The whole country is filled with joy and the emotions of the day of victory are intact.

The whole country is filled with joy and the emotions of the day of victory are intact.

Former Youth Volunteers Nguyen Te Thanh and Mai Van Hung (far right) and their comrades C2371-N237, Construction Board 67 Truong Son met on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification. Photo: Le Ha

Every time we met Mr. Doan Cong Khanh (Phu Loc commune, Hau Loc district), we received a bright, friendly smile. His kindness, optimism and humor made the atmosphere of the meeting more cozy and close. His stories about the years of fighting, serving the fight to liberate the South and unify the country came flooding back. He took us back to the historical years, to the heroic life, and the persistent dedication of the Youth Volunteers.

For Mr. Doan Cong Khanh, the most profound impression in his military career was the luck to witness the historic moment of April 30, 1975 right in Saigon. At that time, listening to the radio broadcast the victory news: "Please listen to the victory news we just received. At exactly 11:30, our army entered Saigon, captured the Independence Palace. The General Staff of the puppet army - Duong Van Minh surrendered unconditionally. The red flag with yellow star fluttered on the roof of the Independence Palace. The Ho Chi Minh campaign was a complete victory" and the whole unit cheered until tears came to their eyes. Crowds of people gathered on the streets like a festival to the central area, the main roads to celebrate the victory. Mr. Khanh was moved: "The officers and soldiers of Division 471, Group 559, and tens of thousands of people were excited and happy. The image of people rushing into the streets holding flowers, cheering and giving food to the soldiers; on the loudspeakers playing the song "As if Uncle Ho were here on the day of great victory" (also commonly known as As if Uncle Ho were here on the day of great victory - TS) in the moment of victory made my comrades and I feel an indescribable emotion, which we still cannot forget until now...". That sacred moment made Mr. Khanh remember forever and understand the truth: The strength of Vietnam is the strength of great national unity. The People's War has the leadership of the Party and beloved Uncle Ho. We have fulfilled Uncle Ho's wish in the Tet Mau Than 1968 letter: "Last year was a glorious victory/ This year the frontline will surely win even more/ For independence, for freedom/ Fight to make the Americans leave, fight to make the puppets fall/ Forward, compatriots/ North and South reunite, what spring is happier than that".

The story of the great victory day continues with Mr. Khanh's emotions: "In 1965, I joined the army in unit C48-N21, Group 559, whose main task was to protect the route for vehicles transporting people and weapons to the front. After 2 years, my superiors transferred me to the army of the Automobile Transport Division, the Transportation Staff Department of Division 471, Group 559, on duty in Dak Lak, Saigon. After capturing the Independence Palace on April 30, 1975, until May 10, 1975, the Liberation Army demonstrated (paraded, marched) including my Automobile Transport Division 471 around Saigon, shaking the city. Journalists and photographers reported, and images on the media about the images of the Liberation Army shattered the perception and psychological warfare that the US and the puppet government had falsely propagandized about communism and realized that the revolutionary army really strong. The people are close, attached, respectful and extremely proud of the image of the liberation army men and female militiamen.

“The feeling of floating on clouds” when hearing the news of the great victory was half a century ago, but strangely, it is still fresh in the memory of Mr. Nguyen Te Thanh, Dong Nam commune, Thanh Hoa city. Especially when the whole country is looking to the South to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025), Mr. Thanh is even more moved, emotional, and proud as if he is living in the heroic historical moment of that year. It is difficult to describe it all in words, Mr. Thanh could not hold back his tears remembering the moment he heard the news of the victory, even though at that time, he was not on Vietnamese soil, but was on duty in the beautiful country of Laos.

Mr. Thanh shared: "The term of the Youth Volunteer Force ended in 1972, I volunteered to go to Laos and work at K2C Construction Company (Ministry of Construction) and as a union secretary, Youth Union Secretary. When I heard the news of the great victory, suddenly something lifted me up. We hugged and jumped, happy right at the workplace. But at that moment, I cried because I missed my comrades who were not lucky enough to receive the news of this great victory and remained forever in our motherland. That night, we recalled the years of duty at unit C2371-N237, Construction Board 67 Truong Son in Quang Tri province, to let my comrades and Lao friends hear about our work as liaisons and clearing roads, filling bomb craters of our comrades...".

In the atmosphere of the whole country looking forward to the great celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South, Mr. Mai Van Hung, Dong Tho ward (Thanh Hoa city) told us about his friends with emotion: “In 1973, I turned 20 years old and joined the army to open the Truong Son road at unit C87, E515, F473, group 559. Our unit was responsible for producing materials to supply the Truong Son roads. Engineer soldiers like us and the Youth Volunteer Force worked very hard and always had to keep secrets: not to contact the people, cut forest roads, not to follow the trails that people took... Traveling for a long time, food was exhausted, sometimes we had to go without water all day. Our unit had 360 people exploiting materials working 3 shifts continuously a day to ensure the materials were supplied to the road opening units. At that time, we were only 20 years old, healthy and agile. Working on the top of the mountain at an altitude of 100 to 150m, drilling large rocks with a 30kg machine - equivalent to my own weight. Working equipment was rudimentary ropes tied to tree roots, cliffs, and bodies... Just like that, we were like squirrels and monkeys in the forest, nimbly drilling, placing mines, and detonating explosives... Working in difficult conditions but always ensuring the safety of people and machines. On Route 9 in Southern Laos, Khe Xanh was the focus of fierce American attacks, but we were determined to hold on and always believed that victory was near.

Until one day, while working in the deep forest, still drilling large rocks to get materials for road construction, we heard the news of victory through a small cassette radio and all of us were extremely happy. April 30, 1975 was the happiest day of our military career. We hugged each other and cried. We cried because our campaign had won, all the losses and sacrifices had been worthily rewarded. Everyone's face was joyful and radiant; some people sobbed because of the overwhelming emotions of the great victory."

Mr. Hung confided: "Thanks to the leadership of the Party, Uncle Ho, the heroic Army and People, and the sweat, tears, and blood of our fallen compatriots, we have this glorious moment." Despite the victory, the mission still continues. No one in his unit was allowed to go home on leave, but continued to stay and work and produce. The letters sent and received, and the visits from the rear to the cadres and soldiers were always connected.

Half a century has passed since the moment of great historical victory, but every time they recall it, former cadres and soldiers who directly fought and served in the battle are filled with pride and want to tell the younger generation that: to gain independence and freedom, generations of our ancestors fought and sacrificed heroically, so we must have the responsibility to understand history, resolutely protect and build an increasingly prosperous country. We, the younger generation, were fortunate to witness the emotional meetings of cadres and soldiers who spent their youth on the legendary Truong Son road. The triumphal song still resounds with pride.

Le Ha

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ven-nguyen-cam-xuc-ngay-khai-hoan-dat-nuoc-tron-niem-vui-247086.htm