Nghe An province leaders commemorate heroic martyrs at Quang Tri Citadel and Vinh Linh 'steel land'

Comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation as head of the delegation.

The delegation included members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee: Nguyen Thi Thu Huong - Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department; Pham Trong Hoang - Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Committee; Nguyen Nam Dinh - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Bui Thanh An - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Chairman of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee.

Also attending were representatives of the leaders of the following units: Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, Provincial Party Committee Office, Provincial People's Committee Office, Provincial Border Guard Command, Provincial Youth Union, Provincial Veterans Association, Provincial Women's Union, Provincial Labor Federation, Provincial Farmers' Association.

The delegation went to Quang Tri town to offer flowers and incense at the Monument of Martyrs of Quang Tri Ancient Citadel, expressing deep gratitude for the noble sacrifices and contributions of heroic martyrs for peace, national independence and national reunification.

Thousands of soldiers have remained forever underground in Quang Tri Citadel in the heroic and resilient fight to protect the Citadel and Quang Tri town during 81 fierce days and nights in the summer of 1972 (from June 28 to September 16, 1972).

The exploits of the heroes and martyrs contributed to creating a historical turning point that changed the situation of the war, forcing the US to resume negotiations and sign the Paris Agreement on ending the war in Vietnam, recognizing Vietnam's independence, unity and territorial integrity.

Quang Tri Citadel has recorded in the history of the nation a shining milestone of revolutionary heroism; a place to educate the tradition of patriotism and revolutionary tradition for generations and is a sacred symbol of the aspiration for peace.

South of Quang Tri Citadel, Thach Han River - a sacred river full of blood and flowers, is the "martyrs' cemetery without tombstones" of many children of the Fatherland who heroically sacrificed their lives when crossing the river from the North bank to the South bank to fight to protect the town and Quang Tri Citadel.

Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy and the delegation of Nghe An province respectfully offered flowers and incense at the Ceremony House and released flowers on the southern bank of Thach Han River to express deep gratitude to the heroic martyrs who fell, their blood and bones merging into the Thach Han River for the independence and unification of the Fatherland.

Next, the delegation returned to the "steel land" Vinh Linh, respectfully offering flowers and incense at the Monument and graves of martyrs at the district martyrs cemetery. Also attending was comrade Nguyen Thi Huong - Permanent Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairwoman of the People's Council of Vinh Linh district.

Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy and delegates along with leaders of Vinh Linh district respectfully observed a minute of silence, expressing their respect and infinite gratitude to the heroic martyrs, the outstanding sons of the nation who did not spare their blood for the independence and unification of the Fatherland and the happiness of the people.

Located in the north of Ben Hai River, Vinh Linh District Martyrs' Cemetery is the largest district-level martyrs' cemetery in Quang Tri province, the resting place of 5,632 heroic martyrs from 41 provinces and cities across the country, including 800 martyrs from Nghe An and Ha Tinh. In 2024, Nghe An province has allocated a budget to renovate and embellish the graves of martyrs from Nghe An and Ha Tinh who are resting at the cemetery.

According to the Geneva Agreement on July 20, 1954, the Ben Hai River located on the 17th parallel in Vinh Linh district, Quang Tri province was taken as the temporary military demarcation line between the two regions of North and South Vietnam. On August 25, 1954, the Vinh Linh land north of the Ben Hai River with an area of ​​nearly 800 km²become Vinh Linh Special Zone under the Central Government.

Since then, during the resistance war against the US, Vinh Linh was the frontier land of the socialist North, the place name associated with Hien Luong Bridge, Ben Hai River, the place that witnessed the pain of dividing the North and South, the place known as the "steel land". Every inch of land here is soaked with the blood of many outstanding children who fell for the independence and unification of the Fatherland.