Tears - The people's hearts

(LĐ online) - At 9:47 AM on September 2, 1969, the vast, compassionate, and great heart of President Ho Chi Minh , "The man who sought the image of the nation," the national liberation hero, stopped beating. Time seemed to stand still, and millions of Vietnamese hearts ached at his passing.

At 6 PM on October 4, 2013, General Vo Nguyen Giap, the greatest Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People's Army, a national hero with the glorious Dien Bien Phu victory that "shook the world," passed away forever. Many tears were shed by the Vietnamese people during those late autumn days.

And at 1:38 PM on July 19, 2024, the entire nation was once again plunged into grief, overflowing with tears as we bid farewell to Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, an outstanding son of the nation, a true communist, and one of the exceptional leaders of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong with the people of Dong Thanh commune, Lam Ha district, Lam Dong province in 2012.

President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap, and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong share a commonality: their great revolutionary careers and their shining examples of noble moral qualities, dedicating their lives to selfless sacrifice and struggle for the country and the happiness of the people.

On the day of the passing of three great and outstanding figures of the Vietnamese nation, many tears were shed by the people. This is hardly surprising, as President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap, and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong dedicated their entire lives to the survival, prosperity, and dignified standing of the Vietnamese nation throughout history. These were tears of faith, of respect, and the sincere, natural emotions of true Vietnamese people for leaders who knew how to relinquish worldly desires and material temptations to care for the people and the country.

The revolutionary lives of President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap are an integral part of history. The cause of national liberation and reunification under President Ho Chi Minh and the Commander-in-Chief has become a glorious chapter in the golden history of the Vietnamese nation. For General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, whether as a 25-year-old youth who, along with millions of Vietnamese people, shed tears during those autumn days of September 1969; or as the head of the Party and State, and the head of the funeral committee to bid farewell to the brilliant general of the Vietnamese nation 13 years ago, he has proven himself to be an outstanding successor to his predecessors, fulfilling the great mission entrusted to him by the country and the people. He fully deserves a firm and profound place in the hearts of the people.

As a leader who always valued the nation's standing, steadfastly committed to the path towards socialism, governing the country with strictness and respect for the law, and considering the people's interests as a prerequisite in all policies and guidelines, he focused on Party building, believing that the construction and breakthroughs for national prosperity must begin with the purity and strength of the cadre, leaders, and Party members. Whether in his position as General Secretary, the highest leader of the Party and State, or in the most important positions he held before, building a clean and honest Party was always the guiding principle for all his actions. For him, it was always the key to restoring the people's trust in the Party and the State.

Deeply committed to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation, the General Secretary always harbored the sentiment: "We are descendants of Uncle Ho, the Party is the Communist Party of Vietnam, the nation is the Vietnamese nation, this country must definitely develop and progress, it must not fall behind other countries, and it will not accept being inferior to others."

His concerns and anxieties, along with the efforts of the entire Party and people, have helped our country to increasingly assert its firm position on the international stage and strengthen the people's trust in the Party's leadership.

It is impossible to list all the great and historically significant achievements that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, together with the Central Committee of the Party, the entire army, and the entire people, have built in the recent period. But to put it briefly, encompassing and with all humility, as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong himself said: "Our country has never had such a foundation, potential, position, and international prestige as it does today. We have many more favorable conditions and prerequisites to firmly advance on the path that our Party, our people, and our beloved President Ho Chi Minh have chosen."

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger – widely regarded as America's greatest diplomat of all time, a figure whom every president consulted on foreign policy – ​​once remarked about the Vietnamese people: "For Americans in particular, and the world in general, the Vietnamese people are a special people. They (Vietnam) are a small, poor nation, yet they have a history of fighting against foreign invaders unlike any other nation in the world. Their resilience, intelligence, endurance, diligence, courage, bravery, humanity, and friendliness are all qualities found in this nation..."

With this nation (Vietnam), we should respect their right to self-determination – building trust and respect with them – because they are a very formidable force in Southeast Asia and Asia in the very near future.

Therefore, with Vietnam, we should have a special way of relating to them – not by being overly familiar or manipulative, nor by pressuring or isolating them with animosity – let's treat them equally, objectively, and with respect. Certainly, the United States will gain many advantages in the Asian region in particular and the world in general – because this is a special country – a special people – therefore, the United States should also have a special relationship with them.”

Citing the words of this famous American Secretary of State, we can see that the Vietnamese people and their nation have never resigned themselves to or surrendered to difficulties, hardships, and challenges. This nation possesses traditions, history, culture, and admirable human values; therefore, it is certain to have a sustainable and prosperous future.

And in that same nation, no matter how difficult the circumstances, outstanding and exceptional individuals are always produced to shoulder and undertake the destiny of the country. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is the clearest example of this truth.

With his "bamboo" diplomatic approach, being both firm and flexible in each situation, he, along with the Party and the State, has lifted Vietnam out of its subordinate position, transforming it into a reliable, safe, and attractive destination for many world powers, through the signing of comprehensive strategic partnerships for peace, cooperation, and development.

Domestically, maintaining and promoting unity; resolutely fighting against corruption and negative practices; and building an increasingly clean and strong Party based on theoretical and practical foundations meticulously developed over various stages and adapted to each period have helped General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the Central Committee of the Party to have a consistent overall direction, with policies and guidelines that are in line with the development trends of the times, while simultaneously creating firm trust in the hearts of the people.

Farewell, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, a true communist, a brilliant leader, who always maintained consistency between words and actions, using the people as the measure and standard, and striving for the interests of the people.

Hopefully, the tears of the people during the days of bidding farewell to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will also be the motivation for the entire Party, the entire people, and the next generations of leaders of the country to "transform grief into action," continuing to build upon and cultivate the values ​​and legacy that the General Secretary left behind; and to continue to lead the country into a new stage of development with the strongest internal strength and unwavering resolve.

Source: http://baolamdong.vn/chinh-polit/202407/nuoc-mat-long-dan-45f265f/