Memories of Dien Bien Phu

"Let's carry rice to feed the army together, the villagers help each other. Some carry more, some less, carry it quickly... in case of strong winds or distant rain. Hooray... let's prepare together".

Those were the songs that Mrs. Lu Thi Choan and other women often sang during the days of participating in the frontline laborers, supplying rice to our troops in the Dien Bien Phu campaign. At that time, on their small shoulders, each of them carried 20 kilos of rice, crossing forests and wading streams regardless of day or night to avoid the enemy's sweeps. The songs at that time were a great spiritual motivation for them to no longer feel hardship and danger.

Ms. Choan was a youth volunteer and a frontline laborer in the Dien Bien Phu campaign.

Mrs. Lu Thi Choan, Bat 2 village, Vo Lao commune, Van Ban district recalls: “Back then, nothing was too hard. If others could go, I could go too. When I saw the plane coming back, I had to disguise myself, both myself and my load. For several years, after going, I would return, after returning, I would go.”

In 1952, Mr. La Van Kim was one of hundreds of young men from Van Ban who joined the frontline labor force, transporting weapons from the lowlands to the battlefield. Although he was at a rare age, the stories of his time contributing to the Dien Bien Phu campaign were still fresh in his mind.

Memories of his time contributing to the Dien Bien Phu campaign are still fresh in Mr. La Van Kim's mind.

Mr. La Van Kim, Giang village, Liem Phu commune, Van Ban district shared: “At that time, when cooking rice, we used canned meat to cook. When the plane came, the rice was not cooked, the plane put out the fire. Sometimes it was cooked, sometimes it was not cooked, so we were too hungry and ate it even if it was not cooked. When our feet hurt too much, we used tree bark to make fake sandals.”

Stories and memories of a difficult time are still told by many frontline workers to their children and grandchildren, as a reminder for today's generation to live a life worthy of the sacrifices of their ancestors.

The young generation of today and tomorrow must never forget the heroic history of the nation.

Ms. La Thi Xung, Giang village, Liem Phu commune, Van Ban district said: "I am always proud of my grandfather who participated in the Dien Bien Phu campaign. To promote the tradition of patriotism, I always try to learn and improve my knowledge to contribute to building my homeland and country to be more and more prosperous."

70 years have passed, but the spirit and courage of each Dien Bien soldier, youth volunteer, and frontline laborer of the past are still intact. The beautiful memories are the most vivid and authentic evidence of the war, reminding today's and future generations to never forget the heroic history of the nation.

Diep Chi - Luong Manh

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