Memory of the spring 70 years ago

Hanoi's ordinary and people built tunnels and trenches in the capital city in December 2016.

Hanoi welcomed the New Year of 1947 enduing 60 days and nights of fierce fighting. Despite hardship and dangers, the people were all united and optimistic about the success of the resistance and the defense of their national independence. 

On December 19, 1946, President Ho Chi Minh appealed to all Vietnamese people to stand up for national resistance. Thousands of Hanoians voluntarily joined the army. 

Every house became a fortress; every street a battlefield; and everyone soldier. The slogans “Live and die with the capital city” and “Independence or death” could be seen everywhere. 

Nguyen Thi Nhan, a member of the logistics group of the Lang Fortress, recalled, "On the last day of the old Lunar Year, trees were chopped down on the streets to obstruct tanks. We stayed awake through the night to prepare rice and food for soldiers. We caught fish in the ponds and collected vegetables at night to avoid air strikes in the daytime.”

People on the outskirts of Hanoi went through great dangers to send Tet necessities such as meat, square cakes, pork paste, sweetened fruits, fresh vegetable, peach flowers, and kumquat trees to soldiers. 

On New Year’s Eve, a group of soldiers were ordered to launch a surprise attack and hoist a flag on the Tortoise Tower in the middle of Return Sword Lake. 

Colonel Nguyen Trong Ham recalled, "We invited ambassadors and foreigners to a New Year celebration in Hang Chieu street. We had peach blossoms, Chung cakes, and other kinds of Tet food. Being surrounded in the inner city for a month, we could organize a sufficient Tet to welcome foreign diplomats, which implied that France could not win.” 

Colonel Nguyen Trong Ham

On the first day of the Lunar New Year of 1947, it was cold and drizzling. People went out to congratulate each other on the New Year, and share Tet gifts. 

Foreign guests were surprised when they came to the well-organized New Year Party and particularly by the optimism of Hanoi’s soldiers and people.

Spring came to every combat trench in Hanoi. Lang Fortress, which was regularly targeted by French air strikes, was decorated with flowers. 

Gunner Do Van Da never forgets that day. He said, "Hanoians stayed in their houses because the streets were blocked with furniture. They broke the walls to go from house to house, from street to street. That winter was very cold and rainy. When we marched to the northern military base, we crossed Thanh Tri district, where people were cooking Chung cakes. They gave us the cakes for Tet.”

On the streets, French soldiers went on patrol and opened fire randomly. In the trenches, soldiers celebrated Tet and wished each other victory and a brighter future. 

Colonel Nguyen Trong Ham said, "The 1947 New Year Festival was an important event in terms of fighting and diplomacy. Vietnamese soldiers and people upheld the spirit of winning in all circumstances. In the fierce fighting we could still maintain our traditions of celebrating Tet. It’s a great thing.”