Memories of a time when 'Liver was not shaken, will was not worn out'

During the most glorious years of their lives, tens of thousands of young men volunteered to go to war. They overcame bombs and bullets, living and fighting with a burning desire for peace. The war has long since ended, but in the memories of the gray-haired veterans, those years are still as vivid as yesterday...

“Muong Thanh Flower Field” - unforgettable moments

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quan.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quan (born in 1931), currently living in Duc Xuan ward, Thai Nguyen province, is 94 years old this year. Enlisting in the army at the age of 16, he participated in many major campaigns, of which the Dien Bien Phu Campaign was a profound milestone.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quan recounted: In 1954, I received orders to go to serve the Tran Dinh campaign (code name of the Dien Bien Phu campaign). Our unit of 90 people had to take a detour, passing through Bac Son, Yen Bai , Son La, Lai Chau and after 20 days we reached our temporary residence. Upon arrival, I received a task at the Dien Bien Phu Front Propaganda Department and was assigned to grasp the thoughts and aspirations of the troops, explaining the strategy of "fighting firmly, advancing firmly".

Our soldiers dug trenches in the pouring rain at night, while enemy bombs and bullets rained down during the day; they had no tools but hoes and shovels, and each day they had only a handful of rice and a little concentrated fish sauce. Each tunneler made his own shields out of straw, forest leaves, or pants filled with heavy dirt…

“Although I did not directly dig trenches, but having witnessed and listened to my comrades' stories, I found those were the most difficult days for the soldiers. The 200km of trenches connected together in Dien Bien Phu not only contained sweat but also blood and the lives of the soldiers. While digging trenches and fighting back when the enemy attacked... many comrades sacrificed themselves while still holding hoes and shovels in their hands, showing how high our army's spirit of victory was. That's why Poet To Huu later recreated those difficult and sacrificial days through the following verses: "Hooray for the Dien Bien soldiers/ Heroic soldiers/ Heads burning with iron fire/ Fifty-six days and nights digging mountains, sleeping in tunnels, pouring rain, rice balls/ Blood mixed with mud/ Unwavering liver/ Unwavering will" . While reading the familiar verses, Mr. Nguyen Quan gently raised his hand to wipe his eyes that were stained with time.

After the trenches were completed, our troops launched an attack in three waves. The battle was fierce and tense between us and the enemy. On the evening of May 7, 1954, we won. At this point, Mr. Nguyen Quan's eyes seemed to light up, his voice was completely lost: At that time, we in the back rushed forward, the soldiers hugged each other, everyone cheered and cried. Tears of happiness, tears of joy, tears for our comrades who had fallen over the years. Some people were excited and fired their guns into the sky. Then I saw the white flags of the big enemies raised in surrender, saw white and green umbrellas spread across the Muong Thanh field, everything suddenly blurred like the most beautiful flower field I had ever seen. Those were the happiest and most joyful moments in my life that I cannot forget.

  Peace is a priceless gift

Veteran Mac Luan Tien (born in 1947, Phu Thong commune, Thai Nguyen province) was born into a family with a rich revolutionary tradition. His father and uncle both heroically sacrificed their lives while participating in the resistance war against the US, and he lived with his grandmother since he was a child.

Mr. Mac Luan Tien recalls the arduous but heroic days of fighting.

When he was just 17 years old, the young man volunteered to join the army, with the desire to contribute to the Fatherland. In 1968, Mr. Mac Luan Tien began his journey to the South. After more than three months of marching through the mountains and forests with nearly 50kg of belongings on his shoulders, he was assigned to work at the Security Department, Division 10, Southeast region.

Talking about his time in combat, Mr. Mac Luan Tien pointed to the black and white photo hanging in the middle of the house, then squinted his eyes and said: At that time, I was in Loc Ninh, crawling deep into the forest, digging trenches, trying to contact the leader to do mass mobilization work. Those years were extremely difficult, during the day I went out to find cassava to eat, at night I crawled through the trenches into the strategic hamlet to mobilize the people. The other photo was taken in 1971, when I was admitted to the Party. My clothes were torn to shreds, so the two of us were too embarrassed to ask for a good set to save the unforgettable moment. I was familiar with every stream and trail in the forest, so in 1972 when Loc Ninh was liberated, I was also the one who guided our army in. Then, I was assigned to work in Phuoc Long, continuing to go deep into the mountains and forests, risking my life to plant the flag, defending every inch of land... In 1975, after 4 years of living in the middle of the jungle, on the day of liberation, I stepped out of the forest, felt the sunlight shining straight into my eyes, I stood there in a daze for so long . It was a feeling of immense happiness, the light of freedom, the bright light.

His story was clear and distinct, as if everything had happened yesterday. Only the smile of the young man in the photo and the certificate of the Second Class Resistance Medal in Mac Luan Tien's name for his contributions in the resistance war against America to save the country were clear proof of the past.

The day Mr. Tien returned, the whole village was extremely surprised . The war was fierce, more than 10 years without a single letter or news, everyone thought he had sacrificed. Due to the effects of the war years, veteran Mac Luan Tien's health gradually declined due to Agent Orange poisoning. In 1985, he retired.

Returning to his hometown, veteran Mac Luan Tien still strives to contribute to building his hometown. He has been the village chief for many years, a prestigious person. In his assigned position, he has always been an exemplary leader, mobilizing people to follow the Party's guidelines and policies, and the State's policies and laws. For example, in the new rural construction movement, Mr. Tien not only went to each house to persuade people but also pioneered in donating 1,000 square meters of land to build intra-village roads and intra-field canals.

In 2017, Mr. Tien was honored to receive a Certificate of Merit from the Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs - as a person with outstanding revolutionary contributions, with achievements in fighting to protect the Fatherland , overcoming difficulties and rising up in labor production in the period 2012-2017.

The war has long since ended, the soldiers of the past now have grey hair, hunched backs, and are no longer as healthy as before. But in their eyes, memories of a time when "courage was unwavering, will was unbroken" still shine, where patriotism and camaraderie forged the mettle and will of Uncle Ho's soldiers. Peace today, to them, is a priceless gift, exchanged for the blood and tears of an entire generation of heroes.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202507/ky-uc-mot-thoi-gan-khong-nung-chi-khong-mon-a7254e2/