The Last Letter

(Baonghean)Martyr Nguyen Xuan Can was born in 1929 in Ngoc Khanh village, Thanh Ngoc commune, Thanh Chuong district (Nghe An province). In 1950, Nguyen Xuan Can bid farewell to his hometown and family to enlist in the army, joining the Southern Advance Army and traveling extensively throughout Zone 4. For over 21 years, braving the gunfire, he only managed to visit home once...

During the brutal years on the Quang Tri battlefield, whether in trenches or deep bunkers still shrouded in gunfire, soldier Nguyen Xuan Can always seized every opportunity to write letters home to his family, recounting his experiences on the battlefield and dreaming of a day of complete victory and reunion. However, by the time the letters reached their recipients, the writer had already perished on the battlefield.

This letter, written by martyr Nguyen Xuan Can on November 21, 1971, was sent to his older brother about three months before his sacrifice. The six-page letter, written on faded white tracing paper, has ink that has also faded over time. The handwriting is neat, firm, yet tiny, as if to conserve every centimeter of paper. Throughout the letter, there is an outpouring of emotion, fighting spirit, and the noble ideals of a police officer on the front lines in Gio Linh, Quang Tri.

The heartfelt words and writings of martyr Nguyen Xuan Can are displayed in the Thanh Chuong district's traditional exhibition room.

Nguyen Xuan Can was the second of eight children in a poor farming family. He was away fighting on the battlefield while his younger siblings were still small, his parents were old and frail, and his young wife was waiting anxiously at home… all these feelings weighed heavily on the young soldier's heart.

Therefore, the opening of the letter is filled with nostalgia:

"My dearest Lực, whom I miss so much!"
It's been so long, so far, and I miss you so much!

"My dear Mr. Luc! It's been so long, counting on my fingers, it's been eight or nine years since I last saw you, your wife, and your children..."

During the war against the Americans, Gio Linh, Quang Tri, had the Hien Luong bridge spanning the Ben Hai River, the dividing line between North and South Vietnam, so the enemy concentrated all their forces to fiercely attack it. Life was difficult; Nguyen Xuan Can had to both cleverly fight the enemy lurking day and night, and also cope with illness and shortages. Yet, he persevered, striving to do his job well and constantly worrying about his parents back home: “I see my parents are so old and weak, and they are sick, lacking food and medicine. And here we always have crop failures. I worry that my siblings at home aren't taking care of them enough, but I have no choice.”

The harsh and brutal life on the battlefield gradually unfolded through hastily written letters: “In 1969, I was dying from malignant malaria and had to stay in the mountains of Thua Thien for more than 6 months. In 1970, I returned from a meeting in Quang Tri province. On the way out, we were attacked by the enemy and had to fight alongside the troops. Afterwards, our encampment was raided by commandos, our food supplies were damaged and lost, and we had to survive on wild vegetables and stream water for more than a month. It wasn't until April 1971 that I was able to return to my unit. I had a fever, but I've recovered now, only suffering from nervous exhaustion and a growth on my eye, but I can still try to work because we are short of people, brother. If I go, there will be no one to replace me. In the past few years, so many have been sacrificed that we haven't been able to train enough to fill the gaps…” Despite such ferocity, nothing discouraged him, because his immense love and responsibility to the Fatherland were the driving force that gave these soldiers extraordinary strength and determination to go to battle. Despite facing hardship, Nguyen Xuan Can still achieved very proud feats.

Passionate about his work, Nguyen Xuan Can optimistically believed that the day of complete victory was not far off. He wrote: "Of course, the day of complete victory is not far off. We have the upper hand, we have the American enemy's necks pressed, but the fighting is still incredibly fierce, brother." And he firmly promised: "I will complete my mission to please my parents and siblings, to be worthy of being their brother and to repay the revolutionary debt…" Speaking of war, one cannot ignore the sacrifices and losses. But Nguyen Xuan Can's attitude was remarkably calm: "I am not afraid of sacrifice because I see so many families who have dedicated their entire lives to the cause of fighting against the Americans and saving the country. In our family, no one has suffered a single injury in the two wars. Now, suppose I were to sacrifice myself…" In his last writings (currently preserved and displayed at the Thanh Chuong District Traditional Room), Nguyen Xuan Can still held the belief: "As long as the Fatherland remains, my existence is irrelevant / If the Fatherland ceases to exist, my existence is as good as nothing."

Returning to Ngoc Khanh village, Thanh Ngoc commune, Thanh Chuong district on a scorching July afternoon, I met Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tam, the daughter-in-law of a fallen soldier, and she showed me the mementos of the Hero of the People's Armed Forces, Nguyen Xuan Can. These included numerous prestigious medals and decorations such as: the First Class Liberation Fighter Medal, the First Class Anti-American Resistance Medal, the First Class Victory Fighter Medal, and many more.

Mrs. Tam's eyes welled up as she lovingly held the small, red plastic comb. She said it was a memento given to her mother-in-law by a fallen soldier after she braved the long, perilous journey to visit her husband once in Quang Tri. That was also the last time her mother-in-law saw her husband until he died. The couple's memories included their only son, their two visits (once he returned, once she visited), a small comb, and… an endless longing. Her mother-in-law waited for her father-in-law for 21 years and 8 months, only for him to never return.

In 1972, as a Standing Committee member of the Gio Linh District Party Committee and Head of the Gio Linh District Security Committee, Nguyen Xuan Can commanded the campaign to liberate Gio Linh District. However, during that fierce and arduous battle, Nguyen Xuan Can was seriously wounded and bravely sacrificed his life on April 1, 1972, at Quan Ngang, Quang Tri. On June 6, 1976, Nguyen Xuan Can was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the State.

After Nguyen Xuan Can's death, she remained a widow, raising her children and cherishing the comb he had given her as a treasure, continuing to wait for his return…

Mrs. Tam recounted that in 1980, eight years after her husband's death, the family traveled to Quang Tri to bring the remains of the fallen soldier back for burial at Thanh Chuong District Cemetery. The people of Gio Linh, Quang Tri, were reluctant to part with the courageous soldier they loved and cared for. Therefore, when the family brought Nguyen Xuan Can's remains back, they buried a comb in the same spot and erected a proper tombstone to honor him. Currently, at Gio Linh District Cemetery, his grave is still regularly visited and offered incense by the local people.

In 2006, both Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nhan and Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quyen (wife and son of martyr Nguyen Xuan Can) passed away one after another, and Mrs. Tam took over from her mother-in-law in preserving the martyr's mementos for her descendants…

On September 27, 2010, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Giat, the younger brother of the fallen soldier, donated the original letter to the Nghe An Museum for display and to educate future generations about the country's traditions.

Phan Thi Ha Long