Return to the "lands of fire"

A view of the Dien Hoa countryside today. Photo: HQ

Dien Hoa cauldron

The scars of war now lie dormant beneath the trees, in the gardens, and amidst the bustling life that permeates the villages of Dien Hoa commune (Dien Ban town). However, the memories of those glorious years remain, etched in the hearts of those who lived through the conflict.

In July, I went to Bung hamlet to meet Mr. Tran Van Chuan (71 years old, former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Dien Ban District Party Committee) as introduced by the local authorities. He is a living witness of Dien Hoa during the period of resistance against the American imperialists and their collaborators.

The house where Mr. Chuan lives is located in the Trang Nhat area, which was once a military base of imperial and colonial forces during the Vietnam War.

At Trang Nhat, the US imperialists and their puppets built a strong base, always stationed with a battalion and a squadron of enemy helicopters to carry out repression of the people, hunt down guerrillas and soldiers operating in the area bordering Da Nang City.

It's no coincidence that the enemy always valued Trang Nhat. This is a high-lying area, from which one can easily observe a vast region stretching from National Highway 1 up to Dien Hoa, connecting with the Bo Bo base (in Dien Tien commune) to form a solid defensive wall when viewed from above.

The Dien Hoa area was also a place where many revolutionaries and key units from localities within Da Nang City retreated to operate; it served as a route connecting to the rear areas and revolutionary bases of our army in the mountainous regions of Duy Xuyen and Que Son districts.

“From 1967, the American imperialists began to forcibly relocate the population, using bulldozers to clear the villages of Bung, Dong, and Phuong. A vast, lush green area suddenly became a barren wasteland, with burnt grass and no houses left. Any activity by civilians, guerrillas, or soldiers passing through this area could not escape the enemy's watchful eyes,” Mr. Chuan recounted.

Every day, before conducting their search, the enemy would bomb from their Trang Nhat base in all directions to intimidate the villagers and guerrillas. Then, helicopters would circle overhead, while enemy troops marched on the ground, swarming into the village and sealing off every nook and cranny. Countless tons of bombs were dropped, and the already sparsely populated area from Bung hamlet up to Bich Bac became even more desolate.

In 1968, the US began establishing the McNamara Electronic Barrier – an initiative of then-US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. This deadly barrier stretched from Dien Tien down to Dien Thang to protect the safety of Da Nang city.

The perimeter fence consists of two parallel rows of barbed wire, spaced 100 meters apart. Inside are 12 rows of mines, including LH14 landmines and three-pronged mines. There is a guard post every 1 kilometer. Within a 2-kilometer radius on either side of the fence, there are no houses or bushes. Anyone passing within this area will be shot dead.

indomitable spirit

Despite being oppressed and threatened by the enemy, the older generation in Dien Hoa, followed by the younger generation, continued to take up arms to fight the invaders. Mr. Chuan was no exception. As a child, he and his friends in the village herded buffaloes, listening for news of the enemy and reporting it to the guerrilla forces.

Mr. Tran Van Chuan – former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Dien Ban District Party Committee – is a living witness to the Dien Hoa area during the period of resistance against the American imperialists and their puppets. Photo: HQ

Occasionally, he would steal guns and grenades from the enemy, then hand them over to the local authorities to bolster firepower in battles. In 1970, at the young age of 16, with the muzzle of his rifle still touching the ground, Mr. Chuan answered the call of his country, left home, and joined the local guerrilla forces.

Mr. Chuan said that they didn't have much ammunition; they mainly looted from the enemy and used it to fight back. The enemy was numerous, and the guerrillas operated in small groups, but in ambushes, they always aimed directly at the enemy and fired. There were victories, and times when they were overwhelmed by enemy fire and suffered many casualties, but no one lost heart; instead, their hatred for the enemy grew stronger.

“From 1967 onwards, revolutionary activities were extremely difficult. Villages were being bulldozed every day, and guerrillas could only hide in bunkers dug under banana trees, burnt grass fields, or under railway tracks…”

"During the rainy season, when it was impossible to hide in bunkers, we would go down to National Highway 1, then loop back up to bypass the electronic barrier, and take refuge in Ha Tay village or up in Bich Bac village. When the enemy was searching, we would hide on rooftops, riverbanks… Fortunately, the guerrillas were sheltered and protected by the villagers. Many people who were held captive in the resettlement areas still managed to escape and return to their villages to become revolutionary bases," Mr. Chuan recounted.

A prime example of the indomitable spirit of the cadres, guerrillas, and people was the destruction of the American electronic barrier. According to the book "History of the Revolutionary Struggle of the Party Committee and People of Dien Hoa Commune (1030 - 1976)", the enemy built during the day, and we destroyed at night.

At night, taking advantage of the carelessness of American planes and patrol vehicles, local guerrillas advanced to dismantle the enemy's barricades, causing the enemy to repeatedly re-erect them without success. On some nights, the guerrillas destroyed up to 500 meters of barbed wire and defused hundreds of mines.

Having learned of the enemy's patrol habits, the guerrillas even removed mines during the day, then dug shelters right under the fences. The mines they removed from the enemy were used by the guerrillas to set traps and eliminate the enemy.

During those years, local guerrillas destroyed 4 bulldozers, 200 American and South Vietnamese soldiers, and seized hundreds of enemy grenades and mines. From 1970 onwards, the enemy was almost completely helpless in their efforts to maintain the barrier.

Resounding battles

In late 1969, the US and the South Vietnamese regime gradually shifted to air raid tactics (also known as searchboats, sniffer boats, or dredging boats). Wherever cadres, soldiers, or guerrillas were spotted, the enemy would unleash fierce rocket attacks, then send planes to swoop in, drop troops, and round up the people.

The revolutionary base was located in a private house in Dien Hoa. Photo: Dien Hoa Commune archives.

The sky was constantly filled with the sound of airplanes. The dredging vessels operated at night from 5 PM to 6 AM the following morning; while the dredging vessels operated from 5 AM to 5 PM.

To thwart the American plan to use aircraft, in late 1971, the Dien Hoa guerrillas shot down an American tugboat in Quang Hien village. In 1972, the Dien Hoa armed forces continued to shoot down four enemy HU1A helicopters. From then on, enemy aircraft no longer dared to operate brazenly and hunt down soldiers and guerrillas in this area.

In mid-1974, South Vietnamese rebels frequently raided Bung hamlet, looting and harassing women. Mr. Tran Van Chuan, then the village militia leader, was determined to stop these bandits.

Mr. Chuan deployed a squad, divided into three groups, to ambush the enemy at the Ba Tinh sluice gate. Unexpectedly, as the rebel forces advanced from Trang Nhat, the enemy's 3rd Division, defeated in Que Son, also returned to Dien Hoa at that very moment.

The two sides exchanged fire, and the guerrillas killed two enemy soldiers and wounded three others. Unfortunately, Mr. Chuan and two other guerrillas were wounded, and one guerrilla later died. Due to their injuries and the enemy's superior numbers, the squad had to retreat. After that ambush, the South Vietnamese rebels no longer dared to enter the village to cause destruction or loot, bringing joy to the people…

It's impossible to recount all the glorious battles and the countless lives lost on the fiery journey of Dien Hoa. All we know is that hardship forged the will and character of these steadfast people, wholeheartedly devoted to the revolution. They were crucial to the reclamation of land, the clearing of bombs and mines, and the restoration of greenery to their homeland.
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Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/tro-lai-nhung-vung-dat-lua-bai-2-dat-thep-duoi-mua-bom-3138427.html