Hanoians and memories of Christmas 1972

December 25, 1972 was a peaceful day for the people of Hanoi when the US imperialists announced a halt to bombing to celebrate Christmas. After 7 days of fierce fighting with B52 fortresses, Hanoi had a rare moment of silence for people to return to their daily work. Long lines of people lined up to buy dry food, winter clothes and necessities for their families.

But just 36 hours later, (the night of December 26), the day after Christmas, the US continued to drop B52 bombs on Hanoi. The entire city lost power, the alarm sirens continuously sounded. Everyone ran to the shelter. The militia and self-defense forces were ready to fight... Mr. Tran Quang Phong - a militia and self-defense force in Kham Thien neighborhood at that time recalled: on the night of December 26, the enemy dropped bombs crazily on Hanoi. The alarm sirens sounded, people went to the shelter. Along the street, many houses collapsed, the sidewalks were full of coffins. In a moment, the series of bombs took the lives of 287 innocent people, 178 children suddenly became orphans.

Kham Thien neighborhood was devastated after the American bombing.

Mr. Nguyen Van Cau still remembers those painful days clearly.

"On the night of December 18, the enemy attacked Yen Vien Station, on the night of December 21, they attacked Hang Co Station, and on December 22, they attacked Bach Mai Hospital. At about 15 minutes to 11 pm on the night of December 25, the alarm went off. The siren sounded, and I was ordered to go to house number 75, Hang Bo Street, where there were two newspaper printing workshops. When I got there, I saw guns firing all around, and the lights were bright. When the newspaper was printed, I asked permission to go home to see what was going on. When I got to the alley, I saw that the whole area had been carpet bombed, 41 people were dead, all neighbors and acquaintances. My wife and second nephew were all gone. My brother's family lost a son-in-law and daughter-in-law. I also lost my younger brother. So the family lost 6 people. I went to look for my wife, but only the upper half of her body remained. My son only had one leg left. I recognized him because he had a scar from a burn in the past. My younger brother was nowhere to be seen. At that time, I just picked up things and put them in a nylon bag," said Mr. Cau. sadly

Mr. Nguyen Van Cau lost 5 relatives in the bombing in December 1972.

After the bombing, Kham Thien Street was devastated. The entire 6 blocks were wiped out, nearly 2 thousand houses were destroyed, bombs and bullets took the lives and injured hundreds of innocent people. Among them were the children of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Mao, Sam Quan Alley, Kham Thien. When they heard that the US had stopped bombing on Christmas Day, her daughter-in-law and eldest son took advantage of the opportunity from Lai Xa, Hoai Duc to return to get food and take care of the house. But the promise to bring food back to her mother and siblings was never fulfilled, Mrs. Mao choked up.

Kham Thien Street, Hanoi now has only a memorial stele, the only remaining trace of the American B52 bombing on December 26, 1972. The locals often call that stele "the stele of hatred". Every time she passes by here, Ms. Nguyen Thuy Nga - a resident of Kham Thien, bows her head in memory of the fallen children of Hanoi.

"Whenever I pass by a martyrs' monument, and the Kham Thien monument in particular, I bow my head and remind the children to bow their heads to remember and respect the souls of the martyrs and the people who sacrificed, to keep in mind the contributions of ordinary people as well as martyrs that have given them the life they have today. I think that is something that the younger generation should preserve," Ms. Nga confided.

Memorial on Kham Thien Street.

Many peaceful Christmases have passed, the old bomb shelters have been filled, the ruins of the past have been rebuilt. People eagerly await Christmas Eve. In that joy, Hanoians do not forget the historical moments because it was through the sacrifices and pains and losses of those days that we have today's peace./.