"The Teacher" published by the People's Army Publishing House, is nearly 500 pages thick with 8 chapters. The book tells the story of the memories between the author, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, former Directorate of Intelligence Directorate (Directorate II), former Deputy Minister of National Defence, and Mr. Ba Quoc - Major General Dang Tran Duc, Hero of the People's Armed Forces.
Mr. Ba Quoc is an intelligence teacher whom the author loves, is grateful for, admires and respects. A part of the portrait of an intelligence soldier has been faithfully recreated through stories of life, study and work; from 1984 to 2000.
Not exaggerated or flowery; the book's writing style is extremely concise and succinct, recounting Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh's memories of the 20 years he spent with his teacher.
Talking about the special thing about Major General Ba Quoc's intelligence career, Mr. Vinh raised a few points: first, the Major General alone took on three roles in the intelligence industry, second, the skill of penetrating deep into the enemy's interior, third, his personality of honoring chivalry...
Mr. Ba Quoc's personality is made clear from only the smallest details. Through the stories of comrades who worked with Mr. Vinh, Mr. Ba Quoc is an extremely strict and quiet person.
It seemed that everyone was afraid of Mr. Ba Quoc. Yet, there were times when he felt embarrassed in front of his superiors, because he let the “new soldier” come to the unit for almost a year without assigning him any work.
Or the Major General's use of words is also very special, easy to make an impression. Talking about his unhappy mood after being pointed out a big mistake by his superior, Mr. Ba Quoc used the phrase "like coffee without sugar", and without sugar means bitter.
Reading “The Teacher” is also reading about the life of our soldiers after liberation. They are disciplined and disciplined in their work, but when they are away from the battlefield, they return to the true nature of carefree young men in their twenties.
The feelings expressed in the book are not simply the feelings between teachers and students, but also the feelings of comrades, militiamen, and close family ties. The principles of the intelligence profession are also described in detail, through the lessons that Major General Ba Quoc taught Mr. Vinh:
“With a cunning enemy, in a life-or-death situation, he may speak, but when he has not yet regained his composure, he will speak, but when he regains his composure, don't expect him to say anything more.” The Major General's role as a teacher is further emphasized through the way he teaches his students, from daily speech to important knowledge on the battlefield.
The sincerity revealed throughout the book "The Teacher" connects the reader's heart, arousing love for history, love for the country, and gratitude towards those who have contributed to the country on the historical journey.
