Raymond Dien, born in 1929, bravely lay in front of a weapon-loaded train en route to Vietnam on February 23, 1950 at a railway station near Tours city, in order to ask the French Government to stop the war in Indochina, withdraw expeditionary forces and recognise Vietnam’s independence and freedom.
Despite her old age, she still remembered the first time she met Uncle Ho, on October 23, 1956. In a ceremony held by the Vietnamese Embasssy in France on April 27 to mark the 40th anniversary of Southern Liberation and National Unification, she looked radiant while meeting with Vietnamese friends again.
She said that she will always hold and cherish the gifts from Uncle Ho, including an ivory bracelet and a Modova watch inscribed with the President’s image. She recalled an unforgettable memory: on May 13, 1950 as she was being detained by authorities for opposing the war in Vietnam, she received President Ho Chi Minh’s picture on her 21st birthday.
She was deeply moved as she recalled Uncle Ho’s inscription, which was repeated by her daughter, Catherine: “Vietnam’s biggest wish is to follow the 1789 French Revolution in a spirit of resistance and liberation”.
For her, President Ho Chi Minh is unpretentious, philosophical and imbued with humanism. For Vietnam, she readily dedicated her youth to support the country and still looks towards the country now. She said with her hand on chest: “My heart always goes out to Uncle Ho and the Vietnamese people. I am Uncle Ho’s relative”.
Uncle Ho’s salvation journey was known by French generations as Vietnam’s aspiration for a new era of national independence and socialism.
Helene Luc, Honourary President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Association always grants her enthusiastic support to Vietnam. During negotiations for the Paris Accords from 1968 to 1973, she and her husband wholeheartedly helped the delegation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
Our generation considers President Ho Chi Minh a symbol of freedom, peace and the will of a nation rising for freedom and independence, Luc said.
“As Vietnam celebrates great events this year, including the 40th anniversary of Southern Liberation and National Unification, the 125th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh and the 70th anniversary of the National Day, we all remember older generations bravely firighting for Vietnam’s peace. We all know that in his life, Uncle Ho dreamt of independence for the nation and happiness for the people. President Ho Chi Minh is recognised and admired all over the world”, Luc added.
In March, Le Monde published a book titled “Ho Chi Minh – Character Reclaims Independence for Vietnam”, the 11th volume among a 20-volume historical book series titled “Individuals Change the World”. As noted in the book’s introduction “Ho Chi Minh: Liberator, Guide, Monument” by Jean Claude Pomonti, who spent over 20 years in the Southeast Asia, French friends always sing the song ‘Nhu co Bac Ho trong ngay vui dai thang’ (Like having Uncle Ho on the great victory day) with Vietnamese people, Luc said.
Montreau Park in Montreuil City near Paris is the only place in France with a monument of President Ho Chi Minh. There is also a museum preserving artifacts related to Uncle Ho’s stay in France, including his French Communist Party member card, the wooden door and the signboard of the house No. 9 Compoint Lane at which Uncle Ho stayed from 1921 to 1923.
Gilbert Soulle, the museum’s former director, has admired President Ho Chi Minh since he was young. He joined matches supporting Vietnamese people during the war against American imperialism and made great efforts to collect artifacts and documents for the ‘Ho Chi Minh Space’ in the museum when it was established.
“President Ho Chi Minh’s life is an example for oppressed peoples. Learning about President Ho Chi Minh also interests me as he is a great man but simple and unpretentious, spending his whole life fighting for the independence and happiness of Vietnamese people. Like many other French people, I have a high regard for President Ho Chi Minh. When people visited the museum, I was proud to introduce the President to the visitor, a character in history with great thoughts greatly impacting the world. We always appreciate the documents and artifacts about Uncle Ho and display them in order to help visitors understand how the President lived and worked in France. He established the France-Vietnam friendship and his image as a hero for national liberation and a cultural celebrity of Vietnam will be in our hearts forever”, Soulle said.
Though time flies, memories and images of President Ho Chi Minh are still remembered by French friends’. His patriotism, aspiration for independence, freedom and love for peace have won French people’s admiration, which was proved by Raymond Dien’s words, that they would forever remember the man with a burning desire to find a way to save the nation and reclaim independence and peace for Vietnamese people.
