The value of love peace

The value of love peace

Tourists next to tank 390 at Independence Palace ( Ho Chi Minh City) - a symbol of victory and the nation's desire for peace.

Desire from the blood

For thousands of years, the spirit of patriotism and the desire for peace have been deeply ingrained in the blood of the Vietnamese people. Not only in modern wars, but also from the time of the Trung Sisters, Lady Trieu, to the Ly, Tran, Le dynasties... history has recorded countless great resistance wars, where patriotism always goes hand in hand with the desire to restore peace , so that people can live happily, work in the fields and beaches of their homeland. Every farmer plowing the fields, every fisherman going to sea carries with them the thought of protecting the country. That aspiration does not stop at ideals, but is also a reality when our people, from old to young, from women to men, are ready to join the resistance, not to sow hatred, but to reclaim the right to live in peace. In the Vietnamese mind, peace is a sacred, noble value that cannot be exchanged for imposition or submission. And that is why, throughout the resistance wars, no matter how much sacrifice and hardship they had to endure, our people still steadfastly moved forward, because more than anyone else, they understood that only by fighting could they regain true peace, not the peace of slavery. That spirit was passed down from generation to generation, becoming an inextinguishable flame in the hearts of the Vietnamese people.

The Vietnamese people - a small nation on the world map, have had to stand up against invaders many times more powerful. But even in the darkest days of war, what our people longed for was not only military victory, but a true peace, in independence and freedom.

Peace is not submission, nor is it a prayer for safety. When the guns of the invaders rang out, the Vietnamese people chose to stand up. No one wanted to hold guns, but when forced to choose between slavery and fighting, they chose to fight to protect their homeland, so that their descendants could live in peace. From North to South, the image of mothers seeing their children off, people carrying bags of rice and grains of salt to supply the battlefield is a testament to the strength of the great national unity. No one stood outside that great resistance. Millions of people sacrificed not only for national independence, but also for a nobler ideal, which was for the people to live peacefully on their own land.

“We want peace, but we do not submit. Peace is only sustainable when independence is maintained and justice is practiced” - President Ho Chi Minh. In his appeal, the passionate voice of peace has never died. Peace is the legitimate aspiration of the entire nation, but it must be built on the foundation of independence, justice and national pride.

Justice is supported by the world

Vietnam's love for peace and just war have touched the conscience of humanity. Anti-war demonstrations in the US, fundraising campaigns, and the voices of intellectuals such as Bertrand Russell and Jean-Paul Sartre... have provided great spiritual support. Vietnam has become a symbol of a small nation that does not bow its head, using justice to win peace.

Students visit and learn about patriotic traditions at the special national relic of Ba Trieu Temple (Hau Loc).

Not only domestically, Vietnam's just war aroused a wave of deep sympathy all over the world. From Asia, Europe to America, millions of people, regardless of skin color or religion, took to the streets to protest the war, calling for an end to violence and supporting the right to self-determination of the Vietnamese people. Writers, journalists, intellectuals, students... viewed Vietnam's struggle as a typical symbol of the desire for peace and justice around the world. Many international reporters went to the battlefield, despite the danger to bring out the truth, clarifying the unjust nature of the invasion war. They told stories about a small but resilient nation, about people who did not succumb to brutality. Films, articles, appeals... were a strong resonance that contributed to spreading Vietnam's just voice globally. The more bombs and bullets destroyed Vietnam, the more resilient and indomitable it became, and the more peace-loving people around the world admired it. Not only did Vietnam win the military victory, it also won the hearts of millions of peace-loving people across the five continents. That victory strongly affirmed that: a nation, no matter how small, if it is righteous, can still move the whole world.

Half a century has passed since the country's reunification, but the value of love for peace is still present. Vietnam today is an independent, stable, and peaceful nation - an unparalleled achievement. The country's development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045, clearly states: "Maintaining independence, sovereignty, and a peaceful environment for development is the nation's consistent goal" (Documents of the 13th National Congress, 2021).

Le Quoc Hung, a student at Hong Duc University, shared: “I grew up in peace. The more I know about history, the more I appreciate the sacrifices of previous generations and remind myself to live up to that.” Pham Thi Lan, a History teacher in Thanh Hoa City, said: “Love for peace needs to be sown in education, not through slogans but through real emotions and real stories.”

April 30, 1975 - the day the country was reunited. The tanks entered the Independence Palace, which was also the time when the gunfire stopped, children went to school, and mothers no longer cried to see their children off to battle. Victory was not only the result of the power of weapons, but also the victory of patriotism and the spirit of eternal peace. The struggle for national independence proved one thing: peace does not come from the enemy's concessions, but from the courage and strong desire to live of an entire nation. Today, we live in peace, and must cherish even more the drops of blood that have been shed. History does not require us to repay with feats of arms, but with kindness and gratitude. Every young person today, when listening to stories of war, should keep in their hearts a quiet but profound gratitude to those who have fallen so that we can hold our heads high and live in peacetime.

And in every steady step of the nation today, the love for peace is still the guiding light. So that every April 30th is not only a day of victory, but also a reminder - that peace is sacred, a responsibility, an unchanging way of life of the Vietnamese people.

Article and photos: Tran Hang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/gia-tri-cua-tinh-yeu-hoa-binh-246933.htm