After the Mau Than Campaign, the Vietnam War entered a critical stage.
The Central Military Commission and General Staff realized
strategic blitzes, regardless of their effectiveness,
had little impact on the overall state of the war.
Grand-scale battles and decisive operations were much needed
to turn the tide of war and realize total victory.
The troops needed vehicles, weaponry, materiel,
and modern military equipment.
A daunting task facing the General Department of Logistics
was the fuel supply.
Sir, our depot at Station 33 was hit by enemy airstrikes.
Twelve hundred tons of weapons and 500 fuel tanks were destroyed.
High Command of 559 took full responsibility.
-Greetings, sir. -Hello, comrade.
Both the CMC and General Staff are determined to turn the tide of the war.
The Central Department of Logistics is struggling to provide for the frontier.
To end this war, we cannot rely solely on guerrilla warfare.
We must strike hard, on all fronts,
when they least expect it.
We can't just hide in the woods with some AKs.
No fuel, no tanks, no artillery, and no AKs either.
Then what do we strike them with?
We can't rely on guerrillas forever.
If we wish to end this war soon, grand-scale operations are crucial.
We can't take them on without vehicles.
My tanks, trucks, and artillery are immobilized.
The fuel you supplied wasn't enough to share.
All supplies are thin on the ground. Self-sufficiency is a must.
You're only good with words! But my troops are starving.
They aren't well-fed like yours.
We supplied everything to your side from our depots.
My men have malaria
while your antimalarials are rotting away.
My troops starved to death
while Truong Son mice are well-fed on your rice.
Transporting rice on foot would be fine
if your men didn't eat all of it on the way.
Not like the French.
This is not Dien Bien Phu anymore.
The U.S. is modern and professional.
We have to catch up with them!
We need armor and fuel
to supply materiel and food to soldiers.
The Truong Son route can only operate if there's fuel.
Fuel is blood.
Without blood, my men will die in agony.
Who will fight then?
There will be fuel.
Enough for your men to strike hard.
The report is useless.
I risked my neck just for our meeting.
Do you think only ammunition is important?
Right now, fuel is the most crucial thing.
Without armor, the People's Army are basically guerrillas.
Main forces and local troops are the same.
I'm heading south.
You? Going south?
There'll be a fuel pipeline running along the Truong Son route.
Hello, everyone.
Nguyen Van Quang, Pipeline Company Commander, reporting for duty, sir.
Our unit is installing pipes at vital zones. Headcount 100.
ETC 15 days. Over.
Good. Please proceed.
Why are you here every day? Don't you have homework?
I've already finished...
Can you teach me how to shoot?
Do you know how to reload yet?
Yes. I've been practicing all week.
Do not pee here!
Where should I go?
Anywhere but here!
Mind the fuel. You'll get blisters.
I feel a bit irritated.
Careful. Shit.
-It's worse than scalds. -Don't scare me.
-Rookie? -Yes, sir.
It's my third year carrying. My comrades died from infection.
Wash it off in the stream. Grip the bag tight.
-Do not let it soak. -Yes, sir.
Look out! Mines!
Your hair's turning gray.
Our kids all grew up.
Our youngest also enlisted. I should turn gray.
It feels like a barracks.
Your drink, Father.
Your drink, Mother.
Father. Mother.
We'll head south next week.
You're both enlisting?
We'll leave on Monday.
We're lucky to catch you, Father.
What about your study?
The war is more urgent than the lectures.
What about the wedding, Mai?
Father and Mother, it'll have to wait until after reunification.
Where are Luong and Hoa?
They were sent to Hai Phong to receive the pipeline from the Soviet Union.
They'll return later.
Prepare a chicken to offer to our ancestors.
I'll leave for the war soon.
Go home! Why are you still here?
Waiting for our parents.
You're going on duty, Mai?
I'm a youth volunteer.
I want to volunteer, too.
They killed our parents.
Who are you staying with?
The village militia.
Mother, my article has been published in the newspaper.
Really?
Father, you've returned.
I thought you went south.
From the rear, there are tons of things to support the front.
You don't need a gun to be a hero.
We do need writers.
Leave him be, Duc.
Dear Father and Mother, our country is suffering.
Many men and women have joined the fight.
Please forgive us, for each Tet holiday
that we were unable to make decent offerings.
I'm heading into an unforgiving war.
Even if I die, I vow to bring honor to our family
and pledge my allegiance.
Do you guys want to stay with me?
Mother, I was meaning to ask you...
I'll talk to the captain.
I feel bad for them. I can't leave them to the Cooperative Depot.
Do we have anti-aircraft artillery, miss?
What do you need it for?
I want to destroy those planes.
Mail for you!
Hello.
A letter from Nghia!
I'll read it to you, okay?
Dear Mother, I wrote to you yesterday.
Today, I wish to write some more.
Not sure you'll get this, but I'll write anyway.
I'm writing from Death Valley.
I have to escort a task force through a brutal combat zone today.
It's called a valley, but it's just a single road
which lies under a two-kilometer ravine.
Artillery attacks...
They are launched every 30 minutes,
a few dozen rounds each time, strike after strike.
No one can survive here except us scouts.
War might be a horror to many,
but we're used to it.
As long as I'm out of range
and only move between strikes, I should be safe.
Every few days, I escort people through the valley.
Today, I'm managing a troupe.
Comrade Ha!
Comrade Ha! Get down!
Return to your post at once!
They're gonna annihilate the valley.
I said, stay down!
Destiny is written. There's no point in worrying.
Damn it!
You can neglect your safety,
but nobody's gonna die on my watch.
It's not that easy to die.
Comrade Performer Le Thi Bao Ha!
Death may come late in some places.
But here, we can be killed at any moment.
You'll die, just like that!
Attention!
They're reloading the artillery. Let's move now to avoid the chopper.
Yes, sir!
Thanks.
Get down!
Incoming strikes! Get down!
Is everybody okay?
-I'm good. -Me, too.
We need to reach that forest in 25 minutes before the next strike.
Don't drink too much.
You'll be exhausted quicker.
We need to save it for later.
Damn it!
The water in this place is contaminated.
Shit, I know!
You go with the others.
Let me deal with this.
Don't stop!
Keep moving!
Run!
The department insisted on installing pipes in the Triangle,
Vinh, Nam Dan, and Linh Cam.
I wish to see it done this week to push construction further south.
Here there are only 200-kilometer pipes.
Another 400 kilometers just arrived.
We can request aid, but we must manage it ourselves eventually.
Two, three!
May! Get to the shelter.
I'm topping up ammo.
Tracking target.
Diving direction 32, speed 180.
Burst fire mode. Observations?
Mark one. Mark two. Fire!
Tracking target, back to one.
Steady... Fire!
Fire!
Mark one.
Steady... Fire!
Sir, I'm on it!
Stay still! Do not move.
Can I pee here, mister?
Go ahead. It's all right.
We've been tracked.
They saw us.
Request extraction at 8th Point.
Alpha to Eagle. Do you copy?
Alpha is under attack. Over.
Take the troupe to the station. I'll hold them back.
Stay sharp. We'll send backup.
There's a good landing spot on that hill.
They're likely to wait for extraction.
It's too dangerous to install pipes here.
The whole place would have been up in flames.
You should have chosen a different route.
Stay clear of the main road at least one kilometer.
You must avoid hot zones.
Sir, that would be very difficult for construction.
How can this be easy, comrade?
Sir! The department sent a telegraph.
X42 is fully operational.
Nam Thanh to Ga Loc's fuel supply has been cleared.
That's great news!
Please congratulate them on my behalf.
Copy that, sir.
They declared a ceasefire on the north,
but the start of the Truong Son trail is being heavily attacked.
So you have to finish this part immediately!
-Sir-- -I don't care how you do it.
By the new year, we need fuel to flow from Na Tong to 559 for daytime operations.
Sir, the pipe experts could not proceed to the war zone.
There's a severe lack of manpower.
I'm aware of that. But... after the first installation,
we're all experts.
As for manpower, I will divide Construction 18 into two areas
and assign two battalions to you.
One will handle the section from Cau Choi to 559,
the other from X42 to Cau Choi.
-Clear? -Yes, sir.
Mr. Nghia!
Did you capture any rangers?
I'm heading north tomorrow. Thought I'd missed you.
You weren't at the station.
I assumed you'd be here.
Such a beautiful sight.
Such tranquility.
Missing Hanoi again, are you?
You're missing it too.
Which street are you on, Nghia?
I live in the suburbs. My village is across the river.
I live in Phan Boi Chau, near Hang Co station.
When the war is over, pay me a visit if you think of me.
If I make it out alive, then definitely.
How long have you been on the battlefield?
Six years.
How many have you killed?
I am a soldier.
I carry out orders. I don't kill without a reason.
I heard many stories about you.
I am sorry.
They said you're lethal. Never miss a kill.
Sometimes...
killing is what I have to do.
Shoot me.
Please... let me die.
Shoot me.
Comrade, please!
It took the rest of the day to bury her and the other villagers.
After that day,
I quit the transport unit.
I wanted to be a combat soldier...
but was sent to be a scout.
A split point cartridge is deadlier.
The target won't stand a chance.
Death will be swift.
No more suffering.
Truong Son, dry season, 1969.
Dear Mother,
I'm so glad to have received your letter.
In six years on the battlefield, this is the first time I got a letter from home.
Mai has joined the youth volunteers
and gone to the front, hasn't she?
I am so glad that you decided to take the kids in.
We are so proud of you.
We exchange shirts out of love
Back home, I lied to my parents that
When crossing the bridge
The wind swept it away
We exchange rings out of love
Back home, I lied to my parents that
When crossing the bridge
I dropped it
Mother, the girl who will deliver this letter
accompanied me for ten days straight.
She's kind and gentle. I like her a lot, but I'm afraid to tell her.
In war, who knows?
Scout's trail.
Hey there, comrades.
How are you doing, soldiers?
Comrades, it's getting dark. You can stay at our place.
Have fish with bamboo shoots.
I'm craving a meal like that, but we have to return to base.
We shouldn't be wandering.
Scared of youth volunteers, aren't you?
Fancy a girl at our station?
A band of heroines here for you to choose.
Ly! Mind yourself.
It's a superior officer's car. Can't you tell?
Oh, sir! I am sorry.
How rude of me!
It's all right. How are you holding up?
We're still alive and kicking.
We're out on the road by day, staying in caves by night.
Do you need anything?
We're short on everything.
But men are what we need most.
Can you spare one of them for a day?
Halt!
Comrade Ly, that was out of line!
I wasn't kidding.
If you can spare some men for the platoon, that'd be splendid.
We're close to Se San, a brutal area.
Try to cross the river soon.
Aircraft are scheduled to strike after eight o'clock.
Sir, if you can't spare anyone,
then I wish you all good luck.
Once you've returned, we'll take a guy.
It's clear ahead, sir.
There were two here yesterday.
It was so romantic that nobody dared to take a shower.
TO MY HERO
I intended to use this as my diary notebook.
Please keep it.
Once the war is over,
let's be together.
My house is at number 16--
Phan Boi Chau street!
I won't forget.
Please...
don't die.
Destiny is written.
It's not that easy to die.
Stop.
Who's in charge here?
Greetings, sir!
Who controls these trucks?
Ouch!
The truck is too visible. They can drop bombs any time!
Fix it now!
Sir, it's only visible from the ground,
so it's unlikely that aircraft will spot us.
I saw you from a mile away, damn it!
Rangers could've called in air support and we'd be toast!
Where is your rifle?
Sir, I left it in the cabin.
If there's a sudden air raid,
how the hell will you defend?
Who is the commander?
Sir!
Remind him to meet me at the scout station this afternoon, clear?
Yes, sir! I will have the troops fix the camouflage.
Where is your commander?
Sir, I am the commander of this unit.
But you're a driver?
Sir, the driver is an emulative soldier
who has returned to the division to report.
I'm covering for him to avoid leaving a truck.
You're in charge of this unit?
Sir, I am Do Khai, Commander of the Third Transport Battalion
under Division 500.
We handle transportation from southern Song Lam to 559.
Hello, sir!
They look haggard! Don't they eat?
Sir, we've been driving all night for a whole month.
It's been really tough.
We drove through rough terrain with non-stop airstrikes.
At each stop, we have to unload the fuel,
stash it in bushes, and cover the trucks.
Then we have to gear up and move again by 3 p.m.
We only sleep for a few hours each day.
Stop whining!
Exhaustion is not an excuse for negligence. Clear?
They will be ruthless regarding your mistakes,
and all of your efforts will be in vain.
Just fix the camouflage and get some rest.
You are excused from reporting.
Copy that, sir!
It's all yours.
Grill it. Make a decent meal.
Thank you, sir.
Sir, you shot my goat.
It's your goat?
Yes, sir.
Civilians gave it to us. I've been raising it for a month.
The goat would have made it to Station 32 if you hadn't put it down.
It had neither camouflage nor a weapon. Don't be so shocked!
Remember to equip your next goat carefully.
Are we clear?
Yes, sir!
Comrade Commander!
Yes, sir.
Thank you, sir.
Excuse me? Convoy KH15?
May I ask for General Dinh?
It's me. Hello, comrade.
Sir, I am First Lieutenant Bui Van Nghia,
Vice Commander of T36, waiting for you.
Ta Lon was hit by B-52s. The bridge was destroyed,
so we were delayed.
Please proceed to the station.
You shouldn't stay here long.
Hurry, or they'll blow us up!
Get in the truck!
Comrades! Push the truck.
Two, three!
Fire!
It's on!
Hurry!
Stop, comrades! There are unexploded bombs.
Stop!
Could be EMPs. Don't move.
All of you behind me, step back.
DETONATED
You can come up now.
The bombs have been detonated!
Comrades!
Father, I haven't seen you for months.
I am now a hardened Liberation soldier.
We are marching further south every day.
Mai's no longer a youth volunteer.
With her medical background, she's become a nurse at a station.
Stretcher!
Get the wounded inside!
Where are you from, comrade?
Mai! Duc's here to see you.
We should have listened to you and gotten married before enlisting.
War may never end.
If we were married, we'd enjoy each day together.
Perhaps on our next leave
we will get married.
What's wrong? Can't sleep?
Yes, sir.
Perhaps I should move someplace else.
I don't want to disturb you.
Stay put.
Sleeping sideways doesn't bother you?
My back is full of scars.
Lying on my back makes me itchy.
Why don't you get it treated?
There's no treatment, sir.
Sit up and show me your back.
Napalm?
No, sir. Fuel burns.
I was in a transport unit for a few years.
The fuel I carried on my back
kept rubbing on me when I moved.
It burned my skin and left these scars on my back, sir.
This happened to every carrier?
Yes, sir. Anyway, you should get some sleep.
I'll keep watch.
This is the Death Valley.
A blockade to our vital traffic route.
How do we cross it?
We wait until nightfall, then we cross.
This is a brutal combat zone. It's clear but surrounded by mountains.
There are hardly any airstrikes here.
During the day, warships fire artillery every 30 minutes.
It'll be less intense at night.
How do they strike?
Sir, the strike lasts for five minutes
and repeats after 30 minutes.
We can't wait until nightfall.
Can we make it between strikes?
Usually we can.
But you haven't done this before, so I'm concerned.
A sudden strike would be critical.
Nine hours under air surveillance is more dangerous.
To hell with it.
We're likely to run into a chopper.
I'll find a safe spot, sir.
We're combat soldiers. Been through hell and back.
You don't need to worry.
I'll take full responsibility.
That is not my concern.
If you're determined, we'll cross the valley now.
They stopped firing. Let's move.
Sirs, get off and find cover.
I'll distract it.
To the woods!
YOUTH VOLUNTEER VILLAGE 367
How many volunteers are here, do you think?
How would I know?
Have a drink, sir.
Sure.
The ladies are usually on the road until night.
Oh, I know how many!
Why are there so many hairs?
Ironwood leaves, sir.
The stream is filled with these.
It makes their hair fall out.
Hey, guys!
There are stone crabs here. Find some.
There are no crabs here.
Or are they taking refuge from air strikes?
You don't know jack!
Back in Dien Bien, whenever it rained, De Castries' bunker was filled with crabs.
See for yourself.
Look here, nerds!
Are these not crabs?
Look for more. We'll make soup with them.
So many crabs! Where should we put them?
Make a bundle with your pants. Don't be shy!
Walking under a starry night A voice resounding in the forest
Are you the girl who cleared the path?
I hear your voice But do not know what you look like
The girls who cleared the path Both day and night
Sir, I'm screwed!
Stay put! If you lose the crabs, there'll be consequences.
I'll send you back to transporting fuel!
Boys! To the south or turning back?
Do you have tight sack syndrome?
We can solve that.
These are superior officers! Watch your mouths.
Give it back, or you'll be disciplined!
Hello, Mr. Nghia!
I see why Nghia was so terrified.
He's messing with you, sir.
The girls here treat him really well.
He even asked us to sing him to sleep once.
He's afraid that you'd discipline him for troubling us.
Can you spare a few guys to assist our company?
There are things that we women can't do by ourselves.
She's right, sir.
Women are resourceful. You can do anything.
Can we do "it" by ourselves?
What is "it"?
Sharpening bullets, for example?
You're always sharpening your bullets,
but you may shoot blanks. Who knows?
Sir? Go to sleep.
It's almost morning.
I slept quite well.
You're still young. Why are you up all night like an old man?
It's not because of the girls, right?
Ever been in love?
War...
makes you forget how to love.
What about it?
Do you know the poem, "Wait For Me" by Simonov?
Of course.
Dear, wait for me
Wait and I'll come back!
Under dreary yellow rains
Day after day
War is war.
I wish we didn't have to fight.
Please, don't die.
Cigarette smell.
Sirs, please step back.
There are scouts ahead. I'll move in for a closer look.
Thunder Tigers rangers.
Could be more nearby,
in groups of three to five.
-I can take them with two shots. -Don't risk it!
If they retaliate, there will be casualties.
Cover me.
I'll take him down, then capture the rest.
Drop your weapon! Move and I'll blow your head off.
Which unit?
Thunder Tigers company. Airborne battalion based in Da Nang.
I thought you were badasses!
We will part ways. Another team will take it from here.
We have to head back.
Thank you very much.
Nghia, one of my sons, is deployed here.
He's about your age.
His girlfriend is a doctor.
Really, sir?
His name is Duc. The girl is Mai.
They enlisted at the same time.
Sir, are you from Kieu Ky?
-That's right. -I live in Van Giang.
Mai is my younger sister.
A Viet Cong on her own. Don't let her escape.
Mai! Get down!
I traveled here for a firsthand experience of the battlefield,
so I can come up with a strategic plan and realistic solutions for current needs.
If you have any logistics requests,
or any disadvantages, please let me know.
We need ammunition, firearms,
-food, and medicine. -Have a drink, sirs.
But the most important thing is fuel.
I gave you my word that B2 will be fully equipped
-for an all-out attack. -I understand.
You went on this trip for a practical assessment of the battlefield.
When will that promise become a reality?
As of right now,
pipeline construction is making progress.
Pipeline soldiers work in any condition, regardless of harsh terrain.
We have completed a pipeline system
that runs from Lang Son, Quang Ninh
through the north, and deep into the south.
You'll be amazed!
It will arrive next dry season.
Fuel from the north will flow to Bu Gia Map,
or even further.
Are you sure it's possible?
When there's fighting, there will be fuel.
If there's fuel, we will attack.
My tanks and trucks will strike all the way to Saigon, you'll see.
Why go to the north?
I have a new assignment.
Is it a secret?
For pipeline construction training.
When I take my leave,
let's meet again in the north.
That's great!
We'll have another assignment there.
What is it?
Can you tell me?
Hey, Hung! Don't tamper with it.
Yes, sir.
Is this the Lan sewers?
No, it's the village.
Get to the shelter, now!
Brother!
Hung!
Mai! What are you doing? Turn around!
I'll kill you!
Over 5000 kilometers of pipes and hundreds of fuel storage tanks
along both eastern and western Truong Son
provide the strength for our tanks and trucks to operate
during the American War.
This logistical strategy is decisive
for grand-scale battles
and plays a vital role in the glorious Ho Chi Minh Campaign.
Nghia remained a scout in that brutal area.
His experience and courage
symbolize the sacrifice and patriotism of a soldier.
TO MY HERO
Like millions of fallen men and women in the war to protect our country,
Ha was laid to rest in Truong Son.
Sometimes during his operations, he stopped by and paid respect.
General Dinh is devoted to the war.
The fuel pipeline he created runs along the Truong Son trail
and has ushered in a new phase of great battles
in which many forces worked together.
It has changed the overall state of the war.
After the end of guerrilla warfare,
the Vietnam People's Army forces began counter-attacking on all fronts.
Overlooking the legion marching for the south,
the general wondered how many would return.
As a general in an ongoing war,
he's burdened with worries.
Subtitle translation by: Thành Duy Hoàng