The cover of the Spanish version of ‘Biên Bản Chiến Tranh 1-2-3-4.75’ by Vietnamese writer-journalist Trần Mai Hạnh. The work has also been translated into English and Lao. Photo courtesy of the author
HÀ NỘI Biên Bản Chiến Tranh 1-2-3-4.75 (A War Account 1-2-3-4.75), a historical book by Vietnamese writer-journalist Trần Mai Hạnh, has been released in Spanish.
The book reveals historical truths about the fall of the Republic of Việt Nam (led by President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu) in 1975, based on original top-secret documents of both the Sài Gòn regime and the US government.
The Spanish version of the book has been published by the National Political Publishing House and presented to the Cuban Embassy in Việt Nam. Earlier, it was translated into English in 2017 and Lao in 2018.
Hạnh used to work as a war journalist for the Vietnam News Agency during the American War in Việt Nam. He was among witnesses of the historical moment at noon of April 30, 1975 when North Vietnamese troops took over Sài Gòn, marking the fall of the US-aided and abetted regime.
A War Account 1-2-3-4.75 was completed after nearly four decades, and officially introduced to the public by the National Political Publishing House in April 2014. The book won the literary prize of the Việt Nam Writers Association the same year and the prestigious Southeast Asian Writers Award in Thailand in 2015.
Vietnamese writer-journalist Trần Mai Hạnh delivers a speech at the Southeast Asian Writers Award ceremony in Thailand in 2015. Photo courtesy of the author
The book has been widely praised for its literary, historical, and journalistic value. It contains many classified documents of the US government and the Sài Gòn administration about the war.
It has been introduced at many domestic and international book fairs such as the Frankfurt International Book Fair and the Havana International Book Fair.
On February 7, 2020, a seminar was held to introduce Hạnh’s book at the 29th Havana International Book Fair in which Việt Nam was the guest of honour.
At the end of the seminar, the Vietnamese and English versions of A War Account 1-2-3-4.75 were presented to Cuban leaders and friends, who suggested that the book should be translated into Spanish for publication in Cuba.
The translation and publication of the Spanish version was undertaken by the National Political Publishing House and completed by the end of 2021. Both of its translators, Trần Thị Oanh và Nguyễn Mai Anh, are lecturers of the Spanish Department, the National Hà Nội University.
In an interview with vietnamplus.vn, the 79-year-old writer affirmed that the publications of the novel in English, Lao and Spanish by the National Political Publishing House have practically introduced and promoted literary works about the undeniable righteousness of Việt Nam’s fight for independence to international readers.
He was also moved when his brainchild now has the opportunity to reach readers in 20 Spanish-speaking countries. VNS
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