That morning, when the delegation of cadres, reporters, editors, and soldiers of the People's Army Newspaper, led by Colonel Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, marched back to the source, the Viet Bac mountains and forests were covered in rain. The rain seemed to test people's hearts, as if to send a message: Returning to the source is not just a trip, but a return of consciousness and gratitude.

Colonel Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People's Army Newspaper, and delegates offered incense at the National Monument of the People's Army Newspaper's first issue (Khau Dieu village, Binh Yen commune, Thai Nguyen province). Photo: PHAM HUNG

The road was winding, the streams were flooded, and heavy red forest soil poured down on the marching routes. After passing through the jungle rain, it was past noon when the group arrived at Khau Dieu village, stopping at the village cultural house, next to the National Monument of the People's Army Newspaper, which published its first issue - a milestone marking the beginning of the 75-year journey of building, fighting, and growing up of the twice-heroic newspaper.

Welcoming the delegation were bright smiles and warm hands of the Tay and Nung ethnic people... The people of Khau Dieu have been attached to the newspaper and the army for generations, still with the same feelings as before: simple, loyal, and kind.

Incense smoke gently spread across the mountainside, the solemn delegation offered flowers and incense before the monument stele. Each wisp of smoke was like a thread connecting the past with the present, like a respectful announcement to the predecessors - those who laid the first foundation for the soldier newspaper in the mountains and forests of resistance in 1950. In that sacred atmosphere, Colonel Tran Anh Tuan emotionally recalled the historic moment: On October 20, 1950, on this very land, according to the Directive of President Ho Chi Minh and the General Command, the two newspapers National Defense Army and Guerrilla Army were merged and Uncle Ho officially named them the People's Army Newspaper. Colonel Tran Anh Tuan emotionally reported to the souls of the previous generations: Over the past 75 years, from Khau Dieu, People's Army Newspaper has grown up, affirming its position as the leading political -military newspaper of the country; the voice of the armed forces and people of Vietnam; is the "main force on the ideological-cultural front", always worthy of the affirmation of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during his lifetime: "The People's Army Newspaper is truly the heroic newspaper of the heroic Vietnam People's Army and the heroic Vietnamese nation".

Colonel Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People's Army Newspaper, presented gifts to people in Khau Dieu village, Binh Yen commune, Thai Nguyen province. Photo: VIET TRUNG

In the lingering smoke of incense, I, like many other young cadres, reporters, and editors of the Newspaper, pondered, remembering our predecessors, the pioneer writers such as: Tran Cu, Le Bach, Vu Cao, Tu Bich Hoang, Truc Ky, Mai Van Hien, Vu Tu Nam, Duong Bich Lien... and the martyrs, the first journalists of the Newspaper: Tran Dang, Hoang Loc, Tham Tam... who left their blood and bones on the battlefield so that each page of today's newspaper would shine with more faith.

The monument has its back against the mountain, facing the immense Khau Dieu field like the figure of a steadfast, brave, and steadfast soldier. Local people say that in the Tay language, “Khau” means mountain, “Dieu” means wide field, which also means kite. That kite, over the years, has been flying in the great wind, carrying the aspirations of the soldier-journalists. Comrade Hoang Ve Vang, Party Secretary of Khau Dieu village, talked about this “Capital of the Thousand Winds” land, which once sheltered many key agencies of the revolution and the Army. “We are always proud that Khau Dieu is where the People’s Army Newspaper was born. Although the commune is now named Binh Yen, the hearts of Khau Dieu people for the army and the soldier-journalists are still intact as before,” comrade Hoang Ve Vang confided.

Colonel Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People's Army Newspaper, and sponsors presented funds to support the construction of a house of gratitude for a poor family in Binh Yen commune, Thai Nguyen province. Photo: PHAM HUNG

Over the years, during their trips back to the source, the journalists of the People's Army Newspaper have not only returned here to remember but also to show their gratitude through actions. From supporting funds to repair village roads, build bridges over streams, build cultural houses, give palm-leaf weaving frames to women, computers and books to students... to giving houses of gratitude, giving gifts to families with meritorious services, poor households, all are imbued with the love between the army and the people. During this trip back to the source, the People's Army Newspaper coordinated with Thai Hung Trading Joint Stock Company and Bac A Commercial Joint Stock Bank to give gifts to Khau Dieu village, Binh Yen commune; supporting 80 million VND for each house of gratitude to Mrs. Luong Thi Nga (poor household) and Mr. Nguyen Danh Xuan (war invalid). Those simple gifts, in the rain and forest, seem to further foster the love at the source. As one of the units that have been associated with the charitable activities of the People's Army Newspaper for many years, Ms. Vu Thu Hang, Communications Director of the North Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank, was moved when she passed through the emotional journey. Although it was past noon, she arrived at Khau Dieu and the local people and Party committees and authorities were still waiting. At the same time, she thanked the People's Army Newspaper for being a "bridge" to convey the hearts and sharing of the unit's staff to the people who are still facing many difficulties across the country with many practical and meaningful works.

Comrade Ly Van Thang, Party Secretary, Chairman of the People's Council of Binh Yen commune, on behalf of the local Party Committee, government and people, expressed: "The People's Army Newspaper has always accompanied, shared and helped people in building a new life. The affection for the newspaper will never change."

On the way back to Hanoi , the rain was still falling like a white silk strip in the middle of the forest. In the car, a verse from the poem "Viet Bac" echoed somewhere: Indigo shirt to the day of separation / Holding hands, not knowing what to say today... and someone softly recited a poem, his deep voice blending with the rhythm of the rolling wheels: Tomorrow, we will return to our hometown / The old forests and mountains, our love will return...

Amidst the immense melody of the ancient forest, love, pride, promise and responsibility seem to blend together. Because Khau Dieu is not only the starting point of a newspaper, but also a spiritual support, a pure source for each journalist-soldier to be more steadfast on the new journey. Every time returning to Khau Dieu, the journalist-soldier of the People's Army Newspaper not only looks back to the past but also adds strength to the future of the twice-heroic newspaper.

The afternoon falls gently on the mountainside. White clouds drift over the palm trees, tea hills, and the green stone steles engraved with Uncle Ho's teachings. It seems that the mountains still tell old stories, the forests still whisper to call people back, and somewhere, the Khau Dieu kites still fly in the wind, carrying the love of today's soldier journalists - those who are still writing the story from "The old forests, the old mountains, the love returns"...

Box: The stele of the National Monument of the People's Army Newspaper is made of a single block of Thanh Hoa green stone, 2.77m high, 1.77m wide at the base, and 1.26m wide at the body. The front of the stele clearly states: "Here, according to the Directive of President Ho Chi Minh and the General Command, the two newspapers, the National Defense Army and the Guerrilla Army, were merged into the People's Army Newspaper and published the first issue on October 20, 1950. In this issue, President Ho Chi Minh instructed: "Speak only practical things, in line with political guidelines, less jokes, write short, simple, easy to understand, clearly presented, and less likely to go to another page."

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/chao-mung-ky-niem-75-nam-ngay-thanh-lap-bao-quan-doi-nhan-dan/than-thuong-tro-lai-khau-dieu-861833