On March 28, 1975, the Liberation Army's artillery fiercely bombarded the Da Nang military airport. Photo: VNA

Da Nang is the second largest city in the South with nearly 1 million people, belonging to Quang Da province; a large joint military base with 3 airports and 4 seaports, so it is considered an important link in the strategic clustering plan of the Saigon government and army.

The enemy organized the defense of Da Nang into two lines: the outer line had the Marine Division, the 3rd Infantry Division and a number of special forces and security units; the inner line was undertaken by the remaining forces of the 1st Division, a part of the 2nd Division and special forces and local military units. Although the enemy was numerous and defending at a modern joint naval-land-air base, they were surrounded and isolated, their command organization was in disarray, and the soldiers' morale was down. After our army completely liberated Hue city at noon on March 25, 1975, Nguyen Van Thieu declared that Da Nang would be "defended to the death" at all costs.

On our side, facing the extremely rapid developments on the battlefield, especially the victory in Tri-Thien, Nam Ngai, on March 25, 1975, the Politburo and the Central Military Commission decided to open the Quang Da Front to destroy the enemy troops concentrated in Quang Da, Da Nang city. On the same day, the General Command transmitted instructions to the main force of Military Region 5 to advance towards Da Nang, coordinate with the 2nd Corps to form a siege from many directions, attack Da Nang according to the enemy's retreat situation, with the motto "fastest, most timely, most daring, most surprising but sure to win", decided to concentrate forces to attack Da Nang.

By 3:00 p.m. on March 29, our army had taken over the entire Da Nang joint base and Son Tra peninsula; by 5:00 p.m., Da Nang city was completely liberated. The victory in Da Nang ended the victory of the Hue - Da Nang campaign.

The Hue - Da Nang campaign directly crushed the enemy's strategic regrouping plot, together with the Central Highlands campaign, decisively contributing to completely changing the strategic balance of forces, creating a leap in the war situation completely in our favor, accelerating the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign.

We destroyed a large enemy force in a short time. In just a short time, we destroyed many main enemy divisions, including many elite divisions such as the Marine Division, the 1st Infantry Division, the Air Force Division, eliminating 120,000 enemy soldiers from combat, disintegrating 137,000 civil defense forces; we captured 129 planes, 179 armored tanks, 327 artillery pieces, more than 1,100 military vehicles and boats...

***

The victory of the Campaign affirmed the acumen and ingenuity of the Politburo, the Central Military Commission, and the General Command in directing and operating the campaign, especially the art of creating and seizing opportunities. The Hue - Da Nang offensive was a wise, flexible, and timely change in our offensive direction, causing the enemy to collapse quickly. During the offensive, our army quickly cut Route 1, separating and isolating Hue and Da Nang, forming an encirclement and overwhelming attack with the combined strength of arms from many directions, not allowing the enemy to respond and retreat in time. The Hue - Da Nang offensive was also a combination of extremely close operations, the initiative and boldness of attacks when the opportunity arose by the army and people of the Tri - Thien Military Region, Military Region 5, Army Corps 2, and main force units stationed in the area. It was truly a strategic offensive of great significance in many aspects.

Liberation Army marching across Nguyen Tri Phuong Bridge, entering Da Nang, March 29, 1975. Photo: VNA archive

As one of the three major campaigns of the 1975 Spring General Offensive and Uprising, the Hue - Da Nang Campaign was not only a resounding military victory but also had decisive strategic significance, destroying the enemy's most solid defense line in the Central region, disintegrating the elite military force of the Saigon government. This victory paved the way for the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, accelerating the process of completely liberating the South.

H. Anh (synthesis)

Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/thang-loi-cua-chien-dich-hue-da-nang-buoc-ngoat-quyet-dinh-cho-chien-dich-ho-chi-minh-lich-su-14042025-a145167.html