Telling Peace Stories: The Last Hours of War

Kể chuyện hòa bình: Giờ chót của chiến tranh - Ảnh 1. — Grandma and mom together on April 30 - Photo: NVCC

In early April 1975, our delegation of seven Thanh Doan cadres from Dong Thap headed to Saigon and then joined the Southern Forward Command in Long Dinh commune (Tien Giang). When we reached the sedge field in Binh Chanh district, close to the city center, we stopped to wait for orders.

That night, looking at Tan Son Nhat airport, the lights of the evacuation helicopters flashed like a swarm of bees. This area was muddy, and because of the first rain of the season, no place was dry.

On the morning of April 30, Saigon Radio played the song "Joining Hands" by musician Trinh Cong Son. The Command ordered to enter Saigon's inner city through Ba Hom: "No one is allowed to throw away the rice statue's intestines, clean up the garbage in the fields, and dress neatly to take over the city."

The Forward Command Group traveled by car, with a liaison officer guiding them to Petrus Ky School (now Le Hong Phong) located next to the Saigon Police General Headquarters at around 4:00 p.m.

I remember when Uncle Mai Chi Tho (Nam Xuan) entered the school gate, there was an official to welcome him. Uncle Nam Xuan shook hands and said "Hello teacher" then gently walked along like two teachers.

My mother recounted: On April 10, 1975, at midnight, the police raided my house to search. It was dusk when Mr. Tam Can (aka Ta Ba Tong - in charge of the Front's Intelligence and Mobilization Committee of the Saigon - Gia Dinh City Party Committee) appeared at my house, saying that he was being hunted and had to take temporary refuge.

My uncle's daughter, Tran Kim Thao, took him into a secret cellar under the kitchen, covered with a pile of firewood. The next morning, Mr. Tam Can crawled into the apartment next door and was taken away by Mr. Ba Quang, escaping.

The police detained Ms. Thao in solitary confinement for investigation. On the morning of April 30, Ms. Thao did not see the prison guard, and by noon, she was still not there.

The room next door held students fighting, they were holding each other up to look through the vent in the ceiling of the solitary confinement. On the road towards Petrus Ky School, there was no sign of students.

On the afternoon of April 30, a soldier carrying a B.40 rifle stormed into the solitary confinement cell, trying to open the lock. Several impatient soldiers used iron bars to hit the lock, deforming it so that it could not be opened with a key, but in the end they managed to pry it open...

The next morning I rode home on my bicycle, with a pistol strapped to my back. When I got home, I stood in front of the door for a long time, half awake and half asleep because I had been wanted for seven years, living on fake papers, and then returning to the base.

I shouted: "Mom!". My mother ran out and shouted: "Tan is back! Tan is back!".

Mom hugged me but didn't cry. It seemed like she had suffered too much and had no more strength to cry. Many of my family members had gone to war and hadn't returned yet, some had gone forever.

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 in 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 in the 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 26, the Peace Storytelling writing contest has received 170 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.