The exhibition entitled “Hanoi 1972 - Aspiration for Peace” has been opened at Hanoi Museum.

The cultural event is organized by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the victory "Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu in the Air" (December 1972- December 2022).

The delegates attended the opening ceremony of the “Hanoi 1972 - Aspiration for Peace” exhibition. Photo: Hanoi Museum

The exhibition features over 300 images, documents, and artifacts collected by the Hanoi Museum, local archives, and individuals.

It is divided into three parts, the first of which, entitled “The Silence Moment”, displays photographic materials about the preparations for the fight by the Hanoians, who built dugout shelters, set up artillery positions, and sent women, the elderly, and children to the safer place on the outskirts of the city.

The second thematic area, named “Confront”, depicts the fierce battle fought from December 18 to 29, 1972, while the last part of the exhibition, “Peace”, shows the pictures showing the efforts of the Hanoians to quickly restore production, rebuild houses, bringing the normal life back.

These children were standing on the ruins that used to be their home in Kham Thien Street, Hanoi, the days after December 29, 1972. File photo

According to Tran Thi Van Anh, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, despite having endured a lot of pain and losses, Hanoians have always been united and fought against the American invaders. The battle "Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu in the air" is considered a feat, an epic written by the brave.

“The victory of ‘Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu in the Air’ is a victory of justice, patriotism, and national pride of Hanoians in particular and Vietnamese people in general,” she said.

The “Dien Bien Phu in the Air” campaign was a defense operation launched by the Vietnam Air Force and ground-based air defense against US air raids with B52 bomber - the most modern aircraft of the time - in Hanoi and neighboring cities and provinces.

During the wintry days of late December 1972, the army and people of Hanoi shot down many US B-52 warplanes, winning a resounding victory. The Vietnamese Air Defense Force destroyed 81 aircraft, including 34 B52 bombers. The victory of the Hanoi troops and people forced the US to the negotiating table to sign the Paris Agreement in 1973 and withdraw from Vietnam.