(VOVWORLD) -During 12 days of December 50 years ago, the Vietnamese army and people resiliently defeated US B-52 warplanes in Hanoi sky, resulting in a historic event dubbed “Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the air victory”.
 Participants to the workshop on “Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the air victory”. Photo: Ba Thi/VOV5 |
The victory was highlighted at a workshop in Hanoi on Friday by the Ministry of National Defense, the Party Central Committee’s Communications and Education Commission, the Ministry of Public Security and Hanoi city. Participants affirmed strategic vision, wise leadership and ingenious and flexible war management ability of the Party and Army when launching the Hanoi-Hai Phong Air Defense Campaign.
General Luong Cuong, Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, said: “The feat in the sky over Hanoi was the result of the Hanoi-Hai Phong air defense campaign defeating the largest-scale strategic air raid since World War II, forcing the US government to stop bombing the North, sign the Paris Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam, and withdraw all the expeditionary troops back home. This created a historic turning point leading to a complete victory by the Vietnamese army and people against US invaders."
The workshop analyzed the reasons for the victory and learned profound historical lessons. "Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the air" was a victory of a heroic nation determined to fight with the spirit of "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom". It was also a victory of a just war supported by progressive people all over the world.
Major General, Dr. Nguyen Hoang Nhien, Director of the Vietnam Military History Institute, said: “It is also the victory of a just war with the effective help of international friends and the support of progressive people, including the Americans. In the minds and eyes of international friends, Vietnam was the conscience of the times, and "Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the air" as a symbol of military culture, the culture of national defense in the 20th century. The victory of the Vietnamese people encouraged the movements to fight for independence, freedom and democracy in the world."
During 12 days and nights from December 18-29, 1972, North Vietnam army and people conducted the Hanoi-Hai Phong air defense campaign, shooting down 81 aircraft, including 34 B-52 aircraft.
It forced the US government to declare a cessation of bombing raids on the North and sign the Paris Agreement on January 27, 1973, to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam.