Vietnam: A Television History; Interview with Nguyen Tat Dat, 1981

Interviewer: Okay, I want to hear his story about the night of December 26th . Just tell him, tell the story the way he told it earlier. Translator: Please tell us what happened on the night of December 26th . Nguyen Tat Dat: There were thundering explosions. I was trembling and did not know what was really happening outside. I was really afraid that we would get a direct hit over the shelter. After the bombing, we climbed out of the shelter. I saw all the buildings around me in rubble and heard people screaming and crying. I told my wife and children to go downtown to the Sword Lake to get away from further bombing. But I remained to help out because there were so many people calling out for help. Interviewer: I want him to talk about what it was like during the bombing when he was in the shelter with his wife and children, and his wife holding the baby and the bombs falling nearby.

Translator: Could you tell us what it was like in the shelter when you were with your wife and children and your wife holding the baby? Interviewer: Sorry. It was my fault. A couple guys talking. It’s my fault. Nguyen Tat Dat: During the second alert, my family and I went into the shelter. Our baby was wrapped in a blanket and was held tightly by my wife. The bombs shook the shelter so my wife held the baby tightly. Sitting there in the shelter, not knowing whether you will be alive or dead, of course caused my older son to tremble with fear. Interviewer: Okay. Tell the, tell the story.

Translator: Please give us more detail on how you felt when you first entered the shelter. Nguyen Tat Dat: When my family entered the tunnel, the bombs were exploding nearby. So my children were trembling with fear. My wife had to hold on tightly to our baby. I was just sitting quietly there, not knowing whether we would come out of it alive or dead. When I got into the shelter, bombs were exploding very close by. The whole shelter shook. Translator: How long did the bomb attack last? What were you feeling? Nguyen Tat Dat: It's hard to describe. Translator: When you were in the tunnel, how were you feeling when you saw your wife and children? What were you thinking about? How did your family react? Nguyen Tat Dat: My wife held tightly on to our baby. I was sitting there wondering where the bombs were dropped, whether something happened to my house and whether the shelter in which we were sitting would get a direct hit or not. My house did get a direct hit as I learned afterwards. Sitting there in the shelter I did not know whether we would come out alive or not because the bombs really shook everything terribly.