Spring Victory 1975 - Historical Value and Significance

Exactly 49 years ago, under the leadership of the Party, our army and people achieved the victory in the spring of 1975, successfully ending the resistance war against the US, saving the country, liberating the South, and unifying the country. Years have passed, the country has been renewed and is on the path of development, but the victory in the spring of 1975 still lives forever in the memories of each generation of Vietnamese people with immortal significance.

The victory on April 30, 1975 was a victory of the Vietnamese spirit, mettle and intelligence crystallized in the creative, independent and autonomous people's war line of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh ; it was the result of the resilient struggle of the people of the two regions, the South and the North.

Victory of Vietnamese spirit , courage and intelligence

After the Paris Agreement was signed on January 27, 1973, although forced to withdraw all troops, the US imperialists continued to plot to use the puppet army and puppet government as tools to implement neo-colonialism in South Vietnam. The US increased money, weapons, and means of war for the puppets to encroach on land, win over people, control the people, and carry out cunning diplomatic activities to prevent the development of the revolution in the South.

By May 1973, the enemy's trend of sabotaging the Paris Agreement was increasing. They mobilized all their forces to carry out the "flooding the territory" campaign, continuously launching pacification operations and encroaching on liberated areas.

Faced with the above situation, in July 1973, the 21st Central Party Conference emphasized: Regardless of the situation, the path to victory of the revolution is to use revolutionary violence, therefore it is necessary to firmly grasp the offensive strategy, resolutely promote the struggle on three military, political and diplomatic fronts to achieve total victory.

Implementing the Party's resolution, our army and people on the battlefield resolutely launched counterattacks and direct attacks to retaliate against all acts of war, wear down and destroy part of the enemy's forces, fundamentally defeat their plan to "flood the territory", protect and expand the liberated areas, and create new positions and forces for the resistance.

From mid-1974, the comparison of forces on the Southern battlefield was favorable to the revolution, and the revolutionary opportunity had appeared. In the conferences in October 1974 and January 1975, the Politburo discussed the plan to completely liberate the South within 2 years. The Politburo stated: “We must try our best to win completely in 1975. That is a realistic possibility.”

In early 1975, after the Phuoc Long victory, the offensive and uprising of our army and people in the South opened up three fronts: the Central Highlands Campaign, the Hue - Da Nang Campaign and the Ho Chi Minh Campaign. In the spring of 1975, with a stormy offensive spirit, our army and people under the leadership of the Party destroyed and disintegrated the large enemy forces, liberating the Central Highlands, Hue, Da Nang and the Central provinces.

At exactly 5:00 p.m. on April 26, the historic battle called the Ho Chi Minh Campaign began. Our troops simultaneously attacked on the entire front. Our five major army wings combined with artillery, tanks, air force and with the support of the masses, simultaneously attacked with storm-like strength.

In just a short time, our army captured a number of important bases and targets, broke through the enemy's outer defense areas, cut off water and land traffic, blocked the enemy's escape route to the sea and down to the Mekong Delta, surrounded and isolated Saigon, crushed the resistance and defense centers to advance into the city center.

On the morning of April 30, 1975, our powerful troops advanced rapidly to occupy important targets in Saigon - Gia Dinh such as: General Staff, Capital Special Zone, Police Department, Tan Son Nhat Airport, Radio Station, Ministry of Defense, enemy's military command area and Bach Dang port area. At 10:45 a.m. on April 30, our troops entered the Independence Palace, captured the entire Saigon government, President Duong Van Minh declared unconditional surrender.

At 11:30, our victory flag flew on the roof of the Independence Palace. The Ho Chi Minh Campaign was completely victorious, the Fatherland was unified, and the country was reunited. The great victory of the General Offensive and Uprising in the spring of 1975, completely defeated the war of aggression and the neo-colonial rule of the American imperialists, gloriously ending the most difficult and greatest struggle in the history of our people's resistance against foreign invaders.

Tanks crashed through the gate of Independence Palace on April 30, 1975. Photo: Archive

Motivation , belief in building and protecting the country

Speaking of the historic victory on April 30, 1975, the 4th National Congress of the Party (held from December 14-20, 1976) affirmed: Years will pass, but the victory of our people in the resistance war against the US to save the country will forever be recorded in the history of the nation as one of the most brilliant pages, a shining symbol of the complete victory of revolutionary heroism and human intelligence, and will go down in world history as a great feat of the 20th century, an event of great international importance and profound contemporary significance.

After the country's reunification, the whole country moved forward to build socialism amid countless difficulties and challenges. From a country heavily devastated by many imperialist invasions, sabotaged by hostile forces, besieged, economically embargoed, and suffering many losses due to severe natural disasters, Vietnam quickly restored its economy and maintained a fairly high average growth rate.

Many difficulties, obstacles, limitations and weaknesses from last year have been focused on and achieved initial results. The fields of social security, health care, education and training, science and technology, environmental protection, cultural development and building Vietnamese people have seen many positive changes. The work of building and rectifying the Party and the political system has received special attention, and international integration has become increasingly deeper.

The 13th National Congress of the Party once again affirmed and emphasized: Our country has never had such a foundation, potential, position and international prestige as it does today. This is the pride, the driving force, the important resource, the belief for our entire Party, people and army to overcome all difficulties and challenges, continue to firmly step on the path of comprehensive and synchronous innovation; develop the country quickly and sustainably.

In the heroic atmosphere of the 49th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2024), we review the glorious pages of the nation's history - the victory of the resistance war against the US to save the country is a shining symbol of the complete victory of revolutionary heroism and Vietnamese intelligence, lighting up the flame of pride and honor in the flow of national history, arousing motivation in the future to forever echo the endless epic for today and tomorrow.

NGUYEN THI HOAI MY

Deputy Head of Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department

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