Opening of exhibition series at "D67 House and Bunker, Cipher Bunker – General Staff Headquarters, Hanoi Flag Tower"

1:15 PM, Tue August 19, 2025

Marking the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution's victory (August 19, 1945 – August 19, 2025) and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945 – September 2, 2025), under the direction of the Hanoi People's Committee, the Thang Long–Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center on August 19 held the opening ceremony of a series of exhibitions at "D67 House and Bunker, Cipher Bunker – General Staff Headquarters, Hanoi Flag Tower."

Attending the event were Nguyen Trong Nghia, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, and Head of the Central Commission for Propaganda and Mass Mobilization; Vu Thu Ha, Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People's Committee; leaders of central and municipal agencies; war veterans; and historical witnesses.

Opening of exhibition series at "D67 House and Bunker, Cipher Bunker – General Staff Headquarters, Hanoi Flag Tower"- Ảnh 1.

Overview of the event.

A thousand-year heritage site of the Capital

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Thanh Quang, Director of the Thang Long–Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center, emphasized that the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, a UNESCO-recognized World Cultural Heritage site, represents the essence of Vietnam's historical and cultural values.

The site not only preserves cultural layers built up over a thousand years but also safeguards revolutionary relics that serve as "red addresses" for patriotic education, such as D67 House and Bunker, the T1 Command Bunker, the Cipher Bunker, and the Hanoi Flag Tower.

Throughout more than 1,300 years of uninterrupted history, these relics have become significant milestones of the glorious Ho Chi Minh era, preserving heroic achievements of the nation and the heroic capital, and shaping the distinctive identity of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel heritage complex today.

Quang noted that in recent years, the Center has worked with experts, scholars, and specialized agencies to study, conserve, and promote the revolutionary relics of the citadel. The Center has widely opened the site to both domestic and international visitors.

It has also engaged with and honored historical witnesses, collected and supplemented documents and artifacts, organized displays of valuable items, and introduced QR codes for historical information. Additionally, the Center created a 360-degree virtual tour of D67 House and reconstructed the historical narrative of the T1 Bunker.

Alongside these activities, the Center organized seminars and scientific discussions such as "The Role of the General Headquarters in the Spring 1975 General Offensive and Uprising" and "Restoring and Promoting the Value of the Operations Command Bunker."

Notably, the Hanoi Flag Tower, a sacred symbol of the Capital, has been enhanced with 3D mapping art lighting, which both highlights its historical value and reflects Vietnam's determination to integrate and develop.

"These stories of history, vividly retold and recreated through today's exhibitions, allow us to revisit our nation's glorious pages, honor the countless heroes and martyrs who sacrificed for peace and freedom, and inspire boundless patriotism and pride. They provide strength for today's generation to continue writing the story of peace in a new era of prosperity and progress," Quang expressed.

Opening of exhibition series at "D67 House and Bunker, Cipher Bunker – General Staff Headquarters, Hanoi Flag Tower"- Ảnh 2.

Delegates during the exhibition.

Many first-time exhibits

On the morning of August 19, residents and visitors had the chance to tour the exhibitions at D67 House, the D67 Bunker, and the Cipher Bunker.

The exhibition, themed "D67 House and Bunker – The Journey to Victory" (Phase 1), highlights the communications and command operations of the Cipher Department of the General Staff during the resistance war against the United States, especially between 1972 and 1975.

It consists of four main sections: the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and the First Destructive War; the story of D67 House and Bunker and the defeat of the "Vietnamization" strategy; the Second Destructive War; and the Great Spring Victory of 1975.

Visitors can listen to audio narrations while exploring the working area of the General Staff, General Vo Nguyen Giap's office, and various military operational equipment used during the war.

Located just behind D67 House and Bunker is the Cipher Bunker, part of the Area A bunker system within the Hanoi Citadel, built during the resistance war against the United States. The Cipher Bunker played a vital role in ensuring that the General Headquarters could maintain command and coordination of the armed forces and battlefronts during the intense U.S. air raids on Hanoi.

Visitors can view archival images of officers and soldiers who once worked there, along with confidential telegrams.

Tran Xuan Thanh, who attended the exhibition with his two sons, shared: "This is the first time I brought my children to see the strategic bunkers at the Imperial Citadel. The documents and historical images displayed here not only help the younger generation better understand our national history but also instill in them pride and love for their homeland."

According to Director Quang, the Cipher Bunker has been carefully restored based on the principle of preserving its original features without altering the relic itself. The documents and artifacts on display were collected and studied to maximize the historical value of the site and to create new highlights for the Imperial Citadel, especially to attract younger visitors.

Preserving revolutionary relics for education and heritage

Assessing the exhibitions, Associate Professor Dr. Tran Duc Cuong, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences, affirmed that revolutionary relics such as D67 House and Bunker and the Cipher Bunker are an integral part of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel heritage in the Ho Chi Minh era, with special significance in the resistance war against the United States.

"These revolutionary relics were among the criteria that helped the Thang Long Imperial Citadel be recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site. Preserving and promoting the value of these relics plays a crucial role in educating patriotism, fostering national unity, nurturing aspirations for peace, and affirming the will of the entire Party, people, and armed forces to build and protect the Socialist Republic of Vietnam," he said.

It also expresses profound gratitude to the generations who sacrificed their blood for independence and national reunification,"

In addition to opening the strategic bunkers, the Thang Long–Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center will also launch an exhibition titled "Hanoi Flag Tower – The Nation and the Aspiration for Peace" at the Hanoi Flag Tower on September 1.

This exhibition aims to honor and promote the cultural and historical value of one of the Capital's most significant landmarks, a symbol deeply tied to the spirit and cultural identity of the people of Hanoi and the Vietnamese nation.