Nguyen Thi Binh, foreign minister of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam signed the Paris Peace Accords on January 27, 1973 (Photo: Archive)

45 years ago, the Vietnamese negotiators received strong backing from the international community.

Strong support of pacifists

French historian Alain Rouscio told VOV about the French anti-war sentiment:“The French and Vietnamese people have never been in a war. The colonial regime ruled the Vietnamese nation. Vietnamese people struggled to liberate themselves and French people stood side by side with you in this struggle. At that time, I was small and took part in many demonstrations to protest the US war in Vietnam.”

52 friendship organizations held regular anti-war demonstrations, showing their strong support for peace in Vietnam. Later on, it was said that the US lost not only at the negotiating table and on the battle fields but also in the streets.

Vietnamese negotiators lived in this house in 1973 (Photo: Thuy Van/VOV)

In 1973 the Democratic Republic of Vietnam delegation had been living in Choisy-le-Roi for 5 years. A big square named “Paris Accords” was built there in 2013, an eternal symbol of peace and friendship with Vietnam.   

Officials of the French Communist Party and ordinary people like Ms. Jeanine Rubin volunteered to cook meals for Vietnamese negotiators 45 years ago. Ms. Rubin said:“At that time, I was working in school. One day after work, one man approached me and asked if I would want to serve these important people in the evening. I said yes with pleasure. I did this free of charge.”

French people stood side by side with you in this struggle. At that time, I was small and took part in many demonstrations to protest the US war in Vietnam.

Former Senator Helene Luc proudly says that when she was 15, she took to the streets to promote peace in Vietnam. When the Paris Peace Accords were negotiated, she, her husband, and the mayor of Choisy-le-Roi assisted  the Vietnamese negotiators. In Verierre le Buisson, stands a house where chief negotiator Nguyen Thi Binh and other team members of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam used to live.

Pierre Gueguen and his wife, who were in charge of ensuring security, clearly remember the days when they experienced bonding with the Vietnamese as a family. He said “I was happy to be entrusted with safeguarding the negotiators trying to end the war and establish peace in Vietnam. 6 of us worked in 2 shifts to protect the house, which was located between two villas with low fences. We met friendly Vietnamese there. My daughter was invited to celebrate Lunar New Year with the Vietnamese negotiators and had friendly talks with Ms. Binh. These were historic days and I was lucky to be part of it.”

Historic milestone

As time goes by, members of the negotiating team and their French friends have become older. Some have died already. History has acknowledged them as stones in a strong fortress defending peace for the Vietnamese nation and lively witnesses of the Vietnam-France friendship.