Surviving Twice: The Bloody Battle of An Loc and the Communist “Re-education” Prison - The Story of Mr. Doan Trong Hieu #vhm According to the historical records of the Republic of Vietnam, the biggest battle in the war against the communists was the battle of An Loc: After 68 days and nights, An Loc was leveled, not a single brick remained on top of another brick. The number of soldiers defending An Loc was 6,350. After that, the ARVN sent a force to relieve the siege of 20,000 soldiers to resist 40,000 communist troops. At the Paris Conference, Madam Nguyen Thi Binh declared that within 10 days An Loc would be the capital of the Liberation Front. That never came true. The heroic resistance of the ARVN defeated the invasion of the North Vietnamese Communists at that time. These invasions were completely bitter failures, with heavy losses in troops. Former Captain Doan Trong Hieu was present in the first reinforcement group that jumped into An Loc, continuing to defend to the death after 7 times the Communists attacked in order to capture An Loc town. After days of fierce fighting, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam still firmly held that beloved land of freedom. This event demonstrated the fighting spirit and steadfast resistance of the ARVN soldiers. But the country's fate changed, after the South fell into the hands of the North Vietnamese Communists at the end of April 1975, Captain Hieu was imprisoned, experiencing difficult days in a concentration camp called a "re-education" camp. We invite you to listen to the personal account of Former Captain Doan Trong Hieu about the moments of defending to the death of the ARVN soldiers, along with the pain and suffering of prisoners under the communist regime. History Through Storytelling is one of the projects of the Vietnamese Heritage Museum to preserve stories in memory, directly through the stories of those who participated or were witnesses to recent historical events. This project is a research project aimed at collecting, storing and explaining the history of Vietnamese refugees. Vietnamese refugees who survived need the opportunity to directly share specific and emotional experiences they have gone through, or witnessed historical events of the nation, on the path to freedom, as well as the initial difficulties of settling and making a living in a foreign land. This is an opportunity to sympathize and understand each other better among generations of refugees; at the same time, it also creates for future generations to understand, be proud of and be grateful for the sacrifices and courage of their ancestors. If you have memorabilia and stories that you would like to share, please contact us via: ➤ Email: [email protected] ➤ Phone: 714-846-8438 (714-VHM-VIET) ➤ Website: http://vietnamesemuseum.org ➤ Facebook: / vietnamesemuseum ➤ Mail: PO BOX 27372, Santa Ana, CA 92799 --- Twice Survived: The Bloody Battle of An Loc and a Communist “Re-education” Camp - The Story of Mr. Understanding In Doan VIETNAMESE HERITAGE MUSEUM ORAL HISTORY PROJECT: Through these oral history interviews, we will be able to learn and celebrate the personal experiences of notable Vietnamese-Americans, who offer their own accounts of history. These interviews document aspects of the historical experience of Vietnamese refugees, immigration, and settlement, which tend to be missing from most mainstream sources. These oral history documentaries will provide an avenue for both understanding and appreciating of the present and future generations of Vietnamese refugees throughout the world. #vietnameserefugee​​​​​ #reeducationcamp ​​​​#vietnameseheritagemuseum​​​​ #vietnamesemuseum​​​ #boatpeople​​​ #vhmusa