against the French army, Ha Nam people made the utmost glorious victory, contributing to the victory of our country, putting our country's history to a new era: building socialism in the North and struggle for the liberation of the South, performing national unification.
On July 03, 1954, Ha Nam completely liberated. On July 13, 1954, the provincial Standing committee made decision on a number of immediate tasks and solutions to stabilize the situation, Ha Nam people started the socialist construction, economic recovery. The people’s lives gradually stabilized after years of arduous war, the national defense and security was strengthened and enhanced, the social order and security was maintained.
10 years of economic construction and development (1954-1964) had form a comprehensively innovative society. However, on August 5, 1964, the American destroyed the North. Phu Ly town was seriously destroyed by American bombs. Ha Nam people with the spirit of “fight along with production” were strongly determined and won a glorious victory. Ha Nam won both in the destructive war and on the agricultural and industrial fronts. The province also positively provide human sources and material supports for the southern battlefield.
Then the American started the second destructive war, fiercer than the first one. Phu Ly town again suffered from the American bombings in April to October 1972 and attacked Ha Nam 633 times with more than 1,300 aircrafts of all kinds. In the two destructive wars of the American, Ha Nam army and people fought more than 500 battles, successfully shooting 13 American aircrafts. Along with defeating the destructive war of the American Air Force, Ha Nam also actively supported the frontline: more than 60,000 young men joined the national army; more than 3,000 young volunteers transported thousands of tons of food to the battlefield.
On April 30, 1975, the country liberated, Ha Nam people again strived to overcome difficulties and joined the whole country in the socialist construction.
