Lê Bá Châu, now 82, recalls his years as a frontline soldier in some of the war’s fiercest battlegrounds. As a young recruit in Regiment 95, he served as an 82mm mortar gunner before transitioning to the communications corps in 1967, maintaining vital links between units under constant bombardment.
Rising through the ranks to platoon leader and later political officer, Châu took on roles requiring both military skill and political acumen. He learned local languages to engage ethnic minority communities and participated in efforts to persuade opposing forces to surrender—missions fraught with risk but critical to weakening enemy morale.
His most significant contribution came during the 1975 Central Highlands Campaign, where he helped cut supply routes, block retreats and support coordinated assaults, contributing to the collapse of opposing forces in Gia Lai.
After the war, Châu continued his service in Cambodia before moving into local government roles. Now retired, he reflects each April on both pride and loss. “Peace is a hard-won achievement, paid for with the youth and blood of a whole generation,” he said.
For Nguyễn Thế Vinh, 70, the moment of victory is etched in memory as a teenager hearing the news of liberation over the radio in 1975. Having joined revolutionary activities at 16, he described the moment as “indescribable happiness,” tempered by an awareness of the sacrifices behind it.
Vinh later volunteered for service in Cambodia before transitioning to civilian roles in local administration. After retiring in 2016, he built a successful stingless bee farming business, earning recognition as an outstanding entrepreneur in 2025.
Reflecting on the country’s transformation, he noted Vietnam’s rise from a divided and impoverished nation to one with growing international standing. “This is proof that nothing is more precious than independence and freedom,” he said.
A generation removed from the war, Siu H’Dớt, born in 1988, represents Vietnam’s peacetime development. Starting from subsistence farming, he shifted to coffee cultivation, building a stable livelihood on 1.5 hectares of coffee and additional rice fields. His annual income now reaches 300–400 million VND (approximately $12,000–$16,000).
Beyond economic activity, he contributes to local governance as Deputy Secretary of his village party cell, witnessing improvements in infrastructure, technology adoption and living standards.
Though he has no personal memory of war, April 30 remains deeply meaningful. “Peace is not only a blessing, but also a responsibility,” he said, emphasizing the need to contribute to national development.
Across three generations, their stories reflect a shared thread of resilience, national pride and commitment to progress. From wartime sacrifice to peacetime development, their experiences underscore Vietnam’s ongoing journey toward prosperity and stability.