Nguyen Thi Binh, Foreign Minister of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, signs the Paris Peace Accords at the international convention centre in Paris, France, on January 27, 1973. (Photo: VNA)TheTri - Thien Campaign to liberate Quang Tri in 1972 and the struggle that lastedfor 81 days and nights, from June 28 to September 16, 1972, to defend Quang TriAncient Citadel are among the many fights and places going down in the great nationalsafeguarding history.
Afterbeing defeated in the 1972 Tri - Thien Campaign, the US and its puppetadministration plotted to re-occupy Quang Tri Ancient Citadel to gain anadvantage in the negotiations at the Paris conference. Meanwhile, theVietnamese army and people stayed resolute to defend this citadel to add to victorieson other battlefields to force the US imperialists to sign the Paris Agreementon Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam.
Together with the fierce fight to protect Quang Tri Ancient Citadel in 1972,the Vietnamese army and people’s defeat of the US’s unprecedented strategic bombingsin December the same year to create the “Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu in the air”victory forced the US to sign the Paris Peace Accords on January 27, 1973.
Prof.Dr. Trinh Quang Phu, Director of the Oriental Research Development Instituteunder the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, said the ParisPeace Accords came as a result of the Vietnamese army and people’s struggles onbattlefields and the military - diplomacy excellent combination. The successfulsafeguarding of Quang Tri Ancient Citadel during the 81 days and nights helpedforce the enemy to sit down at the negotiating table to ink the Paris Agreementon Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam.
Morethan half a century has passed, the former battlefield of Quang Tri is now coveredwith rice paddy fields, industrial tree plantations, and forests. Residential areas,big roads, and modern sea and air ports have been being built in the areas oncewitnessing ferocious fights over 50 years ago. Local residents have also enjoyedbetter life quality with per capita income averaging 71 million VND (nearly2,900 USD) in 2023.
Nowadays,tourists come to Quang Tri to learn about, feel, and understand the pains ofwar and division nothing can compensate for that the nation suffered in thepast. Here, they can thoroughly grasp the passion for living, independence,freedom, and reunification of a nation that used to grapple with challenges andwars waged by the most powerful invaders throughout history to become fullyaware of the values of peace and development.
NguyenHuy Hung, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports andTourism, said Quang Tri is home to 501 historical and cultural relic sites, many of which are renowned among domestic and international visitors thanksto their historical significance. Such special national relic sites as QuangTri Ancient Citadel, Hien Luong Bridge and the Ben Hai River, Vinh Moc Tunnels,the tunnel village of Vinh Linh, the Truong Son national martyrs’ cemetery, andthe Road 9 national martyrs’ cemetery have made up the uniqueness andattractiveness of the system of local war relic sites.
Quang Tri could be considered the most vivid museum of revolutionary war relics,he said, noting that this is a basis for developing cultural and historicaltourism.
The provincial administration is set to organise the first Festival for Peacein July 2024 to honour the values of peace and call on all people to join handsin maintaining and building a life of peace, prosperity, and sustainability forQuang Tri, Vietnam, and humankind.
Itwill pay tribute to the heroes and soldiers laying down their lives for theimmortality of the Fatherland while commemorating war victims as well as warlosses and pains. It will also introduce tangible and intangible culturalvalues along with tourism products of Quang Tri to help attract domestic andinternational visitors, thus contributing to local socio-economicdevelopment./.
VNA
