Cannot force Vietnamese people to give up their will…

“Ideal choke point”

During the war of destruction in the North, one of the strategic targets that the US attacked was our transportation system, warehouses, and ports. On National Highway 1A, many key locations such as: Ham Rong Bridge, Hoang Mai Bridge, Bung Bridge, Cam Bridge, Ben Thuy Ferrysuffered fierce bombardmentof the US Air Force. Shipments were constantly blocked by the enemy day and night. Therefore, Route 15A (also known as Route 30) was now identified as the most important strategic transportation route.

Route 15A starts from Van Mai (Thanh Hoa) through Nghe An to La Khe, Huong Khe (Ha Tinh) to enter the South. The route through Nghe An is 147km long, starting from Nghia Son (Nghia Dan) down to Tan Ky through Truong Dong, Giang Son to Do Luong town. From Do Luong town, the road is divided into two branches, one branch goes down to Thanh Chuong, following this route in the rainy season, vehicles encounter many difficulties due to many tunnels, streams, and makeshift bridges. In particular, the section through Ru Nguoc, Thanh Chuong district is quite dangerous, the road surface is narrow, one side is a cliff, the other side is a deep abyss, if vehicles, artillery, and troops encounter American aircraft attacks, both the way forward and the way back are dangerous.

Soldiers and Youth Volunteers meet to discuss plans to protect Truong Bon. Photo: Document

The remaining branch goes towards Truong Bon, My Son (Do Luong) and then down to Nam Dan, which is shorter, has a better roadbed and has the advantage of being hidden under a canopy of green trees and shielded by mountains, thus limiting the visibility of enemy aircraft. On this branch, Truong Bon is a place with a strategic and important position.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim and Dr. Hoang Hong Nga, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, in the article: "The position of Truong Bon in the Party's strategic vision of the legendary Truong Son road" sent to the scientific conference "Truong Bon - Historical value, preservation and promotion" organized by Nghe An Provincial People's Committee in 2018 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Truong Bon victory analyzed that Truong Bon is the only place connecting the traffic arteries: Km 0 of the Ho Chi Minh trail, National Highway 1A, Road 7, Road 34 supporting the Southern battlefield.

Therefore,Truong BonThe US Air Force considered Truong Bon as one of the “ideal choke points” at the “throat” of ground transportation with a single road only about 5km long. The US poured “rain of bombs and storm of bullets”, turning Truong Bon into a “fire coordinate”. Because if Truong Bon was blocked, it meant choking the “throat” of traffic, blocking many supply routes to the battlefield.

However, with the determination not to let the US air force stop the convoys and troops from advancing to the front line, the forces on duty on the “fire road” have taken many measures to ensure smooth traffic. Protecting the convoys and the strategic road has become an urgent task for the entire Party, the entire army, and the entire people.

Implementing the policy of the Central Military Commission, the IV Military Region Command mobilized more anti-aircraft artillery units of the Military Region to directly build battlefields, fighting the enemy from Tan Ky to Dong Loc and Ben Thuy. The Nghe An Provincial Party Committee advocated the establishment of youth volunteer forces, "steel platoons", "steel squads"... to fight and serve the fight to protect the homeland and the traffic arteries.

Squad 2 (Suicide Squad), Company 317, Team 65, Nghe An Youth Volunteers are filling bomb craters in Truong Bon. Photo: Phung Trieu/VNA

On August 26, 1968, the Command Committee for unifying traffic forces in Truong Bon, Dong Loc, Ben Thuy, and Long Dai was established. Minister of Transport Phan Trong Tue and Commander of the 559th Army Corps Dong Sy Nguyen, on behalf of the Central Committee, directed: "Truong Bon is the traffic hub here, like the blood in a unified body, it absolutely cannot be allowed to stop flowing."

The main force in ensuring traffic in Truong Bon is the youth volunteer companies, mainly the 317th and 304th Companies, belonging to Team 65, Nghe An Youth Volunteers General Team. The Youth Volunteers here are divided into 18 squads, of which 7 squads belong to the 317th Company, whose tasks are to fill bomb craters, repair roads, and ensure traffic safety.

“It is impossible to force the Vietnamese people to give up their will…”

The forces that fought on the Truong Bon “fire road” were young men and women in their eighteens and twenties who bravely and tenaciously fought day and night against enemy aircraft, not fearing losses or sacrifices. All were ready to rush to the front line, camouflage goods, use diversions to distract the enemy, fill bomb craters, clear unexploded bombs and mines, and set up a system of live signs for vehicles to pass through at night. Brothers and sistersready to face sacrifice, with bullets and bombs, using their bodies as “living markers” to guide vehicles through. On a day facing enemy bullets and bombs like any other day to clear the way for vehicles to the front line, on October 31, 1968, all 13 soldiers of the 317th Youth Volunteer Company heroically sacrificed their lives. The blood of our soldiers and people spilled on the “fire coordinates” brought 94,000 vehicles across Truong Bon, contributing to the day of complete victory for the South.

Tour groups listen to explanations about the heroic sacrifice of 13 Youth Volunteers in Truong Bon. Photo: Thanh Duy

Looking back at the Vietnam War, many people who were once on the other side of the front line had to admit that bombs and bullets could not subdue the will of our nation. If anyone has ever watched the 13-episode documentary “Vietnam – a television history” produced by historian and journalist Stanley Karnow, a monumental work looking back at the American war in Vietnam, it is clear that Washington’s purpose in bombing the North was to admit their failure when looking back at the war.

In the film, William Bundy (1917 - 2000) - US Assistant Secretary of State under the Lyndon Johnson administration said: "We never thought that bombing would bring results soon. But bombing would cut off all infiltration into the South and prevent reinforcements." However, despite the massive bombs and shells being dropped, troops and trucks continued to enter the South. Diplomat George Ball (1909 - 1994) - US Deputy Secretary of State from 1961 to 1966; who served as Director in charge of researching US strategic bombing sites at the end of World War II, was convinced that it was impossible to force the Vietnamese to give up their will by simply bombing the North. On the contrary, "we made them more united than ever", George Ball said in the film "Vietnam - a television history".

The war is long gone, but looking back at history through the lens of those involved and the evidence gives us a deeper understanding of the fierce battles, sacrifices and hardships of our army and people in Truong Bon. Above all, the Truong Bon victory is the most beautiful crystallization of the tradition of solidarity, patriotism, the will to fight and win against foreign invaders; of courage, dignity, conscience and the desire for peace.

Panoramic view of Truong Bon Historical Relic Site. Photo: Thanh Cuong