So it has been 45 years, in the memory of Colonel Nguyen Kim Chung, former Deputy Political Commander of the Military Command of Ha Giang province about the time of fighting to protect the northern border of the Fatherland in the 80s of the last century, we discovered a few words "Ha Tuyen Front" newspaper. Following the flow of memories, we began to look towards the little-known story of a special publication called "Ha Tuyen Front".
Colonel Nguyen Kim Chung, who was considered the “spokesman” of the Ha Tuyen Front during the days of steadfast fighting to protect the Ha Giang border, firmly described the heroic fighting time with the spirit of a soldier. In that fight, along with the role of the armed forces and the strength of the people, there was also the role of the writers of the Ha Tuyen Party Newspaper (now Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang Newspaper). From there, he contributed to creating the fighting strength to firmly protect the Fatherland's border.
During the years of fighting to protect the northern border on the “fire line” of Ha Tuyen, in addition to material shortages, the soldiers and people on the front line also lacked newspapers and information. In combat conditions, everything had to be very mobile, fast and compact. The Ha Tuyen newspaper at that time was large, providing information mainly on socio-economics and the rear.
The " Ha Tuyen Front " newspapers of that time - Photo: Phuong Hoa
Colonel Nguyen Kim Chung recalled: One early morning in 1984, comrade Nguyen Van Duc, Secretary of the Ha Tuyen Provincial Party Committee, while exercising, passed by the area of the Political Department, the Provincial Military Command, located in the area of the Ha Giang Provincial Party Committee today. He stopped by to ask about the war situation. Seeing the brothers of the Political Department sitting around the fire, he immediately asked them why they were sitting and chatting!?. The brothers replied that early in the morning there was nothing to read or see, so they were just sitting and chatting, sir. After a while of discussing with the cadres and soldiers about information work and spiritual life at the front, Secretary Nguyen Van Duc said that the Ha Tuyen newspaper was too large, it was difficult to bring it to the front, to the trenches and fortifications, perhaps it needed to be reduced in size, the articles were still too long, they needed to be shortened so that the cadres, soldiers and people could easily receive them.
Immediately after talking with the cadres and soldiers of the Political Department, Military Command of Ha Tuyen province, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Van Duc brought the issue to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee. At the meeting, he directed and assigned comrades Dang Quang Tiet, Head of the Propaganda Department of Ha Tuyen Provincial Party Committee and comrade Phi Van Tuong, Editor-in-Chief of Ha Tuyen Newspaper to research and develop a small-sized Ha Tuyen newspaper publication to serve the front. Through the research and exchange process between the Propaganda Department and Ha Tuyen Newspaper, especially the role of Mr. Dang Quang Tiet and Mr. Phi Van Tuong; in April 1984, the "Ha Tuyen Front", a publication of Ha Tuyen Newspaper, was born with 8 small-sized pages, size 23 x 34 cm. The newspaper was published 3 times a month. The news content summarized the socio-economic situation in the rear, condensed to be very easy to read. At the same time, a large amount of information was devoted to the war situation at the front.
To promptly grasp information from the front, Ha Tuyen Newspaper sent a group of reporters to work at the Ha Giang front. The initial group of reporters included comrades: Phi Van Chien, Hong Quan, Duong Thi Phuc, Le Van Dang; followed by Chu Thai Tinh, Doan Thi Ky, Van Phat, Do Hung... Along with that, a number of artists of the Ha Tuyen Literature and Arts Association worked on the front, often providing information for Ha Tuyen Front Newspaper such as: Gia Dung, Phu Ninh...
Journalist Phi Van Chien, former reporter of Ha Tuyen Newspaper, recalled: During the war, everything was hard and difficult, including journalism. Working on a Ha Tuyen newspaper was hard, working on a Ha Tuyen Front newspaper was even harder for the cadres and staff of Ha Tuyen Newspaper. Back then, getting news and photos from the base and the front was very difficult, and the technology of printing and arranging lead type was very slow. Many cadres and staff of Ha Tuyen Newspaper still remember the image of Ha Tuyen Newspaper's office in 1984-1985, when the newspaper often turned on the generator, turned on the lights, drank strong tea, and worked hard all night long on the newspaper.
It is known to reporters that sending news articles from the front to the editorial office was difficult, sending photos was even more difficult, because the means of transportation were not like today, the film had to be sent by car to Tuyen Quang town (160 km away). For news and articles, they could be sent by post. Once, due to urgent news requirements, reporters had to directly send... coded signals. The signals to the editorial office were immediately translated by journalist Nguyen Trong Hung. That was possible because the two journalists Phi Van Chien and Nguyen Trong Hung were former war correspondents in the South. And until now, journalist Phi Van Chien still keeps the coded translations of some articles from that day.
The Ha Tuyen front since 1984 has been quite fierce. To serve the mission of propaganda and to encourage the fighting spirit of our army and people, every morning the Ha Tuyen Provincial Military Command maintains the provision of information on the war situation from 4am to reporters of press agencies. Not only domestic press such as Vietnam News Agency, People's Army, Nhan Dan Newspaper, Saigon Giai Phong..., many foreign reporters are also present at the Ha Tuyen front such as reporters from Cuba, Austria, Denmark..., all are very brave, ready to rush to the battlefield to hunt for news. Every morning there are only 15 minutes to provide information from hot spots and then orient reporters to go to the points and units. Colonel Nguyen Kim Chung said: Maintaining this type of information provision lasted until the end of 1985.
The newspaper “Ha Tuyen Front” was born with the aim of reaching out to the front, affirming the closeness, practicality and timely direction of the Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Van Duc. Not only understanding the information needs of the soldiers on the front, but also contributing to adding ideological and spiritual strength to the fight to protect the Fatherland's borders of our army and people. After being published, the newspaper “Ha Tuyen Front” was sent through channels such as the post office to the border districts to serve cadres, party members and people on the front line. Along with that, through the Military Post channel, the newspaper was sent to military units, all the way to the outposts.
Many officers and soldiers told us that the “Ha Tuyen Mat Tran” newspaper, when it reached the units, was welcomed by the officers and soldiers as a “specialty” on the front. Soldiers on the front line were very short of news and treasured it, while large-format newspapers could only reach large barracks, the “Ha Tuyen Mat Tran” newspaper could penetrate deep into the battlefield. Every time the newspaper arrived, officers and soldiers often passed the small-format “Ha Tuyen Mat Tran” newspaper around to read until it was torn and crumpled and unreadable. The newspaper was a spiritual encouragement for soldiers to hold their guns firmly, protecting the Fatherland.
Mr. Dang Quang Tiet, former Head of the Propaganda Department of the Ha Tuyen Provincial Party Committee, said: Based on the direction of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Board, directly by the Provincial Party Secretary, the Propaganda Department of the Provincial Party Committee has regularly coordinated with the Editorial Board of Ha Tuyen Newspaper to promptly provide orientations for the newspaper and for the team of reporters and editors. It must be affirmed that the "Ha Tuyen Front" newspaper was born and highly appreciated by readers, promptly orienting the ideology, motivating cadres and soldiers on the front, motivating cadres and people in the districts behind to compete in production, develop the economy to support the front.
During the period from 1984 to 1985, 72 issues of the newspaper “Ha Tuyen Front” were published and went to war, recording a heroic period of our army and people. Looking back over 40 years, the generation of journalists during the Ha Tuyen Front period is now in its twilight, most of them have retired, some have gone to the eternal world.
After 15 years of unification, at the end of 1991, Ha Tuyen province separated and re-established the two provinces of Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang. Accordingly, Ha Tuyen newspaper was separated into Ha Giang newspaper and Tuyen Quang newspaper to serve the political tasks of the two provinces. However, the "going to battle" spirit of Ha Tuyen Party journalists remained intact. "Ha Tuyen Front" is a beautiful memory of writers on the ideological and cultural front of the Party, a proud tradition of Ha Tuyen Party journalists.
Phuong Hoa - Huy Toan
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