I have lived through heroic and tragic years...

I have lived through years of hardship and trauma. — Author Tran Mai Huong signs books for readers.

On the afternoon of December 5, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) held a book launch ceremony for author Tran Mai Huong's book "Memoirs of a War Correspondent". The ceremony was even more meaningful as it was held in the context of the whole country preparing to celebrate the founding anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army on December 22.

Sharing at the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Duc Loi - Former General Director of VNA, Permanent Vice President of Vietnam Journalists Association said that this is a very valuable book for the public in general, journalists in particular, especially for young journalists - those who have never experienced the pain of war, have never been war reporters.

In the book, readers will feel the experiences of a war correspondent in promptly delivering news, articles, and photos to readers, and partly understand the feelings of a reporter standing between life and death.

Despite falling bombs, bullets, exploding fireworks, and the constant danger to life, reporters are still present at the front lines to promptly report news, articles, and photos so that readers can grasp the situation.

Congratulating author Tran Mai Huong on his new brainchild, Mr. Nguyen Duc Loi recalled the memory of an occasion also at VNA, when the late journalist Do Phuong - Former General Director of VNA once said that Tran Mai Huong was a lucky man - when very few journalists had the opportunity to experience the most courageous moments, the most important turning points of the country.

Tran Mai Huong was present very early in the great war against the US to save the nation. He experienced the "Red Summer" of 1972 in Quang Tri; was one of the first journalists to enter Hue when the ancient capital was liberated; was present in Da Nang when the second largest city in the South was liberated; was present at the Independence Palace on the historic day of April 30, 1975; was present in Phnom Penh on January 7, 1979, when Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and Cambodian revolutionary troops entered here, overthrowing the Pol Pot genocidal regime; was present in Ha Giang and Cao Bang in the fight against the expansionist invaders.

"To have that luck, author Tran Mai Huong certainly received high appreciation from the leadership in terms of skills, qualifications, spirit and qualities," said Mr. Nguyen Duc Loi.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Su - Deputy Director of VNA shared that the book will help readers return to the war years with events and characters on extremely fierce fronts, helping readers understand more about the passionate youth of the author herself and her colleagues at VNA.

Those war journalists contributed to the extremely fine tradition of VNA, contributing to building a humane Vietnamese revolutionary press rich in national traditions.

"Author Tran Mai Huong is a journalist who loves people and her job, a senior leader of VNA, inspiring generations like us to continue and promote that fine tradition," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Su.

The book “Memoirs of a War Correspondent” is the author’s reflections on the journey of a lifetime through the harsh years of war and peace, the poems in the book are also catalysts that help the written pages to be more coherent. Perhaps what he experienced during the war later became valuable experiences that he could flexibly apply in the process of leading the agency later in his position as General Director of VNA.

Sharing at the ceremony, author Tran Mai Huong recalled: "I have lived through heroic and tragic years. I have witnessed historical moments and also the immense sacrifices, sufferings, and losses of people. Many of my colleagues fell on the battlefield, with cameras and weapons in hand, and unfinished news pages. That sacrifice is priceless.

As those who are lucky enough to return, the life in each of us is always heavy with the lives of many people who are no longer present. Therefore, how to live a worthy life, to live for the wishes of those who did not return, is always a big question for every person today."

Journalist Le Quoc Minh - Member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association wrote in the book's Introduction: "The Memoir is not only valuable to readers nationwide in general but also very valuable to us journalists in particular...

As President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, I hope that every journalist will read "War Reporter" by veteran journalist Tran Mai Huong at least once. And I also hope that the book will be translated into many languages, so that friends from all over the world can better understand our beloved people and Fatherland."

Phan Hoa Giang

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