Smokeless 'Hoang Cam' kitchen was a small yet extremely significant initiative of a soldier chef named Hoang Cam in the Hoa Binh campaign in 1951 – 1952. This legendary stove, later named after him, accompanied the nation in the 1954 Dien Bien Phu Campaign, and during the resistance war against the US.
"Hoang Cam” stove ensures hot meals for soldiers in training, combat
readiness.
General Vo Nguyen Giap said that when mentioning
the Hoa Binh campaign, it would be a mistake not to mention the initiative that
brought about very important improvements for the meals of soldiers.
During the Hoa Binh campaign, Hoang Cam, a
soldier chef at Infantry Division 308, invented astove intake and chimney
system which diffused and dissipated smoke from cooking, thus preventing aerial
detection of smoke by military planes. The smoke from the stove rising through
the chimney system is only a thin strip that quickly dissipates as it leaves
the ground.
The "Hoang Cam” stove quickly became popular
among units, especially in Dien Bien Phu Campaign.
The invention helped chefs cook during the day
even when enemy reconnaissance planes flew overhead. The stove was effective in
all subsequent campaigns, even in the resistance against the US.
Many veterans said that without the Hoang Cam
stove, cooking meals to ensure the health of soldiers would still be very
difficult.
With this initiative, soldiers were able to take
hot meals and hot water in winter, and field military medical stations had hot
water to sterilise medical instruments. This initiative held significant value
in practical military operations and combat, contributing to maintaining the
health and the number of soldiers in long campaigns.
The use of the "Hoang Cam" stove in combat
was proven effective during the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, ensuring secrecy and
surprise, and avoiding detection by enemy aircraft, thereby minimising
casualties for the military.
A delegation of the Indian Embassy in Vietnam led by Ambasador Sandeep Arya paid a working trip to Hoa Binh province on April 1, aiming to explore cooperation opportunities. The delegation was received by Nguyen Phi Long, alternate member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Hoa Binh provincial Party Committee, along with Nguyen Van Chuong, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, and representatives from various departments and agencies.
A delegation from the Standing Board of the Hoa Binh provincial Party Committee led by Nguyen Phi Long, an alternate member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, on March 20 inspected the progress of the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway project in Mai Chau district.
The Steering Committee for the Development of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation of Hoa Binh province convened a meeting on March 11 to deploy key tasks.
Lac Son district is reorganising and streamlining its organisational apparatus and the contingent of officials, civil servants and public employees in line with Resolution 18 issued by the 12th Party Central Committee.
The provincial Department of Public Security has reorganised its structure to enhance operational efficiency and meet the evolving demands of the new era. In line with the Resolution No. 25 of the Central Public Security Party Committee, the move aims to streamline personnel, standardise leadership roles, and strengthen the police force’s capacity while creating better conditions for modernising equipment.
The subcommittee for documents of the 18th Hoa Binh provincial Party Congress, the 2025 - 2030 term, convened on March 3 to review and incorporate public feedback on the congress’s draft documents. The meeting was chaired by Nguyen Phi Long, an alternate member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Hoa Binh provincial Party Committee. It was attended by senior provincial officials, including Bui Thi Minh, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairwoman of the provincial People’s Council; Bui Duc Hinh, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee; other members of the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee; and members of the document subcommittee.