40 years of the Southwestern border war: Memories of those involved

40 years of war to protect the southwestern border have passed, but the memories of those involved are still deep. Recalling those years, those involved are always proud that they participated in protecting the Fatherland, in overthrowing the Pol Pot regime, and liberating the Cambodian people who were at risk of genocide.

Vietnamese volunteer soldiers on the Cambodian front. Source: VNA

Mr. Le Van Hien (also known by his familiar name Sau Hanh) recalled: When the border war broke out, the country had been at peace for less than 2 years, many cadres and soldiers who had just experienced the resistance war against American imperialism returned to take up arms to protect the southwestern border, fighting against the genocidal regime of Pol Pot.

For him, every time he meets his comrades who fought together, memories of the Southwestern border war come flooding back, with many happy and sad memories mixed together. But perhaps the greatest happiness that he will never forget is that he has completed the mission assigned by the country, joining forces with the Cambodian army and people to defeat the genocidal regime of Pol Pot and help the neighboring country rebuild its country.

“The exciting thing is that wherever we go, we help our friends, take care of them, educate them, and give them medicine. The Cambodian people are happy because the Vietnamese army helps them, and wherever we go, people love us,” Mr. Le Van Hien recalled.

In the memories of the officers and soldiers who participated in the war, perhaps the Southwestern border war witnessed the devastation, ruins and brutality of the Pol Pot genocidal regime, where people were brutally killed everywhere.

Major General Le Thanh Son, Hero of the People's Armed Forces, former Commander of the Can Tho Provincial Military Command, shared that during the years of fighting to protect the southwestern border, he and his comrades could not hold back their tears when witnessing the brutality of Pol Pot. It was because of that brutality that officers and soldiers had to be determined to fight to protect the Fatherland, and together with the Cambodian army and people, defeat the Pol Pot genocidal regime.

During the war, whenever the soldiers saw the people of the neighboring country starving, they gave them rice and milk, so they gained the trust and love of the neighboring people even more.

“Peace has not been around for many days, but our soldiers have gone to protect the border, help our friends, and then sacrificed themselves. We are very moved, and will always remember our comrades and teammates who sacrificed themselves,” Major General Le Thanh Son said emotionally.

Major General Le Xa Hoi, former Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of Military Region 9, said that the brutality of the Pol Pot regime had made the people determined to fight and ready to sacrifice to protect the Fatherland. The Southwestern border war demonstrated the spirit of solidarity and willingness to sacrifice to protect the independence and freedom of the nation and help the country revive, so that the Cambodian people could live in peace, independence, freedom, prosperity and happiness.

After the liberation of our country, many Vietnamese cadres, experts and volunteer soldiers continued to work side by side with our people to carry out the work of national construction, infrastructure building and economic development.

During the arduous and fierce southwestern border war, countless Vietnamese and Cambodian officers and soldiers sacrificed or left part of their blood and flesh on the battlefield. For those who directly participated in the fighting, memories come flooding back every time they meet their comrades who fought together to protect the independence and freedom of the nation./.