"50 years of total victory for us"...

Yesterday morning (April 16), at Thong Nhat Hall (Ho Chi Minh City), the People's Army Newspaper coordinated with agencies and units to organize a meeting and gratitude program for 50 heroic Vietnamese mothers, heroes of the People's Armed Forces, generals, and veterans who directly participated in the resistance war against the US to save the country with the theme "50 years of total victory for us". There are stories shared by heroes, generals, and veterans who fought on the front lines to create the Great Victory of Spring 1975.

Great victory of the nation

Opening this exchange and gratitude program, Lieutenant General Truong Thien To, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, emotionally said: “I would like to express my honor, pride and great emotion to welcome and meet 50 delegates of heroic Vietnamese mothers, heroes of the People's Armed Forces, generals and veterans - those who directly fought and sacrificed, contributing to the historic victory of Spring 1975, completely liberating the South and reunifying the country.

During more than 20 years of resistance war against America to save the country, many outstanding people fell with the will to die for the Fatherland. Soldiers in their twenties left their homeland, shouldered their backpacks and crossed Truong Son to go to battle. Mothers, wives, sisters, and children in the rear silently endured loss and sacrifice, sending their husbands and children to the front line with all their love and faith in the day of total victory.

Although 50 years have passed, those memories remain vivid in our minds, serving as a traditional flame that inspires today's generation to build a strong and prosperous country. Therefore, the program is not only an occasion to express gratitude and honor but also a symbol of our resilient spirit, encouraging today's and future generations to continue the journey toward sustainable development for Vietnam in this era of integration."

“Just keep hitting...”

The exchange program brought historical memories to life through the stories of soldiers from the past. These individuals were not only courageous in battle but also made significant contributions to the development of the Vietnam People's Army during peacetime. Like the story of tank crew 390 (belonging to the 2nd Army Corps) crashing into the main gate of the Independence Palace on April 30, 1975.

Captain Vu Dang Toan, former commander of tank 390, recalled: “I remember when I saw tank 843 stop at the left gate, Nguyen Van Tap asked: "How are you, Toan?" At that moment, I did not have time to think; I answered decisively: "Just hit it straight in."

Mr. Nguyen Van Tap, the driver of tank 390, recounted, "As soon as Mr. Toan finished speaking, I immediately stepped on the gas, smashed through the main gate of the Independence Palace, and rushed into the yard." Mr. Tap emphasized that throughout his many years of fighting, he encountered numerous challenging situations and traveled many memorable roads. However, the moment when tank 390 crashed through the gate of the Independence Palace was the "most beautiful turn" of his life.

Remember the advisor mother

During the program, delegates were also impressed with the story of Mother Huynh Thi Sau in Thuan An City, Binh Duong Province, by Senior Lieutenant General, Academician, Doctor, Hero of the People's Armed Forces Nguyen Huy Hieu, former member of the Party Central Committee, former Deputy Minister of National Defense. General Nguyen Huy Hieu said that in his 60-year military career, he was proud to participate in four major campaigns, including Mau Than 1968, Route 9 - Southern Laos 1971, Quang Tri 1972 and Spring 1975. Among them, the most profound memory is the lightning-fast march in the 1975 Spring campaign.

He said: “On March 18, 1975, as the Commander of Regiment 27, Division 320B, Corps 1, I received orders to mobilize by motorized units from Tam Diep (Ninh Binh) to Dong Ha (Quang Tri) to serve as a reserve for the liberation of Hue and Da Nang. However, upon my arrival in Hue on March 26, I found that the city had already been liberated. By March 29, I had traveled to Son Tra Peninsula, where Da Nang was also liberated. Following this, the regiment was ordered to return to Dong Ha, travel along the Truong Son road, and assemble at Dong Xoai in preparation for the Ho Chi Minh campaign.

On our way to Ang Bun Pass, we received a telegram from General Vo Nguyen Giap, which urged us: “Move quickly, even faster! Be bold, even bolder! Seize every minute and every hour; rush to the South! Engage in decisive battles for total victory!" This order was signed by Anh Van. Despite our fatigue, the soldiers remained full of spirit as we marched into Binh Phuoc, ready for the final battle.

On the night of April 29, we arrived in Bung, located about 10 km from Lai Thieu in Thu Dau Mot. There, we discovered a house with a thatched roof illuminated by oil lamps. We suspected it might be a revolutionary base. My team, including Political Commissar Trinh Van Thu, approached and sent out the signal "Ho Chi Minh" three times. Moments later, a woman opened the door and responded with "Long live" three times, which was the password for the front.

I ordered the reconnaissance team to secure the area outside while Mr. Trinh Minh Thu, Political Commissar of the Regiment, and I entered the house. Inside, there was a simple table with a lit oil lamp. At that moment, Phuoc and Duc, the woman's children, were sitting next to me. I introduced myself to her as the commander of the liberation army, explaining our mission to follow Highway 13. I informed her that on April 30, we would attack Lai Thieu, capture Vinh Binh Bridge, and seize the enemy's Armored Command Headquarters in Go Vap. I asked for any information she might have to help us. I showed her the command map, but she was wearing white glasses and said, "I don’t know this map well." After a moment, she went into a different room and returned with a map of Saigon city, on which the enemy's defensive points were marked.

“On April 30, without a map of Saigon and the timely information provided by Mother Sau, the heroic history of Regiment 27 might have been very different,” Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Huy Hieu said emotionally.

The exchange program concluded with numerous stories shared, each representing a hero or brave soldier, a symbol of pride in the glorious epic of the Vietnamese people.

Reported by Thu Thao - Translated by Ngoc Huynh