One of the traditional songs of the Vietnam People's Army "Marching under the flag" by Colonel and musician Doan Nho was composed from his emotions when he set foot on A1 hill, Dien Bien Phu battlefield, 2 years after the campaign ended.
The memories of the years of living and fighting, contributing to protecting the independence and freedom of the Fatherland of Colonel Doan Nho of the army, musician seem like just yesterday, still full of emotions when he recalls. Among them, the memories of writing the song "Marching under the military flag" on the battlefield Dien Bien Phu still makes him very emotional.
In 1954, the musician was only 21 years old, at that time he was working at the Song and Dance Troupe of the General Political Department. He recounted that, as a military musician, he was assigned to serve Dien Bien Phu while still preparing for the campaign with the Troupe.
The most memorable memory for him was the years working on the second line, ATK Dinh Hoa, Thai Nguyen , where the troops passed through when participating in the Dien Bien Phu campaign, and when returning victorious. This was also where Uncle Ho and the Central Committee monitored and directed the nation's long-term resistance war against the French colonialists.
General Vo Nguyen Giap also stayed here before moving to Muong Phang forest, Dien Bien. “We were on the second line serving our army going through ATK to Dien Bien to fight. From ATK, we also welcomed the army that directly fought in Dien Bien to return home victorious,” the musician said.
Two years after the Dien Bien Phu victory, the Dien Bien Phu battlefield was transformed into a farm. “More than 80,000 Dien Bien Phu soldiers returned to the rear, participating in labor and production tasks. Following them were generations of new recruits. Once again, I was assigned to go to Dien Bien to accompany the advance party for the song and dance troupe of the General Department of Politics to serve the farm at that time.”
The musician said that his task at that time was to immediately write a song so that the troupe could have a new song to perform. “I was very happy to return to Dien Bien, to set foot on the old battlefield, where many soldiers and artists fought side by side to contribute to the victory of the nation,” the musician said.
When he reached the foot of A1 hill, the musician cried, remembering the image of our soldiers digging almost completely into A1 hill to place explosives, many people sacrificed. “When I reached A1 hill, walking step by step to write the song, I cried. We sacrificed a lot to achieve victory,” he said.
Unable to hide his emotions, the 91-year-old musician sang: "Step by step/ Remember each person/ My heart aches/ Indignation/ Hatred/ This revenge must be paid/ My comrades".
At that time, the song was already formed in the mind of musician Doan Nho. He said that he wanted to put the meaning "later generations never forget the merits of previous generations, and under the shadow of the military flag is the continuation of many generations of the army" into the song.
From those thoughts, a melody was formed to write “Marching under the flag”. Once that melody was formed, the musician continued to complete the song.
He said that the melody of the song carries the image of experienced veterans, experienced in combat, and also the face of the new generation of recruits when they joined the army after the Dien Bien Phu victory: "The dawn is breaking, the green mountains are far away, the Fatherland is vast and peaceful, the flag is fluttering brightly in the sky, thousands of hearts beat in harmony with thousands of songs in the rice fields, the stars twinkle on the military flag"... Just like that, the image of new recruits and veterans, generations following each other under the military flag.
Musician Doan Nho believes that, during the war, generations of artists always stick close to and together with the entire people and army, contribute to the victory. "We have sacrificed a lot to achieve victory. I believe that the younger generation clearly sees their duty to their fathers and brothers to build and protect the beloved Fatherland," musician Doan Nho emphasized.
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