Patriotism is the source of strength

Ham Rong Bridge - where our fathers and brothers sacrificed their blood and bones to create miracles.

It is not by chance that Ham Rong is the land of poetic inspiration. Originating from the beginning of time, through countless "changes of the stars", the beauty of the shape of the river and the mountains has appeared. Ham Rong is like a massive ink painting, sketched by nature with both heroic and delicate strokes. The Long Ham range, with 99 peaks in total, curves like a dragon's body, running along the peaceful lower Ma River. In front of the beauty of the mountains and rivers, not only do scholars with "wine gourds and poetry bags" have to "dance" their pens; but even those who stand at the pinnacle of power cannot help but exclaim. For example, Emperor Le Thanh Tong, the wise king who opened the most prosperous period of the feudal Dai Viet nation, once praised the scenery like a paradise: "Idle clouds cover the land without a person to sweep/ Empty house, mist covers the sunlight".

In the midst of that magical natural picture, suddenly appeared a work created by human hands: Ham Rong Bridge. Initially, the bridge was completed in 1904, only to serve the colonial exploitation of the French colonialists. However, few people can deny the beauty of the arch bridge across the Ma River, when it is both a vital traffic connection point and a landscape highlight for this scenic area. After being destroyed to implement the "scorched earth resistance" policy during the years of fighting against the French colonialists, the bridge was rebuilt (in 1963) to connect the traffic supply from the North to the South. And, perhaps even fewer people expected that, on the key traffic axis with the Ham Rong Bridge as the junction, would be the place where the "historic confrontation" would take place between the US imperialists on one side, plotting to destroy the bridge with powerful firepower, and the other side, determined to keep the bridge at all costs.

And then, exactly 60 years have passed, but "that fiery summer of April 1965 will forever mark in the blue sky of Ham Rong - Nam Ngan a shooting star of pain and courage, of blood and flowers, of the possible within the impossible, of a fairy tale of the little David who fought and defeated the giant Goliath, surprising all mankind"! With the slogan written in blood "Determined to die for Ham Rong bridge to stand firm", countless cadres, soldiers, militiamen and our compatriots have laid down their lives for the bridge to stand firm.

They are the daughters and sons of this country, who vowed to “go to the battlefield without regretting their youth”. Because they know, “There can be no personal happiness outside of social happiness. Just as trees uprooted from the ground and thrown into the barren land cannot survive” (L. Tolstoy). The country was in pain and division, the homeland was immersed in the smoke and fire of bullets and bombs, the generation of that time had only one truth in life: “Determined to die for the Fatherland, determined to live”! This is probably enough to explain why a girl with a slender body could carry on her shoulder a load of bullets twice her body weight; there were women and mothers who brought handfuls of rice and sips of water to the battlefield for the soldiers; there were monks who were willing to close the temple doors to work or transport weapons and wounded soldiers... So that the names of the sisters and mothers, the names of those who were still alive and those who had fallen, would resound together on the front line to protect the bridge.

Escalating the attack on the North with an extremely daring plan called “Rolling Thunder”. But perhaps, the “battle-hardened” minds of the Americans could not explain why they failed. Even though bridges and roads were almost exposed targets for attack, unable to be hidden. Even though the weapons the enemy used to protect those targets could not be compared to the massive and most modern weapons of the US Air Force at that time. However, not many Thunder Gods and Ghosts could threaten the spirit, in order to break the enemy’s will to fight. And hundreds of tons of bombs falling from the sky still could not destroy the bridge. When looking at the photos taken by American pilots after the attacks, those sitting on the other side of the ocean who directly commanded the war, could not sit still. Because Ham Rong Bridge still stood tall as if by magic and convoys of vehicles continued to cross the bridge as if there were no fierce bombs.

However, there was no miracle of any supernatural power that weaved the story of Ham Rong. The victory of Ham Rong could only be the victory of the patriotic spirit that has been forged over thousands of years of history. As President Ho Chi Minh once affirmed: “Our people have a passionate love for the country. That is our precious tradition. From ancient times to the present, every time the Fatherland is invaded, that spirit boils up, it forms an extremely strong, huge wave, it overcomes all dangers and difficulties, it drowns all traitors and invaders”!

Vietnam's history has seen many great resistance wars, demonstrating the patriotism of our people. In this land of Thanh Hoa, there was once the aspiration to "ride the strong wind, step on the fierce waves, and kill whales in the East Sea" of the heroic woman Trieu Thi Trinh; or the place where "the bamboo pole was raised, the flag fluttered, the river water mixed with sweet wine" of Binh Dinh King Le Loi in the Lam Son uprising... And in the Ho Chi Minh era, the Ham Rong victory was a heroic note in the great symphony against American imperialism, when "the arrogance of weapons had to bow before the pride of people". Since then, Ham Rong bridge has become the most beautiful bridge - where the epic about the indomitable and courageous spirit of the Vietnamese people, the people of Thanh Hoa has echoed for thousands of years.

Patriotism is the source of strength

Youth Union members of Tho Xuan district visit Yen Truong Revolutionary Historical Relic Site (Tho Lap commune).

The resounding victories of the Vietnamese people in the 20th century have excited the hearts of progressive people all over the world . There have been many studies and articles by international scholars analyzing the root causes for a small, backward nation to be able to fight and defeat the most powerful empires. Among them, there is a very profound observation that, for those who study Vietnam, one thing worth studying thoroughly is that the concept of "country" in the Vietnamese language consists of two parts: "Land" and "Water". Those two eternal elements are deeply engraved in the subconscious of the Vietnamese people, the most precious things in life. What the Vietnamese are very proud of is that their long-standing country has stood firm against all challenges and disasters. They understand very well all the bitterness of loss and the joy of victory. The main characteristic of the Vietnamese people is heroism, diligence, love of work and optimism. All of these things have been painstakingly forged by the great Vietnamese people and the simple President Ho.

The more foreigners understand Vietnam, the more we must understand our national traditions. As Uncle Ho once advised: "Our people must know our history/ To understand the origin of the Vietnamese nation." When turning back the heroic pages of history 60 years ago, perhaps many people will ask the question, how has the source of patriotism been passed on and is being promoted by today's generation? Having the opportunity to meet a historical witness of those fiery April days, I was told by Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang (former Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs) about the fierceness of the war. However, behind the story of bullets and bombs, there are still many touching stories about the relationship between the army and the people, the love between comrades and compatriots. These noble and precious feelings in the unusual circumstances of war are the highest expression of the passionate patriotism and the desire for peace . Then, when I wondered about the responsibility of today's generation towards history, she said: "I have never disbelieved the young generation, because on the front line back then we were all very young. They were always ready for the country. To get them involved, it is necessary to organize and lead."

The ardent patriotism is the source of strength for our nation to go through thousands of years of arduous national construction and defense. In the Ho Chi Minh era, that spirit has been forged into true patriotism, with great strength capable of defeating all ambitions of the enemy. When the country was in danger, the generation of fathers and brothers set out to answer the call of the Fatherland. Many people have remained on the motherland in their youth, letting their blood and bones soak the land red and nurture the green color of peace. They shouldered the fate of the nation and exchanged their blood and bones for peace, independence and freedom. Therefore, the future of a strong nation "standing shoulder to shoulder with the world powers" belongs to the responsibility of today's generation, especially the young generation. And on the journey of building and defending the Fatherland today, more than ever, we must keep in mind that: "A generation that turns its back on history is a generation without a past and without a future"!

Article and photos: Le Dung

Related news:

60th Anniversary of Ham Rong Victory (April 3, 4, 1965 - April 3, 4, 2025): Proud ...
The victory of Ham Rong is the “immortal epic” of the Vietnamese people in the Ho Chi Minh era. The confrontation between “two regimes, two armies, two ideologies of justice and injustice” is a powerful proof of the victory of justice and conscience of the times. Then, the spirit of determination to win at the Ham Rong front that day will become an immortal spiritual flame, a proud traditional fulcrum, for Thanh to continue writing a new history page called “a bright future”!
[E-Magazine] - Ham Rong - Epic of the Ho Chi Minh era
The fiery summer of April 1965 painted a meteor in the blue sky of Ham Rong about pain and courage, about blood and flowers, about the possible within the impossible. And from then on, the “land of fire” Ham Rong became an immortal epic in the heroic history of the resistance against foreign invaders in the Ho Chi Minh era of the Thanh Hoa army and people and the Vietnamese nation.