Cuba leader Fidel Castro in the hearts of Quang Tri people

The trip from April 18, to be made at the invitation of President of the National Assembly of the People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández, takes place on the threshold of the 50th anniversary of Cuban leader Fidel Castro's visit to the liberated zone in South Vietnam, in Quang Tri province in September 1973 and 60 years since the establishment of the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam (September 25, 1963). Vietnam has always remembered Cuba's special solidarity and support for Vietnam during the most difficult years.

People were touched when listening to Fidel Castro’s speech

50 years ago, the liberated southern region of Quang Tri province was honoured to welcome Cuban leader Fidel Castro, the first foreign head of state to visit on September 14-15, 1973.

Although his stay was very short to ensure the absolute secrecy of the trip, Cuban President Fidel Castro has many memories of the heroic people of Quang Tri.

83-year-old Duong Tu Anh, former Secretary of the Cam Lo District Party Committee in May 1973, said that, at exactly 8 am on September 15, 1973, the Cuban delegation led by Fidel Castro together with Prime Minister Pham Van Dong from Dong Ha, reached Peak No.241 in Cam Thanh Commune, Cam Lo District. At that time, a large number of officials and people gathered on Hill 241 to welcome the delegation.

Armed forces and people in Quang Tri attend a meeting to welcome Cuban leader Fidel Castro. (File photo)

People in Quang Tri still remember vividly the image of Fidel Castro waving with both hands the traditional flag of the 304th Division on Peak 241, which is littered with the remains of US military tanks. He was the first foreign head of state to visit the liberated area of Quang Tri.

Wherever he went, the people of Quang Tri welcomed him warmly and cordially. He walked among the forest of flags and flowers and the resounding cheers of the people of Quang Tri.

In the morning meeting in the autumn of 1973 at Hill 241, Quang Tri's army and people on behalf of the whole South welcomed Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Prime Minister Pham Van Dong. Fidel expressed his pleasure to travel thousands of kilometres to visit the liberated southern region.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro visits the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam. (File photo)

His voice was moved: “The Cuban Party and Government delegation arrived in southern Vietnam on a beautiful day. The bright sunlight in the East illuminates the mountains and fields. The morning sun makes me think of the future of Vietnam as beautiful and radiant as today.”

President Fidel Castro gave a speech, the people burst into tears. It will forever be a beautiful image of the special friendship and comradeship between Vietnam and Cuba.

According to Duong Tu Anh, in the resistance war against the US, Cuba had always been at the forefront of the international movement in support of Vietnam, being the first country in the world to recognise the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam.

Duong Tu Anh visits Hill 241. (Photo: Lam Quang Huy)

Cuba is also the first country to send an ambassador to the liberated region of South Vietnam after the Paris Peace Accords on January 27, 1973; and also the first country to send a high-level delegation of the Party and Government led by Cuban leader Fidel Castro to visit the southern liberated region - where the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam was located.

The visit made by Cuban leader Fidel Castro held great significance not only in the friendship and history of the two countries' relations but also in international life and helped enhance Vietnam's revolutionary status, to continue to win the final victory, bringing Vietnam to peace, reunification and independence.

After visiting Peak 241, the delegation visited and worked with the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, at its headquarters in Cam Lo Town, Cam Lo District.

Defence Minister Lieutenant General Tran Nam Trung and Deputy Foreign Minister Hoang Bich Son of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam and Secretary of the Quang Tri Provincial Party Committee Ho Sy Than received and worked with the delegation.

On the afternoon of September 15, 1973, the delegation left the headquarters in the direction of National Highway No.9 to Dong Ha, along Highway No.1 to the Doc Mieu base of Gio Linh District.

Outstanding female sniper honoured to shake hands with Fidel Castro

Ms. Hoang Thi Cham, 74 years old, a former guerrilla in Xuan Long Village, Trung Hai Commune, Gio Linh District always cherishes a priceless memorabilia picture, when she shook hands with Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Despite her age, when talking about the moment when the Cuban leader visited the liberated area of Quang Tri, she seemed to relive her 24 years old.

Hoang Thi Cham is proud of the moment when she shook hands with Cuban leader Fidel Castro. (Photo: Lam Quang Huy)

At that time, Cham was a famous brave guerrilla of Trung Hai Commune, a commune located close to the south bank of Ben Hai River and Doc Mieu hill, an important US military base built on the McNamara electronic fence, to prevent blocking the support of the northern rear for the southern front, in the struggle for national reunification.

Her daily mission is to snipe enemy forces at Doc Mieu base. She was such a good sniper that the name Hoang Thi Cham was always a nightmare and a fear of the US army from the Doc Mieu base.

She recalled, one day near the middle of September 1973, she received information about preparing to go on a business trip. She was happy as her superiors let her go to school because at that time Gio Linh District had just been liberated for a year.

So, her mother gave her a beautiful black silk dress to wear on a business trip. On the evening of September 14, 1973, when her superiors were informed urgently, in the morning, she should gather at Doc Mieu base and on the morning of September 15, 1973, wait for the Cuban delegation.

Her heart was extremely happy when her homeland was liberated, and now she was able to go on a business trip away from home for the first time. That day, 4 people in Trung Giang commune were invited to gather at Doc Mieu to go on a business trip, seeing that all of them were excellent guerrillas, she was even more proud.

Waiting until afternoon, not seeing a car to take them to work, so everyone was restless. The person in charge told them to stay and wait for a short time before leaving.

“It was so surprising and happy when I was informed that in 30 minutes, we would have a chance to welcome Cuban leader Fidel Castro. For a long time now through newspapers and radio, I have known that Cuba, especially Fidel Castro, has always supported the Vietnamese people, and now he is present in the land of Quang Tri. We are all happy and proud”, Cham recalls.

The Communist Party and Cuban Revolutionary Government delegation led by Cuban leader Fidel Castro visited the southern liberated area in Quang Tri, after visiting Dong Ha, Peak 241, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam at Cam Lo, around 13:00 on September 15, 1973, the delegation visited Doc Mieu.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro shakes hands to congratulate outstanding female guerrilla Hoang Thi Cham at Doc Mieu base, Gio Linh District. (File photo)

Cham saw the tall and majestic Fidel Castro coming to shake hands with outstanding guerrillas who were welcoming him and the delegation. He shook hands with everyone at that time, the moment he shook her hand, he stopped to look closely at her full of respect because the image of a girl in her 20s who was very brave and resilient, made him admire her.

She recalled Fidel Castro's hand holding hers very warmly, his eyes were confident and burning like a message and gave more strength to her and those present that day were not afraid to sacrifice, determined to fight to liberate the homeland and the country.

Then Fidel Castro crossed a distance of more than a hundred metres at Doc Mieu Hill to check and witness with his own eyes an important US military base that was still full of bombs and bullets. At about 2 p.m. on the afternoon of September 15, 1973, Fidel Castro and the delegation left and headed to the North.

These days, Cham always looked at the photo capturing the moment when she shook hands with Cuban leader Fidel Castro as if she wanted to thank him and Cuba many times.

Young people today, not only around Xuan Long Village, Trung Hai Commune but also many other localities come to her house to hear her tell the story of 50 years ago when the Cuban brothers enthusiastically helped Vietnam fight for national independence and reunification.

First aid for Vinh Linh teenagers

After President Fidel Castro left the location of Doc Mieu Hill in Gio Linh District, at 2:06 pm, the delegation's car stopped on the north bank of the Ben Hai River to listen to a report on the case of 3 teenagers in Vinh Thanh Commune (Hien Thanh today) was injured on the side of the road, due to being hit by landmines, including one who was seriously injured in the abdomen, later identified as Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong.

Nguyen Thi Huong was asked by Cuban leader Fidel Castro to give first aid to doctors of the Cuban delegation after being hit by a bomb, that exploded on September 15, 1973. (Photo: Lam Quang Huy)

Huong, 67 years old now, is living with her husband and children in Quarter 4, Ward 1, Dong Ha City. She recalled that 50 years ago, on the afternoon of September 15, 1973, at the northern position, close to the banks of the Ben Hai River, at that time, she and the young people were hoeing the roadside when they encountered a bomb, that exploded, so they were seriously injured. Then she tried to get up, clutched her stomach, ran a few steps up Highway 1A and fainted, lying on the side of the road. Everyone looked for a hammock to prepare her to go to the emergency room.

Just then, a convoy of cars from the south bank crossed the Ben Hai River by pontoon bridge, saw the accident, and stopped. Later, Ms. Huong was honoured to know that it was the car convoy of Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Prime Minister Pham Van Dong from Doc Mieu, just visiting the liberated southern region in Quang Tri.

The accident caused Huong's intestines to be cut into 8 segments, ruptured the aorta and many other serious injuries.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro's doctor during that visit, Mr. José Miguel Miyar Barruecos, recounted that Fidel Castro immediately asked the medical team of the delegation to find ways to get Huong to an emergency room and used the car of the delegation to transport her to Vinh Linh hospital in time.

On the evening of September 15, 1973, the medical force of the delegation continued to go to Quang Binh to report fully on the emergency of injured teenagers to Fidel Castro and Prime Minister Pham Van Dong.

Nearly a month later, Huong's health gradually recovered and was discharged from the hospital. Sometime later, Ms. Huong received an invitation to the Commune Committee to receive gifts. She couldn't believe her eyes because it was a gift from Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Later, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Dinh Bin said that while he was an officer of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba, he was assigned by Ambassador Ha Van Lau the responsibility of personally wrapping Fidel Castro’s gifts to Huong.

In the following years, many Cuban delegations visited Vietnam and Vinh Linh. They all came to meet, give gifts and take photos of the injured teenagers and then reported to Fidel Castro. Whenever she had a chance, Huong sent dry pepper, a speciality of Quang Tri to Fidel.