Proud of the News Agency's photographers accompanying the nation's history

With a large team of photojournalists working in fierce battlefields and historical events, generations of VNA journalists have left behind an invaluable photographic treasure for revolutionary journalism.

During the 80 years of establishment and development, generations of cadres and reporters of Vietnam News Agency (VNA) have been present in all battlefields and in the most dangerous places, recording historical moments, condemning war crimes, and reflecting the heroic fight of our army and people to gain independence and freedom for the nation.

In particular, with a large team of photojournalists working in fierce battlefields and important historical events of the nation... generations of VNA journalists have left behind a priceless photographic treasure for Vietnam's revolutionary journalism, as well as the art of Vietnamese photography.

Among them, many authors and works were honored with the Ho Chi Minh Prize and the State Prize for Literature and Arts. Those awards have become a source of honor and pride for generations of VNA staff and reporters.

Prestigious awards

During the days when VNA was bustling with activities to celebrate the 80th anniversary of its tradition, battlefield journalists and relatives of VNA journalists and martyrs presented the agency with many valuable artifacts, including photo books and precious documentaries about photos that won the Ho Chi Minh Prize and the State Prize for Literature and Arts, photos that brought honor and pride not only to the authors, but also to their families, hometowns and to VNA.

At the artifact presentation ceremony, journalist Chu Chi Thanh shared that he was very honored, proud and grateful to VNA for creating conditions and giving him the opportunity to work, to receive two noble awards, the Ho Chi Minh Award and the State Award.

At the awarding ceremony, Deputy General Director of VNA Nguyen Thi Su emphasized that this is a meaningful and touching event in the series of activities celebrating the 80th anniversary of VNA's tradition.

These documents will be carefully kept and preserved in the traditional room and national photo archive, while continuing to promote the value of valuable photos and documents to effectively serve the information and propaganda work as well as traditional education of VNA and the country.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Su, member of the Party Standing Committee and Deputy General Director of VNA, received the artifact from journalist Chu Chi Thanh. (Photo: Le Dong/VNA)

Since the first Ho Chi Minh Prize and State Prize for Literature and Arts in 1996, to the most recent awarding ceremony in 2022, through 6 awarding ceremonies, VNA has been honored with 19 authors, with 4 Ho Chi Minh Prizes and 18 State Prizes for Literature and Arts in the field of photography. Among them, journalist - martyr Luong Nghia Dung, late photographer Vo An Khanh and journalist Chu Chi Thanh were honored to receive both awards.

This is a noble award from the Party, State and people for VNA, for the agency's photographers and brave journalists who have accompanied the nation in historic moments, contributing to the cause of national liberation, national reunification, construction and defense of the Fatherland. At the same time, it is a source of pride and great honor for generations of reporters, editors, officials and workers of VNA.

Four authors received the Ho Chi Minh Prize, including: Journalist Lam Hong Long with the works “Uncle Ho sets the rhythm of the song of solidarity” and “Mother and child on the day of meeting,” awarded in 1996; Journalist Luong Nghia Dung with the photo series “Leftover moments” consisting of 5 photos, awarded in 2017; Journalist Chu Chi Thanh with the photo series “Two soldiers” consisting of 4 photos, awarded in 2022; Journalist Vo An Khanh with the photo series “Heroic-Indomitable-Loyal-Capable” consisting of 10 photos, awarded in 2022.

18 authors received the State Prize, including: Journalist Van Bao with the work “From the ‘thunder god’ down to the buffalo cart,” awarded in 2007; Journalist Vu Dinh Hong with two works: “Uncle Ho visits the anti-aircraft artillery unit protecting the Capital on combat duty” and “Uncle Ho with the heroic emulation soldiers of the armed forces of the Southern Liberation Army visiting the North,” awarded in 2007.

Journalist Vo An Khanh with works: "Launching grenades into enemy posts, a unique invention of people's war," "Tens of thousands of people from the three communes of Tran Thoi, Phu My, and Tan Hung Dong demonstrated and marched in support of the 8-point declaration with goodwill for peace of the delegation at the Paris talks" and "Field Military Medical Station," awarded in 2007.

Journalist Luong Nghia Dung with the work “Artillery Battle at Doc Mieu,” awarded in 2007; Journalist Vu Tao with the work “Hien Ngang,” awarded in 2007; Journalist Tran Binh Khuol with the works: “Attack on Cai Keo post, Dam Doi district, Ca Mau ” and “Ca Mau guerrillas towed artillery to attack and occupy Cai Keo base of the South Vietnamese Army in 1965,” awarded in 2007.

Journalist Duong Thanh Phong with works “Happiness in the harshness of war,” “Carrying a house back to the old village,” “Guerrillas in camouflaged straw approaching the enemy” and “Saigon soldiers panicking and taking off their military uniforms and fleeing on April 30, 1975,” awarded in 2007; Journalist Hoang Van Sac with works “The road to the frontline” and “The 10-girl squad at Dong Loc crossroads,” awarded in 2007.

Journalist Le Minh Truong with the work “Splitting Truong Son to save the country,” awarded in 2007; Journalist Dinh Ngoc Thong with the work “Soldiers at the Dien Bien Phu front read letters from home in the trenches,” awarded in 2007.

Journalist Chu Chi Thanh with the photo series “Returning from the dark prison in victory” including 4 photos: “Welcoming the victorious soldiers back with choking emotions”, “Happiness of the victors”, “Escape from prison” and “First steps in the liberated zone”, award in 2012.

Journalist Hua Kiem with the 5-photo series “Route 20 - Determined to Win” won the 2017 award; Journalist Lam Tan Tai with the 5 photos: “Engineers open the Truong Son road for vehicles to pass,” “Crossing Truong Son,” “Saigon Special Forces,” “1973 Paris Agreement, US withdrawal” and “Speeding towards Saigon,” won the 2017 award.

Journalist Nguyen Huu Loc with the photo series “Northern women in the resistance war against the US to save the country,” including 8 photos, awarded in 2022; Journalist Pham Van Thinh with the works “Human bridge” and “On the Tay Ninh steel belt,” awarded in 2022; Journalist Dinh Quang Thanh with the photo series “The enemy destroys, we just keep going” including 5 photos, awarded in 2022; Journalist Tran Van Tuan with the photo series “The rare simplicity of a great man” including 8 photos, awarded in 2022; Journalist Nguyen Dang with the photo series “Southern region - The homeland's citadel” including 10 photos, awarded in 2022.

The "golden moments" of national history

Of the 22 awards given out over six rounds, most of the honored works were made during the resistance war against the US to save the country, demonstrating the bravery and sacrifice of VNA journalists and soldiers. Each work is a “golden moment,” a vivid and meaningful historical story told through images.

That is the photo “Uncle Ho leading the rhythm of the song “Solidarity” by journalist Lam Hong Long, taken on the evening of September 3, 1960 at the mass art program to welcome the Third National Party Congress (held at Bach Thao Park, Hanoi). That evening, Uncle Ho suddenly stepped onto the conductor’s podium, holding the baton in his hand to conduct the orchestra to perform the song “Solidarity.” Journalist Lam Hong Long “captured” the exact moment when Uncle Ho held the baton and conducted the orchestra with a leisurely, composed demeanor, with skillful and very professional movements.

Author Lam Hong Long with the work "Uncle Ho sets the rhythm of the song of solidarity." (Photo: VNA)

That is journalist and martyr Luong Nghia Dung, with his fiery, heroic photos, soaked with sweat, tears and blood of both the person in the photo and the person holding the camera. The work "Artillery Battle at Doc Mieu" with the scene of artillery exploding continuously, sand, trees and leaves flying up like a tornado of fire; or the photo "Capturing Base 365" with the image of three soldiers rushing to the bunker door in the thick smoke of bullets... depicts the tragic, fierce and terrifying moments on the battlefields, and also shows the dedication of journalists in capturing authentic images of war.

That was also journalist and soldier Hoang Van Sac with his lifetime photo of "The 10-girl squad at Dong Loc crossroads." The photo was taken at the exact moment when 12 girls were filling in bomb craters, the afternoon sun still shimmering above their heads. Just one week after the photo was taken, 10 of the 12 girls of Squad 4 heroically sacrificed themselves at this fiery coordinate (April 24, 1968). And the photo of journalist Hoang Van Sac has become immortal.

Ms. Hoang Thi Mai Huong, daughter of photographer Hoang Van Sac, shared that she heard her father talk a lot about that special photo, about his admiration for the efforts of the female youth volunteers in filling bomb craters, clearing roads for vehicles to the front line, and then he was shocked and saddened when he heard the news of their sacrifice...

Meanwhile, journalist Vo An Khanh left an impression on the public with his photographic works depicting the image of brave female soldiers, possessing the heroic qualities of Vietnamese women, worthy of the eight golden words "Heroic - Indomitable - Loyal - Responsible" that Uncle Ho bestowed upon them.

Among the works awarded by journalist Chu Chi Thanh, the photo work "Two soldiers" on two sides of the front line, with the Liberation Army soldier Nguyen Huy Tao, a Hanoian, and the Republic soldier Bui Trong Nghia, a Saigonan, putting their arms around each other in a friendly and cheerful manner, left many emotions in the hearts of the public, bearing a historical mark, reflecting the desire for peace and national reconciliation in a typical situation.

Journalist Chu Chi Thanh shared that he had lived under the bombs and bullets of 12 days and nights of American B52 bombing in Kham Thien, and had almost died many times in B52 bombing raids in Vinh Linh, Vinh Thuy, Quang Tri... and had witnessed with his own eyes the countless brutalities of war.

That is why, when he saw the image of two soldiers on opposite sides of the front line - people who yesterday might have been holding guns and pointing them at each other, but today were standing with their arms around each other's shoulders, chatting happily and affectionately like family... it really moved him. And at that moment, he believed that the desire to live in peace was the wish of everyone.

According to journalist Chu Chi Thanh, all the photographic works of VNA journalists are associated with the history of the Vietnamese revolutionary war. Many of them have historical and informational value and are imbued with humanistic values. We are proud of the VNA photographers, because they are also soldiers on the information and propaganda front, wherever the tension, danger and fiercest places are, VNA reporters are present.

They are patriotic journalists and photographers who are not afraid of hardships and sacrifices for the cause of fighting to protect the country. And the Ho Chi Minh Awards and the State Awards for photography have partly demonstrated the position of press photography in people's lives and in the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Su, member of the Party Standing Committee and Deputy General Director of VNA, took a souvenir photo with veteran reporters and relatives of the person who donated the artifact. (Photo: Le Dong/VNA)

Deputy General Director of VNA Nguyen Thi Su affirmed: Achieving these prestigious awards is first of all the great achievement and honor of the individual authors and news journalists who bravely devoted themselves to working hard on the battlefields; at the same time, it is also the recognition and high appreciation of the Party and State for the role and contribution of VNA in particular and the Vietnamese revolutionary press in general, to the cause of fighting for national independence and reunification.

Although many years have passed, the photos still bring special emotions, reviving historical moments and important events of the whole nation, helping viewers feel and understand the fierceness and pain caused by war, the brave spirit, determination to fight and win, or the joy of victory on the day of return...

“Generations of war correspondents are always a source of pride and shining examples, passing on the flame of enthusiasm, dedication and valuable working experience to generations of news reporters today and tomorrow,” VNA Deputy General Director Nguyen Thi Su emphasized./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/tu-hao-nhung-nha-bao-nhiep-anh-thong-tan-dong-hanh-cung-lich-su-dan-toc-post1061820.vnp