May Reunion

(Baonghean) - Sixty years have passed since the Victory of Dien Bien Phu (May 7, 1954). But for veterans and former Youth Volunteers who participated in the resistance war against the French, the heroic memories of their youth remain vivid in their minds. The warm and friendly gathering organized by the Provincial People's Committee on the morning of May 4th once again revived those precious memories...

The joy of reunion.

On a May morning, the characteristic sweltering heat of the city, often described as the "Lao wind" region, quickly arrived. The bustling crowds and vehicles on the streets, the vibrant sounds of the city, created a seemingly endless flow of energy in this first-class metropolis. Standing beside me in the spacious courtyard of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Guest House, overlooking Phan Dang Luu Street, Mrs. Dang Thi Thai (born in 1932), a former Youth Volunteer of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, expressed her emotion: “At the age of 20, I and many other brothers and sisters in the village and commune wrote letters in blood, volunteering to go and serve the Fatherland. War, bombs, hardship, shortages… no one ever imagined that our homeland and country would develop like this. I feel sorrow and longing for my fallen comrades, and I am grateful to life for allowing me to return alive and witness the changes of today.” From Tan Lac town (Quy Chau district), Ms. Thai anxiously prepared for the reunion from very early on. Despite suffering from motion sickness throughout the nearly 150 km journey, she felt refreshed and cheerful upon unexpectedly meeting her old comrades. During the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, she was a squad leader in the Cu Chinh Lan Youth Volunteer Company (one of the first Youth Volunteer units in Nghe An province). Her accounts of the battle unfolded vividly and emotionally. The image of the young woman Dang Thi Thai and her brave comrades, clad in bright uniforms, standing through the night as living markers for countless convoys heading to the battlefield, seemed to remain vivid. And the memories of digging tunnels and trenches, building bridges and ferries, and carrying wounded soldiers to the rear lines, with tears shed along the long journey, were still fresh in her mind… Place names like Ba Cuoi outpost, Ba Na Phao outpost, Mu Da outpost… came alive in her stories today – stories steeped in blood, sacrifice, and heroic deeds.

While the memories of the resilient female Youth Volunteer Corps leader Dang Thi Thai are about the days of clearing roads for convoys heading to the front lines, for veteran Nguyen Ngoc Tinh, Dien Bien Phu evokes both tragedy and heroism in his mind, particularly in the days of directly capturing numerous French strongholds. Now in his eighties, with graying hair and a weakened physique, the youthful ideals and patriotism of his twenties still seem to shine through in his eyes when he speaks of Dien Bien Phu. Today, in the grand hall of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Guest House, amidst songs praising the homeland and the heroes of the two sacred resistance wars of the nation, veteran Nguyen Ngoc Tinh emotionally shared: “I feel fortunate and proud to have been a member of the Vietnam People's Army. Now a grandfather in a multi-generational family, I have never forgotten to remind and educate my grandchildren about the revolutionary and resistance traditions of the nation. I remind them to remember, to be grateful, and to strive to live better and more exemplary lives!”

Amidst the reminiscences and emotions of the reunion, I had a brief conversation with veteran Dao Van Nhiep from Luu Son commune, Do Luong district. At 84 years old, having experienced two wars of resistance against French colonialism and American imperialism, this veteran still cherishes vivid memories of the battlefield. In 1950, this son of the heroic land of Do Luong turned 20. He joined an anti-aircraft artillery company and participated in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. His unwavering determination and studiousness led his unit to send him to China in 1952 and 1953 to study new anti-aircraft artillery techniques, aiming to prepare strategic weapons for the crucial battle that gloriously ended the resistance against the French. In particular, the memory of meeting President Ho Chi Minh five times, including two occasions where he had his picture taken with him, remains a great source of happiness in the life of veteran Dao Van Nhiep.

The vibrant youth of an entire generation was dedicated to the aspiration for peace, independence, and freedom of the Fatherland. In his speech, Comrade Tran Hong Chau - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Council - repeatedly affirmed his profound gratitude for the great contributions of the province's veterans and former youth volunteers to the great cause of the nation.

In that warm and friendly atmosphere, there were also young people, children and grandchildren of veterans and former Youth Volunteers, along with their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, attending the cordial meeting. For the younger generation, this was perhaps a rare opportunity to meet historical witnesses and learn vivid and authentic lessons from history.

The warm and meaningful reunion between veterans and former youth volunteers who participated in the resistance against the French and the leaders of Nghe An province today has partially fulfilled that wish. On the sidelines of the meeting, provincial leaders took time to take commemorative photos and engage in friendly conversations, inquiring about the health of the veterans and former youth volunteers. From all over, 102 veterans and former youth volunteers gathered here, their graying hair, trembling hands, and even those with leg injuries from the battlefields... they shared tears and laughter in a heartwarming reunion. Sixty years have passed, Dien Bien Phu, nearly 700 kilometers away from that sacred historical land, where comrades and outstanding sons and daughters of the Vietnamese nation who made significant contributions to the resistance against French colonialism embraced each other under the peaceful blue sky of a new day.

Phuong Chi