Volunteer applications 'to go protect the border'

At dawn on February 17, 1979, Chinese troops began to invade Vietnam along the entire border. The Northern Border War officially broke out. The army and people of the northern border provinces immediately took up arms to fight to protect their homeland and country. People from all over the country turned their hearts to the border.

On March 5, 1979, President Ton Duc Thang ordered a nationwide general mobilization. At the same time, musician Pham Tuyen composed the song “Gunshots echoed in the border sky” to encourage the spirit, will and determination of our army and people to fight against the invaders.

Like many other regions across the country, the people of Nghe An (at that time Nghe Tinh province) were seething with fighting spirit, volunteering to join the army and go to protect the border. The Military Zone 4 Museum dedicated a corner to display artifacts and images of the Northern border war. Among them, there are 3 volunteer applications of 3 Nghe An youths displayed at the Museum, vivid evidence of the hatred, spirit and fighting will of the people of Uncle Ho's hometown.

The first petition was written by Mr. Le Long Thanh in Dien Ngoc commune (Dien Chau) on the night of March 4, 1979, and sent to the District Military Service Council and the Party Committee and People's Committee of the commune, when he had just turned 28 years old. Mr. Thanh's volunteer petition read: "In response to the sacred call of the Party before the fate of the nation in a glorious historical turning point, with the responsibility of a communist party member, I am very hateful and indignant at the savage, brutal and insolent actions of the expansionist invaders...

Party members and communist youth have the responsibility and honor to be at the forefront on all fronts of production, combat, work and study. Be worthy of the people's trust, which is your ambition and dream."

The second volunteer application was written by Mr. Nguyen Van Hoi in Nghi Van commune (Nghi Loc) on March 7, 1979, when he was 18 years old, a 10th grade student. Mr. Hoi wrote: “I am currently studying in class 10A, Nghi Loc 2 High School... To avenge the people of the 6 northern border provinces, and being a young man, I cannot sit idly by while the enemy tramples on the country. I volunteer to join the ranks of the Vietnam People's Army to hold guns and shoot directly at the reactionaries... ”.
The third volunteer application was written by Mr. Le Thanh Hung, a worker at My Ly Brick Factory, Dien Chau district, on March 2, 1979, affirming the will and determination of Vietnamese youth and volunteering to take up arms and go to fight to protect the country.

In the storage area of ​​the Military Zone 4 Museum, next to the letters of determination of Nghe An youths are realistic and vivid images of Nghe An army and people in historical moments. That is the image of the coastal defense line built with 1 million bamboo trees, ready to welcome the enemy landing from the sea; the lines of trenches and defensive fortifications; the image of the army and people of Quynh Luu coastal patrolling; the self-defense regiments established and sent out to carry out their sacred and noble mission...

The war has ended 45 years ago, but the relics of our army and people kept at the Museum of Military Region 4 still retain their historical value. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Hoanh - Exhibition Assistant, Museum, Political Department of Military Region 4 said that each relic and each image of the Northern border war kept at the museum is associated with stories of a heroic historical period.

These are vivid documents, evidence of a period of heroic struggle of the Vietnamese army and people in general, Nghe An in particular, in the struggle to protect the country's independence and sovereignty. The stories, images, and relics of the Northern border war are being preserved to help today's young generation better understand the value of peace, better understand the great sacrifices of previous generations to win, keep, protect and develop the country today and tomorrow...