An official hands out savings books to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers at the ceremony. Photo: VOV

The citadel in the central province of Quang Tri has gone down into national history as a symbol of bravery after local military units and people fought for 81 days against enemy troops, from June 28 to September 16, 1972. This contributed to the success of the Paris talks and the 1975 Spring Campaign which ultimately brought about the liberation of Vietnam’s southern region and national re-unification.

Tran Ngoc Long, former commander of 1st Battalion, 48th Regiment, 320th Division, said that under every inch of land, green sprouts are rising, buildings built today is soaked with blood, bones and youth of soldiers who sacrificed for national independence and freedom. 

“The soldiers who joined the 81 days and nights of fighting to protect the Citadel at the age of 17, 18, and 20 sacrificed their whole lives to gain peace we have today. We will never forget that noble sacrifice of our teammates. We consider Quang Tri town as our second home. After many years we are now returning to our beloved town, we see it more and more beautiful,” Long said. 

Nguyen Van Hoi, former assistant of K3-Tam Dao military force said that as 50 years have passed, now we close the painful war past and look to the future of peace and development. From a land that was flattened and completely destroyed, Quang Tri town has changed day by day.                             

“Every day locals offer fresh fruit and burn incense for my teammates, it’s heart-warming. Today, I want to tell the younger generation that, if life is as full as it is now, don't think that the path to  achieve it are full of "bread and roses", but tears and blood of many people who laid down their lives. Building Quang Tri Citadel into a city of peace, I think it's the right thing to do, we have to forget about war and think about peace,” Hoi said.