HÀ NỘI — At 3pm on October 10, 1954, hundreds of thousands of people in Hà Nội attended the solemn flag salute ceremony to celebrate victory over the French. It took nine years for those who lived in the temporarily occupied zone to take part in this special moment.

Historical events like this are shown at an exhibition titled "Hà Nội – The Return Day", held at Hỏa Lò Prison in the capital city to celebrate the 64th anniversary of the city’s Liberation Day.

The exhibition recalls the historical context, the devastation of wartime, liberation day and the process of rebuilding Hà Nội after the war.

After the horn was sounded at Hà Nội Opera House, the national anthem was played by the military band. All people looked towards the national flag flying proudly on the old flag pole.

Veteran Trần Khắc Cần, 82, can’t forget that moment.

“Hà Nội was happy and joyful for the liberation,” said Cần.

“After being separated for a long time, resistance soldiers and people could reunite with their families in happiness and tears.”

After a long time serving the resistance, Cần was imprisoned at Hỏa Lò Prison but then escaped.

For one year, he lived with a fake identity and still fought for the revolution in secret.

In victory, Cần felt he had been liberated twice. He was not only liberated from the war like many others, he was also free from the gaze of the enemy.

Through the exhibition, visitors will understand more about this period of history.

Major general Nguyễn Đức Minh was deeply moved when he returned to Hỏa Lò Prison to attend the exhibition.

“French colonialists imprisoned and tortured me at Hỏa Lò Prison,” said Minh.

When the resistance Government took over the capital from the French soldiers, he was sent to take over the prison.

It was a complicated feeling for Minh that first night taking over the prison. He stayed as prison guard but couldn’t sleep.

“I was happy to be a citizen of an independent country from now on. But I still felt hurt thinking of the days I was imprisoned and my comrades who were tortured and killed.”

After the liberation day, Hanoians continued to overcome all difficulties and build their new lives.

Though ups and downs during the capital’s construction and resistance against the US, citizens of Hà Nội held faith in President Ho Chi Minh saying “Nothing is more valuable than freedom and independence.”

The exhibition will run until the end of this year at 1 Hỏa Lò Street, Hà Nội. — VNS