9X thinks about peace

Rowing a wooden boat on the Thach Han River

I belong to the 9x generation, born to inherit an atmosphere of peace. My image of the Vietnam War is only through his words.

I still remember when I was 6 years old, watching the plane fly across the sky, leaving a long white streak across the endless blue. My grandfather told me about the memories of the war, the B52 was many times bigger, roaring like thunder.

Those were my first images of the Vietnam War. During my childhood, I also heard stories of Saigon students protesting the war from the paintings hanging on the walls of the house of artist Nguyen Huu Chau; heard the song "Get Up and Go" hummed by my grandmother...

At Truong Son National Martyrs Cemetery

All of this inspires in me a simple patriotism and curiosity to explore Vietnamese history.

One of the unforgettable memories is when I "stepped into" the fiery diary of Doctor Dang Thuy Tram and Nguyen Van Thac. Step by step, I entered the book to Truong Son with bombs and bullets, the acrid smell of gasoline and burning grass.

But strangely, that place was filled with the laughter of young girls and boys carrying ideals on their shoulders.

I see rubber sandals forming legendary trails, see the 20-year-old's confession shining like the stars at night.

From the pages of books, I wish one day to go to Truong Son, to walk on the trail, to say thank you to the young men my age who fought bravely, who laid down their lives for the Fatherland to stand tall.

20 years have passed, remembering the forgotten wish. I hurriedly set off with luggage on my shoulder, including Thanh Hoa peanut candy, Thang Long cigarettes, three-leaf clips, Hanoi incense, and even Southern scarves.

Under the hot and humid early summer sun of the Central region, why do I feel so strangely excited and restless? I imagine that around me in the past was a battlefield of bullets and bombs.

Leave your thoughts at Quang Tri Citadel

Today's hot weather is nothing compared to the past when enemy planes bombed at any time and there were still unexploded mines on the ground.

Half a century, I walk in strange peace, I hear the sound of the forest and the wind, I see how beautiful my Fatherland is.

On the top of Truong Son, I was moved standing in front of the star gate to greet the uncles and aunts, touching my old wish, this moment was sacred and extremely magical.

Wandering alone all day in the Truong Son mountains and forests. Driving more than 60km to the Citadel, gently rowing a wooden oar on the Thach Han River, dropping flower petals on the sparkling water.

On the Thach Han sunset, I watched the children swimming, the water and the sky blending into a pale yellow sunset.

I sit and reminisce about the war through my diary, now in complete contrast to the peace and tranquility of the present. Cherishing every moment, in the land I have always dreamed of visiting.

In that moment, I remembered the songs sung by the young generation of my age. The twenties of Hanoi, the capital, put down their pens and went to Truong Son road, and the twenties of Saigon, "Singing for my people" in the middle of the cities, demanding peace, freedom, and justice.

Truong Son National Martyrs Cemetery

The true inspiration for peace of the young Vietnamese people of "red blood, yellow skin" at that time echoed in the lecture halls of America, France, Japan and Western Europe, so that friends from all over the world would support the torch of peace that generations of Vietnamese people had lit.

From the singing of sleepless nights throughout Saigon and the cities of the South

"Sing for my people", "The rice fields are rustling" (Ton That Lap), "The mother of the chessboard" (Tran Long An), "Volunteer" (Truong Quoc Khanh), "Get up and go" (Nguyen Xuan Tan), "Holding hands in a big circle" (Trinh Cong Son)...

Until the song of a time when youth volunteered - The new city lifted our steps into labor

After the war, our city witnessed tens of thousands of young people together "leaving the city for the forest", wearing uniforms the color of withered grass.

Youth volunteers are present on the most difficult front lines, in war-torn areas, in especially difficult areas, on borders and on islands.

Then the Southwestern border war broke out, together with the Vietnamese army, the new generation of young people in the city "went wherever the Fatherland needed them". Facing "days without hours, weeks without days" to protect the Fatherland and liberate the Cambodian people from genocide.

Sunset on the Thach Han River

The bright future of the young city is waiting for us, let's sing together and move forward.

Today, in this city, I meet many talented young people, they come to Ho Chi Minh City to live the life they want, to be themselves.

I had the opportunity to talk with a girl from Hue who came to Ho Chi Minh City to learn painting, sell paintings to raise funds, bring nutritious meals to thousands of children in the highlands and build a spacious boarding school in the Northwest.

I get to work with young people born after the 2000 millennium working in technology, AI,... bringing technology products containing high levels of Vietnamese intelligence to the world.

I see my city developing, new buildings springing up every day but the small historical corners are still cherished. There are still moments of peace and quiet in the "Sing for my people" campus between the universities, and the house of the revolutionary parents is still intact.

Our generation, looking through the sediments of the city's history, sees that Ho Chi Minh City was created by generations of patriotic young people in their twenties, together nurturing great aspirations, together creating the brand of modern Ho Chi Minh City people.

I hope that the young people of tomorrow's cities will work hard, live decently, and live with passion and ambition like the generations of Vietnamese 20s who have made history.

Thank you readers for submitting your entries to the Peace Storytelling contest.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of peace, the Peace Storytelling writing contest (organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper, accompanied by Vietnam Rubber Group) allows readers to send in touching, unforgettable stories of each family, each person as well as thoughts about the reunification day of April 30, 1975, about 50 years of peace.

The contest is open to all Vietnamese people at home and abroad, without age or occupation restrictions.

Peace Stories accepts articles of up to 1,200 words in Vietnamese, with accompanying photos and videos, and sent to the email address [email protected]. Articles are only accepted via email, not via post to avoid loss.

Quality entries will be selected to be published on Tuoi Tre products, receive royalties, and the entries that pass the preliminary round will be printed into a book (no royalties paid - no sale). The entries must not have participated in any other writing contest and must not have been published on any media or social networks.

Authors are responsible for the copyright of their articles, photos and videos. They will not accept illustrative photos and videos taken from social networks without copyright. Authors must provide their address, phone number, email, account number, and citizen identification number so that the organizers can contact them and send them royalties or prizes.

As of March 24, the Peace Storytelling writing contest has received 135 entries from readers.

Award Ceremony and Book Launch of Peace Stories

The jury, including famous journalists, cultural figures and representatives of Tuoi Tre newspaper, will review and award prizes from the preliminary entries and choose to award prizes to the best entries.

The award ceremony, book launch of Peace Storytelling and special issue of Tuoi Tre newspaper 30-4 are expected to be held at Ho Chi Minh City Book Street at the end of April 2025. The decision of the organizing committee is final.