President Ho Chi Minh left behind many documents and artifacts during his 15 years at the Presidential Palace Relic Site. Among them are 3 cars that served President Ho Chi Minh from 1954 to 1969.
These 3 cars have just been recognized as National Treasures by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 1712/QD-TTg dated December 31, 2024 (13th batch, 2024).
Each car holds a special value to the nation, people and international friendship. Visitors can learn about the history and see these national treasures with their own eyes when visiting the Presidential Palace Relic Site.
The first car was a Pobeda car given to the Vietnamese Government by the Soviet Government in 1955. The car served President Ho Chi Minh from March 1957 until the end of August 1969.
This car was used most often by President Ho Chi Minh during the time he lived and worked at the Presidential Palace.
This type of car has a high chassis suitable for long distances so it is often used for trips to visit localities far from Hanoi. The total number of kilometers the car has traveled is 39,436km.
The second one is a ZIS bulletproof car - given to President Ho Chi Minh by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1954.
During the time President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked at the Presidential Palace, this car was used on special occasions such as when receiving international delegations or heads of state who needed to ensure absolute safety.
During the American imperialists' war of destruction in the North in 1964 - 1965, the car was on permanent air defense duty serving President Ho Chi Minh. The total number of kilometers the car traveled was 15,788km.
In particular, the Peugeot 404 car recognized as a national treasure was brought back by overseas Vietnamese living in New Caledonia and Vanuatu (former names of the archipelagos, in Oceania) as a gift to the Government and President Ho Chi Minh.
Overseas Vietnamese brought the car back to Vietnam on the 11th ship Castern Queen, arriving in Hai Phong on March 8, 1964.
The car was used to serve President Ho Chi Minh from 1964 to 1969. In 1967, when his health declined, President Ho Chi Minh often used the Peugeot 404 because the car's low chassis made it convenient to get in and out. The total number of kilometers the car had traveled was about 16,575km.
