Vietnam Army History Museum

Located on Điện Biên Phủ Street, it was opened on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Army (22nd December 1959). It used to be the barracks of the French, which was upgraded to the current building of 2,000 m2 of exhibition space. Nearly 3,000 objects displayed here show visitors the establishment and development of the Việt Nam people’s armed forces. Besides a small section on the tradition of fighting foreign invaders of the Vietnamese feudal dynasties, the museum’s contents focus on the historical events relating to the history of Viet Nam People’s Army.

Vietnam Military History Museum

The collection includes the rudimentary weapons used by groups of national salvation soldiers set up during the pre-insurrection period, especially the Việt Nam Propagation and Liberation Brigade (founded on 22nd December 1944 which date is considered the date of establishment of the Việt Nam People’s Army). The first victories of this army made an important contribution to the establishment of the Việt Bắc Liberated Zone, the first model of a free Viet Nam.

The growth of the National Defense Army during the post August Revolution and of the Việt Nam People’s Army (the official name of Việt Nam’s Army since 1950) is represented with a number of memorabilia: weapons, maps, strategic decisions, site models of major attacks, especially those related to the Điện Biên Phủ Campaign. Objects and documents concerning the war against the American invaders are also on display in the museum. There are guns called Ngựa Trời (heaven horse), self-made hand grenades which were effectively used in the days of the 1960 general uprising. Visitors can see strong army units with tanks, heavy artillery which participated in the Spring Campaign of 1975 to liberate the South. Besides, there are photographs about major fights between Việt Nam’s military forces and the American army at Vạn Tường, Bình Giã, Khe Sanh, Southern Laos, and the “Dien Bien Phu in the sky” (in Hà Nội, late 1972), etc. The site model of the Hồ Chí Minh campaign is also provided.

Vietnam Army History Museum

There are many historical objects such as a pack- bicycle used during the Điện Biên Phủ campaign, MIG 19 and 21 jet-fighters, SAM 2 and 3 rockets which smashed the supremacy of the us Air Force, simple bamboo spikes, and the tank of the motorized army which rolled through Saigon on 30th April 1975.
The Army Museum manifests the Vietnamese people’s indomitability embodied in the phrase “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom.”

Hà Nội Past and Present Nguyen Vinh Phuc - The Gioi Publishers

Ba Dinh Square - Hanoi City

Ba Đình Square is the heart of Hà Nội as this place has witnessed the events of local or national significance. This area was formerly the site of the West Gale of the ancient Hà Nội Citadel. At the beginning of French domination, the colonialists destroyed the citadel and built a flower garden in this place which they called Puginier Ring. In 1945, it was renamed Ba Đình garden to remind people of a region where a rebellion against the French colonialists broke out from September 1886 to January 1887 in Thanh Hoá province.

Ba Dinh Square - Hanoi City

On 2nd September 1945, half a million people from Hà Nội and the adjacent areas poured into this Square to participate in the Nation’s Independence Proclaiming Ceremony. A platform was set up in the middle of the Square. Four sides of the platform had the trapezium shape, covered with red cloth, in the middle of which were tucked four relief yellow stars.

Right at 2 p.m, all the members of the Provisional Government were present on the plat-form. After the flag-salutation ceremony, President Hồ Chí Minh read the Declaration of Independence. All the participants were eager to listen to their leader’s speech. Then came the swear-in ceremony of the Provisional Government.

in front of the Square (the west side) stands the Mausoleum of President Hồ Chí Minh

After that, Minister of Internal Affairs Võ Nguyên Giáp talked about the domestic situation and the Government’s policies; Minister of Propagation Trần Huy Liệu reported to the Government on how King Bảo Đại handed over the Royal seal and sword to the representatives of the new Government.

He showed the people these objects symbolizing the power of the Nguyễn Dynasty; Mr. Nguyễn Lương Bằng, representative of the Việt Minh headquarters, talked about the people’s struggle and called on all social strata to bring into full play their solidarity and further develop the revolution. Finally, the meeting was turned into a march of demonstration along the streets.

On the 9th September 1969, seven days after President Hồ Chí Minh passed away, the memorial service in honour of the President was solemnly held also in this Square. One hundred thousand compatriots from the Capital and other provinces together with 34 international delegations took part in the service.

Today, in front of the Square (the west side) stands the Mausoleum of President Hồ Chí Minh. The present Square is 320m in length and 100m in width enough for 200,000 people to gather. The Square is, in fact, composed of 168 small squares of evergreen grass. In the middle of the Square there is a flag pole 30m high.
The Ba Đình Square has become a sacred place in Hà Nội.

Hà Nội Past and Present Nguyen Vinh Phuc - The Gioi Publishers