Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign Museum enriches Dong Nai’s cultural heritage

Preserving significant traces of a heroic period in the nation's history, the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign Museum in Phuoc Long Ward is becoming a destination that connects the past with the present and wartime memories with Dong Nai’s journey of construction and development.

Each artifact, document, and story preserved at the museum not only brings to life the nation's glorious years of struggle but also contributes to fostering patriotism, educating people about revolutionary traditions, and enriching Dong Nai's cultural identity in its new stage of development.

A place where the heroic spirit of the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign lives on

Located along a vital route, Phuoc Long was developed by the enemy into a fortified defensive cluster. On December 13, 1974, our troops opened fire, launching the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign. For the first time during the resistance war against the U.S. imperialists, the tactic of "peeling the skin" – gradually breaking down the enemy's defensive posture – was employed on the battlefield. Fierce battles at Ba Ra Mountain, Bu Dop District, Dong Xoai Intersection, and other locations wrote an immortal epic that culminated on January 6, 1975. The former Phuoc Long Province became the first province in the South to be liberated. The victory of the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign provided critical practical grounds for the Politburo to make its historic decision to completely liberate the South in 1975!

Officials, editors, and reporters from the Editorial Secretariat Department of Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television visit the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign Museum to learn about the nation’s revolutionary history and traditions.

Today, on the very land that witnessed those decisive battles, the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign Museum has been established. Its predecessor was the Phuoc Long Town Traditional House, built in 2002. In 2014, the facility was upgraded on a more spacious scale and officially became the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign Museum in 2018.

The museum comprises two main exhibition spaces. On the outdoor grounds, visitors can view numerous artifacts, including a C-123 aircraft; an F-5E fighter jet; T-34 and M48 tanks; 105mm short-barreled artillery; barbed wire and iron stakes used by U.S. imperialist forces to fence off outposts on the summit of Ba Ra Mountain; and iron landing mats used by the imperialist forces to construct temporary airfields. Each artifact is accompanied by a detailed descriptive plaque providing information on its origin, characteristics, and role in the campaign, helping bring the heroic pages of history vividly to life.

Phung Thi Ngan, a guide at the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign Museum, said the indoor exhibition space features a system of images, documents, artifacts, dioramas, and documentary films reflecting the revolutionary struggle, culture, land, and people of Phuoc Long through different periods, as well as the cultural life and customs of the S’tieng ethnic group and the changes in Phuoc Long following the country's reunification.

"The highlight of the museum is the exhibition area recreating the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign, with numerous original documents, artifacts, and operational maps that help viewers clearly visualize the progression of a campaign that marked a turning point in the resistance war against the U.S. imperialists for national salvation. Additionally, the space recreating the historical vestiges of Ba Ra Prison, together with exhibits on the life and revolutionary career of female general Nguyen Thi Dinh, contributes to further highlighting the sacrifices and resilient will of previous generations for the independence and freedom of the nation," said Ngan.

Spreading Dong Nai’s cultural and historical values

In Dong Nai's cultural flow today, the museum has become an attractive destination and a "red address" for generations to trace their roots. These values continue to be spread through various creative forms. In the epic art program "Dong Nai – Southern spirit, rising with the nation," the Route 14–Phuoc Long victory is recreated as a milestone marking the beginning of the Great Spring 1975 Victory. The image of the F-5E fighter jet piloted by Nguyen Thanh Trung, who bombed the Independence Palace on the morning of April 8, 1975, and then flew to Phuoc Binh Airport in the liberated zone of Phuoc Long, was portrayed on stage. Interestingly, an artifact of the same type is still on display at the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign Museum, creating a vivid connection among history, art, and contemporary life.

Following the administrative merger and the implementation of the two-tier local government model, the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign Museum has been entrusted to Phuoc Long Ward, Dong Nai City, for management, protection, and promotion of its values. Currently, the museum receives an average of 600–700 visitors per month. During major holidays, the number of visitors increases significantly, including many groups of pupils, students, veterans, and international tourists.

Among the visitors to the museum, Ho Bao Loc, a teacher at Tam Hiep High School in Tam Hiep Ward, Dong Nai City, said emotionally, "This is the first time my family and I have come to Phuoc Long and visited the museum. Standing before these historical artifacts and seeing the traces of war with my own eyes, I am truly moved and have gained a deeper understanding of the great sacrifices and contributions of our forefathers. The trip not only helped me accumulate more practical material for teaching but also helped my family members cherish the value of peace more deeply, thereby raising our sense of responsibility in learning, working, and contributing to our homeland."

On Dong Nai's development journey today, the Route 14–Phuoc Long Campaign Museum continues to contribute to fostering patriotism, nurturing national pride, and inspiring the younger generation's sense of responsibility for preserving and promoting revolutionary traditions while carrying forward the aspiration to build an increasingly prosperous, beautiful, and civilized homeland.

By My Ny – Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha