Liberation Newspaper is 60 years old.

The revolutionary press corps, including the Liberation Newspaper - a newspaper on the front lines - made invaluable contributions to that great victory of the nation.

Sixty years have passed since the first issue of the Liberation Newspaper was published. Those who built and directly produced these highly topical newspapers from the early 1960s, effectively propagating the cause of liberating South Vietnam as the newspaper's name and mission intended, have become part of history; many are no longer with us. Through their contributions, the newspaper, full of fighting spirit, directly confronted the enemy on the battlefield, and those who overcame hardship and sacrifice, wielding both pen and gun, simultaneously working as journalists and fighting to brilliantly fulfill the glorious historical mission of a revolutionary newspaper – deserve to be honored with the title of Hero.

Some of the artifacts are tools used by reporters from the former Liberation Newspaper, donated to the Vietnam Press Museum. Photo: T. Dieu

The Liberation Newspaper – the official mouthpiece of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLF) – published its first issue on December 20, 1964, to join forces with the Liberation News Agency, Liberation Radio, Liberation Army Newspaper, Liberation Arts and Literature Newspaper, etc., forming a powerful journalistic force, the main media force on the front lines, directly serving the struggle for the liberation of South Vietnam and the reunification of the country. The Liberation Newspaper completed its historical mission, publishing its last issue on January 16, 1977, almost two years after the country achieved peace and reunification. At that time, the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam merged with the Vietnam Fatherland Front , and along with that, the two official mouthpieces of the two Fronts – the Cuu Quoc Newspaper and the Liberation Newspaper – merged to become the Dai Doan Ket Newspaper of today.

The Liberation Newspaper was founded in War Zone C in Tay Ninh province, in the southeastern part of Vietnam, bordering Cambodia, precisely on the 4th anniversary of the founding of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (December 20, 1960 - December 20, 1964). Architect Huynh Tan Phat - Vice Chairman and General Secretary, later Chairman of the Central Committee of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, lawyer Nguyen Huu Tho, served as the newspaper's editor-in-chief.

Journalist Tran Phong, former Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper Cuu Quoc, was sent from the North on an unmarked ship across the sea to become the first Editor-in-Chief under the pen name Ky Phuong. Tran Phong - Ky Phuong, whose real name was Le Van Thom, was born in My Tho in 1921. He joined the revolution early, working for many years in both the North and South, and in 1964, he traveled south on an unmarked ship with two other journalists, Tong Duc Thang (Tran Tam Tri) and Thai Duy (Tran Dinh Van), who were also from the Cuu Quoc newspaper. They crossed the Truong Son Mountains to the Tay Ninh base to prepare personnel and logistics for the publication of the newspaper Giai Phong.

The newspaper's staff and reporters were supplemented and strengthened from all three regions of Vietnam: North, Central, and South. They were veteran reporters and journalists with extensive experience, including Thép Mới, Kỳ Phương, Nguyễn Huy Khánh, Trần Tâm Trí, Thái Duy, Bùi Kinh Lăng, Tô Quyên, Tình Đức, Nguyễn Hồ, Kim Toàn, Đinh Phong, Nguyễn Thế Phiệt, Mai Dưỡng, Vũ Tuất Việt, Trần Bé, Mai Trang, Mạnh Tùng…

Coming from the North, most journalists had to spend months secretly walking across the treacherous Truong Son mountain range or traveling on unmarked ships along the Ho Chi Minh Trail amidst constant enemy fire and bombing day and night.

The book "Twice Crossing the Truong Son Mountains" by journalist Kim Toan, also known as Cao Kim, in the form of battlefield notes, recently published, chronicles the more than four-month journey through forests, climbing mountains, wading through streams, overcoming all obstacles, bombs, and bullets by a group of 23 journalists supporting the Southern battlefield. These were extraordinary people with iron wills. They departed from Hanoi on March 17th, arrived in the Eastern South Vietnam battlefield on July 27th, 1966, and remained to work as journalists until the day of victory.

During the years of juggling journalism with combat on the front lines, some journalists sacrificed their lives. On March 8, 1968, journalist Cao Kim was reported dead after a fierce battle on the outskirts of Saigon and was commemorated and had his tombstone erected by the Liberation Newspaper. However, this was a mistake. The person who died was Hai Ca, the team leader of the armed propaganda team and Party branch secretary, where journalist Cao Kim had just been assigned and received his Party membership letter. Hai Ca had barely received the letter, keeping it in his jacket pocket, when he entered the life-or-death battle with the enemy. He was hit by a bullet, disfigured, and died. Journalist Cao Kim - Kim Toan survived and returned, continuing his work as a journalist-soldier in the Southern battlefield, in the Saigon-Gia Dinh area, until 1974. He wrote and published many articles, reports, and notes reflecting the courageous fighting spirit and the people's affection for the revolution, encouraging the people of the South to fight and defeat the Americans. Later, in his 80s, he compiled those writings to publish four books full of material: "Writing Amidst the Fire and Bullets," "Journalism on the Battlefield," "Stories from Those Involved," "A Little Bird in the Enemy's Lair," and "Crossing the Truong Son Mountains Twice" ...

Spring Issue 1973 (Year of the Ox).

Veteran journalist Thái Duy, writing under the pen name Trần Đình Vân, was not only a pioneering journalist at Giải Phóng newspaper. During his time as a journalist, he completed the famous memoir "Living Like Him," about the hero and martyr Nguyễn Văn Trỗi, recording "the moments that made history" in the face of the enemy, as told by his wife, Phan Thị Quyên. With his sharp intellect and the characteristic honesty of a journalist, he portrayed the image of a brave and courageous Saigon commando, standing tall against the enemy, calmly facing death for the cause of national liberation.

The introduction to the work "Living Like Him" ​​by the Literature Publishing House commented: "...Through the honest and delicate pen of the writer, we see a vivid image of the hero Nguyen Van Troi and of an entire heroic collective, an entire heroic nation ." The death of Anh Troi "has become immortal," as the poet To Huu wrote, spreading the heroic spirit and indomitable will of the Vietnamese people. Returning to the North, he continued his illustrious journalistic career, famous for his works encouraging innovation in agriculture, particularly the "underground contracting" system during the pre-reform era, and his relentless fight against corruption in later years, even at the age of 90.

A fairly comprehensive account of the formation and development of the Liberation Newspaper can be found in the 26-minute documentary film "Liberation - The Newspaper on the Front Line," produced by the Vietnam Press Museum and edited by journalist Nguyen Ho, former editor of the Liberation Newspaper. The film uses vivid images from the war, direct accounts from those involved in journalism from the early days, and reviews the development of the Liberation Newspaper over its more than 10 years of operation. Most moving is the final scene, where elderly journalists, frail and weak, express their fond memories of the newspaper, but the generation of those who worked for the Liberation Newspaper is dwindling.

Born amidst the flames of war and directly serving the cause of national liberation, the Liberation Newspaper boasts a team of professional journalists, forged in the crucible of war, imbued with the unwavering spirit of revolutionary soldiers, and undeterred by bombs and bullets. These journalists closely followed liberation army units to the front lines, venturing deep into rural and urban areas, liberated zones, contested areas, and even enemy-controlled territories to carry out their work.

During the Tet Offensive (1968), journalists Thép Mới, Cao Kim, and a number of other reporters and staff secretly infiltrated Saigon's strongholds to conduct journalistic activities and prepare for something bigger.

During the fierce war, journalists not only produced news articles and photographs but also independently arranged for printing and delivery of newspapers to readers. Beyond publishing and distribution, the Liberation Newspaper also organized professional training courses and trained journalists in various localities, and conducted journalistic research to advise the Central Propaganda Department on issues related to the struggle against the enemy on the journalistic front. The Liberation Newspaper was truly a sharp weapon of struggle, a trusted friend of our compatriots and soldiers, and a source of pride for the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press.

Over more than a decade of its existence, the staff, reporters, and workers of the Liberation Newspaper published 375 issues in the battlefield. And immediately after the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign ended on April 30, 1975, the staff of the Liberation Newspaper began preparing to publish a new newspaper called Saigon Liberation. The first issue, published on May 5, 1975, was printed in color, with 8 large-format pages, fulfilling the aspirations of the people of the newly liberated South.

Fulfilling its function as the mouthpiece of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, on July 27, 1975, the Liberation Newspaper handed over the publication of the Saigon Liberation Newspaper to the Saigon City Party Committee and launched a new edition of the Liberation Newspaper, continuing to serve the post-war mission of the mouthpiece of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam.

Spring issue of the year Canh Tuat 1970.

The Liberation Newspaper lived for just over a decade, but it was a significant milestone in the 80-year journey of formation and development of the mouthpiece of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. In early 2022, the Great Unity Newspaper solemnly celebrated its 80th anniversary (January 25, 1942 - January 25, 2022).

As a journalist who served as the Standing Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association during its 9th term (2010-2015), I earnestly hope that the State will appropriately honor the Liberation Newspaper, which overcame many hardships and sacrifices to effectively serve the cause of liberating the South and unifying the country during a glorious historical period. Along with the Liberation News Agency, the Liberation Radio Station, the Liberation Army Newspaper, etc., the Liberation Newspaper has excellently fulfilled its glorious historical mission.

The Liberation News Agency, established on October 12, 1960, and the Liberation Radio Station, established on February 1, 1962, were awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the State on the occasion of their 60th anniversary – the highest honor bestowed by the State upon collectives with exceptionally outstanding achievements in the resistance war against the US and for national salvation. With its immense contributions, the Liberation Newspaper also deserves this prestigious title. In preparation for the 60th anniversary of the first issue of the Liberation Newspaper (December 20, 1964 - December 20, 2024), it is suggested that the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the governing body of the Dai Doan Ket Newspaper, would be the appropriate body to promote this meaningful act of gratitude.

The author also published an article on this proposal in the Dai Doan Ket newspaper on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2023).

Journalist Ha Minh Hue -

Former Standing Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/bao-giai-phong-60-tuoi--xung-dang-duoc-vinh-danh-post260788.html