UNCLE HO IS WITH US FOREVER
A penmanship by Colonel NGUYEN VIET SON
People's Army Newspaper
In 1975, after the victory on April 30, the completion of the construction of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was a truly significant event that touched the hearts of the entire nation. Now, we know about the efforts to protect President Ho Chi Minh's body from the intense war years, from the day he passed away until his arrival at the Mausoleum. During the anxious six years (1969 - 1975), President Ho's body had to be moved five times to avoid enemy threats and natural disasters. Each relocation of President Ho's body safely was a great achievement of the officers and soldiers of Unit 69, the predecessor of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum High Command, entrusted by the Party and the people to preserve the priceless spiritual heritage of the nation. This was a special and confidential task, and amid all the worries of our military and people at that time, there was an unspoken concern: Where is President Ho Chi Minh, and is his body being safeguarded until the ultimate victory of the country?
In 1972, our Division 308 was fighting in Quang Tri. By the end of the year, the U.S. imperialists were still delaying the signing of the Paris Agreement to escalate the air war into the North. The news of the B-52 bombers dropping bombs on Hanoi made us extremely worried and uneasy. After a briefing on the military situation that day, we recorded the thoughts of many officers and soldiers in various units, many of whom were concerned about protecting President Ho's body in this decisive battle. In May 1975, shortly after the liberation of Saigon, I visited Minh Mang University dormitory to talk with students. Many students anxiously asked me, "Is President Ho Chi Minh's body being well-preserved? When will the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum be inaugurated?" I was surprised and asked, "Did you just find out about this, or have you known since before the liberation of Saigon?"
A quick-witted female student replied, "We've known for a long time. We often listen to Hanoi Radio secretly. We are looking forward to the day when the Mausoleum is completed, so we can go to Hanoi to meet President Ho." This made me understand even more the deep feelings of the youth and students in the South towards their beloved President Ho Chi Minh.
Finally, the long-awaited day for the whole country arrived. On August 29, 1975, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was inaugurated, adding a significant cultural monument to the thousand-year-old history of the civilized capital, Thang Long, Dong Do, Hanoi: the unique One Pillar Pagoda built during the flourishing period of Buddhism in the Ly dynasty. In front of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a scene never before seen in Vietnam unfolded - military honor guards dressed in solemn and beautiful uniforms, standing upright and marching with precision during the changing of the guard. Two soldiers, Nong Van Thanh and Nguyen Van Ri, were honored to stand as guards in front of the Mausoleum on the inauguration day. They stood solemnly, eyes straight ahead, holding their rifles firmly without a hint of movement. In front of them, people walked gently, like an endless stream flowing into the Mausoleum.
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I have had the opportunity to visit the Mausoleum or pass by its area several times. Whether meeting President Ho or just passing by the Mausoleum, upon seeing the lush green grass of Ba Dinh Square, my heart recalls the lyrics of a song by Vien Phuong:
"Every day the sun shines the Mausoleum,
Meeting another red sun inside.
People walk in deep remembrance,
Laying flowers for 79 springs."
There have been numerous works of poetry written about President Ho Chi Minh, each stemming from the deep emotions of artists who were fortunate enough to meet him or have not had the chance to experience that great joy. But at the resting place of President Ho Chi Minh, as a natural reflection, I always remember these verses because the poetic image of Vien Phuong is constantly happening before my eyes: People in colorful clothes moving and swirling around, like a garden of flowers, like a blooming flower. This scene has remained the same from the first day until today.
Right after President Ho's passing, even though the country was still engulfed in the fog of war, the decision to build the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and preserve President Ho's body became the earnest wish of our entire nation and army. People and soldiers nationwide wanted a final resting place for President Ho to partly reflect his contributions and great cause, allowing the present and future generations to come and visit him, pledging to continue the path chosen by the Party and President Ho Chi Minh. Our homeland was then divided into two regions. From the North to the South, everyone remembered President Ho Chi Minh with deep affection. During his revolutionary activities, President Ho had a great desire that remained unfulfilled - to return to Saigon and reunite with the beloved South. The South was always in President Ho's heart, and President Ho was always in the hearts of the people of the South. He said, "The people of the South, each family, each person has their own sorrows. All those sorrows combined are my pain." During the anti-American resistance, President Ho repeatedly proposed to the Political Bureau to arrange for him to visit and encourage our people and troops directly on the Southern front. But seeing that President Ho's health was not guaranteed, the Political Bureau tried every means to postpone that trip. In the spring of 1968, before comrade Le Duc Tho went to work in the South, he came to see President Ho. President Ho earnestly requested to visit the South. Comrade Le Duc Tho had to tactfully refuse, saying that President Ho could only go by air through Phnom Penh. In that case, President Ho needed a passport, and people could easily recognize him because of his beard. President Ho said, "Then shave the beard." Comrade Le Duc Tho replied, "If President Ho shaves the beard, the people in the South won't recognize him anymore." Hearing this, President Ho sat quietly, looking very sad. When parting, President Ho hugged comrade Le Duc Tho, and he couldn't hold back his tears. President Ho Chi Minh's journey to find the country's salvation began on June 05, 1911, aboard a merchant ship named Admiral Latouche Treville, departing from the Nha Rong Harbor. He traveled across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America, making significant contributions to the "global shock" - the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the hero of national liberation, and a world cultural figure. No one would have thought that this temporary departure was also the time President Ho bid farewell to Saigon, bidding farewell to the beloved South.
The decision of the Political Bureau to preserve President Ho Chi Minh's body intact and build the Mausoleum at that time was truly a great encouragement for the people in the South, for the whole nation. It transformed pain into strength, determined to "make the Americans leave, make the puppet forces collapse," and achieve complete victory to return to the Mausoleum and meet President Ho. What has happened at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in recent years has proven that the decision to preserve President Ho's body intact and build the Mausoleum was in line with the Party's intentions, resonated with the people's hearts, and was consistent with the traditions of human morality, remembering the roots of the Vietnamese nation. Until the end of December 2006, a total of 32,750,170 people had visited the Mausoleum, including 3,573,309 foreign visitors from 132 countries and 68 international organizations. The country's renewal process achieved important achievements, facilitating the people's travel, and international exchanges developed, resulting in an increasing number of domestic and foreign visitors to the Mausoleum in recent years. On these days, an average of 50 to 70 international delegations, along with thousands of our compatriots of all ages from all over the country, quietly and respectfully line up to visit the Mausoleum. Hanoi, with a history spanning thousands of years and many historical sites, has none that possesses the allure of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Many elderly people from remote rural areas, who have never set foot in the capital, have said to their descendants, "I wish to go to Hanoi to visit President Ho's Mausoleum." For foreigners, many share a common opinion: "If you haven't been to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, you haven't truly been to Hanoi." Even on the days when the Mausoleum is closed to the public (Mondays and Fridays), our compatriots, children, and foreign tourists still walk busy paths in the Mausoleum area to breathe in the fresh air, admire the scenery, and take commemorative photos.
The yellow notebooks kept by the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum High Command, stacked into a towering pile, have recorded the sincere and profound thoughts of the people, comrades, and citizens of all ethnic groups across the country, as well as friends from all continents in various languages: Slavic, Latin, sculpture, Sanskrit, and more.
The delegation of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, writes: "We are deeply touched to visit Uncle's Mausoleum. Uncle Ho forever lives in the hearts of the South People. The words here will stay forever in the hearts of the people of Ho Chi Minh City. Visiting Uncle's Mausoleum brings immense love for Uncle. We pledge to study and live by Uncle's example."
The Ethiopian delegation writes: "Visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, we have a deep impression: Ho Chi Minh is not only a great revolutionary figure of the Vietnamese people but also the hope of the African nations as well as other nations struggling to eradicate imperialism from their homelands."
The women's delegation from the United States writes: "We love Vietnam because it has Ho Chi Minh as a leader. His life is the most complete symbol of peace... We consider Ho Chi Minh as the leader of the progressive people of the United States.”
The sentiments of millions who visited Uncle Ho's Mausoleum could be compiled into many volumes. However, this is just a small part compared to the profound and sincere feelings for Uncle Ho, regardless of the changes in history and time.
Once, I met a delegation of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers from the Ca Mau Cape visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum. These mothers, all over 70 years old, traveled by car. Despite their middle age and the challenges of a cross-country trip by car, they preferred it over flying. When I asked why, one mother explained: "Traveling by car allows us to explore the country, and visiting Uncle Ho becomes more meaningful."
The eldest person in the group is Mother Nguyen Thi Thanh, who is 73 years old. She lost all of her three sons, who sacrificed in the war of nation liberation and independence. The losses were wordless to describe, making her appearance much older than her actual age. She is tall and slender, with a weary face, foggy hair, and pale skin. When asked, "How was your feelinhgs when visiting Uncle Ho?" her aged eyes instantly dimmed, and tears slowly trickled down her dark, wrinkled cheeks. After a moment, Mother Thanh managed to utter a few words: "Very sad, very touching... I wish Uncle was still alive to witness the reunification of the country, to visit our people in the South, our beloved homeland." Those were the only words Thanh's mother could muster. Her subsequent questions were met with two tears from a mother who had been withered by suffering, seemingly unable to cry again. Witnessing Thanh's mother's tears, my nose suddenly stung, even though I had previously heard many stories from the reception department about the Southern people's deep love for Uncle Ho.
Like dutiful children when their father passes away, the Southern delegations visiting Uncle Ho in the early days of the Mausoleum's opening had many touching moments. Stepping into the reception room, many were already shedding tears. When entering the Mausoleum, the tears flowed even more, and the emotional overflow continued until they left. This was from the South, far away, to Hanoi to meet Uncle Ho, standing by him without being able to clearly see the face of the venerable father.
A female officer from the Department of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs of Ca Mau province, who was responsible for leading the mothers, shared with me: "Taking on this task, I felt both happy and worried. Happy because it's my first time coming to the capital, visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum. Worried because these mothers are of advanced age, and the road is long and difficult, especially through the mountain pass. But luckily, except for an incident in Ho Chi Minh City, the mothers became healthier as we approached Hanoi. I, too, felt quite tired at times, but the mothers gathered to encourage me: 'Eat more so that when we reach Hanoi, we'll be strong and able to visit Uncle Ho right away.' During our conversation, the leader's eyes sparkled with joy and contained something strange that she hadn't fully understood but had made the Heroic Mothers of Ca Mau reach Hanoi safely and in good health.
People from various regions come here, with each different situation. Hundreds of individuals with hundreds of destinies, each expressing their deep reverence for Uncle Ho -holy yet unpretentious. Some examples are about to be told: Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lan, residing in Hai Phong city, has been visiting Uncle Ho three times a year on specific occasions: Lunar New Year, Uncle Ho's birthday on May 19, and Independence Day, which also was his death anniversary. She has become like a relative to the collective of officers and soldiers on duty, protecting and welcoming both domestic compatriots and international guests visiting Uncle Ho's mausoleum. Mrs. Lan's descendants and relatives frequently join her in these visits, sometimes in sizable groups of up to 50 people, filling a large living room. Mrs. Lan, a person with a unique personality, once shared, "I have no time for temples and pagodas. Going to the pagodas and temples is to worship saints and pray for blessings. Uncle Ho has already been a saint since he was alive, not only recognized by Vietnamese but also the international community. Visiting and worshipping Uncle Ho was enough, allowed our future generation stay focused, making sure they can reap what we sowed. My talk was simple, yet as genuine.
Mr. Do Viet An from Thai Binh, over a hundred years old, left a lasting impression on soldiers of President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum High Comamand. Known not only staying in the Mausoleum area but also at the guest house at 37 Hung Vuong and Quan Su Pagoda, many people recognized and served him enthusiastically. Given special incentives by the Department of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs of Thai Binh province due to his age, Mr. An could travel for free. Going to Ha Noi to visit Uncle Ho, he was allowed for free meals and free accomodations at Guest House 37 Hung Vuong, sometimes Quan Su Pagoda was his stop, living in the safe hands of Buddist. Despite his age, he regularly visited Uncle Ho's mausoleum every morning of September 3, since the afternoon of the 02, each member the Reception department reminded us: "Remember tomorrow morning to welcome Mr. An to the Mausoleum to visit Uncle Ho."
As the years pass, streams of people quietly walk into Uncle Ho's Mausoleum, imitating his example to find confidence, tranquility and serenity, to get a deeper comprehension of instrinsic values of life, to love what Uncle Ho loves, to refill the engergy, embarking on his continuous journey. This great activity is accompanied by various political events. Many new recruit units hold ceremonies before their departure, admission ceremonies for union and party members, and delegations from different agencies and enterprises, presenting their achievements at the Mausoleum. The sacred fire from here is transferred to ignite the martial spirit at national and local sports conferences. Even couples, when getting married, visit the Mausoleum to express their remembrance and understanding. Among these couples, one groom, Senior Lieutenant Pham Minh Thanh of the M25 Navy Military Group, postponed his wedding voluntarily as the Mausoleum was not open on their initially planned date, considering offering flowers to Uncle Ho a meaningful and essential task.
President Ho Chi Minh is a great leader of the Vietnamese people and a cherished friend of people worldwide. Alongside thousands of Vietnamese people visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum every day, numerous foreign delegations come to Vietnam, paying their respects to Uncle Ho from various countries. Members of the Reception Committee at the Mausoleum, regularly interacting with international guests, have shared many stories that showcase the kindness of friends worldwide, from heads of state to tourists, toward our beloved Uncle Ho.
A few years ago, a sizable group of French veterans visited Uncle Ho's Mausoleum during a holiday, attracting more than 30,000 people. Despite the harsh summer sun and hours of waiting, many in the group displayed remarkable calmness and patience. Apologizing for the delay, one veteran waved his hand and said, "It’s not your fault, the scorching sun in Vietnam is indeed a challenge, but I see a newfound appreciation. Watching the stream of Vietnamese people entering President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, I truly understand the profound admiration of the Vietnamese people for President Ho Chi Minh."
President of the Republic of Austria Franz KleinStift visited Uncle Ho's Mausoleum, seeing the people of all ages and genders come to visit the Great Leader, was deeply moved. The President proposed his desires to shake hands with the Vietnamese people who were visiting. Which words can accurately and fully describe the feelings of this head of state for President Ho Chi Minh?
People from over a hundred countries visit Uncle Ho's Mausoleum not out of curiosity or diplomatic gestures. These distant visitors had some knowledge of Uncle Ho, understood his biography and accomplishments to varying degrees, but all of them expressed deep respect for him through their attitudes, gestures, words, and various expressions of thoughts. There are speeches and meanings of people from different nationalities, at different times visiting Uncle Ho, separated by up to two years, but they are similar. This happened with a German journalist and a female official from Poland. Both guests did not use the word "visit" but the word "pay respects." They argued: To visit is to go to those who have died, to pay respects is to go to those who are alive. President Ho Chi Minh is a great person worthy of being listed among the immortals of humanity. Our guide added: When President Ho Chi Minh was alive, his working days were very tense. In old age, as health declined, between two receptions, he often kept his clothes on and rested for half an hour. His posture, his attire now in the Mausoleum, is modeled after those moments of rest. For us, he lives on, he is resting for a moment. Hearing this, the German guest and the Polish guest, at two different times, both said the same thing: "You are very intelligent, very worthy of being the descendants of President Ho Chi Minh." To earn the praise of the people and international friends, since Uncle Ho's departure, since the opening of the Mausoleum, the officers, soldiers, and those who are fortunate to be close to him have considered the task of preserving Uncle Ho's body, protecting the Mausoleum, and welcoming people to visit as a glorious mission entrusted by the Party, the State, and the people. They have devoted all their energy with the highest voluntary spirit, organizing and executing the work meticulously, accurately, and with the utmost care to preserve Uncle Ho's body. They consider it an invaluable spiritual asset of today and future generations.
