During Viet Nam’s resistance war, Da Nang was the second largest combined military base of the enemy in the south. So, when the half blue and half red flag with a golden star fluttered on the roof of the Da Nang Municipal Hall at noon on March 29, 1975, it was considered a signal that the southern revolution has opened the so-called ‘a very important steel door’ in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign leading to the ultimate victory of the resistance war against the aggressors and the reunification of the country.

A sparkling corner of Da Nang today. Photo: LE HUY TUAN

It is an accurate prediction, because only a month later, when the ‘steel door’ Xuan Loc continued to be opened, when the flag of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam flew over the roof of the Independence Palace at noon on April 30, 1975, Da Nang, and the country as a whole, started entering a new historical chapter.

This was the period of national reunification after 20 years of Hien Luong Bridge - Ben Hai River in the central province of Quang Tri, serving as the temporary dividing line between the northern and southern regions under the 1954 Geneva Accords, and embarking upon building a national socialist regime.

It is clear to Da Nang people that March 29, 1975 is an important historical date, contributing to the great historic limestone of April 30, 1975 of the whole country.

It is no coincidence that Da Nang people have named March 29 for a park – the March 29 Park, a cinema - the March 29 Cinema, an industrial production facility - March 29 Textile complex –the forerunner of the existing March 29 Textile and Garment Joint Stock Company, and a street – the March 29 Street.

Up to now, Da Nang has only four streets named after the historic dates, namely September 2 Street named in 1995, February 3 Street in 2003, April 30 Street in 2006, all in Hai Chau District, and March 29 Street is located in 2018 in Cam Le District, to honor the great historical events of the country and homeland.

And although the date is not specified, the Cach Mang Thang Tam (August Revolution) Road set in 1998 in Cam Le District is also related to an important historical event of the country, reminiscent of the event of August 26, 1945. On that date, for the first time on the roof of the Da Nang Municipal Hall, the red flag with a golden star fluttered in the wind blowing the Han River.

As mentioned above, March 29, 1975 marked an important milestone of Da Nang on its development journey, and after April 30, 1975, Da Nang went up with the whole country to build socialism.

Over the first two decades after liberation, though Da Nang was the capital city of Quang Nam Province, and it was upgraded to a grade II city, it was still a district-level administrative unit, due to the fact that it served a socio-economic ground of an urban area that mainly served the war before 1975, it can be said that Da Nang faced many difficulties during its development journey.

Therefore, Da Nang only really prospered to get rid of that "tight shirt", when together with the rural district of Hoa Vang and the island district of Hoang Sa was separated from Quang Nam Province, Da Nang became a central-governed city cum an urban area of grade I, creating the premise to strive as ‘one of the key development centres of the country’ as affirmed by the Politburo in Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW dated 16 -10-2003 on the construction and development of Da Nang in the period of industrialisation, modernisation of the country.

And more importantly, this also created a premise to strive as "a livable coastal city with a high standard of living in Asia as affirmed by the Politburo in Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2019 on the construction and development of Da Nang by 2030, with a vision towards 2045

There is a stone stele erected at the western end of the pedestrian Nguyen Van Troi Bridge in Hoa Cuong Bac Ward, Hai Chau District to commemorate Martyr Nguyen Van Du - the last revolutionary soldier who sacrificed in the campaign to liberate Da Nang in the morning of March 29, 1975 while on duty to secure this bridgehead area.

The stele is small but has great meaning because this is a deed that not only shows the traditional morality of “When drinking water, remember its source”, but also reminds Da Nang people of the great sacrifices of those who laid down their lives to protect the Fatherland.

Reporting by BUI VAN TIENG -Translating by A.THU