Independence Palace - A place that preserves special marks of the nation's historical victory

Before the historic day of April 30, 1975, the Independence Palace was one of the headquarters of the Saigon government, witnessing foreign military intervention that caused a devastating war in Vietnam.

The Independence Palace gate 50 years after the victory. (Photo: Hong Dat/Vietnam+)

After the liberation day, this is a unique architectural work, a special historical relic - a place to preserve the mark of the victory day, the end of the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, liberating the South, and unifying the country.

This is also the meaning of the current name of the building - Reunification Hall.

Imprint of historic April 30th

In late April 1975, the Ho Chi Minh Campaign with five armies in five directions launched a general attack on Saigon-Gia Dinh. The armies were full of enthusiasm, and the "lightning-speed" attack strategy caused strong internal divisions within the Saigon puppet government.

Colonel Nguyen Van Tau (alias Tran Van Quang - Tu Cang), Hero of the People's Armed Forces, at that time was the Political Commissar of the 316th Special Forces Brigade, the unit together with the 3rd Army Corps (Tay Nguyen Army Corps) in the Northwest direction divided into attack groups towards the Independence Palace, is now 98 years old but he still remembers all the important historical events, especially April 30, 1975.

Mr. Tu Cang recalled that when the troops advanced towards Saigon like a “waterfall,” at 9:30 a.m. on April 30, 1975, at the Independence Palace, President Duong Van Minh announced on Saigon radio that he decided to unilaterally cease fire and hand over power to the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam. However, the statement was no longer valid at that time.

At the same time, the 2nd Corps' thrust, after crushing a number of important targets in Thu Duc, crossed Saigon Bridge and Thi Nghe Bridge in turn and headed straight towards the Independence Palace.

Exactly 11:30 a.m. on April 30, 1975 - the moment signaling the complete victory of the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

The Independence Palace became a historical "witness", a place that preserves the mark of the golden victory, marking the end of the Saigon government.

Recalling the historic moment, Captain Vu Dang Toan, former Company Commander, Head of the tank that crashed through the gate of the Independence Palace at noon on April 30, shared: "That was the most wonderful, heroic and unforgettable moment for him and his comrades. For our tanks to reach the gate of the Independence Palace, countless soldiers and compatriots had to sacrifice. I myself did not expect that I would witness those brilliant historical moments of the great Ho Chi Minh Campaign."

Iconic work of Unity

Built in 1868, the Independence Palace was originally called Norodom Palace. In 1962, the Palace was rebuilt according to the design of architect Ngo Viet Thu, the first Vietnamese to win the Khoi Nguyen Roman award (a prestigious award for young talents in the fields of music, painting, sculpture and architecture).

According to architect Ngo Viet Nam Son, son of Mr. Ngo Viet Thu, his father cleverly conveyed a message about Vietnam's sovereignty in the overall design of the facade of the Independence Palace.

“The meaning of the characters used in the facade of the Independence Palace includes: the word “tam” with three horizontal strokes (meaning “nhan”, “minh”, “vo”); the vertical stroke is the word “chu” which emphasizes Vietnam’s sovereignty; on top is the word “trung” which refers to the meaning of being “loyal to the country” and the image of the facade together forms the word “hung” which expresses the designer’s wish for the country to prosper forever,” said architect Ngo Viet Nam Son.

The architectural beauty of the Independence Palace is also expressed through the stone curtain shaped like elegant bamboo segments surrounding the second floor. At that time, architect Ngo Viet Thu created a work with a modern architectural style based on a clear Eastern philosophy. That curtain was also inspired by the ancient architectural style of the doors of the royal palace in Hue.

Another difference is that instead of making a curved roof that repeats the classical architecture of Vietnam, Mr. Ngo Viet Thu proposed a solution to make a lightly carved concrete roof with a curved shape to evoke the image of ancient architecture, but with a completely modern spirit.

Dr. Ta Duy Linh, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Economic and Tourism Research, said that the Independence Palace is not only a special national monument but also a unique symbolic space of modern Vietnamese political culture.

From a historical center of power, this place has transformed into a convergence point of national memory, aspirations for peace, territorial unity and community harmony in a country that has experienced division.

From a cultural perspective, the Independence Palace not only symbolizes the end of the war but also opens a grand discourse on national unity and harmony.

According to Dr. Ta Duy Linh, in the depths of its symbolism, the Independence Palace is the crystallization of the will for harmony and unity, where the past is commemorated, not rekindled.

This is the space of Vietnamese character, knowing how to overcome pain, resolve differences with tolerance and turn historical memories into motivation to build a nation united in will and action.

Therefore, the preservation and promotion of the value of the Palace today needs to be placed within a modern cultural strategy, aiming to revive the symbol and not just "frame" it in nostalgia.

"The Independence Palace can become a center for civic education, a space for experiencing heritage, where the younger generation is inspired to understand that peace, unity and harmony are not a finished product, but a journey that needs to be nurtured through each generation," said Dr. Ta Duy Linh.

According to Huu Duyen (Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)