Imprints and lessons from Uncle Ho's birthday

From the Viet Bac resistance base to the Presidential Palace stilt house, from the joy of Dien Bien Phu victory to the quiet morning of writing his Will, Uncle Ho's birthdays are always imbued with humanity, leaving a deep impression in the hearts of every Vietnamese person.

Uncle Ho's first birthday in the heart of the independent capital

Children of the capital came to wish Uncle Ho a long life at the Presidential Palace, May 19, 1958. Photo: VNA

On May 18, 1946, on the front page of the newspaper Cuu Quoc published in Hanoi, there was a special article titled: “Uncle Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese people”. In the article, for the first time, information about President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday, May 19, 1890, was made public for the people to know. And on May 19, 1646, for the first time, our people celebrated Uncle Ho’s birthday.

Early in the morning, comrades in the Standing Committee and the Government came to wish Uncle Ho a long life. Then, at the Northern Palace, Uncle Ho received the children of the Capital. "The children competed to pin the Young Bamboo badge on Uncle Ho's shirt, gave him the letters "i" and "t" symbolizing the Popular Education Movement, and small books printed with the Charter and songs of the National Children's Association" (1). Uncle Ho's gift to the children was a cypress tree with the message: "In the future, this tree will grow a hundred branches. You will take care of it until it grows big and well, that's how much you love Uncle Ho!" (2). The children happily sang a song to thank Uncle Ho.

After the children's group was a group of more than 50 men and women representing the South to congratulate Uncle Ho on his birthday. In the group was Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh, who later became a heroic female general, a woman who represented the tradition of "Heroic, indomitable, loyal, and courageous" of Vietnamese women. This special meeting with Uncle Ho was recounted in her memoirs. Uncle Ho thanked "the ladies and gentlemen of the South" and emotionally said: "You ladies and gentlemen, report to the beloved people of the South that: Uncle Ho's heart and the hearts of the people of the North are always with the people of the South." (3)

Also on the morning of May 19, 1946, President Ho Chi Minh received a number of groups who came to congratulate him on his birthday, including representatives of the General Association of Civil Servants and the National Construction Council; the Central Campaign Committee for New Life. The Capital Youth Force organized a march to celebrate Uncle Ho's birthday.

Touched by the sentiments of his compatriots and comrades, Uncle Ho still said: "... Just because a journalist knows my birthday, he brings it up to bother the compatriots. Up until now, I have been a man of the compatriots, so from now on I will still belong to the compatriots. I am determined to remain loyal to the Fatherland... Today, the compatriots give me many flowers and cakes. Those things are valuable. But please, compatriots, think of the poor compatriots, rather than wasting money on me." (4)

Uncle Ho's birthdays in the Viet Bac resistance base

President Ho Chi Minh worked in Viet Bac during the resistance war against French colonialism. Photo: VNA

Not long after the August Revolution succeeded, the French colonialists plotted to invade our country once again. In December 1946, President Ho Chi Minh and the Party Central Committee and the Government returned to the Viet Bac base to continue leading the people in the resistance war against the French colonialists. During the 9 years in the "windy capital", the occasions to celebrate Uncle Ho's birthday were very simple but always warm with congratulations from his compatriots and comrades.

The 1948 birthday was one of the most memorable birthdays for Uncle Ho. A few days before, comrade Loc (real name Nguyen Van Ty) - the person who served and cooked for Uncle Ho, also a comrade and close friend who worked with Uncle Ho in Thailand and China and then followed Uncle Ho back to the country to participate in revolutionary activities - had just passed away due to malignant malaria. Early in the morning of May 19, 1948, when the comrades who served brought a bouquet of wild flowers to congratulate Uncle Ho on his birthday, Uncle Ho was moved to suggest that they take this bouquet to visit Comrade Loc's grave. So on Uncle Ho's birthday that year, Uncle Ho spent it talking about an example of loyalty to the Party, working for the Party all his life, without personal calculation or demanding status.

The happiest and most joyful birthday in Uncle Ho's life was probably the occasion of his 64th birthday, May 19, 1954. After 9 years of long resistance with many hardships and sacrifices, our army and people achieved great victories, the peak of which was the Dien Bien Phu Victory "famous in five continents, shaking the world" on May 7, 1954, successfully ending the resistance war against French colonialism. The news of victory came just a few days before Uncle Ho's birthday, and was the most special gift our army and people respectfully offered to our beloved Uncle Ho. Sharing the joy of the whole country, Uncle Ho wrote "Letter to all cadres and soldiers at the Dien Bien Phu front", published in Nhan Dan newspaper from May 12 to 15, 1954. In the letter, Uncle Ho reminded "do not be arrogant because of victory, do not be subjective and underestimate the enemy, and always be ready to fulfill the tasks assigned to you by the Party and the Government". The People and the Government plan to award the soldiers and officers who participated in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign with the badge "Dien Bien Phu Soldier". The above issue also published a poem by President Ho Chi Minh "Our army won completely in Dien Bien Phu", signed with the pen name CB. The poem praises the bravery and courage of our army and people in overcoming many hardships and difficulties in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.

On May 19, 1954, Uncle Ho met and held a banquet for the soldiers who had made outstanding achievements in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign and their Soviet friends. He praised and asked about their fighting life in Dien Bien Phu as well as their family circumstances. He was moved when he heard about the difficult circumstances of the soldiers and encouraged them: The country will be independent, the people will certainly have enough to eat. He personally pinned a badge on Hoang Dang Vinh, the man who captured General De Castries, and suggested that Soviet director Roman Karmen take a photo with the soldiers.

During the special days of May, Uncle Ho wrote the document "Top Secret"

President Ho Chi Minh met with young heroes from the South at the Presidential Palace in 1968. Photo: VNA

The North was liberated. The Party Central Committee and the Government returned to the capital Hanoi. From May 1958, Uncle Ho lived in a simple, modest stilt house. But on his birthday, on May 19, he often left the stilt house to work or visit people in another place, to avoid complicated and costly ceremonies.

Uncle Ho's birthday in 1965 was a very special occasion - he turned 75 - the time he chose to start writing his "Will" to leave to our entire Party, army and people.

On the morning of May 10, 1965, in the office in the stilt house in the Presidential Palace, Uncle Ho wrote the first lines of his Will. In his emotional memoir, comrade Vu Ky, Uncle Ho's personal secretary, recounted: "At exactly 9 o'clock, Uncle Ho sat down to write attentively. The issue must have been pondered for a long time. The office in the stilt house was quiet. The wind was cool and gentle, with the faint fragrance of garden flowers... At that very moment, Uncle Ho wrote the first lines of the "Top Secret" document to leave to future generations." (5)

The person who wrote the will did not write it as a "will" but simply called it "Document", "Letter" or "A few words... summarizing a few things". On the margin of the page, Uncle Ho emphasized: "Absolutely confidential" because he did not want anyone to know, afraid of affecting the fighting spirit of our army and people while the resistance war against the US to save the country was taking place fiercely.

Then in the following days of May that year or in the middle of May of the following years, Uncle Ho continued to write, revise, and supplement the Will in the office in the stilt house.

In 1969, Uncle Ho's health was somewhat weakened. On the occasion of his birthday that year, he did not go on a "far business trip" like in previous years. On the morning of May 10, 1969, he rewrote the entire opening part of his Will on the back of the last page of the Special Reference News (published by Vietnam News Agency) published on Saturday, May 3, 1969. On the morning of his 79th birthday, he reviewed, edited and supplemented his Will for the last time. His Will summarized his great thoughts, his concerns and his comprehensive vision of the struggle to unify the Fatherland and rebuild the country. For that reason, Uncle Ho's Will has become a priceless spiritual asset, a torch illuminating the revolutionary cause of the Vietnamese people today and tomorrow.

On May 18, 1969, the officials in the Presidential Palace celebrated Uncle Ho's birthday. Everyone excitedly told Uncle Ho about the achievements that the army and people of the South had won and respectfully presented them to him on his birthday. In the afternoon of the same day, comrades in the Politburo and some Central Committee members came to wish Uncle Ho a happy birthday at the Politburo meeting house near the stilt house in the Presidential Palace area. The ceremony to celebrate Uncle Ho's 79th birthday was simple but warm. Everyone stood around Uncle Ho, comrade To Huu presented flowers, comrade Le Duan read his birthday wishes . Uncle Ho smiled happily and invited everyone to eat candy and did not forget to say, "Remember to bring some home for the girls and children at home." No one thought that would be the last time they would celebrate Uncle Ho's birthday with him.

Memories of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday not only remind us of the people's affection for him, but also illuminate the values ​​he left behind: a pure, benevolent and steadfast life. Celebrating his birthday is an opportunity for us to look back, reflect and follow Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style - a solid spiritual foundation for building a prosperous and happy country.

 

(1), (2): Ho Chi Minh chronicle biography, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2006, volume 3, pp.220, 221

(3) Uncle Ho lives forever with us, memoirs, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2005, volume 2, p.316

(4) Following Uncle Ho to the Resistance War, Thanh Nien Publishing House, Hanoi, 1980, pp.90-91

(5) Vu Ky - Missing Uncle Ho more and more, Thanh Nien Publishing House. Hanoi. 1999. Page 130

Minh Hieu/VNA (synthesis)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/nhung-dau-an-va-bai-hoc-tu-sinh-nhat-bac-20250516063041420.htm