Ordinary moments of General Giap through the lens of a photographer from Nghe An

Portrait of General Vo Nguyen Giap through the lens of NSNA Tran Hong. Photo: Document

In the early days of the 70s of the last century, journalist - photographer Tran Hong (from Huong Khe district, Ha Tinh province) aimed his camera lens at the supreme commander of the Vietnam People's Army working as a reporter. The moment he first stood before that legendary general, Tran Hong still remembers his emotions: "Before meeting him to ask him to take a photo, I met Colonel Nguyen Huyen... then saw him passing by, asked "Where are you from?"... He looked at me with a loving gaze like a grandfather looking at his grandchild. He told secretary Nguyen Huyen "You let this reporter come see me anytime...", that was the bridge that brought me closest and fastest to approach Vo Nguyen Giap. Early the next morning I went to 30 Hoang Dieu. I was extremely happy and that whole day I did not eat, from 5:30 in the morning I took photos until evening... there was an absolute sympathy, the distance between me and the General was so close. That was the best day of my life".

Photographer Tran Hong still admits that he is not a good photographer, but he feels extremely lucky to be favored by the General, who gave him the privilege of being able to take photos of the General at any time. It seems that the distance between him and the General is too close for him to be able to capture all the wonderful moments of the General. At the first photo exhibition about General Vo Nguyen Giap in December 1992, he was extremely happy when the General came to see and approved.

In the winter of 1994, journalist Tran Hong had the honor to accompany the General back to Cao Bang, the revolutionary homeland, where the General and his people had gone through many hardships and sacrifices. Returning to Cao Bang for the General was like returning home, where he was loved and respected by the people, and the people called him "grandfather". Tran Hong managed to capture extremely touching images, such as the General tremblingly holding the panpipe, a musical instrument of the Mong people, or the moment the General hesitated for a long time before picking up the pen to write down his thoughts. And it was very touching to see the photo of the General marching into the deep forest on a night of pouring rain, as if he wanted to return to Cao Bang with the arduous days of eating porridge and bamboo shoots. The touching photos were captured with all the emotions surging in the artist's soul.

A simple moment of General Vo Nguyen Giap. Photo: Document.

Returning to Dien Bien 50 years after the victory, in April 2004, the General revisited the old battlefield and met the Northwestern people with affection, love, and attachment. Tran Hong happily recorded the image of the General standing in the military bunker, in front of the combat model.

The simple beauty of the General was captured by Tran Hong through the lens with all the everyday simplicity, extremely simple. Tran Hong no longer recognized the majestic general in front of him but a gentle, kind farmer.

The General and his wife's meal was taken by Colonel Tran Hong. Photo: Document.

The house at 30 Hoang Dieu was the place Tran Hong visited many times to take pictures of the General. There were times when he saw that the General was not in good health because he worked too hard, he felt so sorry, he raised the camera and put it down many times. There were times when, after putting down the camera, his eyes blurred, those were the moments when he witnessed the General sitting silently in the office, the General was always worrying about the country and the people. The close distance between him and the General was such that he was able to press the camera to record all those touching and profound moments. Like a child looking at his father, like a grandchild looking at his grandfather. That was the view of relatives in a warm family.

It was touching to see the everyday photos in the General's house, the grandparents having a simple meal, a poor person's meal, only two boiled eggs rolling back and forth, the grandmother picked up for him, he pushed the egg to her, saying "You eat, keep picking up so much for me!". The person taking this photo could only hear the loving, affectionate voice, quickly took the photo and then blinked with tears. There were many, many other cozy, simple everyday moments that Tran Hong was lucky to capture, such as him playing with his grandchildren, meditating every morning, watering plants, taking care of flowers, or playing the piano for his wife...

What greater happiness could there be than when the General dedicated heartfelt words after the photo he took? He wrote: “The photos are like poetry, like music, through the recorded images, the viewer is very moved by the emotions, the pain and the joy. Through the eyes, the viewer remembers forever. Wishing Tran Hong, the artist - soldier, great works.” In his entire life of holding a camera, he never thought that he would be understood and recognized by the General like that.

During the 1559 days the General was hospitalized at the 108 Central Military Hospital, Tran Hong's hands trembled every time he visited, and he said that there were times when he couldn't take a photo, he just silently looked at the General and just like that, tears welled up in his eyes. Those were images he could never forget. The General's image was engraved in his heart with all the respect, both solemn and extremely close.

General Vo Nguyen Giap looks at photos of NSNA Tran Hong.Photo: Document

With thousands of photos taken of the General from the author's early days in his career, the days he followed him on business trips to the moments he was close to the General during more than 3 years in the hospital, and especially the image of the hearse carrying his coffin back to 30 Hoang Dieu for the last time before returning to his mother's hometown Quang Binh to rest in eternal rest, author Tran Hong recorded everything with infinite gratitude, with deep regret and love.