On December 22, 1944, implementing the directive of leader Ho Chi Minh in Tran Hung Dao forest (now in Tam Kim commune, Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province), comrade Vo Nguyen Giap announced the establishment of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army - the first main force of the Vietnam People's Army.
From the initial 34 soldiers, the Team quickly developed its forces, organizational and combat skills, and improved its fighting capacity to complete the task of fighting for national liberation, firmly protecting the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland; and keeping the oath sworn on the day of its founding.
On the journey to find a way to save the country, leader Nguyen Ai Quoc concluded the truth: "To gain true independence and freedom, oppressed nations must rely first on their own strength, the Vietnamese people must liberate themselves" ( 1 ). In the first Platform (February 1930) of the Party, drafted by him, it was affirmed: "organize a worker-peasant army" ( 2 ).
Under the leadership of the Party, self-defense and guerrilla teams were born to support the mass struggle movement, and were the first seeds of the revolutionary armed forces; they were the basis for leader Ho Chi Minh to instruct: "If we want to act with results, in terms of military , the main principle is the principle of concentrating forces, so, according to the new directive of the Organization, we will select from the ranks of the Cao - Bac - Lang guerrillas the most determined and enthusiastic cadres and team members and will concentrate a large part of the weapons to establish the main force" ( 3 )…
General Vo Nguyen Giap's memoirs about the founding day:
“ December 22, 1944 .
5 pm
The team's founding ceremony was held in a forest located between Tran Hung Dao and Hoang Hoa Tham communes. The Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army was born under the protection of the spirits of two national heroes. In the middle of winter, the weather in the high mountains was freezing cold. In the vast forest with rows of tall, straight trees, the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army, for the first time, gathered in an orderly formation, under the bright red star flag. Representatives of the Cao - Bac - Lang Inter-Provincial Party Committee, along with many representatives of the Tay, Dao, and Nung people of the two provinces of Cao Bang and Bac Kan , attended, standing in two rows on either side of the troops. I was authorized to represent the organization to announce the founding of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army and clearly outline the team's mission to the Fatherland " ( 4 ).
The team was organized into three squads led by comrade Hoang Sam as squad leader, comrade Xich Thang as political commissar, and led by a party cell. At the ceremony, comrade Vo Nguyen Giap read the 10 honorary oaths of the team: vow to sacrifice for the country; absolutely obey orders; resolutely fight; train to become a revolutionary soldier; absolutely keep secrets; be loyal to the revolutionary cause; wholeheartedly help comrades and teammates; preserve weapons; implement military-civilian solidarity; do nothing to harm the reputation of the Liberation Army and the Vietnamese nation.
Over the past 80 years, there have been some changes in wording, but the basic content of the 10 oaths resounded at the founding ceremony of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army in the mountains and forests of Viet Bac remains the same.
The “Ten Oaths of Honor” have accompanied generations of cadres and soldiers, ensuring that every soldier in the Vietnam People’s Army is always infinitely loyal to the Fatherland and the people; aware of honor and dignity; indomitable spirit before the enemy; building beautiful feelings and revolutionary will in soldiers; pure superior-subordinate relationships, strict discipline; always being “flesh and blood” attached to the people, protecting and helping comrades. The Ten Oaths of Honor are also a reminder for every soldier to be more deeply aware of honor, pride, and sacred responsibility to the Fatherland, to the Party, to the people, to comrades, and comrades.
The "Ten Oaths of Honor" have accompanied generations of officers and soldiers, ensuring that every soldier in the Vietnam People's Army is always infinitely loyal to the Fatherland and the people.
Faithful to the oath from the day of its founding, the army "born from the people, fighting for the people" achieved the first victory at Phai Khat and Na Ngan, opening the way for brilliant glories in the struggle for national liberation; acting as the backbone for the entire people to fight the enemy, achieving countless glorious victories, winning the August 1945 General Uprising, ending the thousand-year feudal domination regime, a hundred years of colonialism, making Vietnam a democratic and independent nation.
Under the leadership of the Party, with the trust and support of the people, the Tran Hung Dao Forest Army grew steadily, fought and sacrificed “For the people, forgetting themselves”, excellently fulfilling the core role with the nation to create the Dien Bien Phu victory “famous in five continents, shaking the earth”, driving out the invading French colonialists. Overcoming hardships and sacrifices, successfully carrying out the resistance war against the US, saving the country, bringing the country into a new era – the era of independence, unification, the whole country moving towards socialism.
When the country's sovereignty, territory and borders were violated by the enemy, the Vietnam People's Army continued to fight with the people to protect the southwestern and northern borders, to drive the invaders out of the country; to help the Cambodian people escape the genocide, to revive the country of pagodas and temples, and to fulfill its international obligations to the brotherly country of Laos. The arduous and sacrificial journey has written the tradition of the heroic Army in fighting for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for the noble international obligations.
“Fighting for the people” is the goal and fighting ideal of the army, the great spiritual motivation that urges generations of our army officers and soldiers to fight to achieve the noble goal and ideal: National independence and socialism, freedom, prosperity and happiness of the people. (Photo: Document/VNA)
“Fighting for the people” is the goal and fighting ideal of the army, the great spiritual motivation that urges generations of our army officers and soldiers to fight to achieve the noble goal and ideal: National independence and socialism, freedom, prosperity and happiness of the people. (Photo: Document/VNA)
The Vietnam People's Army is also a production army, the main force in key projects of the country, from restoring the North-South railway, building infrastructure for the national energy sector, transportation systems, telecommunications, etc.; achieving many achievements in new fields such as information technology and other high-tech industries, etc. is a demonstration of the effective function of the production army, the close combination between economy and national defense, national defense and economy according to the Party's policy.
With soldiers working hard to protect the border, sea and islands, soldiers sweating on the production front, the entire army has promoted the role of the working army, contributing to the construction of areas and political bases in remote areas, key areas of national defense and security of the country. Implementing the Party's policy of promoting international integration, the Army has performed well in its defense diplomacy, contributing to raising Vietnam's position in the international arena, contributing to protecting the Fatherland early and from afar. In any role or task, the "Uncle Ho's soldiers" have excellently fulfilled their assigned responsibilities, continuing to promote the tradition of the heroic Army in peacetime.
The 80-year journey of steadfastness with the oath of honor is the luggage for the officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army to continue writing glorious pages of history for the cause of "for the country, for the people".
Publication date: 11/25/2024
Presented by: NGOC DIEP
Photo: VNA
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