5 timeless songs about the 'Victory at Dien Bien Phu'

(Baonghean.vn) - The songs composed during the Dien Bien Phu campaign boosted the morale of our army and people, leading to a victory that was "renowned throughout the world and shook the earth."

1. Through the Northwest Region - Composer Nguyen Thanh

Composer Nguyen Thanh wrote the song "Through the Northwest Region" before the Dien Bien Phu campaign. This poetic and realistic song expresses the fervent patriotism of our soldiers. Nguyen Thanh composed "Through the Northwest Region" at the summit of Khau Vac Pass, over 2,000 meters high, the gateway to Dien Bien Phu.

To create such a work, the author had to travel through the Northwest region three times himself. In the song "Through the Northwest Region," the author recorded his passionate feelings and sincere affection for the Northwest.

2. Long March - Composer Do Nhuan

Composer Do Nhuan, with his representative works such as "Marching Far Away," "On Him Lam Hill," and "Liberating Dien Bien Phu," truthfully reflected the just and heroic war of our people. While "Marching Far Away" offered gentle, concise, easy-to-understand, and sincere encouragement to officers and soldiers, helping them overcome difficult and arduous marches, "On Him Lam Hill" conveyed a premonition of an impending victory for our army.

In "Long March," there are words of encouragement and comfort expressed through simple lyrics: "Long march, though arduous, our shoulders bear heavy burdens, and we sweat... Our hearts are filled with hatred for the colonial oppressors. Wherever there are enemies in our lives, we will keep going..."

3. On Him Lam Hill - Composer Do Nhuan

During the Dien Bien Phu campaign, the Battle of Him Lam was our first victory. At that time, Do Nhuan, along with Tran Ngoc Xuong and Nguyen Van Tien, were part of the songwriting team present there. Standing on the edge of the trench, they played music and sang to encourage the soldiers marching below. One soldier in the troop said to the musicians, "Try to compose many songs, and when we return, we'll have gifts for the performing arts troupe."

The soldier who said those words never returned because he was none other than Phan Đình Giót, a martyr who sacrificed himself to block a machine gun emplacement during the Battle of Him Lam. Đỗ Nhuận only learned this later. And the song "On Him Lam Hill" was composed by him right on the battlefield, amidst the chaotic wreckage of vehicles and artillery, the acrid smell of bombs and enemy corpses: "Yesterday, fighting the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, we advanced from the trenches on Him Lam Hill, breaking through with spears and attacking…"

4. The Artillery Pulling Song - Composer Hoang Van

An unforgettable image from the Battle of Dien Bien Phu is that of "pulling cannons in - pulling cannons out." Composer Hoang Van, author of the song "Cannon Pulling Chant," recounted: Night after night, following the chants of "Do ta nao, hai ba nao, the sound of bamboo clappers knocking" under the moonlight, hundreds of soldiers in padded jackets and bamboo hats bent low, spread their legs, and used their strong arms to grip ropes, rattan ropes, and bamboo cords to pull the cannons…

All those images and sounds created a magnificent picture, a vibrant atmosphere brimming with determination that resonated throughout the mountains and forests of Dien Bien. "The Artillery Pulling Chant" was composed by the musician right on the battlefield.

5. The Liberation of Dien Bien Phu - Composer Do Nhuan

The origin of "Liberating Dien Bien Phu" was recorded by musician Do Nhuan in his memoir "Sounds of Life" as follows: "On May 7, 1954, we were digging and laying stones when, in the afternoon, a liaison officer from the front cycled past, shouting: 'The enemy in Muong Thanh has surrendered! Dien Bien Phu is liberated!' All the members of the performing arts troupe stopped digging, hugged each other, and jumped for joy without any musical accompaniment… I played and sang again. That night, I sat writing by the fire in the stilt house, all night and all day. I plucked the violin, humming softly, afraid of disturbing my comrades. There were some cassava roots roasted in the charcoal stove for sustenance that night, and I peeled and ate them while writing."

The song "Liberating Dien Bien" was born from that moment. At the end of the song, the lyrics suddenly soar with heroic fervor: "Mountains and rivers burst forth/Our country shines brightly/The Dien Bien field, the flag of victory flutters proudly in the sky."

Hoa Le

(Synthetic)