Vietnamese people turn their hearts to President Ho Chi Minh on Independence Day

Amid the atmosphere of celebrating Independence Day on September 2, people across the country are excited to enjoy the holidays, have fun, and reunite with their families. As part of this occasion, one of the most visited attractions in the capital is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the historic Ba Dinh Square.

The great sacrifice of a whole nation

Holding the red flag with a yellow star in their hands, Vu Van Thuc and his wife Nguyen Thi Dung in Hai Ba Trung district of Hanoi leisurely stroll around Ba Dinh Square and immerse themselves in the joyful atmosphere of Autumn along with Independence Day celebrations.

Now over 70 years old, Nguyen Thi Dung is still deeply moved every time the nation celebrates National Day on September 2. She said that the historical image of President Ho Chi Minh, affectionately known as Uncle Ho, reading the Declaration of Independence is broadcast very vividly by media facilities on this occasion. Looking back at those documents and images, Dung knows that people all over the country turn their hearts towards Ba Dinh Square, showing their gratitude and love for Uncle Ho.

"During the holiday, my husband and I spent a day waking up early to go to Uncle Ho's mausoleum, to look towards the his resting place and join in the joyful and happy atmosphere of the country on Independence Day. We are very happy to see young people and even very young children brought by their parents to Ba Dinh Square on this occasion. This shows that the young generation always remembers the merits of President Ho Chi Minh, of the heroic martyrs who had sacrificed themselves to protect the Fatherland for national independence, thus enabling today's young generation to live in prosperity, peace and happiness.

"Old people like us, when immersed in this atmosphere, also receive positivity from young people, to lead a happy and healthy life," Dung said.

Talking about the small flag in his hand, Vu Van Thuc emotionally shared that, although it was small, for the flag to fly in the sky of independence and peace, millions of Vietnamese people fought bravely and sacrificed their blood to gain national independence. This is truly great, with nothing comparing to independence and freedom for the Vietnamese people. Through decades of struggling for independence, the country can exist as an ordinary but great nation.

Love for Uncle Ho grows over time

In the historic autumn days, every Vietnamese person is filled with pride in the achievements the country has recorded through its many hardships and challenges. Among them is their love for Uncle Ho, the father of the nation. He sacrificed his entire life for independence, freedom, prosperity and happiness for the Vietnamese people.

Uncle Ho passed away in 1969, when Dung and Thuc were still high school students, but even though 55 years have gone, they still cannot forget the moment when they heard the news of his death.

"The year Uncle Ho passed away, I was in high school in the Luc Binh evacuation area in Ha Nam province. That morning, none of us knew the news of Uncle Ho's death until later when a friend listened to the radio and announced 'Uncle Ho has passed away', all of us were speechless, and were all very moved and hugged each other and cried. Everyone, from old to young, villagers and students could not hold back their tears. After that, the school gathered the students in the school yard to officially announce the news of Uncle Ho's death. We continued to cry at that time because of the great loss to the nation," Dung recalled.

"At that time, I was a high school student. I remember that on those days it was raining heavily, we gathered to listen to the 6am news of Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) announcing the health status of President Ho Chi Minh. When we had a newspaper together, everyone crowded together to read. Those are memories that I will never forget," Thuc shared.

At that time, amid the tense war against the US for the cause of national salvation, the passing of President Ho Chi Minh, a great leader for the whole nation, was a significant loss that could not be compensated for.

Not only among Vietnamese people, President Ho Chi Minh is also remembered by international friends and people as being a national liberation hero and a world cultural celebrity.

Like other Vietnamese people, Dung and Thuc always cherish their love and respect for Uncle Ho. As she gets older, Dung has come to understand that this love has grown over the years and from then on she cherishes her present life more.

Every time Dung visits Uncle Ho's mausoleum, she feels moved. "When I come to the mausoleum, I am extremely moved. It is a feeling that cannot be expressed in words, it is a lingering feeling, cherished not only for me but for all Vietnamese people. When I walked around Uncle Ho's remain, I stopped and did not want to go any further, causing the guard to remind me, only then did I come to my senses and continue walking," she says.

For Thuc, he always keeps in mind, "For the country to be like today, we must always be grateful to Uncle Ho, to the heroic martyrs, and to the generations of leaders of the resistance war. Without the Party, without Uncle Ho, without the soldiers, there would be no us today."