On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army (December 22, 1944 - December 22, 2024) and the 35th anniversary of the National Defense Day (December 22, 1989 - December 22, 2024), we respectfully present the article: "The Vietnam People's Army - A Source of National Pride" by General Secretary To Lam .
1. The Vietnam People's Army originates from the people and fights for the people. After 80 years of building, fighting, winning, and maturing, under the leadership, education, and training of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, from a small army with rudimentary equipment, it has become a powerful army, together with the people, achieving glorious victories and heroic feats, symbols of the Vietnamese nation's determination to fight and win, and a source of pride for the Party, the State, the Vietnamese people, and peace- loving friends around the world.
On December 22, 1944, following the directive of leader Ho Chi Minh, in the forest between the two communes of Hoang Hoa Tham and Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province, the Vietnam Propaganda and Liberation Army, with 34 soldiers in "brown trousers and cloth shirts"—the predecessor of the Vietnam People's Army, led by Comrade Vo Nguyen Giap—was established. Immediately after its formation, with the support, assistance, and protection of the people, the Vietnam Propaganda and Liberation Army achieved victories at Phai Khat and Na Ngan, beginning the glorious history of the Vietnam People's Army's "hundred battles, hundred victories" tradition. Under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnam Propaganda and Liberation Army, along with the National Salvation Army units and guerrilla units, developed into the Vietnam Liberation Army. Together with the people of the whole country, they carried out the General Uprising, achieving the success of the August Revolution in 1945, seizing power for the people, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - the first people's democratic state in Southeast Asia, opening a new era in the nation's history, an era of independence and freedom.
During the resistance war against French colonial aggression, our army rapidly matured in all aspects; with a resolute will to fight and win, and the spirit of "Sacrifice for the survival of the Fatherland," it joined the entire nation in a protracted resistance, foiling the enemy's "quick attack, quick victory" strategy and their "pacification" and "counterattack" schemes, achieving glorious victories. The Đông-Xuân (1953-1954) strategic offensive, culminating in the historic Điện Biên Phủ victory, "renowned throughout the world and shaking the earth," forced the French government to sign the Geneva Accords, restoring peace in Indochina, withdrawing troops, and completely liberating the North. This became a source of pride and a shining example for the national liberation movement worldwide, as it marked the first time a colonial country and a young army had defeated a professional army equipped with modern weapons of a colonial empire.
During the resistance war against the US, facing a formidable imperial power with the world's strongest economic and military potential, and a professional expeditionary army with powerful soldiers and generals, under the brilliant and wise leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, our army upheld its revolutionary nature and heroic traditions. With courage, resourcefulness, creativity, and a determination to fight and win, fulfilling Uncle Ho's words, "Drive out the Americans, overthrow the puppet regime," it overcame all difficulties, hardships, and sacrifices, "daring to fight, determined to fight, knowing how to fight and knowing how to win," together with the entire nation crushing the "Special War," "Local War," and "Vietnamization of the War" strategies... defeating two air and naval bombing campaigns against North Vietnam by the US imperialists, creating the "Dien Bien Phu in the Air" battle (December 1972). Launching the General Offensive and Uprising of Spring 1975, culminating in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, successfully concluded the resistance war against the US, gloriously completing the cause of national liberation and reunification, writing a heroic and glorious chapter in the history of the Ho Chi Minh era; the country was reunited, and the nation entered a new era - an era of peace, independence, and freedom, with the whole country moving towards socialism.
Not only did the Vietnam People's Army win independence for the nation and freedom for the people, it also actively fulfilled its noble international obligations, helping the Lao people firmly protect the achievements of the revolution, helping the Cambodian people escape genocide, carrying out the national revival, and winning the war to defend the Fatherland on the Southwestern and Northern borders.
During the period of national renewal, the noble nature and traditions of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," forged through two wars of resistance and the war of national defense, continue to shine brightly in the cause of building and defending the socialist Fatherland. The Vietnam People's Army is exemplary in implementing the resolutions, directives, and conclusions of the Party; constantly striving, uniting, and working together to overcome all difficulties and challenges, together with the entire Party, people, and army, to firmly defend the socialist Fatherland in all situations; actively participating in socio-economic development, caring for the lives of the people, and continuously contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world. The image of military officers and soldiers always present in critical, difficult, and dangerous places, sacrificing themselves to protect the lives and property of the people and carrying out civilian work, has further enhanced the qualities and traditions of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," strengthening the close and inseparable bond between the military and the people, building a solid "people's support base," and increasing the people's trust in the Party, the State, and the socialist regime. The image of Vietnamese soldiers in international peacekeeping forces in many war-torn regions around the world has shown the new stature and strength of the Vietnam People's Army.
The great achievements in the cause of national liberation, protection and construction of the socialist Fatherland, and fulfillment of international obligations over the past 80 years are due to: (i) The Vietnam People's Army has always been under the absolute, direct, and comprehensive leadership of the Party in all aspects, bearing the nature of the Vietnamese working class, and shouldering the historical mission of the working class, the people, and the Vietnamese nation. (ii) The Vietnam People's Army is an army of the people, by the people, and for the people; relying on the strength of the people, closely bound to the people, always yearning for a prosperous and happy life for the people; apart from the interests of the Fatherland and the interests of the people, our army has no other interests. (iii) The purpose of building the army is national self-defense, winning independence for the Fatherland, freedom for the People, protecting independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, maintaining peace and stability, and contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world. Our army fights with no other goal than to achieve the victorious ideals of the Party and the working class, for national independence and socialism. (iv) Generations of officers and soldiers, with steely spirit and will, courage, resourcefulness, and without regard for hardship or sacrifice, have always upheld the banner of national independence, freedom and happiness of the people, and socialism. (v) The solidarity and support of international friends have contributed to the strength of the Vietnam People's Army.
2. The world is undergoing a period of epochal change; this is also a time to shape our future. Strategic competition among major powers is intensifying, increasing challenges to peace, stability, and development for nations. This epochal transformation brings new opportunities and advantages, but also many challenges, with the challenges being more prominent. However, new opportunities can emerge in the midst of sudden changes in the global landscape; our task is to seize these opportunities to move the country forward. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has been and is changing the methods of operation, organization, and conduct of warfare, intervention, and many other aspects of military, security, and intelligence activities. Hostile, reactionary, and politically opportunistic forces are relentlessly pursuing a "peaceful evolution" strategy with many insidious, sophisticated, and dangerous tactics. The current situation places increasingly high demands and tasks on the mission of national defense. To achieve these demands and tasks in the new phase, the People's Army needs to maximize the fine qualities and traditions of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," focusing on the following tasks:
Firstly, strengthen the absolute and direct leadership of the Party in all aspects; continuously consolidate the working-class nature, the people's character, and the national character of the Army. The Party's leadership is an immutable principle, an objective requirement, and a decisive factor in all victories in the cause of national defense and the national defense mission; under any circumstances, the absolute and direct leadership of the Communist Party over the Army must be maintained and strengthened. Maintaining the revolutionary nature; steadfastly adhering to Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought in building and organizing the Army's functions and tasks; and consolidating the unity between the working-class nature, the people's character, and the national character of the Army are conditions that ensure our Army remains a truly clean, absolutely loyal, and trustworthy political and fighting force of the Party, the State, and the people. The military must be "loyal to the people," responsible for "serving the people," "serving the Fatherland," respecting the people, having a blood-and-flesh bond with the people, sharing their hardships and difficulties, and being ready to sacrifice to save the people. It must earn the people's trust, respect, and love; be remembered by the people when they leave, and cherished by the people when they stay. It must unite and coordinate closely with the People's Police to build and develop a "people's support base" within the national defense system, a national defense system linked to a people's security system, and a solid people's security system.
Secondly, the Vietnam People's Army must be exemplary and take the lead in implementing the resolutions, directives, and conclusions of the Party, first and foremost Resolution No. 44-NQ/TW of the 13th Central Committee on the Strategy for National Defense in the New Situation. It must accurately assess and predict the situation, promptly advise on and effectively handle national defense situations, and absolutely avoid being caught off guard in any situation. It must maintain independence and self-reliance; ensure the highest national and ethnic interests based on the fundamental principles of international law; firmly defend the socialist Fatherland from early on and from afar; resolutely and persistently defend the independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, sea, islands, and airspace of the Fatherland. It must actively propagate, mobilize, and set an example for the people to effectively implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws and regulations, and participate in patriotic emulation movements and revolutionary tasks. To firmly consolidate the great national unity and mobilize the immense strength of the people in building and defending the Fatherland.
Thirdly, focus on building a truly clean, strong, regular, elite, and modern People's Army, meeting the requirements and tasks of the new era, the era of development and prosperity. Implement decisive solutions to "basically build a lean, efficient, and strong army by 2025, creating a solid foundation for striving to build a revolutionary, regular, elite, modern army by 2030, strong in politics, ideology, ethics, organization, and personnel" as stipulated in the Party's 13th National Congress Resolution. Build a modern army in the spirit of "people first, weapons second" and proactively prepare in all aspects for modern warfare; advance strongly to master outer space, conduct in-depth research to master the surface waters, oceans, and seabed; research and develop air defense and air force, master the airspace, and effectively handle unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the air and at sea, and underwater robots. Building a politically strong army, with clean and strong Party organizations within the army in terms of politics, ideology, ethics, organization, and personnel. Building a contingent of military officers who are absolutely "loyal to the country, devoted to the people," striving throughout their lives for the Party's ideals; wholeheartedly and diligently serving the Fatherland and the people, always placing national interests and the interests of the people above all else; being thrifty, honest, upright, and selfless; daring to think, daring to act, daring to take responsibility, daring to innovate for the common good, and actively and exemplarily implementing the Party's policies.
Fourth, strengthen the contribution of the Vietnam People's Army in achieving the strategic goals of the 100th anniversary under the Party's leadership, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), and maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world. Implementing the Party's strategic goals, alongside opportunities and advantages, also presents many difficulties and challenges, requiring the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army, with the People's Army being one of the core forces advising the Party and State to seize opportunities and overcome challenges; the People's Army must truly be a "fighting force," a "working force," and a "production force," further promoting the role of a "production force" to develop the defense industry within the overall policy of building an independent and self-reliant economy. Vietnam will enhance its contribution to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world through the activities of its military, primarily through defense cooperation to strengthen trust, minimize disagreements and conflicts; actively participate in international search and rescue operations, and join United Nations peacekeeping forces.
With its glorious achievements, its immense contributions to the cause of national liberation and the defense of the socialist Fatherland over the past 80 years, and its revolutionary nature and the tradition of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," our Army deserves to be the heroic army of the heroic Vietnamese nation, the pride of the Party, the State, the Vietnamese people, and peace-loving, freedom-loving, and justice-seeking people all over the world.
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