General Nguyen Chi Thanh, an outstanding military political theorist of our Party, State and Army

General Nguyen Chi Thanh and General Vo Nguyen Giap discussed the war situation on the southern battlefield (July 5, 1967). Photo courtesy

1. General Nguyen Chi Thanh especially values and always affirms the position and pioneering role of military political theory for the Vietnam People's Army.

Absorbing Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's thought on the path of national liberation and class liberation, comrade Nguyen Chi Thanh deeply recognized the position and pioneering role of military political theory in the revolutionary cause. Because: "Revolutionary theory and path itself contains a great potential, constantly providing revolutionary war with the necessary material forces to overthrow the opponent's material forces" (1).

He affirmed: "If we say that the leadership of our Party is the overarching factor that determines the victory of the revolution, we can also say that Marxism-Leninism is the decisive factor for the existence, development and strengthening of the Party's leadership" (2).

Thoroughly understanding the revolutionary violence viewpoint of Marxism-Leninism, he emphasized the need to organize the Army to carry out political tasks: “The Army must always strive to achieve the Party's political goals. Apart from that goal, the Army has no other political goals” (3).

He requested that cadres at all levels thoroughly grasp and implement the viewpoints of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh : The military must absolutely obey politics, must thoroughly understand the viewpoint of "people first, guns later", and thoroughly carry out the political tasks of the Party.

That is the theoretical basis, the most fundamental principle in the building, fighting and growth of our Army. He believes that revolutionary theory is the guiding light of the Army, and is a fundamental cause of the Army's growth and victory.

2. General Nguyen Chi Thanh contributed to building, supplementing and developing the military political theory of the Vietnam People's Army.

On July 11, 1950, the General Department of Politics was established under Decree No. 121/SL on the organization of the General Command of the National Army and Militia of Vietnam. Comrade Nguyen Chi Thanh was assigned as Chief of the General Department of Politics of the General Command.

Based on the reality and the requirements to improve the quality of political work, he gave close instructions and proposed to the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission policies and measures to promote research, summarize practices, develop military political theory, and build a strong army in politics, ideology and organization to meet the requirements of the resistance war against French colonialism.

Comrade Nguyen Chi Thanh said: "Political leadership is a fundamental issue in the revolutionary struggle between us and the enemy, the root for all other issues, for all other aspects, other branches of all military activities" (4).

Accordingly: To lead the Army politically, it is necessary to firmly establish the position and role of the Party in the Army. The key and central issue of political work is to raise awareness among cadres, Party members and soldiers about the Party's leadership role in the Army. This is the decisive factor for the existence and growth of the Army.

Combining practical experience with collective intelligence, comrade Nguyen Chi Thanh led and directed the General Department of Politics to develop plans, compile documents on political work and provide unified implementation instructions; advise the General Military Commission - General Command to promptly and effectively direct political training sessions for the entire army.

In particular, he has many in-depth analyses of the fundamental relationship between the Army, the Party, the State and the people, demonstrating the leadership thinking and excellent political theory level of the head of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army.

With his sharp political and military theory, comrade Nguyen Chi Thanh contributed with the Party Central Committee and the General Military Commission to accurately assess the progress of the resistance war against French colonialism, build political and military theory as a basis for leadership and direction in building the Army in terms of politics, ideology and cadres, meeting the requirements and tasks in the period of counter-attack and continuous attack on the enemy.

Party and political activities during the resistance war against French colonialism were the foundation for our Party to continue to supplement and develop political and military theory in the following stages.

3. General Nguyen Chi Thanh contributed to developing and creatively applying the Party's political-military theory and President Ho Chi Minh's ideology to building the Vietnam People's Army.

Entering the resistance war against the US to save the country, facing the requirements of revolutionary tasks, General Nguyen Chi Thanh said that focusing on political theory is the best way to improve the level of our Army, which has a decisive significance for improving the quality and efficiency of work, contributing to strengthening the Army's political and ideological strength, ensuring the ability to carry out all tasks assigned by the Party, State and people.

General Nguyen Chi Thanh affirmed: "Party work and political work have been the soul and lifeblood of our army, making our army truly become an army of the nation, of the class, an army that will always win" (5).

The General pointed out: The task of Party and political work is to thoroughly grasp the Party's absolute, direct, and comprehensive leadership over the Army, focus on educating the Army on Marxism-Leninism and the Party's revolutionary guidelines and tasks, consolidate the working class's stance, raise socialist awareness, and strengthen the Army's solidarity and fighting will.

At the end of 1964, in his position as Secretary of the Central Bureau and Political Commissar of the armed forces to liberate South Vietnam, General Nguyen Chi Thanh correctly and creatively applied the Party's guidelines and policies, Marxist-Leninist theory, and Ho Chi Minh's thought, and generalized them into specific strategic guiding thoughts and principles: Resolutely attack, continuously attack, keep fighting the US and then find a way to fight the US, forcing the US to fight the way we fight...

With special political sensitivity, from the victories in the preemptive attacks on the US troops in Nui Thanh, Van Tuong, Bau Bang, Dat Cuoc... the General summarized into strategic principles: Stick to the enemy's belt to fight, 10 experiences in fighting the US in Cu Chi, The belt to destroy the US... contributed significantly to the Politburo and the Central Military Commission planning the way to defeat the invading US.

Currently, the world and regional situation continues to evolve rapidly, complexly and unpredictably. After nearly 40 years of renovation, the country has achieved great and historic achievements, but is still facing difficulties and challenges. Hostile and reactionary forces continue to promote "peaceful evolution", promote "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the country, and plot to "depoliticize" the Army...

On the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the birth of General Nguyen Chi Thanh (January 1, 1914 - January 1, 2024), cadres, party members and soldiers of the entire army continue to promote learning, moral training, revolutionary theory training, maintaining and promoting the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the new period; at the same time, strengthen research and creatively apply the valuable legacy of the General's political-military theory, together with the entire Party and people to successfully build socialism and firmly defend the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam.

(1) Many authors, General Nguyen Chi Thanh's Collection, volume 1, book 2, Thoi Dai Publishing House, Hanoi, 2013, p.552.

(2) Many authors, General Nguyen Chi Thanh's Collection, volume 1, book 1, Thoi Dai Publishing House, Hanoi, 2013, p.56.

(3) General Nguyen Chi Thanh, Strengthening party work and political work in the Vietnam People's Army, People's Army Publishing House, Hanoi, 2013, p.241.

(4) General Nguyen Chi Thanh's Collection, volume 1, book 2, op. cit., p. 39.

(5) Strengthening party work and political work in the Vietnam People's Army, ibid, p.238.

GENERAL LUONG CUONG

Member of the Politburo, Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army

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