50 years of Reunification: Heroic memories of the liberation day of the land of 'yellow flowers and green grass'

Nhan Tower is located in the middle of Tuy Hoa city, Phu Yen province. (Photo: VNA)

April 1, 1975 is an important historical milestone for Phu Yen province, the day this land was liberated. Since then, 50 years have passed, the army and people of Phu Yen are always proud of the heroic history that contributed to the Great Spring Victory of 1975, liberating the South and unifying the country.

Phu Yen's history of resistance against American imperialism to save the country (1954-1975) clearly states: On the night of March 31, 1975, the province established a Military Committee consisting of 23 comrades and a delegation to take over Tuy Hoa town of over 100 comrades with 10 specialized departments with a plan to take over and be on duty on the outskirts of the town so that when it was liberated, it could enter in time. In the districts, Military Committees were also established to take over.

At 5:00 a.m. on April 1, 1975, Regiment 2 (Division 320) opened fire, hitting the enemy artillery position on Nhan Thap Mountain. At the same time, our tanks launched an attack to destroy the enemy stationed at Ong Chu Bridge and then developed along Tran Hung Dao Street, attacking straight to the south of the province... By 7:00 a.m., our troops had taken control of the town, and the masses rose up to hunt down the remaining enemy troops...

Battalion 96 from Qui Hau, Phuoc Khanh area captured hundreds of enemy soldiers. Regiment 3 (Division 320) destroyed and captured all enemy troops in Phu Lam, Dong Tac, Ban Thach bridge, Deo Ca. Company 377 captured Brigadier General Tran Van Cam - Deputy Commander of the puppet 2nd Corps (commander of the fleeing Saigon puppet army).

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang, former Secretary of Phu Yen Provincial Party Committee, recounted the story of capturing Saigon puppet General Tran Van Cam to admit defeat. (Photo: Xuan Trieu/VNA)

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang, former Secretary of Phu Yen Provincial Party Committee, at that time a member of the Military Management Committee of Tuy Hoa 1 District (now Tuy Hoa City) recalled that the Military Management Committee at that time did not have a headquarters and had to borrow a local barber shop to work. The reason for choosing this place was because the shop had a long bench to sit on and a large yard.

When the guerrillas brought in Brigadier General Tran Van Cam, he was tall, had a 3-centimeter haircut, wore a large plaid shirt, and white glasses. He said he was a general officer and should meet the highest ranking person in the liberation army.

With a stern attitude, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang told Tran Van Cam: "You are a prisoner of war and have no right to make demands. Please write a confession of defeat and call on your subordinate soldiers to surrender..."

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang, former Secretary of Phu Yen Provincial Party Committee, recounted the story of forcing Saigon puppet General Tran Van Cam to admit defeat.

After a while of writing, Tran Van Cam gave the paper to Mr. Quang and the representative of the Military Management Committee of Tuy Hoa 1 District, Nguyen Thanh Quang, asked prisoner Cam to read again what he had just written.

Mr. Quang also recalled that the comrades in the Tuy Hoa 1 District Military Management Committee borrowed a Hitachi Cassette player to record the confession of defeat by Brigadier General Tran Van Cam. The confession was transcribed into many tapes by the Military Management Committee officers and then given to working teams to carry and broadcast on loudspeakers along Highway 1A all the way to Ca Pass...

Knowing that they could not resist the liberation army, many officers and soldiers of the Saigon puppet government laid down their arms, surrendered, and presented themselves.

At 9:30 a.m. on April 1, our army liberated Tuy Hoa town and raised the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam on top of Nhan Tower. At exactly 10 a.m. on April 1, the entire Phu Yen province was completely liberated.

In the spring of 1975, on the Phu Yen battlefield, our army and people fought over 400 battles. In total, 40,432 enemy soldiers were killed, wounded, captured, or deserted, including 6,740 civil defense soldiers.

Since then, April 1, 1975 has become an important historical milestone: the Liberation Day of Phu Yen Province. The victory of the Party Committee, government and people of Phu Yen was the creation of many revolutionary methods suitable to the situation, the victory of the tradition of fighting against foreign invaders, the spirit of patriotism, and love for the homeland.

Prime Minister Pham Van Dong visited Phu Yen province after the day the South was completely liberated and the country was reunified. (Photo: Document/VNA)

Ms. Cao Thi Hoa An, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairwoman of the People's Council of Phu Yen province, affirmed that 50 years of national reunification and 36 years of re-establishment of the province, a period in the history of more than 410 years of formation and development of Phu Yen land, is a period of great achievements, especially important achievements, meaningful to the development of the province.

Overcoming many difficulties, Phu Yen has risen out of poverty; local economic growth has always been maintained at a fairly good level. In 2024, the local economic growth rate (GRDP) will reach 6.17%; GRDP per capita is estimated at 70.7 million VND/year (an increase of 8.37% compared to 2023). Party building and the political system have achieved many positive results...

Phu Yen is now known by many friends at home and abroad as "the land of yellow flowers on green grass," an attractive, friendly and affectionate destination./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/50-nam-thong-nhat-ky-uc-hao-hung-ngay-giai-phong-vung-dat-hoa-vang-co-xanh-post1023807.vnp