Vietnam People's Navy: 70 years of building, fighting, winning and growing

Updated date: 05/07/2025 05:17:34

DTO - After 70 years of building, fighting, winning and growing up, generations of officers and soldiers of the Navy (QCHQ) with their sweat, effort and even blood have continued to build and embellish the glorious tradition of "Fighting bravely; being resourceful and creative; mastering the sea; determined to fight, determined to win".

In 2013, Dong Thap Provincial Party Committee and the Navy Party Committee signed and implemented propaganda work on seas and islands to contribute to protecting the sacred territorial sovereignty of the Fatherland.

BUILD, FIGHT, WIN AND GROW

To protect and maintain security and order in coastal areas, fight against all activities of pirates, commandos, and agents, and ensure the safety of people traveling and doing business in the seas and islands of the Fatherland, on April 26, 1955, the Ministry of National Defense issued a decision to establish the Coastal Training School (code C45) and the Ship Repair Workshop (code C46). On May 7, 1955, the Ministry of National Defense issued Decree No. 284/ND-A to establish the Coastal Defense Department, performing the functions and tasks of assisting the General Command in directing coastal defense forces, organizing training for sailors and staff; producing and repairing naval tools and equipment; building fleets to hand over to zones and inter-zones to perform the task of managing and protecting sovereignty and security in river and sea areas. May 7, 1955 became a historical milestone marking the birth and was taken as the founding date of the Vietnam People's Navy.

From 1959 to 1962, the Navy had the honor of welcoming Uncle Ho to visit three times. During the second visit (March 15, 1961), he taught: “In the past, we only had night and forest. Today, we have day, sky, and sea. Our coastline is long and beautiful, we must know how to preserve it”. Uncle Ho's teachings were both affectionate and profound instructions and sacred orders, becoming the guiding ideology throughout the determination of tasks and actions of generations of officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy.

After nearly 9 years of construction (May 1955 - December 1963), the Vietnam People's Navy has made remarkable progress in terms of facilities and technology; rapid growth in both quantity and quality of officers and soldiers... capable of independent combat or joint combat at sea, meeting all requirements and tasks in the new situation.

In response to the requirements of the new situation, on January 3, 1964, the Ministry of National Defense issued Decision No. 01/QP-QD to upgrade the Navy Department to the Navy. During this period, the Navy carried out many tasks in extremely urgent conditions, facing many difficulties and fierce challenges of war to constantly grow, progress, gain many glorious achievements, resounding victories, and legendary victories.

Since its establishment, the Vietnam People's Navy has achieved many outstanding and especially outstanding achievements and feats of arms, contributing greatly to the cause of fighting against the US, saving the country and building and defending the Fatherland. The achievements of the Vietnam People's Navy are summarized into 8 typical feats: Winning the first battle on August 2 and 5, 1964; Joining the army and people of the North to defeat two destructive wars by the US imperialists' air force and navy; Being the core in defeating the blockade of the rivers and seas in the North by mines and magnetic bombs; Opening the Ho Chi Minh Trail on the East Sea - the legendary road to transport support to the battlefield in the South; Achievements in naval special operations, a unique, creative and highly effective way of fighting; Participating in the General Offensive and Uprising in the Spring of 1975, contributing to the complete liberation of the South and the reunification of the country (April 30, 1975); Fight to firmly protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands in the Southwest and successfully complete the noble international mission in Cambodia and Laos; Build a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and modern Vietnam People's Navy, successfully complete the task of managing and firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

Vietnam People's Navy soldiers perform the flag-saluting ceremony on Truong Sa Island (Truong Sa Island district, Khanh Hoa province)

BUILDING QCHQ TO MEET REQUIREMENTS AND TASKS IN THE NEW SITUATION

In recent times, the Navy has invested in purchasing many weapons and technical equipment, developing its forces to move straight to modernity with all 5 components of the force: Surface ships, Submarines, Naval Air Force, Coastal Artillery - Missiles, Marine Corps - Naval Special Forces. In addition, there are units and forces serving, ensuring logistics, engineering, military science and technology research of the Navy, academies, schools... The Navy has thoroughly grasped and regularly proactively grasped the situation, actively advised the Party, State, Central Military Commission, Ministry of National Defense on many solutions to consolidate and protect sovereignty over seas and islands and directly handle situations successfully, avoiding being passive or surprised... The defense foreign affairs of the Navy has well implemented cooperation programs on training and education to improve scientific and technical qualifications, meeting the requirements of equipping new weapons, contributing to accelerating the process of building a modern Navy. Military foreign affairs activities continue to be strengthened, expanded and deepened. The position and prestige of the Vietnam People's Navy are raised; a peaceful and stable environment at sea is maintained...

Class on Truong Sa Island (Truong Sa Island District, Khanh Hoa Province) in 2014

In the current new revolutionary period, the world and regional situation is complicated and unpredictable. Many new developments have appeared in the East Sea, directly affecting the peaceful and stable environment in the country and the region. The Party, the State, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defense continue to pay attention to building a standardized and modern force. The task of managing and protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland is posing higher requirements. Promoting the 70-year tradition of building, fighting, and growing up and to excellently complete the tasks in the new period requires the generation of officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy to always strive to promote the tradition of "Dare to fight, know how to fight and win" against all invaders, firmly protecting the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

Promoting the tradition of fighting on the sea and river battlefields of our ancestors and the experience of countries around the world in the cause of protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland in the new period. Step up the implementation of the Resolution of the Central Military Commission and the Plan of the Ministry of National Defense on the arrangement of organization and staffing in the direction of "lean, compact, strong"; actively research, convert, manufacture new and modern technical equipment and means; expand and improve the effectiveness of foreign defense activities, promote international cooperation, contribute to building a peaceful and stable sea area for national construction and development. Actively build and promote the comprehensive and comprehensive strength in protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands through programs and activities deployed by the QCHQ, such as: regularly taking care of building and strengthening solidarity between the army and the people; helping people eliminate hunger, reduce poverty, overcome the consequences of natural disasters, search and rescue; Promote in-depth implementation of the programs of "Repaying gratitude", programs of coordinating propaganda for the sea and islands, propaganda to attract high-quality resources; effectively implement the program "Vietnam Navy as a fulcrum for fishermen to go offshore and stick to the sea" and the activity "Navy sponsors fishermen's children"... contributing to building a solid people's heart and people's war at sea.

After 70 years of guarding the sea and islands of the Fatherland, the Vietnam People's Navy has always been loyal to the Party, devoted to the people, ready to fight and sacrifice for the sovereignty and peace of the homeland's seas and islands, contributing to shining the noble qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers - Navy soldiers".

On May 7, 2025, the People's Navy will celebrate 70 years of construction, fighting, winning and growing up. Over the past 70 years, under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, regularly and directly by the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense; with the close coordination of units, the assistance of Party committees, authorities, and people nationwide, the support of overseas Vietnamese and international friends; generations of Navy officers and soldiers have always been united, overcoming all difficulties and hardships, determined to strive to build the Vietnam People's Navy to constantly grow and develop, achieving many outstanding feats; firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands, contributing to protecting the Fatherland, building and developing the country. The Vietnam People's Navy has twice been awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the Party and State; was awarded 2 Gold Star Orders, 2 Ho Chi Minh Orders, 2 Independence Orders, 3 Military Exploit Orders, 4 Fatherland Protection Orders, 1 Labor Order; 82 groups and 58 comrades were honored as Heroes of the People's Armed Forces and Heroes of Labor; more than 8,000 groups and individuals were awarded Medals of various ranks.

Phu Nghia

Source: https://baodongthap.vn/bien-dao-viet-nam/hai-quan-nhan-dan-viet-nam-70-nam-xay-dung-chien-dau-chien-thang-va-truong-thanh-131266.aspx