At the reception, two journalists who directly followed the troops to liberate Saigon on April 30, 1975, and who are also veteran photojournalists of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Tran Mai Huong and Dinh Quang Thanh, presented the National Archives Center III with nearly 100 photos, depicting different, diverse and rich scenes of our people's resistance war against the US to save the country.

More than 100 battlefield photos were presented to the National Archives Center III by VNA journalists and war correspondents. Photo: QL

The photos truly reflect the brutality of bombs and war, but above all, the patriotism, heroism, and determination to win of the Vietnamese army and people from the rear to the front.

Three veteran war correspondents of VNA (from left to right): Minh Dao, Tran Mai Huong, Dinh Quang Thanh. Photo: QL

Also at the reception, journalists Tran Mai Huong and Dinh Quang Thanh shared many touching stories about the process of working to take memorable photos of the great victory of the nation half a century ago.

Photo of tanks numbered 390 (left) and 843 at the Independence Palace yard on April 30, 1975. Photo: Dinh Quang Thanh

Journalist Dinh Quang Thanh said that by chance, while following the liberation troops, he had two large-sized maps of Saigon. Meanwhile, most of our troops entering Saigon only had small, indetailed maps. And one of those two maps was personally handed to Deputy Commander of Regiment 66, Division 304 Pham Xuan The before the march so that he could advance quickly and penetrate deeply, capturing targets in the city.

Photo series by journalist Tran Mai Huong taken of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign and April 30, 1975 at the Independence Palace. Photo: QL

Photo series of Ho Chi Minh Campaign and Saigon City on April 30, 1975 by reporter Dinh Quang Thanh

Journalist Tran Mai Huong, the author of the photo of our tank crashing into the gate of the Independence Palace at noon on April 30, 1975, said that this was the fourth tank in the first 6-tank spearhead group to occupy the Independence Palace. After half a century, he said that he had contacted the driver and that so far two soldiers on the tank had died. On this occasion, Mr. Tran Mai Huong presented the National Archives Center III with his memoirs as a war correspondent.

At the reception, reporter and journalist Ngo Minh Dao - a veteran reporter of VNA - a colleague of the two journalists was also present, attended and continued to present the center with valuable photos. This time, they were not just photos but portraits of war correspondents. This was like a gift from him to his fellow reporters on the occasion of the great day of the nation.

Journalist Dinh Quang Thanh introduces the famous photo of our troops capturing Tan Son Nhat airport. Photo: QL

According to Dr. Tran Viet Hoa, Director of National Archives Center III, along with the documents and photos being preserved at the center, the photographic works donated to the center by war journalists this time have a lot of meaning, contributing to clarifying and more fully many important events of the country, including the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign.