Preserving and nurturing the special relationship between Vietnam and China.

With his far-sighted political vision, on September 4, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh sent a special envoy to Vinh City (Nghe An province) to invite Prince Souphanouvong to Hanoi for a meeting. That meeting had a powerful and decisive impact on the Prince's revolutionary path, opening a new era in the history of relations between Vietnam and Laos.

Preserving and nurturing the special Vietnam-Laos relationship so that it remains ever-green and enduring for generations to come. General Secretary and President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thongloun Sisoulith, poses for a commemorative photo with the high-ranking delegation of Vietnamese military and civilian officials assisting Laos in Vientiane. Photo: Le Reo

After meeting with President Ho Chi Minh, Prince Souphanouvong returned to Laos to join the Lao Resistance Government. On October 3, 1945, tens of thousands of people in Savannakhet province held a rally to welcome the Prince. There, Prince Souphanouvong declared: “From now on, Laos is an independent and sovereign nation, equal to all other nations in the world.” The Prince emphasized, “Lao-Vietnamese relations now open a new era…”

To help the Laotian government build bases and lead the resistance to victory, the governments of Vietnam and Laos signed the Vietnam-Laos Mutual Assistance Treaty and the Laos-Vietnam Joint Military Agreement. These were legal documents that strengthened relations, solidarity, and alliance between the two countries in fighting against a common enemy.

Following President Ho Chi Minh's directive, Comrade Vo Nguyen Giap was tasked with establishing a revolutionary base in Sam Neua, Laos. He sought out patriotic Laotians and formed a shock troop to bring to Sam Neua to build the base and develop the resistance forces. Comrade Kaysone Phomvihane, who had lived, studied, and trained in Vietnam from his teenage years to adulthood, was a student at Chu Van An High School in Hanoi and was assigned the task of establishing and commanding the Northern Laotian Shock Troop. On January 6, 1949, Comrade Kaysone Phomvihane was admitted to the Indochinese Communist Party.

In order to enhance solidarity and fighting strength between the Vietnamese military forces and the Lao revolutionary armed forces, following the teachings of beloved President Ho Chi Minh, "Helping a friend is helping oneself," on October 30, 1949, the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Indochinese Communist Party decided that "Vietnamese military forces fighting and working to assist Laos should be organized into a separate system, under the name of the Volunteer Army." This is a brilliant historical milestone, marking the great maturity and strength of generations of officers and soldiers of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army, with tens of thousands of people successively carrying out this glorious international mission.

Since being given its prestigious title, the Vietnamese People's Army has helped Laos grow stronger and stronger, readily accepting and successfully completing any task; accepting countless hardships, fierce battles, and sacrifices, working tirelessly throughout remote villages and hamlets to build political bases, expand and protect liberated areas with dozens of campaigns and hundreds of major battles, eliminating and capturing thousands of Laotian puppet soldiers, allied troops, and American advisors. Notable examples include the Nam Tha campaign (1962), Nam Bac campaign (1963-1964), the liberation of the Plain of Jars - Xieng Khouang (1964-1965), the liberation of Pha Thi - Sam Neua (1968), and Ku Kiet (1969-1971)...

Following the founding of the Lao People's Democratic Republic on December 2, 1975, the entire Lao Party, army, and people focused on healing the wounds of war, rebuilding, and defending the Fatherland. At that time, the political and security situation in Laos was threatened and disrupted by hostile foreign forces colluding with remnants of the Lao puppet army who returned to sabotage the lives of the people, kidnapping and killing officials... At the request of the Lao Party, State, and People's Army, in 1976, the Vietnamese Party, Government, and People's Army decided to send the 335th Infantry Regiment along with elite forces of the 324th Division, Military Region 4, to promptly arrive and fight alongside the Lao army and people to wipe out thousands of enemy soldiers at Phu Bia and Buom Long (Vientiane; Xieng Khouang), bringing peace to the Lao people. On December 31, 1987, the Vietnamese People's Army withdrew completely, completing its glorious historical mission of over 40 years of assisting the Lao revolution.

Throughout a nearly half-century-long struggle, generations of Vietnamese military personnel and military experts have fought side-by-side with the Lao army and people against a common enemy five times. The first time was in Laos from October 1949, withdrawing on June 16, 1954 (almost 5 years). The second time was in Laos on July 16, 1954, withdrawing on January 15, 1958 (4 years). The third time was in Laos in September 1959, withdrawing at the end of 1962 (3 years). The fourth time was in Laos on August 7, 1963, withdrawing on September 24, 1975 (12 years). The fifth time was in Laos in May 1976, withdrawing on December 31, 1987 (over 11 years). Prior to 1949, thousands of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and officers had also gone to assist our neighboring country, Laos.

Throughout 50 years of assisting the Lao revolution against its common enemy, the Party Committee, military, and people of Thanh Hoa province sent tens of thousands of their sons and daughters to Laos to fulfill international duties against French colonialism and American imperialism in the ranks of the 316th, 324th, 968th, and 678th Divisions, and the 217th Engineering Regiment... They accepted countless hardships and sacrifices, determined to excellently complete their missions. Among them, many officers and soldiers achieved outstanding merits and were awarded the prestigious title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces, such as Hero Lo Van Buong from Xuan Le commune (Thuong Xuan district), Hero Le Van Trung from Thieu Ngoc commune (Thieu Hoa district)... More than 40,000 Vietnamese soldiers sacrificed their lives and nearly 60,000 were wounded or sick. Among the martyrs, thousands of remains still lie in Lao soil.

In 2009, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Vietnamese People's Army assisting Laos, Thanh Hoa province established the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Army Liaison Committee with 4,600 members in 24 districts, towns, and cities, as well as participating delegations. The Thanh Hoa People's Army Liaison Committee is a collective member of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association and a member of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations. Since its establishment 15 years ago, the committee has successfully held three general meetings. Over the past three terms, the committee has consistently cared for the spiritual well-being and protected the rights of its members; it has also processed and awarded medals and decorations from the Lao State to over 3,500 members. Among them, many cadres and members have performed well in people-to-people diplomacy, receiving commendations from the Central Committee of Laos, the national liaison committee, and the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee.

In recognition of the glorious achievements and traditions of the Vietnamese People's Armed Forces and the Vietnamese People's Self-Defense Force assisting Laos over the past 75 years, the Vietnamese and Lao Parties and States have bestowed upon them prestigious awards such as: the Gold Star Order awarded by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (1999); the National Gold Order awarded by the President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (2009); and the title of "Heroic Unit of the People's Armed Forces" awarded by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2019). In addition, tens of thousands of cadres and members of the Vietnamese People's Armed Forces and the Vietnamese People's Self-Defense Force assisting Laos have been awarded the Isala Order (Freedom Order) and many other prestigious medals and decorations by the Lao State.

The 75th anniversary of the glorious tradition of the Vietnamese People's Army and the People's Armed Forces assisting Laos is an opportunity to recall and honor the great contributions and sacrifices of generations of Vietnamese People's Army and People's Armed Forces in general, and Thanh Hoa province in particular, to the Lao revolution. Through this, we will continue to uphold the tradition of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers," the honor and pride of the People's Army, to preserve and cultivate the great friendship and special solidarity between the two countries, ensuring it remains "ever green and enduring for generations to come."

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