Truong Son range is likened to the backbone of the inseparableVietnam–Laos body. Among the mountains is Truong Son trail, better knownas Ho Chi Minh trail, which is a deep and evergreen manifestation ofthe fighting alliance and solidarity between the two countries. Aninsight by the Nhan Dan (People) online newspaper.
The name ofthe Ho Chi Minh trail, which runs through the Truong Son range, wasgiven by soldiers in several provinces of central and southeastinter-regions during the national resistance war against the Frenchcolonialists.
At first, it was a north-south communication routefollowing the primitive footpaths of ethnic minority groups living inTruong Son range. When the US imperialists conducted invasion war ofVietnam’s southern region, the Vietnamese Party directed the restorationand reinforcement of the route as a transportation system that suppliedmanpower and materiel to the southern battlefield.
A specialmilitary mission, known as Army Corps 559 – Truong Son soldiers, wasofficially established on May 19, 1959 to shoulder the task of openingthe route.
As the terrain of the mountain range’s eastern sidewas particularly rough and the area had been heavily raided by theenemy, a strategic transportation route was planned in the western sideof the mountain.
Under the motto of “split Truong Son mountainrange to save the nation” and "fight the enemy to travel, build roads toadvance” raised by the soldiers, the route was quickly lengthened toVietnam’s border areas with Laos’ Attapeu province and with Cambodia’snortheast area. It also went further to Vietnam’s Central Highlands andSoutheast regions.
The trail served as a strategic transportationroute to supply men and materials to the front line, contributing tothe victory of the Indochinese people.
Over one decade from itsoperation to the signing of the Paris Agreement in 1973, the trailsuffered nearly four million tonnes of bombs, which means that everykilometer of the trial incurred around 735 bombs in various types;millions of gallons of toxic chemical which exterminated to the everyroot of the forests; over 100 encroaching operations and more than 1,000raids conducted by the enemy.
The US Air Force launchedthousands of bombardments against 180 villages of Lao ethnic minoritygroups living along the trail, setting fire to 845 homes, killing 482people and injuring 344.
Not submitting the enemy’s brutalattacks, Lao ethnic people in 17 villages and districts along thestrategic transportation route in the western Truong Son were resilientto maintain the toehold, collaborate with Lao patriotic armed forces andVietnamese soldiers to fight against the air force, prevent the enemy’sencroaching and destructive operations and protect the trail.
AllVietnamese soldiers, youth volunteers and workers who directlyparticipated in making the trail and fighting in the western Truong Son,were sheltered and supported wholeheartedly as Lao people’s familymembers.
The strategic trail helped transport 1.5 million tonnesof goods, 5.5 million tonnes of petroleum, over 1.1 million officialsand soldiers and a large volume of modern weapons to the south andfronts.
For both countries’ people, it can be affirmed that thestrategic transportation route has been the way to the victory againstthe US imperialism to liberate the country.
The trail’sestablishment and development is a vivid symbol for the specialrelationship between Vietnam and Laos and for the unity of the threeIndochinese countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in the nationalsalvation fight against the US imperialism.
It was created onfirm natural socio-geographical factors and vital objective requirementsof the fight to protect independence and freedom, as well as tocontribute to national construction of each nation.
The legendarypath is resulted from a self-conscious revolutionary process in aprinciple of equality, solidarity, mutual interests and respect of eachother’s independence and sovereignty.
Vietnam is grateful the LaoPeople's Revolutionary Party and Lao people for the route maintenanceto help educate younger generations about history.-VNA
The name ofthe Ho Chi Minh trail, which runs through the Truong Son range, wasgiven by soldiers in several provinces of central and southeastinter-regions during the national resistance war against the Frenchcolonialists.
At first, it was a north-south communication routefollowing the primitive footpaths of ethnic minority groups living inTruong Son range. When the US imperialists conducted invasion war ofVietnam’s southern region, the Vietnamese Party directed the restorationand reinforcement of the route as a transportation system that suppliedmanpower and materiel to the southern battlefield.
A specialmilitary mission, known as Army Corps 559 – Truong Son soldiers, wasofficially established on May 19, 1959 to shoulder the task of openingthe route.
As the terrain of the mountain range’s eastern sidewas particularly rough and the area had been heavily raided by theenemy, a strategic transportation route was planned in the western sideof the mountain.
Under the motto of “split Truong Son mountainrange to save the nation” and "fight the enemy to travel, build roads toadvance” raised by the soldiers, the route was quickly lengthened toVietnam’s border areas with Laos’ Attapeu province and with Cambodia’snortheast area. It also went further to Vietnam’s Central Highlands andSoutheast regions.
The trail served as a strategic transportationroute to supply men and materials to the front line, contributing tothe victory of the Indochinese people.
Over one decade from itsoperation to the signing of the Paris Agreement in 1973, the trailsuffered nearly four million tonnes of bombs, which means that everykilometer of the trial incurred around 735 bombs in various types;millions of gallons of toxic chemical which exterminated to the everyroot of the forests; over 100 encroaching operations and more than 1,000raids conducted by the enemy.
The US Air Force launchedthousands of bombardments against 180 villages of Lao ethnic minoritygroups living along the trail, setting fire to 845 homes, killing 482people and injuring 344.
Not submitting the enemy’s brutalattacks, Lao ethnic people in 17 villages and districts along thestrategic transportation route in the western Truong Son were resilientto maintain the toehold, collaborate with Lao patriotic armed forces andVietnamese soldiers to fight against the air force, prevent the enemy’sencroaching and destructive operations and protect the trail.
AllVietnamese soldiers, youth volunteers and workers who directlyparticipated in making the trail and fighting in the western Truong Son,were sheltered and supported wholeheartedly as Lao people’s familymembers.
The strategic trail helped transport 1.5 million tonnesof goods, 5.5 million tonnes of petroleum, over 1.1 million officialsand soldiers and a large volume of modern weapons to the south andfronts.
For both countries’ people, it can be affirmed that thestrategic transportation route has been the way to the victory againstthe US imperialism to liberate the country.
The trail’sestablishment and development is a vivid symbol for the specialrelationship between Vietnam and Laos and for the unity of the threeIndochinese countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in the nationalsalvation fight against the US imperialism.
It was created onfirm natural socio-geographical factors and vital objective requirementsof the fight to protect independence and freedom, as well as tocontribute to national construction of each nation.
The legendarypath is resulted from a self-conscious revolutionary process in aprinciple of equality, solidarity, mutual interests and respect of eachother’s independence and sovereignty.
Vietnam is grateful the LaoPeople's Revolutionary Party and Lao people for the route maintenanceto help educate younger generations about history.-VNA
