I have lived through heroic and tragic years...

I have lived through years of violence and trauma. — Author Tran Mai Huong signs books for readers.

On the afternoon of December 5, at the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the book launch ceremony of "Memoirs of a War Correspondent" by author Tran Mai Huong took place. The ceremony was even more meaningful as it was held in the context of the whole country preparing to celebrate the founding anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army on December 22.

Sharing at the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Duc Loi - Former General Director of VNA, Permanent Vice President of Vietnam Journalists Association said that this is a very valuable book for the public in general, journalists in particular, especially for young journalists - those who have never experienced the pain of war, have never been war reporters.

In the book, readers will feel the experiences of a war reporter in promptly bringing news, articles, and photos to readers, and partly understand the feelings of a reporter standing between life and death.

Despite falling bombs, falling bullets, exploding fireworks, and constant life-threatening dangers, reporters are still present at the front lines to promptly report news, articles, and photos so readers can grasp the situation.

Congratulating author Tran Mai Huong on his new brainchild, Mr. Nguyen Duc Loi recalled the memory of an occasion also at VNA, when the late journalist Do Phuong - Former General Director of VNA once said that Tran Mai Huong was a lucky man - when very few journalists had the opportunity to experience the most courageous moments, the most important turning points of the country.

Tran Mai Huong was present very early in the great war against the US to save the nation. He experienced the "Red Summer" of 1972 in Quang Tri; was one of the first journalists to enter Hue when the ancient capital was just liberated; was present in Da Nang when the second largest city in the South was just liberated; was present at the Independence Palace on the historic day of April 30, 1975; was present in Phnom Penh on January 7, 1979, when Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and Cambodian revolutionary army entered here, overthrowing the genocidal regime of Pol Pot; was present in Ha Giang , Cao Bang in the fight against the invading expansionist army.

"To have that luck, author Tran Mai Huong certainly received high appreciation from the leadership in terms of skills, qualifications, spirit and qualities," said Mr. Nguyen Duc Loi.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Su - Deputy Director of VNA shared that the book will help readers return to the war years with events and characters on extremely fierce fronts, helping readers better understand the passionate youth of the author herself and her colleagues at VNA.

Those war journalists contributed to the extremely fine tradition of VNA, contributing to building a humane Vietnamese revolutionary press rich in national tradition.

"Author Tran Mai Huong is a journalist who loves people and her profession. She is a senior leader of VNA, inspiring generations like us to continue and promote that fine tradition," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Su.

The book “Memoirs of a War Correspondent” is the author’s reflections on the journey of a person’s life through the harsh years of war and peace , the poems in the book are also the catalyst that helps the written pages to be more coherent. Perhaps what he experienced during the war later became valuable experiences that he could flexibly apply in the process of leading the agency later in his position as General Director of VNA.

Sharing at the ceremony, author Tran Mai Huong recalled: "I have lived through heroic and tragic years. I have witnessed historical moments and the immense sacrifices, sufferings and losses of people. Many of my colleagues have fallen on the battlefield, with cameras and weapons in hand, and unfinished news pages. That sacrifice is priceless.

As those who were lucky enough to return, the life in each of us is always heavy with the lives of many people who are no longer present. Therefore, how to live a worthy life, to live for the wishes of those who did not return, is always a big question for every person today.

Journalist Le Quoc Minh - Member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association wrote in the book's Introduction: "The Memoir is not only valuable to readers nationwide in general but also very valuable to us journalists in particular...

As the President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, I hope that every journalist will read “War Reporter” by veteran journalist Tran Mai Huong at least once. And I also hope that the book will be translated into many languages, so that friends from all over the world can better understand our beloved people and our beloved Fatherland."

Phan Hoa Giang

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