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| Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang visits Madeleine Riffaud on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of France-Viet Nam relations in 2023. Photo: VNA |
She was among the first foreign war correspondents invited to witness the American invasion of Viet Nam. Her articles, photographs, and documentaries published in France provided an unflinching portrayal of the resilience and bravery of the Vietnamese people from 1965 to 1973, helping the Southeast Asian nation garner international support at that time.
In particular, her two books - Dans les acquis de Vietcong (In the Vietcong Underground), published in 1965, and Au Nord du Viet Nam, écrit sous les bombes (In North Viet Nam: Written Under the Bombs), 1967, made a significant impact. The first earned the 1966 award from the International Organisation of Journalists.
Not only did she support and stand by the Vietnamese people during their past struggle for national liberation, but she also remained unwavering in her commitment to them in national construction. Riffaud actively engaged in the activities of the France-Viet Nam Friendship Association, supported Vietnamese Agent Orange/dioxin victims, assisted marginalised communities in remote areas of Viet Nam, and encouraged the Vietnamese people in their development and global integration.
The Vietnamese State and Government awarded her the first-class Order of Resistance in 1984 and the Friendship Order in 2004 in recognition of her significant contributions to the struggle for national liberation as well as the cause of national construction and development./.
VNA
