February 1979 will always be remembered by each Vietnamese to honor and pay tribute to the people and military personnel who defended the country’s northern border and preserved the sovereignty established by their forefathers. 

The sacrificed soldiers' names were carved in the motherland. Photo: VNA

It’s been 45 years since they fought the northern invaders to protect the motherland, and the northern region is now peaceful and developed, covered in green, a color of harmony and growth. 

The Po Hen Monument alone in Hai Son Commune, Mong Cai City, the northern province of Quang Ninh, now honors 86 martyrs, according to  Lieutenant Colonel Dam Quang Do, the Po Hen Border Station.

According to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), in the Vi Xuyen battlefield alone in the northern province of Ha Giang, nearly 5,000 army officers and soldiers never returned home. It’s hard and so painful to count how many lives were lost fighting in large-scale attacks across six northern provinces of Vietnam: Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lang Son, and Quang Ninh. 

Vietnam is a peaceful country that always seeks to keep peace with other countries and the world’s advancement. However, the Vietnamese people always unite when external forces threaten their independence and sovereignty.

Veterans visit their comrades at Vi Xuyen National Cemetery on the occasion of the national war invalids and martyrs’ day 2023. Photo: Viet Van/Lao Dong Newspaper

They are highly encouraged to remain steadfast and to live up to the motto: “Determined to face death for the survival of the country” and to be willing to “save the last drop of blood to preserve the country.” China declared its troop withdrawal from Vietnamese territory on March 5, 1979.

With a tradition of benevolence and a desire to restore friendly relations between the two countries, Vietnam gave the armed forces and the people on the northern border front the order to cease all military operations so Chinese troops could return home. 

Hoang Thi Thue, the mother of Captain Pham Ngoc Yeng of the 3rd Division of the Vietnam People’s Army stationed in Dong Dang Town, Cao Loc District, the northern province of Lang Son, died eight years after her son lost his life on February 26, 1979.

The mother’s last wish was to bring her son’s remains back to their hometown. To fulfill her will, the martyr’s remains were brought to his hometown to be close to relatives, the VNA reported. 

Veteran Nguyen Van Kim and his comrades collect the remains of martyr Dinh Van Chung from Vi Xuyen battlefield. Photo: VNA

In another case, veteran Nguyen Van Kim and his comrades took the remains of martyr Dinh Van Chung from the Vi Xuyen battlefield to Thanh Thuy Martyr Cemetery in Ha Giang for commemoration.

Retrieving the remains of the fallen servicemen is one of the most important issues that the Party and State of Vietnam have prioritized, along with offering care and benefits to wounded officers and the families of the martyrs.  

Vietnam is good at paying tribute to people who have made sacrifices for the nation and, at the same time, educating the younger generations about their ancestors’ contributions. Shortly after the end of the war against American troops in 1975, the country set aside a day on July 27 to honor martyrs and the wounded soldiers. Still, keeping the sacrifice of those who defend the nation is a tradition passed down from generation to generation.

Vietnam and China are now neighbors with a comprehensive strategic partnership, making progress in bilateral relations, especially in trade, as China is Vietnam’s biggest trading partner with two-way trade reaching US$171 billion in 2023. 

Now that the country is on its growth path to becoming one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, no one of Vietnamese descent forgets that the peace they have today is the result of the sacrifice of many generations who fought for every inch of their homeland – Vietnam.

Prof. Vu Minh Giang, Deputy Head of the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences (VAHS), said people who sacrificed for the nation must be honored, the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reported.

Such precious sacrifice is a legacy for the Vietnamese people to hold their heads high in the national defense and construction to make this country better every day.