As Vietnam and Cuba prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Cuban leader Fidel Castro's historic visit to the liberated zone of southern Vietnam in Quang Tri (September 1973 - September 2023), Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue will pay an official visit to Cuba in the coming days at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernándes.
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| Quang Tri Provincial Party Secretary Ho Sy Than welcomed Cuban President Fidel Castro on the south bank of Ben Hai River on the morning of September 15, 1973. (Photo: Archive) |
The two countries also look forward to celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam (September 25, 1963 - September 25, 2023).
The Nhan Dan Newspaper reporters team accessed valuable documents from historical witnesses of the two countries, recording the deep feelings of the people of Quang Tri who always hold in high esteem the beloved President Fidel Castro, the first and only foreign leader to visit the liberated area of southern Vietnam. The memory of the appearance of leader Fidel Castro in the "land of fire" Quang Tri, just a few months after the Paris Peace Agreement was signed and Fidel Castro's immortal words at the 241 Tan Lam Peak "For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to sacrifice even its blood" are still relevant, strongly inspiring the noble sentiments, symbolizing the close brotherly solidarity, utmost loyalty of the two peoples, for peace, national independence, democracy and progress in the world for today's young generation. Article 1: President Fidel Castro visits Vietnam, unforgettable memories 50 years ago, on September 14 and 15, 1973, Cuban President Fidel Castro was the first foreign leader to visit the liberated area of southern Vietnam in Quang Tri when the land was still filled with the smell of gunpowder and bombs, to encourage the fighting spirit of the army and people of Quang Tri in particular and the whole country in general to continuously gain many victories, moving towards liberating the south and unifying the country. This was a secret visit, so very few people knew the full details of Fidel Castro's activities in Vietnam as well as Quang Tri. Reducing the time to visit Vietnam by 2 days José Miguel Miyar Barruecos, personal physician of Cuban President Fidel Castro, has just published for the first time valuable documents about this special visit. The documents were printed in a bilingual book "Unpublished notes on Fidel's historic trip to Vietnam in 1973 ". |
Cuban President Fidel Castro and Mrs. Melba Hermandez, the first President of the Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam (the predecessor of today's Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association) and Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phong, an official of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, on a special plane from the capital Algiers, Algeria to Hanoi in September 1973. (Photo: Document) |
On the morning of September 11, 1973, President Fidel Castro and his delegation boarded a plane from the capital of Algiers, Algeria, to the capital of New Delhi, India, after transiting in Baghdad, Iraq. As soon as he boarded the plane, President Fidel Castro spoke to the delegation and the Vietnamese people about his trip to the liberated zone of southern Vietnam. At 4:01 a.m. (5:31 a.m. Vietnam time), the plane landed, and he and his delegation went to the Presidential Palace to talk briefly with the then Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.
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Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to Vietnam Orlando Nicolas Hernandez Guillen has just presented the book “Unpublished notes on Fidel’s historic trip to Vietnam in 1973” as well as documents on Vietnam-Cuba relations to representatives of Quang Tri province’s leadership. (Photo: LAM QUANG HUY) |
At around 9:05, assistant Orlando Fundora informed Cuban President Fidel Castro that the coup against Chilean President Salvador Allende had begun. Fidel Castro analyzed the situation and determined that this event posed a great danger to the delegation, so special measures needed to be taken. First, reduce the time spent in Vietnam by 2 days; cancel the next leg of the trip; change the route back home...
At 4:30 a.m. (6:00 a.m. Vietnam time) on September 12, 1973, the plane took off from New Delhi airport in India carrying the delegation and landed at Hanoi airport after 5 hours and 40 minutes of flight. President Ton Duc Thang and Prime Minister Pham Van Dong welcomed President Fidel Castro and the delegation. In the afternoon of the same day, General Secretary Le Duan welcomed and hosted President Fidel Castro and the delegation from 6:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. This was followed by a reception hosted by General Secretary Le Duan, with Prime Minister Pham Van Dong also attending. The atmosphere was wonderful, of brotherhood, unity and great friendship. At 9:00 p.m., President Fidel Castro and the delegation returned to their resting place. On the morning of September 13, 1973, President Fidel Castro and the delegation visited the Ho Chi Minh Presidential Palace. Prime Minister Pham Van Dong explained to Fidel Castro each object and each book of President Ho Chi Minh with respect and emotion. At 9:15 a.m., General Secretary Le Duan and his Politburo colleagues held talks with President Fidel Castro and his delegation. At 11:40 a.m., the talks ended, everyone had lunch and rested. At 2:00 p.m. the same day, the talks continued. At 7:50 p.m., the delegation had dinner. At 8:20 p.m., President Fidel Castro and his delegation visited the Dien Bien Phu Museum and talked with General Vo Nguyen Giap. At 9:50 p.m., Fidel Castro went to the Cuban Embassy to talk with the staff and then went home to rest. The next morning, at 8:30 a.m. on September 14, 1973, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong discussed with President Fidel Castro the situation in the southern liberated zone, which could endanger the trip. President Fidel Castro still decided to go. During his visit to Vietnam in 1973, President Fidel Castro insisted on visiting the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam in Cam Lo district, Quang Tri province to visit and encourage the people and soldiers of the South. At first, the leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam hesitated because they were concerned about the security of Cuban President Fidel Castro while the war was still raging. However, before Fidel Castro's determination, the leaders of Vietnam finally agreed. Special attention to President Fidel Castro's trip On September 14, 1973, at exactly 9:00 a.m., the delegation left for Gia Lam airport to enter the liberated zone of the South in Quang Tri province. The delegation was given special security. President Fidel Castro and Prime Minister Pham Van Dong sat in a closed car with special guards; part of the delegation left earlier on another plane. Prime Minister Pham Van Dong expressed to President Fidel Castro the attention of the Party and Government of Vietnam to this special visit of Fidel Castro. Fearing that the enemy would find out and try to assassinate them, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and President Fidel Castro, along with a number of others, boarded an AN-24 aircraft of the Vietnamese Air Force. At exactly 9:35 a.m., the plane took off from Gia Lam airport and arrived at Dong Hoi airport at 10:50 a.m. |
Cuban President Fidel Castro and Prime Minister Pham Van Dong visited Dong Ha town in 1973. (Photo: Archive) |
At 11:10, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and Cuban President Fidel Castro and his guards left Dong Hoi in two cars; the rest of the delegation took a bus and arrived at Ho Xa town in Vinh Linh area at exactly 2:50 (14:50) on the afternoon of September 14, 1973. We witnessed countless bomb craters and all the bridges were destroyed. The people whose houses were lost, lived in great poverty, but with a great effort to have all the fields planted and cared for.
Leaders of Vinh Linh Area including comrade Tran Dong, Secretary of the Area Party Committee; Duong Ton, Chairman of Vinh Linh Area Committee; Vu Ky Lan, Political Commissar of Vinh Linh Area... received the delegation. Cuban President Fidel Castro presented Mr. Tran Dong with a beautiful box of "La Plata" cigars. Mr. Tran Dong presented Fidel Castro and the members of the delegation with badges about Con Co and Vinh Linh. After a somewhat late lunch, that afternoon Cuban President Fidel Castro and the delegation visited the cassava growing areas of Vinh Linh people; talked with Hero of the Armed Forces Le Van Ban. That night, at exactly 9:20 a.m. on September 14, 1972, Cuban President Fidel Castro and the delegation officially stayed overnight in Vinh Linh. The delegation was prepared by the leaders of Vinh Linh Area a secret place to stay with a number of wooden and bamboo cabins, in which beds were placed in separate rooms. Fidel Castro stayed in cabin number 2, a single, spacious room with a frame bed, a living room, a door with painted bamboo curtains, a mat floor and beautiful decoration. The entire accommodation area was quiet, safe, the attention of Vinh Linh Area for the delegation was careful, unbelievable. Extraordinary speech at peak 241 The next day, when it was still dark, at 3:45, Fidel Cartro woke up. At exactly 4:58 on September 15, 1973, it was nighttime, Cuban President Fidel Cartro and Prime Minister Pham Van Dong left Vinh Linh in 2 cars along National Highway 1 to cross the Ben Hai River by pontoon bridge. At exactly 5:30, the delegation officially arrived in the liberated area of southern Vietnam, the south bank of the Ben Hai River. At exactly 5:55 a.m., the delegation passed Doc Mieu, continued their journey through Quan Ngang in Gio Linh district and then entered Dong Ha. After that, the delegation continued along National Highway 9 to Hill 241 in Cam Thanh commune, Cam Lo district at exactly 7:15 a.m. At that time, many liberation army soldiers as well as Quang Tri people happily welcomed the delegation. At exactly 8:05 a.m., all soldiers, people and the delegation were present on the fairly flat land at Hill 241 to welcome the delegation. The cheers of welcome resounded. The people of Quang Tri in particular and the people of Vietnam will never forget the image of President Fidel Castro, despite all dangers and difficulties, visiting and encouraging the soldiers and people of Quang Tri when this land had not been completely liberated. |
Minister of Defense of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, Lieutenant General Tran Nam Trung welcomed Cuban President Fidel Castro and his delegation. (Photo: Archive) |
At 8:15 a.m., Minister of Defense of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, Lieutenant General Tran Nam Trung, presented President Fidel Castro with an American M48 vehicle that had been captured earlier.
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At Hill 241, Cuban President Fidel Castro held the traditional flag of Division 304 in both hands and shouted: "Comrades, hold this flag and march to liberate the South." (Photo: Document) |
At exactly 8:44, Cuban President Fidel Castro began his speech. An extraordinary speech. The heartfelt, righteous speech and the eloquent voice of Cuban President Fidel Castro at Hill 241 at that time were a great source of spiritual encouragement, adding to the will and strength of the Vietnamese army and people to be determined to bring the resistance war against American imperialism to complete victory.
President Fidel Castro said that the Cuban people have followed the selfless struggle of the Vietnamese people every day. For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to sacrifice its own blood. |
Quang Tri people welcomed the delegation of the Party and State of Cuba and Vietnam led by Cuban President Fidel Castro and Prime Minister Pham Van Dong visiting peak 241. (Photo: Document) |
At 9:25 a.m. on September 15, 1973, Fidel Castro finished his speech. Cuban President Fidel Castro walked away amid thunderous applause throughout Hill 241.
At 9:43 a.m., the delegation left Hill 241. Continuing the journey, at 9:55 a.m., Cuban President Fidel Castro and the delegation visited the Headquarters of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, had lunch, and talked with the heroes. Fidel Castro was given many souvenirs such as: recoilless rifles, AR 15s, personal rocket launchers, and pistols. Secretary of the Quang Tri Provincial Party Committee Ho Sy Than presented Cuban President Fidel Castro with a flag and special agricultural products such as dried pepper, badges, and rings made from materials of downed US military planes. At exactly 12:00 noon on September 15, 1973, the delegation left Cam Lo in the direction of Dong Ha, then followed National Highway 1 to Doc Mieu, stopped to visit this location, and left at 1:40 p.m. At 2:00 p.m., the delegation arrived at the southern bank of the Ben Hai River. At exactly 2:06 p.m., the delegation stopped on the northern bank of the Ben Hai River when they saw three young men from Vinh Thanh Commune (now Hien Thanh) working in the fields by the roadside, hit a mine and were injured, one of whom was seriously injured in the abdomen and did not complain (the seriously injured person was later identified as Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong - PV). President Fidel Castro instructed his personal doctor to immediately take care of the injured, put them in the delegation's medical car so that doctors could give them first aid, give them medicine, and then take them to Vinh Linh Regional Hospital for surgery to remove bullet wounds in their bodies. The remaining two, a girl, had bullets stuck in her face, eyes, and neck; and the boy had a minor wound. At 3:00 p.m. the same day, the delegation left the beloved land of Quang Tri for Quang Binh province. After returning home, Cuban President Fidel Castro often asked about the injured young men who were promptly treated by the delegation. Arriving at Ngu Thuy, Quang Binh, at 3:20 p.m. on September 15, 1973, the delegation arrived at Ngu Thuy, Le Thuy district, Quang Binh province to visit the heroic Artillery Company. Cuban President Fidel Castro and Prime Minister Pham Van Dong walked to greet the members of the unit. At 3:55 p.m., the activity ended. At 5:47 p.m., the delegation arrived at Nhat Le River, then went to Dong Hoi city to stay at the guest house. At 7:30 p.m., the Secretary of the Quang Binh Provincial Party Committee received the delegation and had dinner. At 8:30 p.m., Fidel Castro rested. The next morning, September 16, 1973, Cuban President Fidel Castro gave a speech to delegates of Quang Binh province and proposed to help Quang Binh province plan the new city of Dong Hoi; build Dong Hoi hospital (later the hospital was named Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Hospital). At 9:29 a.m., Fidel Castro ended his speech. Prime Minister Pham Van Dong responded with thanks. At 10:14 a.m. on September 16, 1973, the delegation arrived at Dong Hoi airport. At 10:26 a.m., the plane carrying the delegation, coded AN-1094, took off and landed at Gia Lam airport, Hanoi at 11:31 a.m. General Vo Nguyen Giap and the leaders welcomed the delegation and invited them to lunch. On the afternoon of September 16, 1973, General Vo Nguyen Giap came to talk privately with Cuban President Fidel Castro. At 6:45 p.m. on September 16, 1973, a dinner party was held at the invitation of the Cuban delegation. On the morning of September 17, 1973, at 8:50 a.m., Cuban President Fidel Castro signed his diary about his visit and talked with Prime Minister Pham Van Dong. At 9:20 a.m. on September 17, 1973, General Secretary Le Duan, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and many others saw Cuban President Fidel Castro and his delegation off at Gia Lam airport to say goodbye. At exactly 10:20 a.m. on September 17, 1973, the Soviet IL-18 aircraft took off, carrying Cuban President Fidel Castro and his delegation back to Vietnam. “We are leaving this beautiful, heroic land. The emotions we experienced during these days, the feelings of everyone, we will never forget. That solidarity between the army and the people is always expressed in the welcome, in the respect and affection for our Commander-in-Chief,” José Miguel Miyar Barruecos, personal physician of Cuban President Fidel Castro, concluded his diary of this special trip.Nhandan.vn
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