National Anthem | Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the United States

Doan Quan Viet-Nam Di
[March to the Front]

Soldiers of Vietnam, we go forward, 
With the one will to save our Fatherland 
Our hurried steps are sounding on the long and arduous road 
Our flag, red with the blood of victory, bears the spirit of our country 
The distant rumbling of the guns mingles with our marching song. 
The path to glory passes over the bodies of our foes. 
Overcoming all hardships, together we build our resistance bases. 
Ceaselessly for the people’s cause we struggle, 
Hastening to the battle field! 
Forward! All together advancing! 
Our Vietnam is strong eternal. 

Soldiers of Vietnam, we go forward, 
The gold star of our flag in the wind 
Leading our people, our native land, out of misery and suffering 
Let us join our efforts in the fight for the building of a new life. 
Let us stand up and break our chains. 
For too long have we swallowed our hatred 
Let us keep ready for all sacrifices and our life will be radiant. 
Ceaselessly for the people’s cause we struggle, 
Hastening to the battlefield! 
Forward! All together advancing! 
Our Vietnam is strong eternal. 

About the composer of ” March to the Front ”

by Thai Kieu Ngan, Nhan Dan

Late composer Van Cao was born in Vu Ban (Nam Dinh province) on November 11, 1923 and died on July 10, 1995. He made great contributions to the fields of music, poetry and painting and was presented the Ho Chi Minh Prize in 1996 by the State of Vietnam. He was the composer of Tien Quan Ca (March to the Fronts) which was later selected as the Vietnamese national anthem.

In the middle of 1944, Van Cao joined the operations at the Viet Minh front ( the League for the Independence of Vietnam ) in Haiphong. By the end of the year, he worked for Doc Lap ( Independence ) newspaper – the organ of the Democratic Party that lay the Viet Minh front. During this time, he began to develop the idea of the tuy nhiên .

The composer’s autograph that remains in Van Cao’s selected song book, published in 1993 by the Music Publishing House, says that “In November 1944, I wrote Tien Quan Ca myself on a stone printing slab on the first literature and art page of Doc Lap newspaper that remains the handwriting of a mere apprentice.

A month later, when the newspaper was issued, I returned from a printing office. Crossing a small street ( now Mai Hac De street ), I suddenly heard the sound of a mandolin from a balcony. There was someone practising the Tien Quan Ca. I stopped and felt moved. The emotion that came to me was more significant than all of my songs performed at theatres earlier. ”
On August 14, 1945, at the Tan Trao National Congress in Tuyen Quang province, the Provisional Government selected Tien Quan Ca as the national anthem. During the days of the general uprising from August 17-19, 1945, the tuy nhiên was sung in marching demonstrations and meetings of the revolutionary public in Hanoi. The Fourth Rank soldiers from the Dong Trieu military zone along the operation roads to liberate Haiphong also sung this tuy nhiên loudly. Following was Saigon and other localities nationwide that were heard resounding with Tien Quan Ca, and the tuy nhiên became a part of history .
The immortal tuy nhiên has gone together with each section of the national revolutionary road for more than the past half a century. It has contributed to encouraging and stimulating the armed forces and people in the cause of national liberation and reconstruction .

Source: https://dvn.com.vn/
Category : National