The horror experienced by French troops, and one of the most profound impressions during the winter of 1946 in Hanoi, was the use of trident bombs, a weapon employed by the suicide squads to destroy enemy tanks and armored vehicles.
According to Mr. Phan Su, former operational envoy of the Hanoi special zone during the nationwide resistance exactly 70 years ago, trident bombs are considered a symbol of the spirit of “Determined to sacrifice for the nation’s survival”, closely associated with the 60-day-and-night struggle of the military and people of the capital against French colonial forces.
Statue of soldier holding trident bomb against the French in 1946-1947.
At the beginning of 1946, when French troops entered Hanoi, they brought along several mechanized units. These included 18-ton tanks equipped with 40mm cannons, wheeled armored vehicles with 20mm cannons, and heavy machine guns mounted on tanks and armored vehicles; tracked armored vehicles had two 12.7mm machine guns and Brown machine guns. This was a formidable mobile assault force that we had to confront in battle.
By the end of October and the beginning of November 1946, tensions escalated as French troops engaged in provocative and aggressive actions; tanks and armored vehicles rumbled through city streets. They also used machinery to fill in our trenches, fortifications, and gun emplacements. In order to avoid giving them an excuse to escalate the situation further while we needed time to prepare for a long-term conflict, our military and civilians exercised utmost restraint in the face of their provocations. In November, the Military Technical Department (Ministry of National Defense) supplied nearly 100 trident bombs to the Hanoi Front, with over half allocated to Zone I, where they could effectively destroy enemy mechanized vehicles.
The trident bomb (constructed based on the principle of explosive devices like the Bazooka, B40, B41 later on) has a funnel shape, with a mouth diameter of 22 cm, featuring a cast iron rim with three iron prongs, each 12 cm long; the base of the funnel contains the detonating mechanism, which includes explosives, a detonator, and a safety pin; the bomb is mounted on a 1.2-meter-long wooden stick.
Though used for a brief period, this crude weapon and its users played an incredibly significant role in our military history.
Using the trident bomb required brave and resourceful soldiers, ready to sacrifice themselves to complete their mission. The objective was to destroy enemy mechanized vehicles while minimizing casualties. To achieve this, maintaining the element of surprise was crucial. Upon engagement, approaching the target had to be maximized with fire support to suppress and neutralize the firepower on the enemy vehicles and overwhelm the accompanying infantry.
During the bombing, the action had to be decisive, with one hand gripping the joint between the bomb and the stick, and the other hand holding the lower two-thirds of the stick, with the bomb angled 45 degrees forward. When within 2-3 meters of the target, the bomb had to be released at shoulder level, with both hands thrusting the bomb into the chosen position, ensuring that all three prongs of the bomb simultaneously contacted the target surface. For tanks and wheeled armored vehicles, the side of the vehicle below the turret was targeted; for half-tracks, the side near the entrance, close to the driver’s cabin and fuel tank were chosen to ensure accurate detonation.
The key difference of the trident bomb from other weapons is that it relies on human strength to generate explosive force to destroy the target. The explosion creates immense pressure (as the fuel and ammunition on the vehicle detonated together), causing part of the pressure to rebound, knocking the bomber backward onto the ground, necessitating that rescue teams be ready to assist the bomber to safety.
Colonel Nguyen Trong Ham (Head of the Traditional Liaison Committee of the suicide squads in Zone 1) recalls that all soldiers were briefed on how to attack tanks with trident bombs. These homemade bombs were not numerous; each company had only about 5-6 bombs, but everyone wanted to be chosen to use the trident bomb.
To effectively attack a tank, one had to approach the target closely and thrust the bomb forcefully into the tank, at which point the detonator would push back and the bomb would explode. This method was effective but extremely dangerous for the bomber’s life. The command was to select individuals who were healthy and agile to carry out the trident bomb attacks. However, it was difficult to choose individuals since most soldiers volunteered, and no one wanted to give way to another.
Every time someone took the trident bomb to attack, the comrades at home were very anxious, not out of fear of death, but rather worried that the tank would not catch fire. Colonel Ham’s company successfully burned three French tanks, but three brave soldiers also sacrificed their lives.
Among those soldiers who received trident bombs to attack the enemy, only one person is still alive today. That is Mr. Tong Ba Hien. He had taken the bomb, but at the last moment, a command was given to halt the attack.
Monument “Determined to sacrifice for the nation’s survival” in Hang Dau flower garden, Hanoi.
After retreating to the resistance zone, Uncle Ho instructed that no more trident bombs should be produced due to the immense sacrifices and losses. Those tasked with using trident bombs did not return. They were all very young, with the oldest being just over 20. In battle, the line between life and death was very thin, but with the mission to charge at the enemy tanks with trident bombs, the soldiers had foreseen their sacrifice.
Thus, the image of the suicide squads in the capital using trident bombs has been recorded in history, becoming a symbol, a source of pride, and motivation for the younger generations of Vietnam to follow.
The actions of the suicide squads symbolize the indomitable will to sacrifice everything rather than lose the country, reflecting the sentiments of the people and soldiers nationwide, particularly the military and civilians of Hanoi, and it also instilled terror in the invading troops.
