North Vietnamese military songs
About this recording
- Creator
- Kristin Post
- Date created
- January 22, 2001
- Duration
- 3:15
- Location
- Cat Ba island, Vietnam
- File
- MP3
- License
- This recording copyright ©2001. Terms of use
Related media
Learn more
- Search LEARN NC for army, Asia, bays, Cat Ba, caves, Communism, Halong Bay, heroes, hospitals, islands, language, limestone, military, military song, nationalism, singing, songs, Southeast Asia, tourism, Vietnam, Vietnam War, Vietnamese, and war.
In the classroom
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Cat Ba island is the largest island in Halong Bay, in northern Vietnam. With its famous beautiful limestone outcroppings and sapphire blue waters, Halong Bay is a popular destination for tourists.
It is also a point of pride for the Vietnamese. They tell a myth about the origins of the limestone islands. In ancient times, when they were fighting against enemies from the North, the gods sent a family of dragons to their aid. The dragons descended to earth in the location of Halong Bay. Upon hitting the sea, they spit out jewels and jade that became the islands that have provided refuge for the Vietnamese to seek safety from dangerous storms, and from foreign invaders, like the Chinese, the French, and the Americans.
The limestone caves in Halong Bay provided refuge for the north Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. A tour will take you to several of these caves, including one that had been converted into a hospital, and another that held prisoners of war. Neither cave appears as it did at that time, there are no artifacts or war relics to see.
In this excerpt, the group is in the hospital cave, where we were joined by a former North Vietnamese captain. Whether it was planned or not is unknown, but the older gentleman began to sing wartime songs. Though we had a sense they may be related to the Vietnam war with the Americans, the translation the guide provided did not mention this specifically.
As it turns out, the first song specifically mentions shooting down American soldiers. The second song is a much more traditional song that soldiers would sing. Both songs call upon the Vietnamese to “raise their head up” and “raise the flag,” showing pride in defending their country. Both songs also mention the Vietnamese war against the French occupation. The first song mentions Dien Bien Phu, the province where the Vietnamese won a decisive victory against the French. All of the words and images are intended to inspire the Vietnamese to win.
From my journal:
Got on bus for day’s trek. Stopped off at a cave — contained a hospital and several hundred soldiers — Americans never found or conquered. Old wartime general was there — reenacted the battle, sang songs. It was a treat.
Transcript
Man speaks in Vietnamese.
Tour guide: Yeah please clap your hands…
Man sings in Vietnamese. Clapping. He speaks.
Tour guide: So he feels very (?) so he want to sing another song. O.K. (laughing.) He feel very happy.
Woman: Before he goes on, can he tell us what the last song was about?
Tour guide: The last song, that was about Vietnamese army, (?) hero. So they shooting (?)…and very good in shooting. Yeah.
Man sings in Vietnamese.
Tour guide: This song about a hero in Guanxing (?) who had very good medal. I mean very good contribution for Vietnamese army. Yeah.
