How is the April 30th parade different from the military parade?

Parade, march

Colonel Duong Van Thuy - former Head of the Department of Summary and History Compilation, General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army said: Parade is an organized movement of military units or armed forces on the streets or squares.

Parade formations usually march in unison, carrying flags, weapons, and military vehicles to demonstrate military might.

General parade rehearsal on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street - Ho Chi Minh City on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification. Photo courtesy of Ngan Hanh

The main purpose is to propagate, demonstrate the nation's strength and create momentum on major holidays such as National Day or commemorating historical victories.

Parade in the Vietnamese dictionary edited by Professor Hoang Phe clearly states: "Parade: A group of people marching in ranks in front of a stage or on the street to demonstrate strength."

When is the parade?

Regarding the parade, Colonel Duong Van Thuy said that this is a solemn ceremony, demonstrating the military strength, discipline and majesty of the armed forces. This is also an opportunity for the army to introduce itself and demonstrate its strength to the public and the country's senior leaders.

“Therefore, the parade participants are usually elite military forces from many different branches and services. In addition to personal weapons, the parade units also demonstrate many types of modern military equipment and weapons such as tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, aircraft, etc. to affirm the military potential and defense strength of the country," Colonel Thuy shared.

Thus, although parades and military parades have many similarities, the most obvious difference is in their purpose. The purpose of a parade is to test the level of joint military operations, demonstrate the strength and spirit of the army, and the commander's assessment of the forces.

The purpose of a parade is to encourage and demonstrate the armed forces to the public or to celebrate major national events.

"Although different in purpose, military parades and military parades are both activities that contribute to strengthening patriotism, national pride and affirming the great strength and position of the people's armed forces," said Colonel Duong Van Thuy.

Military forces participating in the parade in 1955. Photo: VNA

In Vietnam, military parades are often held on important occasions in the nation’s history, especially on major anniversaries. Some typical military parades in Hanoi include:

January 1, 1955: The first military parade of the Vietnam People's Army, held at Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, to introduce the force after the historic victory at Dien Bien Phu.

September 2, 1975: The first military parade after the country's reunification, had special significance in the nation's history when the country was reunited.

September 2, 1985: One of the largest military parades, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The event was attended by about 30,000 people and many modern military equipment and weapons.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/dieu-binh-dieu-hanh-ky-niem-30-4-khac-duyet-binh-nhu-the-nao-10296184.html