Editor's Note: In 1972, during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in the air, journalist Tran Thanh Phuong – former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Dai Doan Ket newspaper, then a reporter for Nhan Dan newspaper – directly witnessed and recorded the painful and heroic days of Hanoi's victory over the B52 bombers. This article is excerpted from the memoirs of the late journalist Tran Thanh Phuong.
It was 12 noon on December 21, 1972, when the Hanoi public address system, broadcasting a melodious tune, suddenly stopped. A prolonged air raid siren blared. The announcer's voice boomed: "Enemy planes are approaching Hanoi… Enemy planes are approaching Hanoi…" The residents of the Nhan Dan newspaper's housing complex, consisting of 15 families of journalists living in Ly Thuong Kiet alley behind the Cuban Embassy, descended into the bomb shelter one by one.
The ground was silent. Suddenly, the roar of an airplane whizzed past. Then silence returned. Everyone, tired from sitting for so long, was about to leave the bunker when the announcer's voice rang out urgently: "Enemy planes are flying back towards Hanoi…" Everyone fell silent and checked to see who was still upstairs and hadn't gone down to the bunker. Suddenly, a series of explosions—Boom! Boom! Boom!—shattered the bunker, sending clouds of dust and debris swirling. Everyone held their breath, then simultaneously shouted: "Our housing complex has been bombed!"
Silence fell. Then the all-clear siren sounded. The announcer's voice, calm and measured, announced: "The enemy planes have flown far away!..."
Hanoi has lived up to the trust and affection of the entire nation. Hanoi did not panic. Hanoi maintained its "very Hanoi" stance. Hanoi was our focal point of fire. They kept coming, and Hanoi divided its airspace, allocating different firing zones for various weapon sizes.
Emerging from the bunker, everyone was stunned by the chaotic scene of destruction on both rows of houses from one end of the alley to the other. Behind them was the Ministry of Transport building, also bombed. Hang Co Station (Hanoi train station), nearly a kilometer away, had its main station section destroyed. Ten minutes later, members of the Nhan Dan newspaper's self-defense team from 71 Hang Trong Street, carrying hoes and shovels, ran over. It was then that we realized the horrific devastation caused by American bombs. Journalist Quang Dam's house, with its valuable bookshelf, had been blown away to Da Tuong Street, and only a few books could be recovered. My wife and I's bookshelves and archives were buried under bricks and tiles. Journalist Le Dien (later the Editor-in-Chief of Dai Doan Ket newspaper), who had been on duty at the Nhan Dan newspaper office the night before, continued working the next morning and rushed home for lunch. When the air raid siren sounded, he only had time to go down to his personal bunker under the stairs of his house. The sturdy bunker saved journalist Le Dien, whose hair was as white as snow. Across the street was the house of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Le, the spokesperson for our Government delegation at the Paris conference, which was severely damaged. The houses of journalists Ha Dang, Ha Hoa, Hung Ly, and others were completely destroyed. From the beginning of the alley, the houses of cải lương artist Le Thanh and director Duc Du, Mr. Minh Dao, a broadcaster at the Voice of Vietnam radio station , and many other sturdy houses were either destroyed or severely damaged by bombs. But the lives of those present that day were safe.
The next day, the Nhan Dan newspaper office "forced" me to temporarily evacuate for a few days to Thach That district (formerly Ha Tay province). A few days later, I received a letter from my wife, which included the following passage: "Honey, I want to tell you something: Yesterday morning, when I came home from teaching and saw the floor covered in broken bricks, my heart ached. I dug through it and found a notebook containing the addresses of our relatives and friends. The old basin and my shirt were right under the table where we usually sit to work. They're still wearable."
Five days later, on December 26, 1972, I returned to work at the Nhan Dan newspaper from my evacuation. We were having a makeshift dinner at the office when the power went out. The editorial office lit oil lamps and continued preparing articles for the next day's issue. That night, Hanoi was bitterly cold. Hoan Kiem Lake was shrouded in mist and fog. Suddenly, the loudspeakers announced: Enemy planes are 100 kilometers, 80 kilometers, then 60 kilometers from Hanoi… then the loudspeakers broadcast the order: “The enemy is plotting a fierce attack on the capital city of Hanoi. All armed forces must be ready to fight and destroy the enemy. Comrades in the police, militia, and self-defense forces must resolutely carry out their duties! Everyone must go down to the shelters. No one is allowed to go out into the streets…” Then the air raid siren sounded. All cadres, reporters, and staff of the Nhan Dan newspaper working that night went down to the shelters. The bunker is located on Le Thai To Street, just a few steps from the edge of Ho Guom Lake. Next to the ancient banyan tree is a deep underground bunker used by the Editor-in-Chief, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, and other editorial staff to work and present the newspaper if the fighting intensified. It was in this bunker that journalist Thep Moi wrote a famous article on social law published in the Nhan Dan newspaper on December 26, 1972, titled "Hanoi, the Capital of Human Dignity."
The entire Khâm Thiên street, stretching from the intersection of Nam Bộ Street (now Lê Duẩn Street) and Nguyễn Thượng Hiền Street to Ô Chợ Dừa, near the National Conservatory of Music, suddenly shook from a barrage of bombs dropped by B52 aircraft. Flashes of light, prolonged explosions—everything on the ground was blown up, collapsed, and shattered. We can imagine the scene of utter devastation and chaos caused by tons of B52 bombs dropped along a densely populated street at night. And of course, even today, everyone understands that there was no military base on Khâm Thiên street.
Immediately after the bombing, reporters from Nhan Dan newspaper and many other newspapers and television stations rushed to Kham Thien. I asked to go, but they wouldn't let me. They said they had news that the enemy might attack Hang Dao, Hang Ngang, Dong Xuan Market, Long Bien Bridge, and other streets afterwards… They should reserve their forces for other “fronts.”
The wide street in front of the large church on Nha Chung Street was filled with countless trucks, cars of all sizes, and people gathered there. People stood in the cold, discussing the war that had taken place that night and the days to come. Few showed fear. They were simply angry at the American invaders and cheering for victory as they had successively shot down many B-52 bombers of the US Air Force.
The B52 bombing in Kham Thien had a heartbreaking story that the press reported at the time, deeply moving people's hearts. It was about little Ha. That night, bombs rained down on Block 41, collapsing a house, and bricks and tiles fell on the bunker where little Ha was. She couldn't get out, and kept calling, "Mom, carry me out! Mom!" Ha's mother, Lien, rushed to the scene but couldn't lift the heavy bricks. Inside, Ha continued to call, "Mom, carry me out!" People nearby heard her cries and ran to help. Everyone rushed to save her. "Mom, save me!" Ha's cries grew fainter and fainter. The diggers exerted all their strength to pry up the rubble. When they finally pulled her out, Ha had already passed away. Her mother held her body in her arms and wept. Those around her gritted their teeth and endured… Until the afternoon, bodies were still being unearthed in To Tien alley. Trucks carrying coffins arrived. Mourning scarves adorned the heads of many people here and there amidst piles of bricks and collapsed walls.
News of the destruction of Kham Thien by B52 bombers spread rapidly throughout the city. No one in Hanoi slept that winter night. At two o'clock in the morning, Hanoi Radio broadcast the victory: "We shot down a B52 and captured the pilot." Nguyen Dinh Thi's song "People of Hanoi" resounded in the late night. Everyone was awake, listening, and feeling proud. Never before had Hanoi been awake, experienced such a magnificent night. Before, Hanoi only had muskets, three-pronged bombs, and bottle grenades. Today, Hanoi had defeated the invaders with missiles, high-altitude artillery, and modern MiG-19 bombers.
Source: https://daidoanket.vn/ky-uc-nhung-ngay-ha-noi-dien-bien-phu-tren-khong-10297394.html
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