VietNamNet Bridge – Many foreigners gathered along with locals on October 7th at 30 Hoang Dieu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, to express condolences with General Vo Nguyen Giap’s family and pay homage to the legendary general.

Mathew Franck stood in line to offer incense at 7am.

Because of arriving late on Sunday (Oct 6), Mathew Franck, a French employee at an advertising company in Hanoi, stood in line to offer incense at 7am. He said that he and his wife have lived in Vietnam for 10 years. He loves the country and also General Vo Nguyen Giap. He has spent time reading works on General Giap and his contributions to Vietnam’s national salvation.

“I am his fan. He is one of the brightest ‘stars’ in the sky of famous generals over the world”, added Franck.

“I admire the general’s talent", Pedersen said.

As for Uirik Kirkegatard Pedersen from Denmark, an English teacher at the Phan Chu Trinh Primary School in Hanoi, he knew about the Vietnam War when he studied at university. He has read documents on General Vo Nguyen Giap in both Vietnamese and English.

“I admire the general’s talent. In spite of not being trained on military affairs like other well-known generals worldwide, his commanding talent was showed through each battle. I have not met him so far but his image will be forever in my mind”, said Pedersen.

Yan said, “Vietnamese people love him so much. I am here to broadcast their sentiment to the general.”

He also expressed shock at hearing of General Vo Nguyen Giap’s death, because he kept updated on news of the general’s health conditions. Thus, he and other teachers in the school gathered at General Giap’s house to express their love for the outstanding Vietnamese military leader.

According to Yan Jian Hua, a permanent correspondent of the Xinhua News Agency in Hanoi, he has heard many stories about General Vo Nguyen Giap from newspapers and also his colleagues, helping him know more about the general. “He is a pre-eminent general of Vietnam. He made great contributions to the victory of the Vietnamese revolutionary cause,” Yan said, “Vietnamese people love him so much. I am here to broadcast their sentiment to the general.”

Mr. Browden said ‘Some of Vietnam's victories like Dien Bien Phu battle in 1954 and Ho Chi Minh campaign in 1975 recorded General Vo Nguyen Giap’s commanding talent’.

Meanwhile, Mees de Browden and his wife from the Netherlands were touched to see the throngs of local residents waiting in turn to offer incense to General Vo Nguyen Giap.

Mr. Browden said that he knew of the Vietnamese national resistance wars against foreign invaders. Some of their victories like Dien Bien Phu battle in 1954 and Ho Chi Minh campaign in 1975 recorded General Vo Nguyen Giap’s commanding talent.

“It is a pity that we can't wait to pay homage to him because we have to take a flight soon. Please accept our most sincere condolences”, said Browden.

Source: QDND