Journalist Hong Chuong (5th from right) with officers and staff of Communist Magazine. Source: Communist Magazine
Mirror of integrity and simplicity
The trip to collect documents and artifacts at the home of journalist Hong Chuong (Tran Hong Chuong, 1921 - 1989), former Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine, former President of the Vietnam Journalists Association took place on an early autumn day in 2016. Welcoming us in the old house in the apartment complex at 61 Nguyen Du, Hanoi was his wife - Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tuy, over 90 years old and the youngest daughter - Ms. Tran Thi Hong Hanh.
Looking at the thick handwritten and typed manuscripts divided into different folders according to topics: Speeches at press conferences; interviews with international press; heartfelt letters "conspiracy to punish the enemy" sent to generals of the Republic of Vietnam to awaken them to return to justice, to our people's resistance war against the US to save the country..., one can see the extraordinary writing power of journalist Hong Chuong. Reading those notes and hearing stories from his wife and daughter, one can partly see his revolutionary life, from the days of secret activities, fighting in prison, escaping from prison..., to the time he organized and commanded the battle at Deo Ca ( Khanh Hoa - Phu Yen), or when he commanded the volunteer army in the deep forests of Huong Hoa, Khe Sanh (Quang Tri), then the long days he steadfastly fought against incurable diseases to survive and continue to contribute to the revolution, to the journalism career until the last moments of his life.
In the story Mrs. Tuy told about her husband, there were details that I will always remember. That was when the agency provided a collective house, journalist Hong Chuong discussed with his wife to accept the house inside, the area was not larger (although he had the standard) and gave the house on the street to his colleagues so that they could do business, trade, and take care of their family life. His house was as simple as many cadre families during the subsidy period, but there was one "special" thing that Mrs. Tuy will always remember, which was the bed. Because at that time the bed was made of poor quality wood, after many years of use, the legs were broken, the Communist Magazine agency asked for his opinion to buy another one for the family, but he did not agree, determined not to use public money for private purposes. Therefore, he stacked bricks to replace the broken bed legs and used it forever after. In daily life, journalist Hong Chuong lived very simply, he always told his wife: "If something can be repaired, try to repair it, if it can be used, there is no need to replace or buy a new one". He also taught his children to live a frugal and independent life.
Editor Xuan Thuy (wearing a scarf) with colleagues from the Cuu Quoc Newspaper at But Pass, Bac Giang , in 1948. Source: Vietnam Press Museum
Communists are "impartial and fair"
During a trip to collect documents and artifacts about journalist Xuan Thuy (Nguyen Trong Nham, 1912 - 1975), I visited the house of his second son - Professor Nguyen Trong Yem.
In the perception of his children, journalist Xuan Thuy is a kind father who always loves his family. And perhaps “Xuan Thuy’s smile” has become an image associated with his friends, colleagues and international friends when remembering him. But what remains most in journalist Xuan Thuy in his family is the noble personality of a “just and impartial” communist.
Mr. Nguyen Trong Yem shared many stories about his beloved father's honest lifestyle. Journalist Xuan Thuy, when he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, still told his children to sweep leaves for cooking and not to rely on electricity. Once, his youngest daughter (Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet) asked her father to let her ride in his private car for a while, but he firmly refused... There is a memory that Mr. Yem always remembers and is proud of his father as follows: During the time he participated in the negotiations of the Paris Agreement, journalist Xuan Thuy wanted to have a new pair of glasses to serve his diplomatic work. However, he did not want to use state money to buy them (although that was completely possible for his position - Head of the negotiation delegation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam), he wrote a letter to Mr. Yem, who was then a graduate student in the Soviet Union. In the letter, in addition to asking about his son's situation, he also drew a model of the glasses he liked, asking his son to find and buy them and send them to him in France.
After journalist Xuan Thuy passed away, following the noble example of her husband and father, his family moved to another place, leaving the house at 36 Ly Thuong Kiet to become the Vietnamese Women's Museum. Through this story, we can see to some extent the influence of the "impartial" example of the excellent journalist and diplomat Xuan Thuy.
Journalist Thep Moi (right) with journalist Kim Toan. Photo taken after the Liberation of the South. Photo archive
“Live to think”
Journalist and writer Thep Moi (Ha Van Loc, 1925 - 1991), former Editor-in-Chief of Giai Phong Newspaper, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, is known as one of the figures who created the appearance and quality of Nhan Dan Newspaper, a famous political writer along with Nguyen Thanh Le, Quang Dam, Hong Ha, Nguyen Huu Chinh, Dieu Binh, Tran Kien, Ha Dang, Phan Quang, Huu Tho...
To his colleagues at Giai Phong Newspaper, he was affectionately called “Brother Nam Hong Chau”. On the battlefield, he was famous for being a brave journalist who lived his life to the fullest, “having affection and loyalty” to his comrades and colleagues. He did not hesitate between superiors and subordinates, enthusiastically joining hands with the work of the editorial office. He paid special attention and care to his brothers and sisters from the South, those who came from the battlefield. Many of them grew up steadily thanks to the discovery and training of journalist Thep Moi.
Journalist Nguyen Ho, former reporter for Giai Phong Newspaper, shared about journalist Thep Moi: “There is one thing that remains deeply ingrained about him: It seems that he lives to think more than to... exist. While taking a bath, thinking of something, he clasps his hands behind his hunched back and walks out. On the way home, he thinks again and gets lost in another house. Many times he calls us, or he comes to us just because of a certain thought. He thinks during meals, during sleep, with young colleagues, with the security guard, the maid... He thinks a lot about national affairs, his career, life and human destiny.”
Mr. Ta Quang Ngoc, former Minister of Fisheries, son of journalist Quang Dam, shared with me: “Knowing that his colleague Quang Dam’s family was struggling with life, journalist Thep Moi did not hesitate to help journalist Quang Dam with part of his salary without thinking or calculating anything. He always helped his colleagues and those in difficult circumstances without expecting anything in return. He often gave money to manual workers but also asked them for a cigarette.”
For me, after each trip to collect documents and artifacts, many memories remain, from everyday stories to noble personalities. All of these help me have a more comprehensive view, understand more about the lives and glorious journalism careers of some typical revolutionary journalists, so that I can introduce and spread those good things to the public.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/nguoi-cua-mot-thoi-706058.html
Comment (0)