A meal of two eggs and a touching story about the wife of General Vo Nguyen Giap.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Through each encounter with General Vo Nguyen Giap and his wife Dang Bich Ha, Colonel Tran Hong clearly felt that Mrs. Ha was a kind, simple, sincere woman who loved her husband and children immensely.

The wife of General Vo Nguyen Giap lived a beautiful life.

On the afternoon of September 17th, Colonel, journalist, and photographer Tran Hong – a former reporter for the People's Army Newspaper – quietly reopened his archive of photographs about General Vo Nguyen Giap. He selected four photos from thousands and shared them on his personal page with the caption: "Respectfully bidding farewell to Mrs. Dang Thi Bich Ha – the wife of General Vo Nguyen Giap, Commander-in-Chief."

Mrs. Dang Bich Ha, wife of General Vo Nguyen Giap (Photo: Tran Hong).

Mr. Hong received the news of the passing of Associate Professor Dr. Dang Bich Ha – the wife of General Vo Nguyen Giap – at 0:50 AM on September 17th from Mr. Vo Dai Ham, the General's nephew and the person who manages and welcomes visitors to the General's home in Quang Binh . Journalist and Colonel Tran Hong spent 20 years following General Vo Nguyen Giap, documenting the simple moments of the Commander-in-Chief. He has published four photo books and organized numerous exhibitions about General Vo Nguyen Giap, donating 111 photos of the General to the National Archives Center III, adding to the valuable archive of the legendary General. Sharing with a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper , Colonel Tran Hong said that for him, "the happiest moment of my life is holding a camera" and "the luckiest moment in my life is photographing the General." For him, every photo of the General is "the most beautiful photo." Throughout his years documenting the General's life through photographs, he had numerous opportunities to interact with his wife, Dang Bich Ha. Therefore, upon hearing the news of the General Vo Nguyen Giap's wife's passing, he was deeply moved. The Colonel emotionally stated, "I believe she passed away peacefully because she lived a beautiful life, fulfilling her duty as a strong support system for the talented General." Colonel Tran Hong shared that, starting in October 1994, General Vo Nguyen Giap agreed to let him accompany him to photograph many important events as well as his family life. Through each interaction with the General and his wife, Dang Bich Ha, he clearly felt that she was a kind, simple, sincere, and always very considerate woman. The first time photographer Tran Hong visited General Vo Nguyen Giap's home was one morning in October 1994. The couple was preparing breakfast. The meal was so simple that it surprised Colonel Hong. He recounted, "Looking at the dining table, I raised my camera and then lowered it several times. On the table were a bowl of rice with two eggs. She kept pushing it to him, and he kept pushing it back to her. He said, 'You eat,' and she said, 'You eat, so you'll have the strength.' Just a few words, but I felt the special care they had for each other. I tried to hold back my emotions and managed to take two or three photos."

General Vo Nguyen Giap and his wife at a simple meal (Photo: Tran Hong).

There was something special about the way General Vo Nguyen Giap and his wife addressed each other that impressed journalist Tran Hong. In public or when guests were present, the General always called his wife "Sister Ha," while she addressed him as "General Vo Nguyen Giap." At home, with only close family members, the General affectionately called his wife "Ha" or "my dear." This subtle and appropriate way of addressing each other in different situations made Mr. Hong feel even more deeply the affection and respect they had for each other. Colonel Tran Hong recounted that Mrs. Ha dressed very simply, only wearing a traditional Vietnamese dress (áo dài) when guests were present. She was also extremely humble and never used her position as the General's wife to make things difficult for others. Mr. Hong recalled organizing a photo exhibition about General Vo Nguyen Giap in Quang Binh on the occasion of the General's 95th birthday. This exhibition, like other exhibitions on the General's theme organized by Mr. Hong, was never attended by General Vo Nguyen Giap. That time, after Mr. Hong returned home from Quang Binh, he received a note from Mrs. Dang Bich Ha. The words were unforgettable, and he cherished the note to this day: "Mr. Tran Hong, when you return to Hanoi , please let my wife and I know so we can see your picture."

According to Colonel Tran Hong, Ms. Dang Bich Ha was a kind, simple, sincere, and always very tactful woman (Photo: Tran Hong).

The following day, the General's son, Vo Dien Bien , and grandson, Vo Hoai Nam, came to Mr. Hong's office to pick up the photos to show the General and his wife. "I thought that given their position, they could have asked me to bring the photos to their home, but Mrs. Ha was very humble and didn't want to bother me," journalist Tran Hong recounted.

"My happiness comes from having Mr. Van."

On another occasion, while visiting Mr. Tran Hong's home, Mrs. Bich Ha stood for a long time admiring a photograph of General Vo Nguyen Giap carved on a stone, a gift from a friend. Seeing this, Mr. Hong offered to give her the artwork, but she immediately refused, saying, "What strange thing to say! This photograph is very precious to you, why would I take it from you?" According to Mr. Tran Hong, Mrs. Dang Bich Ha embodies the quintessential character of a woman from Nghe An province, characterized by her straightforwardness and independence, never relying on General Giap. This personality suited General Vo Nguyen Giap perfectly, as he was a loyal and upright general. "Mrs. Dang Bich Ha exemplifies the qualities of a Vietnamese woman, caring for her husband completely and looking after her children meticulously. She treated her children fairly and cared for General Giap's daughter, Vo Hong Anh, as if she were her own," Mr. Hong said. Many of the photos taken by Mr. Hong feature the "trio": General Vo Nguyen Giap, his wife Dang Bich Ha, and their daughter Vo Hong Anh.

A commemorative photo of Colonel Tran Hong (far left) with General Vo Nguyen Giap and his wife (Photo: Tran Hong).

During the days General Vo Nguyen Giap was recuperating at the Central Military Hospital 108, in addition to the assistance of Colonel Nguyen Huyen, the General's former assistant, Mrs. Ha became an excellent "secretary." Every day, she received a lot of information and documents, but always carefully organized and categorized the necessary documents to send to her husband. Mr. Hong recounted that, in his impression, General Vo Nguyen Giap and his wife were a perfect couple in every respect. He recalled a saying that he would always remember and that further increased his respect for his wife: "Once, Associate Professor Dr. Dang Thi Hanh - Mrs. Ha's younger sister - when she was still alive, asked: 'What is your happiness?' Mrs. Ha replied: 'My happiness is having Mr. Van.' That short statement encapsulated her love for him." Lieutenant Colonel Le Van Hai - a former assistant to General Vo Nguyen Giap - also recounted that Mrs. Dang Bich Ha was a simple and very approachable person. Not only Mr. Hai, but many others also felt that Mrs. Ha treated everyone equally and kindly, without distinction between people of high rank, farmers, intellectuals, or ordinary laborers. In the family, Mr. Hai never witnessed any harsh words or arguments between the General and his wife, or between Mrs. Ha and their children. "I started working for the General in 1987. I called the General 'Mr. Van' and his wife 'Ms. Ha.' During his lifetime, the General was very busy." "Mrs. Dang Bich Ha played a huge role in caring for and raising the children, keeping the family warm and harmonious," Lieutenant Colonel Le Van Ha recounted. General Vo Nguyen Giap was busy with national affairs, so Mrs. Ha was responsible for managing the family. Despite her husband's important position, Mrs. Ha and her children lived very simply. Sometimes she had very ordinary worries, such as balancing expenses or dealing with her husband's delayed salary…

Ms. Dang Bich Ha accompanies General Vo Nguyen Giap at an event (Photo: Tran Hong).

Mrs. Ha was also a very thoughtful wife, always attentive to her husband's smallest habits. Previously, the General had a habit of having a light snack between meals at 9 am, sometimes a banana, sometimes a piece of avocado… Usually, this was the responsibility of the service staff. However, Mrs. Ha often did these things herself as a way of showing care and concern for her husband. Upon hearing the news of Mrs. Dang Bich Ha's passing, those who had met and spoken with her many times, such as Colonel Tran Hong and Lieutenant Colonel Le Van Hai, were deeply moved. They shared memorable stories and anecdotes about the respected wife who had quietly provided unwavering support for the legendary General of the Vietnamese people.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/doi-song/bua-com-2-qua-trung-va-chuyen-xuc-dong-ve-phu-nhan-dai-tuong-vo-nguyen-giap-20240918213739879.htm