(VOVworld) - Hanoi’s “Dien Bien Phu victory in the air” which defeated the US airforce 40 years ago has inspired composer Pham Tuyen to write a beautiful song praising the glorious victory. 40 years may have passed, but the song “Hanoi- Dien Bien Phu” in the air remains in the hearts of every Vietnamese person who remembers those 12 glorious days and nights.
Even though composer Pham Tuyen is now over 80 years old, his eyes sparkle and he gets excited when recalling the day he wrote the song “Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the air”. “On December 19, 1972, the US air force began bombing Hanoi. At 4 o’clock on the morning on the 19th, they bombed Me Tri and then on the 20th, they bombed the Bach Mai radio transmission station. My house was completely flattened by the bombing, my piano was destroyed and my books burnt”, said Pham Tuyen.
During those days, all of Hanoi was suffering from the constant bombing by wave after wave of US aircraft. Houses were destroyed and streets had disappeared but no one wanted to leave the capital. Composer Pham Tuyen said: “The Hanoians were very special. Even though thousands of houses were damaged and they were supposed to evacuate, no houses in Kham Thien street had locked doors, but people even cleaned their houses. Bach Mai hospital was in action despite being hit by the bombing. All these things happening inspired me to write the song.
Composer Pham Tuyen said that the Hanoiains were very brave and courageous despite the fierce US bombings. Although they were exhausted after many sleepless nights, they remained steadfast in the belief they would win and the song Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu was born in these circumstances. Tuyen said: “The military command was determined to resist the enemy as in the battle at Dien Bien Phu. When I heard the name Dien Bien Phu, I imagined a glorious victory. Then in the evening, I wrote the song Hanoi Dien Bien Phu in the air. The song was not soft, but strong and resolute to remind people that the Vietnamese people were determined to win. The song was first broadcast on the night of December 29, 1972. The song echoed throughout the city despite the tense situation. Our people in the south said that Hanoi sang while fighting and the US would be defeated. And yes, the US had to retreat the following day.
That broadcast on the night of December 29 moved the Vietnamese people and the song still lingers in the hearts of many generations of Vietnamese, especially those who experienced the war. Composer Thuy Kha was on the Quang Tri battlefield at the time. He said: “In those days, my house was in Ngoc Ha street. One of my friends told me that my house had caught fire after US bombing raid. When I heard Pham Tuyen’s song on Radio the Voice of Vietnam, my comrades and I were moved to tears. At that time, I felt that all my losses had been compensated for.
Reporter Nguyen Luu said that Saigon people, after listening to the song, believed that Hanoi would win through: “When I heard the song, I was very excited. I found that Hanoi was very optimistic and I was very proud of Vietnamese people.
And Hanoi beat the US bombing campaign in a heroic manner. Soon after, the US had to retreat, ending the bomb attacks in the north and sat down to the negotiations on January 27, 1973
Composer Pham Tuyen said that the strong belief that the Hanoiains would survive the US bombing inspired him to write the song Hanoi Dien Bien Phu in the air as well as the song “Like having Uncle Ho on the great victory day” marking Vietnam’s Reunification Day in 1975. Tuyen said that it’s composer’s duty to record history through music.
Mai Lan