Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ha Minh Hong

In mid-April, as the whole country prepared for the 40th anniversary of the liberation of South Vietnam and the reunification of the country, we, along with some special forces soldiers from Brigade 316, returned to the foot of Rach Chiec Bridge in District 2 to offer incense and pay respects to the 52 soldiers of Brigade 316 who sacrificed their lives 40 years ago in a fierce battle between the liberation army and the Saigon puppet regime's army.

The "last stand" point

As a researcher of the history of the resistance war against the US, Associate Professor Dr. Ha Minh Hong (Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities) once led students majoring in Vietnamese History to survey and research the Battle of Rach Chiec Bridge during the Spring 1975 General Offensive and Uprising. He stated that although the Battle of Rach Chiec Bridge was the last battle at the eastern gateway of Ho Chi Minh City in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, it left behind a unique and exemplary art of warfare.

Associate Professor Dr. Ha Minh Hong said: When defeated in the Central Highlands and Da Nang, Nguyen Van Thieu declared a "fight to the death" in Saigon. But the Battle of Rach Chiec Bridge proved to the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) government that even a "fight to the death" would ultimately fail.

In particular, after the fall of Phan Rang (Ninh Thuan - Nguyen Van Thieu's hometown) and Xuan Loc (Dong Nai), the Saigon government decided to hastily establish defensive positions with a "fight to the death" plan to protect Saigon. Associate Professor Dr. Ha Minh Hong analyzed: The three most important bridges in the East on National Highway 1 are the Dong Nai Bridge (on the Dong Nai River), the Rach Chiec Bridge (on the Rach Chiec estuary, a branch of the lower Saigon River), and the Saigon Bridge (on the Saigon River). Of these three important bridges, the Rach Chiec Bridge is located in the middle on the route from the Vung Tau intersection to Hang Xanh.

Because the Rach Chiec Bridge was located close to the city center, capturing it meant opening a gateway to Saigon's inner city, allowing our main army to surge forward and thrust their sword directly at the enemy's throat. The Dong Nai Bridge was relatively wide; if the enemy destroyed it, they would have other routes to follow. The Saigon Bridge was close to the city center, making it impossible for the enemy to destroy as they needed it for their retreat. The Rach Chiec Bridge was small and short, but the enemy desperately needed it for maneuverability. However, it could also be destroyed to hinder the liberation army, aiding in their "last stand" and protecting Saigon.

Lieutenant Nguyen Duc Tho, then a member of the Z23 Special Forces Brigade (316th Commando Brigade), was the first to fire a B40 rocket, initiating the attack on Rach Chiec Bridge. Tho recounted: "The Rach Chiec River faced the Saigon River, making maneuvering impossible; the downstream side was close to the swampy Bung Sau Xa, a revolutionary base area. Although narrow, the Rach Chiec River was very deep. If the bridge were destroyed, it would be difficult to deploy a pontoon bridge for artillery and tanks to cross. From the end of March 1975, in addition to the nearly a dozen bunkers surrounding the bridge, the enemy deployed an additional 400 security troops equipped with machine guns, M16s, M79s, 61mm mortars, anti-tank guns, etc., and built a series of fortifications and bunkers at both ends of the bridge. Before the battle even began, reconnaissance had discovered that the enemy had planted two explosive charges weighing hundreds of kilograms under the bridge; if they couldn't hold the bridge, they would blow it up."

The Rach Chiec Bridge has been rebuilt today in a more impressive style.

Surrender was inevitable.

Associate Professor Dr. Ha Minh Hong stated: Capturing and holding the Rach Chiec bridge while waiting for the main army to advance into the enemy's stronghold when they were determined to "fight to the death" was clearly a direct mission to thwart the enemy's "fight to the death" plan, ensuring the rapid advance of our troops. We deployed strong special forces including D.81, Z.22, and Z.23 to participate in the battle. On the night of April 27, 1975, from the very first hours of fighting, the special forces secretly defused the enemy mines planted under the bridge. The subsequent battle was fierce, with the liberation army gradually taking control of the front lines and driving the enemy out of the bridge area.

On the morning of April 28th, the enemy concentrated their forces to retake the bridge, but they were unable to achieve their goal. On the night of April 29th, the Rach Chiec bridge became the site of the fiercest fighting between our forces and the enemy. In the open terrain and fierce battle, our troops annihilated two enemy battalions, scattering thousands of enemy soldiers on the spot, seizing many weapons and war equipment, and holding the Rach Chiec bridge. On the morning of April 30th, our main army swept through and penetrated deep into Saigon.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Ha Minh Hong, Duong Van Minh was a man with extensive battlefield experience. He had participated in coups, especially the 1963 coup. During those historic April days, Duong Van Minh clearly understood the trends and demands of the war, the withdrawal of the US from South Vietnam, the nature and capabilities of the South Vietnamese army, and seemed to have the answer that even a "fight to the death" would not be enough to hold Saigon because the Rach Chiec bridge defense line would fall quickly. We asked why the South Vietnamese army "fought to the death" at the Rach Chiec bridge to stop our troops' advance? Associate Professor Dr. Ha Minh Hong explained that, in fact, the "fight to the death" had been planned by the South Vietnamese government not only at the Rach Chiec bridge but throughout Saigon beforehand. The Rach Chiec bridge defense line was a decisive point on the enemy's eastern flank, crucial to whether Saigon could be held, whether a "fight to the death" could be achieved. The revolutionary army's offensive and momentum were so rapid, "one day equaling 20 years," that once they surrounded Saigon, the enemy could no longer hold their ground anywhere. By the time the enemy completely lost the Rach Chiec bridge, many other places also fell simultaneously, and they could no longer retreat or consolidate in the city center; their intention to "fight to the death" in Saigon vanished. President Duong Van Minh had no choice but to surrender unconditionally.

The Battle of Rach Chiec Bridge is considered one of the last major battles in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, paving the way for our troops to advance and liberate Saigon. To capture and hold that bridge, which was only a little over 100 meters long, 52 soldiers bravely sacrificed their lives. Today, the Rach Chiec Bridge has been rebuilt into a grand structure, over 735 meters long with 10 lanes.

"We need to build a truly worthy monument, like a triumphal arch, inscribed with the names of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives at Rach Chiec Bridge, the eastern gateway to the city, to remind everyone, especially the younger generation, of the fierce battle to defend the bridge when the moment of victory was so close," said Associate Professor Dr. Ha Minh Hong.

According to Traffic Newspaper