Sacrifices etched in victory's dawn
In the harrowing final days leading to Saigon’s fall, the 316th Special Forces Brigade bore the heaviest toll, with 52 soldiers lost on the threshold of triumph, forever enshrined in the Rach Chiec estuary’s soil.
Their mission was pivotal, namely to secure the bridge, denying its destruction and paving the way for the liberation army’s tanks to storm Independence Palace. Amidst the chaos of late April, each soldier bore a red armband, a stark symbol of both their unwavering belief in victory and the crimson stain of their sacrifice. Veteran Nguyen Duc Tho of the 316th Brigade emotionally recalled their loss and the sorrowness of being able to recover only nine.
Assigned to fire the opening B40 round, obliterating the watchtower and signaling the assault, Nguyen Duc Tho witnessed the dawn of April 30, 1975 erupt in a symphony of gunfire and explosions. Soldiers surged from the water, clinging to the bridge’s foundation, their relentless fire awaiting the 7:00 a.m. arrival of the vanguard from the 2nd Corps.
He vividly recounted the moment: “As the 2nd Corps’ tanks, bristling with cannons and heavy machine guns, advanced, we spotted liberation flags fluttering atop them. When they reached the bridgehead, we erupted in cheers.”
A fleeting and emotionally charged encounter at the precipice of unification was followed by a swift return to duty. The Rach Chiec Bridge battle, raging from April 27-30, was the most intense and proximate to Saigon’s heart, fought with unparalleled valor.
Enduring image of liberation flag
“This was the nerve center for the city’s youth and student resistance, where we plotted our uprising 50 years ago”, recounted Truong My Le, the former acting Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in Saigon-Gia Dinh, as she revisited the attic of 115 Ban Co Street.
Echoing her sentiment, 68-year-old Le Quang Hung, son of the owner of this house, then a student at Cao Thang Technical School, pointed across the street. “At 10:00 a.m. on April 30, I was tasked with hoisting two liberation flags with the yellow star on the red background. I scrambled onto the rooftops, one after the other, and we strung banners proclaiming, ‘Long live the Revolutionary Government!’”
Tu Liem revealed that in March 1975, they had meticulously prepared for the uprising, mobilizing youth and students across five key areas of Ban Co – Nga Bay – Vuon Chuoi (District 3); Cau Bong – Da Kao- Gia Dinh (District 1); Cau Kieu – Phu Nhuan (Phu Nhuan District); Khanh Hoi – Xom Chieu (District 4), and Tan Phu – Tan Son – Ba Queo (Tan Binh District).
They stockpiled weapons and produced propaganda. Hung’s family played a crucial role, sewing flags and preparing supplies. His mother, a market vendor, discreetly sourced fabrics, anticipating the historic moment.
The memories of April 30, 1975 flooded back. Tu Liem recalled the shock of local people when they saw her armed, the familiar neighbor transformed into a revolutionary. “When Duong Van Minh, the President of the Republic of Vietnam at that time, announced surrender, we became the interim authority”, she said, “wearing red armbands with yellow stars.”
Doan Le Huong, a former political prisoner, vividly remembered the massive liberation flag raised by her neighborhood behind Nguyen Tri Phuong Church (District 10) upon hearing the surrender. She knew the work ahead would be immense, reflecting on the challenges of post-liberation.
Remembering the General of Ho Chi Minh Campaign
The mention of General Van Tien Dung evokes the image of an exceptional military strategist of the Vietnam People’s Army, the very man who directly commanded numerous pivotal campaigns during the resistance wars against the French and the American, most notably as the Commander of the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, which culminated in the resounding Spring Victory of 1975.
In his memoir “Great Spring Victory'”, he recounted that in a mere 55 days and nights, driven by the resolute will to fulfill President Ho Chi Minh’s testament, at a pace where each day equated to 20 years, both the military and civilian forces achieved absolute triumph through three major campaigns, to liberate the entire Central Highlands, initiated by the battle of Buon Ma Thuot; to liberate Hue and Da Nang cities, clearing the enemy from the central coastal regions; and culminating in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign to liberate Saigon-Gia Dinh, leading to the liberation of the remaining southern provinces.
His daughter, Van Tuyet Mai, shared insights into his character when recounting his austere lifestyle and unwavering dedication to his family and nation. “He was a voracious reader, especially the types of philosophy and military”, she said, “and instilled in us a deep sense of patriotism. He taught us to be independent and to cherish our homeland.”
