On the morning of the same day, before the official rally and parade began, heavy rain fell, but it did not deter the throngs of tens of thousands of locals and tourists who flocked to the area around the Dien Bien Phu Provincial Stadium and along Truong Chinh, Hoang Van Thai, Vo Nguyen Giap, and Nguyen Huu Tho streets. Many locals and tourists woke up as early as 3 a.m. to queue up, filling the streets of Dien Bien Phu City – the route the parade would take.
Special emotions
At dawn, Lo Thi Lan woke up, put on makeup, and donned a beautiful traditional Thai ethnic costume, with her hair styled in a "tang cau" bun. She rode her motorbike from Muong Ang district to Dien Bien Phu city to watch the parade. Standing at the corner of Hoang Van Thai street, witnessing the grandeur and spirit of the marching forces, Lan said: "I am very happy and moved to witness this commemoration."
Joining the crowds flocking to Dien Bien these days, Mr. Nguyen Van Son from Binh Duong province and his friend booked plane tickets to Dien Bien on May 5th. "I am very happy to be on this historical land during these special anniversaries. We not only relived the heroic atmosphere of history while visiting the historical sites, but also received a warm and friendly welcome from the local people," he said.
Nguyen Thi Lan Anh (30 years old) and Nguyen Ngoc Anh (25 years old) - residing in Noong Bua ward, Dien Bien Phu city - are sisters who participated in the mass parade at the commemoration ceremony. Both were born and raised in Dien Bien. For many days, the two sisters have been practicing diligently to participate in the parade. Lan Anh said she is very proud to have contributed her small efforts to help the Party Committee, government, and people of Dien Bien province successfully organize the grand ceremony.
On the morning of May 7th, immediately following the rally, a parade and march commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory took place, with the participation of over 12,000 people. The parade and march formations recreated the heroic spirit of the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory, "renowned throughout the world and shaking the earth."
The troops marched and paraded through many streets in Dien Bien Phu city.
The parade and march during the anniversary celebration involved a total of 51 contingents, including 16 military contingents, 8 police contingents, and the remaining 27 contingents from other forces such as veterans, women, youth, and intellectuals. This brought many special emotions to the people of Dien Bien and visitors. As the contingents approached from afar, the people enthusiastically waved flags and flowers, cheered, and created a joyful and majestic atmosphere.
Many people could not hide their emotions as they immersed themselves in the heroic atmosphere and, for the first time, participated in and witnessed the grand commemorative event, their national pride surging. Thousands of people held national flags and sang aloud, joining in a proud rhythm as the military band played the songs "Liberating Dien Bien Phu" and "As if Uncle Ho were present on this joyous day of great victory."
Mr. Dang Chung Cong, a resident of Dien Bien Phu City, shared: "The moments of soldiers and civilians harmonizing in heroic melodies and lyrics; the intimate embraces like family... along with many beautiful memories have embellished the heroic picture of Dien Bien Phu during those historic days of May."
Heartwarming moments in this heroic land.
"Dear friends, there are 25 elderly people in the ceremonial area near the Victory Monument who don't have a place to sleep. Could someone who lives nearby please pick them up and arrange accommodation for them? They came by bus and don't have their own transportation."; "I have already helped everyone find accommodation. No one in Pom La - Thanh Xuong has to sleep on the street anymore!"; "This morning I saw many tourists flocking to Dien Bien and couldn't find a place to stay. My house right at the 7-5 Square has one room available for guests to stay for free. Anyone interested, please contact the phone number…"
These are the messages posted on social media by residents of Dien Bien Phu City on May 6th to help tourists who hadn't booked in advance and were stranded on the streets amidst the city's "fully booked" hotel and guesthouse situation due to the overwhelming number of visitors.
Ms. Nguyen Dieu Thuy, a teacher at Noong Bua Primary School, woke up very early on May 7th to lead her students, carrying national flags, to watch the rally, parade, and march. "I am so proud of the name Dien Bien, a land of heroic history. The students cheered, waving flags and flowers to welcome the marching and parade teams. This is an opportunity for them to have meaningful experiences to understand the historical value, the sacrifices of their ancestors, and to help them love their country even more," said Ms. Thuy.
For many days leading up to the end of the parade, a noticeable sight on the streets of Dien Bien Phu City was the presence of residents and organizations placing free cool water dispensers and fresh fruit to support the forces on duty and tourists visiting the area, contributing to building a positive image of Dien Bien Phu's friendly and hospitable people and land.
Ms. Bui Thi Dung, from Tan Thanh ward, said that for many days now, she has regularly brought lemon-salt water or watermelon juice to the officers and soldiers participating in training sessions every morning and afternoon to help them maintain their health for the anniversary celebration.
Many people poured into the streets to watch and cheer on the parade and march. Photo: VAN DUAN
Wishing to contribute to the historic commemoration, on May 3rd, tens of tons of agricultural products from the people of the mountainous region of Nam Po district (Dien Bien province) were sent to locations where the forces participating in the parade and march were practicing.
Mr. Le Khanh Hoa, Secretary of the Nam Po District Party Committee, said the district had provided 70 tons of green squash to be delivered to military training locations. The district also packaged 500 kg of baby cucumbers and sent them to 7 locations with female personnel. These are agricultural products from the people of Si Pa Phin commune. In addition, each location received 20 cartons of milk.
Officer Le Thi Ha Anh, from the Women's Special Police Unit, recalled the moment the delegation from the Mobile Police Command arrived in Dien Bien Phu. Along both sides of the road, many people stood waving to greet the convoy. "This image has been deeply imprinted in my heart and my comrades' hearts, giving us strength on this journey, because it wasn't simply a polite wave, but also a feeling of trust and affection for the People's Police force," Ha Anh said.
The French Minister of the Armed Forces offered incense at the A1 National Martyrs' Cemetery.
On the occasion of attending the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, on the afternoon of May 7th, French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu, along with a delegation of French officials and veterans, offered incense at the A1 National Martyrs' Cemetery.
The French Minister of the Armed Forces and members of his delegation went to the memorial to light incense and observe a minute of silence.
Next, Mr. Lecornu visited several graves. At the graves of martyrs To Vinh Dien and Be Van Dan, Minister Sebastien Lecornu was given a presentation about the biographies and achievements of the two martyrs in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.
Ho Chi Minh City leaders visit and present gifts to Dien Bien Phu veterans.
On May 7th, a delegation from the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Fatherland Front Committee, led by Ms. Nguyen Thi Le, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairwoman of the City People's Council, visited and presented gifts to Mr. Ngo Duy Doan (96 years old, former Head of the Mobile Treatment Team II) and Mr. Tran The De (94 years old, former officer of Battalion 249, Regiment 174, Division 316), who participated in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.
During her visits, Ms. Nguyen Thi Le cordially inquired about the health and daily lives of Mr. Doan and Mr. De; expressing her respect and gratitude for their contributions, as well as those of the soldiers, heroes, and martyrs in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. (N. Phan)
Nearly 380,000 tourists visited Dien Bien.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Chuyen, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dien Bien province, said that the number of visitors to the province during the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory was very high; hotels were always fully booked, especially on weekends. The People's Committee of Dien Bien Phu City and the People's Committee of Dien Bien district mobilized 102 households to provide temporary accommodation services to serve tourists in the form of homestays.
From April 27th to May 7th, Dien Bien province is estimated to have welcomed 371,000 domestic and international tourists. Total revenue from tourism activities is estimated to reach over 390 billion VND.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/ca-nuoc-huong-ve-dien-bien-phu-196240507213445466.htm
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