The spirit of Dien Bien soldiers will forever shine.

(Baonghean.vn) -Established in 2004, up to now, after nearly 10 years, the Dien Bien Phu Soldiers Liaison Committee of Vinh City has become a "common home" for the soldiers who spent "56 days and nights digging mountains, sleeping in tunnels, enduring heavy rain, eating rice balls, blood mixed with mud..." contributing to the "earth-shaking" victory - a golden history in the struggle against invasion of the Vietnamese people.

From more than 20 members, up to now, the Dien Bien Phu Soldiers Liaison Committee of Vinh city has had 83 members. They are mainly soldiers of 5 Divisions 312, 316, 304, 308, 351 and affiliated units who directly fought and served in the battle to "make Dien Bien 9 years, become a red wreath, become a golden history".

Each person has a different situation, in different positions, but whether they are generals, officers, or soldiers, those who are still alive today are still loyal to their comrades, teammates, love and unite, help each other in life and actively contribute to the cause of innovation, construction and protection of the fatherland. Despite their old age and weak health, most of them are 80 years old or older, the oldest of whom is Mr. Nguyen Van Thu in Doi Cung ward, who is 98 years old this year. However, they are still clear-headed, optimistic, humorous and always a shining example of patriotism, political courage, ethics, personality... for the younger generation to follow. Many people, upon returning to civilian life at the request of the locality, have taken on positions in the system of socio-political organizations in the residential area and have excellently completed their tasks, contributing to promoting the tradition and qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers in Uncle Ho's homeland. Typical examples include Bui Duc Tung, Nguyen Dong (Hamlet 24, Nghi Phu Commune), Tran Hoi (Trung Dinh Block, Hung Dung Ward); Ho Hai Hien (Block 3, Quang Trung Ward); Nguyen Cong Dung (Block 8, Truong Thi Ward)...

Dien Bien Phu soldiers' liaison committee talks with officers and soldiers of Mat island

Since its establishment, the Dien Bien Soldiers Liaison Committee of Vinh City has organized regular, rich and in-depth activities such as organizing visits to old battlefields, burning incense to commemorate fallen comrades, visiting sick comrades, meeting in the spring, wishing them a happy new year, celebrating their longevity... The spring meetings and longevity celebrations are both warm and affectionate, honoring the process, training and striving of the elders while also demonstrating the beauty of traditional culture, with profound educational value. Besides the humorous poems and proses written by themselves to wish each other, in the longevity celebrations of the former Dien Bien soldiers of the past, there are always a couplet "for the country, Uncle Ho's soldiers are infinitely loyal/ For the people, Dien Bien soldiers are completely loyal and filial"...

Their greatest success was working together to compile and publish two books, “Soldiers of Dien Bien Phu - Vinh City” and “Dien Bien Phu - Rendezvous” with many valuable documents and many pages of combat memoirs, serving the combat of those involved, helping today's and future generations better understand the victory of national and epochal significance in the 20th century and the noble qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers, “undaunted courage, unflinching will” in all circumstances.

In addition, responding to the Campaign to collect resistance artifacts initiated by the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army and the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism, Dien Bien Phu soldiers in Vinh city also donated to the Military Zone 4 Museum and the Vietnam People's Army History Museum many valuable artifacts that have been preserved for decades such as tobacco pipes, walking sticks, shaving tables of French officers, camels given after the Dien Bien victory, folding shovels used in the Dien Bien Phu campaign...

Dien Bien Phu soldiers' liaison committee of Vinh city revisits the old battlefield

Colonel Nguyen Dong - a pre-uprising cadre, Head of the Dien Bien Phu soldiers' liaison committee in Vinh city, could not hide his emotions when telling us about the reunions of Dien Bien soldiers on the occasion of the Dien Bien Phu victory anniversary on May 7 every year. This is an opportunity for them to meet, encourage their spirit, inquire about their health, review the traditions of the unit, tell each other about the "56 days and nights of digging mountains, sleeping in tunnels" fighting and winning with historical places such as Him Lam, Doc Lap, A1 hills; remind each other to preserve and promote the spirit of Dien Bien soldiers, the traditional nature of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", a steadfast loyalty to the party and the people. And the gray-haired heads stood side by side, singing the military marching song, remembering "Dien Bien years ago, Uncle Ho's words echoed in the trenches..."

Colonel Nguyen Dong - Head of the Dien Bien Phu soldiers' liaison committee in Vinh city recalls memories of the battle

Time goes by, history turns a new page, the Dien Bien Phu soldiers of the past are now all at a rare age, and the law of birth, aging, sickness and death does not exclude anyone, so their greatest wish is to hope for the support of all levels and sectors to be able to publish a book about Nghe An and Dien Bien Phu on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Dien Bien victory. The book will be a valuable historical document for future generations, because it is recorded and entrusted from the memories of Dien Bien soldiers who are Nghe people living in localities in the province and all over the country, not stopping at the scope of Vinh city like the two previous books. Because Nghe An is the second province after Thanh Hoa to have made a great contribution in terms of people and property in the Dien Bien Phu campaign (the whole province had 680 martyrs sacrificed in the Dien Bien Phu campaign, 3 people were awarded the title of hero (heroic martyr Tran Can, hero Dang Dinh Ho, hero Phan Tu)... Those contributions are completely worthy of being recognized and honored!

Article and photos: Khanh Ly