Anyone who ever visits the monuments for President Ho Chi Minh at the Presidential Palace, can realize that everything in the area, from the houses and the lanes to the trees and plants, are deeply imprinted with Uncle Ho’s deep affection for the Southern compatriots and combatants. In early Spring 1955, the Southern people offered him a star-apple tree. It was planted in the Palace’s garden and our Uncle often spent some of his time in the morning or after work in the late afternoon tending and watering it. In 1958, when he moved to the house-on-stilts, he suggested that the tree be transplanted next to his wooden house so that he might see it every day, thus feeling closer to the beloved Southern people and armymen.

In 1962, he received a delegation of the National Front for Liberation of South Vietnam led by Prof. Nguyen Van Hieu, on a visit to the North. He was exceptionally touched when hearing the delegates retelling him of the indomitability of the Southern people holding fast to their soil and never budging an inch. Upon parting, all felt immensely moved to the verge of tears. Receiving the gift from the Southern people, he said with great emotion, “ I have nothing to give in return for the Southern people’s gift except this,” putting his hand on his heart and going on saying, “ the beloved South is always in my heart.”

In 1965, he received a delegation of Southern heroes and valiant combatants on their visit to the North. On the lane in the Presidential Palace, the get-together was so moving. Upon seeing him, all the delegates rushed up to hug him, feeling immensely happy, choked with an indescribable emotion and touched to tears. He looked at them with great love, saying, “I long to see you, I miss our Southern countrymen so much! Why are you crying? As we meet each other, we should be happy, shouldn’t we? ” He attentively inquired to each of them, “Are you well fed? Are you well clothed?.” His love for the Southern heroes and valiant combatants was like that of a father welcoming back home his beloved kids after their being away for a long time.nbsp;

In 1967-1968, when the South was embarking on fierce battles against US imperialism for national salvation, Uncle Ho proposed that the Political Bureau facilitate his visit to the Southern fellow-countrymen.

He had written a letter to Comrade Le Duan, saying: “I recall that at the recent Christmas, you recommended I should make a visit to the Southern compatriots after our total victory. I quite agree with you. Now I only want to change the word ‘after’ into ‘before’ our total victory.” Our Uncle had even drafted out a specific plan for himself:nbsp; He and his secretary Vu Ky and two bodyguards would disguise themselves as fishermen on a ship bound for the South. His plan could not be materialized, though.

He eagerly suggested: “If there’s no other way, you should help me in my trekking; if you can do it, then I can also do it, sure, and probably you can’t get the better of me.” He even earnestly proposed: “If we can’t get to South Vietnam, you should facilitate my visit to the Fifth Zone; if this can’t be done either, you should arrange my visit to some newly-liberated area, all right.”

On July 14, 1969, in an interview granted to Martarohas, a reporter of the Gramma daily (of Cuba), he said with great emotion when he was asked about his feelings for the Southern people: “In the South, each person and each family suffer from some dolour, and all their sufferings together are mine. I always feel that I have not fulfilled my obligations to my Southern fellow- countrymen.”

At the 6^th Session of Legislature 2 (1963), the National Assembly deputies unanimously agreed to confer on him the Golden Star Order – the highest award from the Party and State of Vietnam.nbsp; Upon hearing it, he was quite happy but made this proposal to the Assembly : “ …We should wait until the South is liberated,nbsp; the country reunified, the North and the South reunited under the same roof, then the National Assembly should allow the Southern countrymen to confer me this high Order…”

However, at 9:47 hrs, on September 2, 1969, our beloved Uncle Ho departed us for good, bringing along his affliction and agony that the South was yet liberated and he himself could not materialize his desire to visit the South again.

Story: Nguyen Anh Minhnbsp; -nbsp; Photo: filenbsp;