On September 30, at the Vinh Loc Mau Than 1968 Civilian Worker Monument Site (Vinh Loc Commune, Ho Chi Minh City), the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized a scientific workshop "Historical Site of Vinh Loc Mau Than 1968 Civilian Worker Monument Site".
Clarifying the historical value of the relic site
Mr. Lam Thieu Ky - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Monuments Conservation Center said: The relic site is not only a place of remembrance and gratitude but also a vivid proof of the indomitable will and indomitable spirit of our army and people in the resistance war against foreign invaders. The relic site has great value in terms of history, culture, and revolutionary tradition education for today's and future generations.
The workshop was held to clarify the historical value, scientific significance and stature of the event; discuss the direction of preserving and promoting the value of the relic in contemporary life; propose a scientific basis to proceed to establish a dossier to rank the national relic for the Vinh Loc Mau Than 1968 Civilian Fire Line Relic Site, thereby preserving and promoting its proper stature.
Today’s peace is the result of the sweat, tears and blood of many generations of fathers and brothers. Among that class of ordinary people, there is a special force – the frontline laborers.
They were young men and women in their eighteens and twenties, directly serving in combat: transporting weapons, food, carrying wounded soldiers, clearing roads, providing communications... Without military ranks or modern weapons, they used only their strength and loyalty to contribute to the feats recorded in the nation's history.
For Vinh Loc land, the night of June 15, 1968 (May 20, Mau Than year) is forever a painful memory. At around 10:30 p.m., a group of 60 porters, while transporting wounded soldiers and ammunition, was discovered by the enemy and fiercely attacked at Bung Lang Sau.
The battle left 35 people dead and 28 injured, including 28 female laborers, most of whom were 17-20 years old. Some had just given birth and left their children behind to go on duty. The blood of the laborers on the frontline dyed the land red, leaving behind an inconsolable pain. But in that loss, the revolutionary spirit was further fostered.
Many young people in Vinh Loc, upon hearing the news of their comrades' sacrifice, immediately volunteered to follow in their fathers' footsteps in the following battles, contributing with the whole nation to the Great Victory of Spring 1975.
Immediately after the event, the people of Vinh Loc commune built a temple to worship the 32 laborers at Bung Lang Sau - the place where they fell. Since then, the 20th of the 5th lunar month every year has become a common death anniversary, a community ritual imbued with the morality of "when drinking water, remember its source".
In 2005, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee ranked the Mau Than 1968 Fireline Militia Relic Site as a city-level historical relic. In 2010, President Nguyen Minh Triet signed a decision to posthumously award the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces to the collective of 32 Vinh Loc Fireline Militia - a worthy recognition, honoring the immortal sacrifices.
The presence and contributions of delegates, witnesses and scientists at the workshop are important factors to clarify documents, consolidate the value of relics, and spread patriotism and national pride to the public.
At the workshop, scientists, experts, artists, officials of Vinh Loc commune through the periods, representatives of the young generation and especially historical witnesses, relatives of martyrs all emphasized the value and significance of the Vinh Loc Mau Than 1968 Fire Line Civilian Relic Site, thereby affirming that the relic deserves to be ranked as a National Historical Relic.
Continue writing the story of peace on the land of pain
Ms. Le Tu Cam, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Cultural Heritage Association, said that when recognized at the national level, the relic site needs to be invested in and upgraded accordingly, not just stopping at the memorial house but also building an additional relic exhibition house.
This exhibition does not simply list events, but creates a vivid space connecting the heroic past and the contemplative present, to continue writing the story of peace on this painful land.
According to the Chairman of the City's Cultural Heritage Association, digital technology can be applied to recreate the terrain and routes that the laborers once passed through, especially the fateful "white night" scene when the enemy dropped bombs and bullets on people in their eighteens and twenties who were struggling for their duty.
The remaining rare artifacts – each artifact is a story that will be introduced through explanations, through witness accounts, or staged into skits performed right in the exhibition space. “White Night of Vinh Loc” can therefore be recreated in many art forms, not just limited to museum language.
Having been attached to the Relic Site since the early days of making documentary films, writer Tram Huong was moved: "No one in Vinh Loc commune can forget the night of May 20.
It was a truly sleepless night, the sky was completely white. The people of Vinh Loc woke up in shock, no one could sleep, and no one had time to save their beloved children, sisters, and wives.
Looking towards the fire and the roar of the plane, they were heartbroken but helpless. The next morning, the old cows dragged behind them the great loss. The wildflowers – the youth of eighteen or twenty years old – were broken, leaving behind many unfinished dreams on the land of Vinh Loc.
If the event of ten young female volunteers at Dong Loc crossroads became a national tragedy, then right at the gateway to Saigon, 32 female ammunition carriers also sacrificed their lives in that fateful white night. Before falling, they clearly understood the uncertainties that could happen, but each flower still longed to spread its fragrance and color to life, contributing its strength to the day of victory.
"Returning to Vinh Loc to make the film, we realized that out of more than 1,000 households in the commune, more than 750 households are policy families. On this heroic land, right next to the city, people's lives still have many difficulties; 25% of households lack food, 15% are poor.
The wounds of war still smolder on the bodies of mothers and sisters. The 'White Night' of May 20, 1968 has become a collective death anniversary, for Vinh Loc people to remind their children and grandchildren not to forget: on every inch of their homeland, blood and sweat have mixed and soaked in", writer Tram Huong shared.
"Red address" educates revolutionary traditions for the young generation
Major General Pham Van Ram - Deputy Commander of the Ho Chi Minh City Command emphasized that throughout the revolution, the Ho Chi Minh City armed forces have always been loyal to the Party, closely attached to the people, and excellently completed all tasks.
In the cause of preserving and promoting the value of historical relics, especially the Vinh Loc Fire-Line Civilian Relic Site, the City's armed forces have been demonstrating a core role, worthy of the trust of the Party Committee, government and people.
Over the years, the armed forces have directly participated in the restoration, cleaning, and landscape care of the relic site; organized activities of "returning to the source", "lighting candles in gratitude", "remembering the source when drinking water", attracting thousands of cadres, soldiers and young people to come to commemorate and study. Thanks to that, Vinh Loc relic site has become a "red address" to educate the revolutionary tradition for the younger generation.
According to Major General Pham Van Ram, in the context of the country entering a new development stage, the preservation and promotion of the value of revolutionary relics, including Vinh Loc, needs to be carried out scientifically, persistently and effectively.
The City's armed forces will continue to do a good job in political and ideological education, promote gratitude activities, apply digital technology in explanation and display, strengthen military - people - government - business coordination to mobilize social resources, and link the promotion of relics with the building of an all-people national defense posture.
“The Vinh Loc Fire-front Civilian Relic Site will forever be a bright torch in the history of revolutionary struggle, a testament to the will and sacrifice of our people.
In the new journey, the Ho Chi Minh City armed forces are determined to promote the value of the relic through practical actions, preserve the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers, contribute to building a civilized, modern, affectionate city and a strong Vietnam," the Major General affirmed.
According to experts, if upgraded and properly invested, the relic site will become a heritage tourist destination connected to the Lang Le - Bau Co relic site (formerly Binh Chanh district, Ho Chi Minh City).
This will be a landmark in the cultural heritage map of Ho Chi Minh City – the city of heritage; an additional “testimony” to the map of American war destruction across the country; a visual historical education space for the younger generation and a place to experience the brutality of war and the indomitable will of the Vietnamese people.
In his closing speech, Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhat - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City emphasized that the workshop clarified the special historical and cultural value of the event "White Night of Mau Than 1968", affirming the patriotism and selfless sacrifice of 32 frontline workers in Vinh Loc commune.
The discussions also agreed to propose compiling a scientific dossier to submit to the competent authority to recognize the relic site as a national historical relic, while emphasizing the need to promote educational and communication values right now, without waiting for a ranking decision.
Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhat said that the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Center for Monument Conservation will coordinate with the locality, supplement documents, urgently prepare scientific dossiers, and strive to submit them to the City-level agencies before November 23, 2025 - the 85th anniversary of the Southern Uprising, and also the 20th anniversary of Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day, November 23.
"This will be a meaningful milestone to commemorate and show gratitude for the great sacrifices of 32 Vinh Loc frontline workers, a responsibility to history, and at the same time, close the year 2025 with many important national holidays with a specific and practical result," he emphasized.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/de-xuat-xep-hang-quoc-gia-khu-di-tich-dan-cong-hoa-tuyen-vinh-loc-171472.html
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