80 years of Vietnam News Agency: Journalists and martyrs who sacrificed for the Fatherland

The heroic martyrs of journalists and reporters are the noblest representatives of the spirit of dedication of the generation of heroic revolutionary journalists of the News Agency.

Thai Binh in the past, Hung Yen today is the land that has dedicated hundreds of thousands of outstanding sons to the battlefield in the great resistance wars and national construction of the nation. Not only on the fierce battlefield with guns and bullets, the sons here also silently and steadfastly fought on an equally important front, which is the information and propaganda front.

Using their pens as weapons, news as ammunition, and their own blood and bones to maintain the information flow of the Vietnam News Agency (now the Vietnam News Agency), the heroic journalists and reporters who sacrificed their lives are the most noble representative images of the spirit of dedication of the generation of heroic revolutionary journalists of the News Agency.

Mission of survival

In the early years of the resistance war against French colonialism, maintaining communication was a vital task. On that path, journalist Nguyen Huu Ban - an outstanding son of his hometown Thai Binh (old) became a shining example.

He was born in 1921 in Dai Lai village, Phu Xuan commune, Thai Binh town (now Tran Hung Dao ward, Hung Yen ) in a family of Confucian scholars who specialized in teaching and medicine to save people. Relatives of journalist Nguyen Huu Ban recounted that, through stories passed down by his grandfather and father, Mr. Ban was a person with a bright face, gentle personality, good at writing poetry and beautiful handwriting. He was enlightened about the revolution early, actively participated in the Vietnam Student Association and was active in the movement to spread the national language.

After the August Revolution in 1945, he became a reporter, editor, and commentator with many passionate articles, strongly promoting the movement against hunger, illiteracy, and invaders. His pen became a sharp weapon, awakening patriotism and stirring up the fighting spirit of the masses.

When the Information Department (the predecessor of Vietnam News Agency) was established after the first General Election on January 6, 1946, journalist Nguyen Huu Ban continued his work, evacuated with the Information Department and continuously edited, sent news and commentaries to the station.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Dung (grandson of journalist and martyr Nguyen Huu Ban, born in 1921 in Dai Lai village, Phu Xuan commune, Thai Binh town, now Tran Hung Dao ward, Hung Yen province) recounts stories about his grandfather. (Photo: The Duyet/VNA)

In October 1947, when the French colonialists parachuted into Bac Kan town, the Information Department had to move. Following the instructions of their superiors, a group of 5 people, including journalist Nguyen Huu Ban, bravely returned to the old location at kilometer 6, Bac Kan-Cho Don road to check the remaining documents. Journalist Nguyen Huu Ban was unfortunately ambushed by the enemy and died when he was just 26 years old.

In recognition of his contributions and noble sacrifices, in 1995, journalist Nguyen Huu Ban was posthumously awarded the "Medal for the cause of Vietnamese journalism" by the Vietnam Journalists Association and in 2008 he was posthumously awarded the Third Class Independence Medal by the President.

Put aside personal happiness for the news to flow forever...

After the resistance war against the French colonialists, the Vietnamese people once again heroically took up arms to fight against the Americans to save the country. In the midst of the fierce battlefield of falling bombs and exploding bullets, the information source of the heroic News Agency continued to be extended, running from North to South, with the image of soldiers who were journalists rushing to the front lines, promptly conveying information about the fierce battle to the people at home and international friends. Sharing that spirit, the "five-ton homeland" journalists continued their mission, ready to devote themselves to the cause of national liberation, for the news of the News Agency.

Journalist Nguyen Trung Thanh (also known as Nguyen Thanh, born in 1936, in Nam Ha commune, Tien Hai district, former Thai Binh province, now Nam Tien Hai commune, Hung Yen) was a teacher at the Cultural School, General Command of the Vietnam People's Army from 1956 to 1964.

With patriotism and determination to gain independence and freedom for the nation, in July 1964, he entered the Southern battlefield, working as a reporter for the Liberation News Agency, belonging to the South Central region branch. From 1967, he was in charge of the South Central Highlands branch.

Relatives of journalist Nguyen Trung Thanh said that journalist Nguyen Trung Thanh died without a family when his shelter collapsed in Cambodia in 1968. After many years of searching, in 1997, his family found his grave and brought him back to be buried at the Martyrs Cemetery of Nam Ha commune, Tien Hai district (old).

Among the journalists and martyrs from the old Thai Binh hometown who heroically sacrificed their lives to keep the news agency's information flowing, there was also journalist and martyr Nguyen Van Nang (Diep Nong commune, old Hung Ha district, now Dien Ha commune, Hung Yen). He was a former photojournalist for the Liberation News Agency, who sacrificed his life at Ba Den Mountain, old Tay Ninh province, without ever having met his only son.

Mr. Nguyen Van Kham (nephew of journalist and martyr Nguyen Trung Thanh, also known as Nguyen Thanh, born in 1936 in Nam Ha commune, Tien Hai district, Thai Binh province, now Nam Tien Hai commune, Hung Yen province) is always proud of his uncle. (Photo: The Duyet/VNA)

Mrs. Pham Thi Duong, wife of journalist and martyr Nguyen Van Nang, shared that journalist Nguyen Van Nang was the third child in a family of five siblings. Not long after getting married, in 1964, putting aside his personal happiness, he volunteered to join the army. After a period of training, he went to the battlefield in the South.

During the fierce war, the young couple lost contact. In 1968, when their only son was not yet 2 years old and had never met his father, the family was heartbroken when they received his death notice from the unit. Those were extremely painful days for a widow in her 20s like Mrs. Duong. Loving her children and her husband, she stayed alone, faithful to her vow of loyalty, devoting all her love and sacrifice to raising her children.

More than half a century has passed, the biggest pain of Mrs. Duong and Mr. Nguyen Van Bang (the only son of journalist and martyr Nguyen Van Nang) is that they still have not found the graves of their husband and father, despite many searches.

The stories of journalists and martyrs Nguyen Huu Ban, Nguyen Trung Thanh and Nguyen Van Nang are just three of nearly 260 reporters, editors and technical staff of Vietnam News Agency (accounting for more than 25% of the unit's staff during the war), who did not spare their blood and bones to keep the news flowing forever... Behind those great losses is the pride of each family and of the heroic News Agency for the contributions of the previous generation. Those soldiers have fallen, but the source of information they built and protected still flows forever, a solid foundation for the development of Vietnam News Agency and the country's journalism today./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/80-nam-thong-tan-xa-viet-nam-nhung-nha-bao-liet-sy-hoa-than-cho-to-quoc-post1061629.vnp