In Vietnam, there’s a National Day of Remembrance each year. On this day, the country remembers and honors wounded Vietnam soldiers for their sacrifices during the country’s many wars.

Learning about Vietnam Memorial Day for the Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers, you’re uncovering many layers of Vietnamese history and culture. This, in turn, will make your language-learning endeavors that much more meaningful to you, and much more successful in the long run.

At VietnamesePod101.com, we hope to give you all the tools and support you need to master the Vietnamese language and truly understand its culture.

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1. What is Remembrance Day in Vietnam?

During the wars, many Vietnamese soldiers sacrificed parts of their bodies and even their lives for the protection of their country. In 1946 especially, the number of casualties who were Vietnamese soldiers was higher than when the war against French colonialists took place. At that time, President Ho Chi Minh signed a decree on policies for invalids and martyrs.

Vietnamese history has recorded many cases in wars where mothers lost all their children. In particular, there was a mother who lost all nine of her children because they all sacrificed themselves for their country. Those women had the title of “Vietnamese heroic mothers” conferred on them.

This is a day for the lost to be remembered, those who sacrificed to be honored and shown respect, and the mothers of the victims comforted. Of all July 27 holidays & observances around the world, this one is perhaps the most important.

2. When is Remembrance Day in Vietnam?

Vietnam observes its Day for Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers on July 27 each year. This July 27 holiday is one of the most important in the country, commemorating some of its most noble citizens. Read on for information on how the Vietnamese celebrate this July 27 national holiday.

3. Reading Practice: How is the Vietnam Memorial Day Celebrated?

How does the country honor wounded Vietnam soldiers and their families? Read the Vietnamese text below to find out, and find the English translation directly below it.

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Hàng năm, cứ vào ngày này, các nhà chức trách từ trung ương đến địa phương sẽ tham gia hoạt động tảo mộ, thắp hương cho các liệt sĩ tại các nghĩa trang. Trong chiến tranh, cũng đã có rất nhiều binh sĩ hy sinh mà không thể tìm thấy thông tin cá nhân nên sau này, các đài tuởng niệm các liệt sĩ vô danh ở nhiều địa phương cũng được xây dựng lên để thờ cúng những ngôi mộ không tên của các chiến sĩ.

Trong ngày Thương binh – liệt sĩ, cán bộ cơ quan Nhà nước không những đến thăm hỏi, tặng quà những thương binh mà còn đến thăm hỏi, động viên gia đình liệt sĩ và các Bà mẹ Việt Nam anh hùng.

Để tỏ lòng biết ơn, Nhà nước Việt Nam cũng có chính sách cộng thêm điểm trong kỳ thi vào đại học cho con của các thương binh và liệt sĩ. Tùy từng trường hợp mà số điểm được cộng sẽ là 0,5 đến 1 điểm trên thang điểm 10.

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Annually, on this day, officials at every level of government down to the local level will take part in visiting, cleaning, and decorating graves and burning incense for martyrs in cemeteries. During wars, there were also many soldiers who fell without any personal information known about them, so later monuments to unnamed martyrs were built in many localities to commemorate their tombs.

On Vietnam’s Invalids and Martyrs Day, State officials not only come to visit and give gifts to invalids, but also have a visit and encourage families of martyrs and heroic Vietnamese mothers.

In order to show its gratitude, the Vietnamese State has also enacted a policy on increasing the marks on university entrance exams for the children of invalids and martyrs. The mark added is from 0.5 to 1 on a scale of 10, on a case-by-case basis.

4. First Celebration of Invalids and Martyrs Day

When was the first Vietnamese Invalids and Martyrs Day?

On July 27, 1947, the first Invalids Day took place in Thai Nguyen province, with 2,000 participants in the first meeting. In 1955, July 27 was renamed to Vietnam’s Invalids and Martyrs Day.

5. Vocabulary to Know for Remembrance Day in Vietnam

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for Vietnamese Day for Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers!

• Ngày thương binh liệt sĩ — “Day for Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers”
• cựu chiến binh — “veteran”
• lòng biết ơn — “gratitude”
• đài tưởng niệm liệt sĩ — “patriotic-war-dead memorial”
• thắp hương — “burning incense”
• cầu nguyện cho người đã mất — “pray for the dead”
• bảo vệ — “protect”
• giải thưởng — “award”
• vòng hoa — “wreath”
• huân chương — “honors”

To hear each vocabulary word pronounced, check out our relevant vocabulary list!

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed learning about Vietnam’s Remembrance Day with us, and that you took away some valuable information from this article.

Does your country have a Remembrance or Memorial Day? Let us know in the comments, and feel free to tell us how your country celebrates it.

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