History viewed from the turret.

In his book "Tanks in the Vietnam War," published by Tre Publishing House, Colonel Nguyen Khac Nguyet – a former tank driver of the 380th Tank Battalion, 4th Company, 203rd Tank Brigade, 2nd Army Corps – chronicles the early days of the Tank and Armored Vehicle Corps, its establishment, and its glorious victories, contributing to the overall triumph of the nation. This is a unique work, focusing on a branch of the military that still lacks extensive research, yet providing numerous fascinating stories and meaningful lessons.

Lịch sử nhìn từ tháp pháo- Ảnh 1. — Book cover: Tanks in the Vietnam War

The balance of power is unequal.

According to the author, the first tanks to appear in Vietnam were from 1919, brought to Indochina by France and were models previously used in World War I. However, due to their role in ensuring internal security and never having faced enemy tanks in combat, they quickly became obsolete and damaged. By 1942, most of the vehicles were immobile and were therefore converted into bunkers. After this period, the West continuously provided support to strengthen France's modern armored forces in Indochina, while our army still lacked these vehicles.

However, with the spirit of "Fighting to the death for the survival of the Fatherland" and the motto of "protracted resistance," the entire Vietnamese people, with their willpower and the most rudimentary equipment, bravely resisted modern weapons. For example, using only "three-pronged bombs"—a rather crude anti-tank weapon captured from the Japanese—the soldiers of the Capital Regiment destroyed many French tanks and armored vehicles, preventing the French from attacking the fortifications built by the National Guard soldiers. Later, with the addition of SKZ anti-tank guns and artillery fire, by the end of the Dien Bien Phu campaign, our troops began to destroy even more tanks, including capturing two completely intact M24 tanks…

And it was from this means that on October 5, 1959, the first tank regiment of the Vietnam People's Army was established. With the help of many countries, by 1975, we had received approximately 2,000 tanks and armored vehicles of various types. Although entering combat relatively late (from February 1968) due to the complex war situation, the tank and armored vehicle troops quickly matured and made many important contributions to the cause of fighting against the US and saving the country, participating in many special events such as the Route 9 - Southern Laos campaign, the 1972 strategic offensive, the general offensive and uprising of spring 1975…

From this, it can be seen that the establishment of the first tank regiment was historically significant, marking a new stage in the development of our army in the process of building a regular, elite revolutionary ground force. However, that process also faced many difficulties that the tank and armored corps had to overcome. This has been vividly, interestingly, and heroically recreated by author Nguyen Khac Nguyet, but also with great emotion, through many meaningful and unforgettable stories.

Lịch sử nhìn từ tháp pháo- Ảnh 2. — Author - Colonel Nguyen Khac Nguyet

Overcoming obstacles

Accordingly, due to many objective and subjective reasons, after July 13, 1960 – the milestone marking the first tracks of enemy tanks rolling across our country – our army was still unable to deploy tanks to the Southern battlefield. Recognizing this, the General Staff decided, "If the tanks can't go yet, send the men in first, both to prepare the battlefield and to use enemy vehicles against the enemy." In this situation, the soldiers applied special forces tactics while simultaneously studying the structure of enemy vehicles to ensure that any attack would be successful, quickly disabling them and, if possible, acquiring enemy vehicles for their own use. As a result, in less than a year, our side captured seven enemy tanks and armored vehicles. This demonstrates the creativity and adaptability of our troops during the fighting.

When conditions finally allowed for the deployment of tanks to the South in late 1967, the journey was far from easy. Firstly, at that time, no tank unit had ever undertaken such a long-distance march into the Southern battlefield. Furthermore, the roads were unfavorable due to bombing by the US Air Force. Not to mention the advanced equipment such as infrared reconnaissance, "tropical trees" for sound recording, smart bombs, defoliants, and rain-inducing agents… which created numerous difficulties for our army. However, with the spirit of "All for the victory against the invading American enemy," our army achieved the extraordinary feat of tanks crossing the Truong Son Mountains.

Besides traveling by land, author Nguyen Khac Nguyet also mentions many special experiences when transporting tanks, such as traveling by water, letting tanks swim on their own, or assembling wooden boats to make rafts to cross rivers… The author recounts instances where boats sank due to storms, leaving the soldiers almost stranded in the vast ocean; but it was their determination and the support and care of the local people that made this journey less difficult. During that process, some soldiers perished, sacrificing their lives so that the country could be united again…

Looking back now, half a century later, this book can be said to not only remind us of the hardships of peace , but also offer lessons about the resilience, creativity, and unity of our people during difficult times.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lich-su-nhin-tu-thap-phao-185250427223530509.htm