A look-back at 1979 northern border war

Forty-one years ago, on February 17,1979, the Vietnamese Party, people and army had to face a war of aggression across the entire northern border.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh leads a delegation to lay wreaths and offer incenses at Vi Xuyen National Martyrs’ Cemetery, January 5, 2020 (Photo: VNA)

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh leads a delegation to lay wreaths and offer incenses at Vi Xuyen National Martyrs’ Cemetery, January 5, 2020 (Photo: VNA)

Leaders of Ha Giang province offer incenses at Vi Xuyen National Martyrs’ Cemetery, January 21, 2020 (Photo: VNA)

Leaders of Ha Giang province and Vi Xuyen district offer incenses at Vi Xuyen National Martyrs’ Cemetery, January 21, 2020 (Photo: VNA)

Artillery soldiers at Ha Tuyen Front (Photo: VNA)

Border guard Ngo Duy Nhung saves the life of a young boy from the collapse (Photo: VNA)

Artillery soldiers at Ha Tuyen Front ready for the battle (Photo: VNA)

Soldiers of Company 39, Battalion 313 destroy the enemy’s machine gun nests (Photo:VNA)

Lang Son province’s soldiers reclaim Chau Canh and Cay Xanh hills in Tam Lung commune, Van Lang district, having been occupied by the enemy since February 17, 1979 (Photo: VNA)

Militants in Van Quan district, Lang Son province fight against the enemy and carry logistics works to facilitate artillery soldiers, February 27, 1979 (Photo: VNA)

Houses in the town of Pho Bang in the northern mountainous province of Ha Tuyen were destroyed by the enemy on March 8-9, 1979 (Photo: VNA)

Doctors cure wounded pupils in Quyet Tien commune, Quan Ba district, Ha Tuyen province after they got shot when hanging out (Photo: VNA)

Artillery soldiers under Team 368 of Lang Son army attack the enemy, March 10, 1979 (Photo:VNA)

Female militants in Phiet village, Muong Khuong district, Hoang Lien Son province (now Lao Cai province) join soldiers in battles against the enemy (Photo: VNA)

Ho Kieu bridge in Lao Cai town, Hoang Lien Son province (now Lao Cai province) is destroyed by the enemy, late March, 1979 (Photo: VNA)

Prefabricated houses of workers in Lao Cai town, Hoang Lien Son province (now Lao Cai province) are damaged by enemy explosives (Photo: VNA)

Public warehouse of rice in Hoang Lien Son province (now Lao Cai province) is damaged by the enemy before they run away (Photo: VNA)

A tank of the enemy is destroyed by Vietnamese troops in Say village, Hoa An district, Cao Bang province (Photo: VNA)

VNA