Vietnam People's Army - The pride of the nation

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army (December 22, 1944 - December 22, 2024) and the 35th anniversary of the National Defense Day (December 22, 1989 - December 22, 2024), we respectfully present the article: "The Vietnam People's Army - A Source of National Pride" by General Secretary To Lam :

VIETNAMESE PEOPLE'S ARMY - THE PRIDE OF THE NATION

TO LAM
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam - Secretary of the Central Military Commission

1. The Vietnam People's Army originates from the people and fights for the people. After 80 years of building, fighting, winning, and maturing, under the leadership, education, and training of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, from a small army with rudimentary equipment, it has become a powerful army, together with the people, achieving glorious victories and heroic feats, symbols of the Vietnamese nation's determination to fight and win, and a source of pride for the Party, the State, the Vietnamese people, and peace- loving friends around the world.

On December 22, 1944, following the directive of leader Ho Chi Minh, in the forest between the two communes of Hoang Hoa Tham and Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province, the Vietnam Propaganda and Liberation Army, with 34 soldiers in "brown trousers and cloth shirts" - the predecessor of the Vietnam People's Army, led by Comrade Vo Nguyen Giap, was established.

On December 22, 1944, the Vietnam Propaganda and Liberation Army (the predecessor of the Vietnam People's Army) was established in Cao Bang. Following its formation, the unit launched its offensive and achieved resounding victories in two battles, establishing a tradition of winning the first battle and achieving victory upon deployment for our army.

Immediately after its formation, with the support, assistance, and protection of the people, the Vietnam Propaganda and Liberation Army achieved victories at Phai Khat and Na Ngan, beginning the history of the "hundred battles, hundred victories" tradition of the Vietnam People's Army.

Under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnam Propaganda and Liberation Army, along with the National Salvation Army units and guerrilla units, developed into the Vietnam Liberation Army. Together with the people of the whole country, they carried out the General Uprising, achieving the success of the August Revolution in 1945, seizing power for the people, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - the first people's democratic state in Southeast Asia, opening a new era in the nation's history, an era of independence and freedom.

During the resistance war against the French colonial invasion, our army rapidly matured in all aspects; with the will to fight and win, the spirit of "Sacrifice for the survival of the Fatherland," together with the entire nation, they waged a protracted resistance, foiling the enemy's "quick attack, quick victory" strategy, their "pacification" and "counterattack" schemes, and achieving glorious victories.

The Đông-Xuân (1953-1954) strategic offensive, culminating in the historic Điện Biên Phủ victory that "shook the world," forced the French government to sign the Geneva Accords, restoring peace in Indochina, withdrawing troops, and completely liberating North Vietnam. This became a source of pride and a shining example for the national liberation movements worldwide, as it marked the first time a colonial country and a young army had defeated a professional, modernly armed army of a colonial empire.

During the war of resistance against the US, facing a formidable empire with the strongest economic and military potential in the world, a professional expeditionary army with powerful soldiers and generals.

American pilot captured alive next to the wreckage of his plane (1972).

However, under the brilliant and wise leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, our Army, with its revolutionary nature and heroic traditions, demonstrated courage, resourcefulness, creativity, and a determination to fight and win, fulfilling Uncle Ho's words, "Drive out the Americans, overthrow the puppet regime," overcoming all difficulties, hardships, and sacrifices, "daring to fight, determined to fight, knowing how to fight and knowing how to win," together with the entire nation, crushing the strategies of "Special War," "Local War," and "Vietnamization of the War"... defeating two air and naval bombing campaigns against North Vietnam by the US imperialists, creating the "Dien Bien Phu in the Air" battle (December 1972); conducting the General Offensive and Uprising of Spring 1975, culminating in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, successfully ending the resistance war against the US, gloriously completing the cause of national liberation and reunification, writing a heroic and glorious chapter in the history of the Ho Chi Minh era; With the country reunited, the nation entered a new era—an era of peace, independence, and freedom—and the entire country moved towards socialism.

Not only did the Vietnam People's Army win independence for the nation and freedom for the people, it also actively fulfilled its noble international obligations, helping the Lao people firmly protect the achievements of the revolution, helping the Cambodian people escape genocide, carrying out the national revival, and winning the war to defend the Fatherland on the Southwestern and Northern borders.

During the period of national renewal, the noble nature and traditions of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," forged through two wars of resistance and the war of national defense, continue to shine brightly in the cause of building and protecting the socialist Fatherland.

The Vietnam People's Army is exemplary in implementing the resolutions, directives, and conclusions of the Party; constantly striving, uniting, and working together to overcome all difficulties and challenges, together with the entire Party, people, and army to firmly defend the socialist Fatherland in all situations; actively participating in socio-economic development, caring for the lives of the people, and continuously contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.

Soldiers from the training and mobile battalion of the Lai Chau Provincial Border Guard Command went to the fields to help local people harvest rice before the rain.

The image of military officers and soldiers always present in critical, difficult, and dangerous places, sacrificing themselves to protect the lives and property of the people and carrying out civilian work, has further enhanced the qualities and traditions of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," strengthening the close and inseparable bond between the military and the people, building a solid "people's support base," and increasing the people's trust in the Party, the State, and the socialist regime. The image of Vietnamese soldiers in international peacekeeping forces in many war-torn regions around the world has shown the new stature and strength of the Vietnam People's Army.

The tremendous achievements in the cause of national liberation, protection and construction of the socialist Fatherland, and fulfillment of international obligations over the past 80 years are due to:

(i) The Vietnam People's Army is always under the absolute, direct, and comprehensive leadership of the Party in all aspects, embodies the nature of the Vietnamese working class, and shoulders the historical mission of the working class, the people, and the Vietnamese nation.

(ii) The Vietnam People's Army is an army of the people, by the people, and for the people; it relies on the strength of the people, is closely connected to the people, and always has a burning desire for a prosperous and happy life for the people; apart from the interests of the Fatherland and the interests of the people, our army has no other interests.

(iii) The purpose of building the army is national self-defense, winning independence for the Fatherland, freedom for the People, protecting independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, maintaining peace and stability, and contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world. Our army fights for no other goal than to achieve the victorious ideals of the Party and the working class, for national independence and socialism.

(iv) Generations of cadres and soldiers, with their steely spirit and will, courage, resourcefulness, and unwavering dedication to overcoming hardships and sacrifices, have always upheld the banner of national independence, freedom and happiness of the people, and socialism.

(v) Unity and the support of international friends have contributed to the strength of the Vietnam People's Army.

The Vietnamese Tank Team excellently won first place at the 2019 International Military Games (Army Games), held at the Alabino training ground, on the outskirts of Moscow (Russian Federation, August 11, 2018).

2. The world is in a period of epochal change; this is also a time to shape our future. Strategic competition among major powers is intensifying, increasing challenges to the peace, stability, and development of nations.

The transformations of the times bring new opportunities and advantages, but also many challenges, with the challenges being more prominent. However, new opportunities can appear in the midst of sudden changes in the global landscape, and our task is to seize those opportunities to move the country forward.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has been changing the way countries operate, organize, and conduct warfare, as well as their involvement and intervention, and many other aspects of military, security, and intelligence activities.

Hostile, reactionary, and politically opportunistic forces are relentlessly implementing the "peaceful evolution" strategy with many insidious, sophisticated, and dangerous tactics. This situation places increasingly high demands and tasks on the mission of defending the Fatherland.

To fulfill the requirements and tasks of the new phase, the People's Army needs to maximize the fine qualities and traditions of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," focusing on the following tasks:

Firstly , strengthen the absolute and direct leadership of the Party in all aspects; continuously consolidate the working-class nature, the popular character, and the national character of the Army.

The Party's leadership is an immutable principle, an objective requirement, and a decisive factor in all victories in the cause of national defense and the task of national defense; under any circumstances, the absolute and direct leadership of the Communist Party over the Army must be maintained and strengthened in all aspects.

Maintaining the revolutionary nature; steadfastly adhering to Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought in building and organizing the implementation of the Army's functions and tasks; and consolidating the unity between the working-class nature, the people's character, and the national character of the Army are conditions that ensure our Army will forever remain a truly clean, absolutely loyal, and trustworthy political and fighting force of the Party, the State, and the people.

The army must be "loyal to the people," responsible for "serving the people," "serving the Fatherland," respecting the people, having a blood-and-flesh bond with the people, sharing in all the difficulties and hardships of the people, ready to sacrifice to save the people, and must earn the people's trust, respect, and love; when they leave, the people will remember them; when they stay, the people will cherish them.

United in solidarity and closely coordinating with the People's Public Security, we will build and promote the "people's support" in the national defense system, a national defense system linked with a people's security system, and a solid people's security system.

The close relationship between the soldiers of Pa Thơm Border Guard Post (Dien Bien) and the local ethnic communities.

Secondly , the Vietnam People's Army must set an example and take the lead in implementing the resolutions, directives, and conclusions of the Party, first and foremost Resolution No. 44-NQ/TW of the 13th Central Committee on the Strategy for National Defense in the New Situation.

Having a firm grasp of the situation, accurately predicting developments, providing timely advice, and effectively handling defense-related situations are crucial to absolutely avoiding being caught off guard in any circumstances.

Maintaining independence and self-reliance; ensuring the highest national and ethnic interests on the basis of the fundamental principles of international law; firmly defending the socialist Fatherland from early on and from afar; resolutely and persistently defending the independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, seas, islands, and airspace of the Fatherland.

Actively promote, mobilize, and set examples for the people to effectively implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws and regulations, and participate in patriotic emulation movements and revolutionary tasks; firmly consolidate the great national unity, and mobilize the immense strength of the people in building and defending the Fatherland.

Thirdly , focus on building a truly clean, strong, regular, elite, and modern People's Army, meeting the requirements and tasks of the new era, the era of development and prosperity.

Implement decisive solutions to "basically build a lean, efficient, and strong army by 2025, creating a solid foundation to strive towards building a revolutionary, regular, elite, modern army by 2030, strong in politics, ideology, ethics, organization, and personnel" as stipulated in the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party.

Building a modern army in the spirit of "people first, weapons second" and proactively preparing in all aspects for modern warfare; making strong advances to master outer space, deeply researching and mastering the surface waters, oceans, and seabed; researching and developing air defense and air force, mastering the airspace, and effectively handling unmanned aerial vehicles in the air and at sea, and underwater robots.

Building a politically strong army, with clean and strong Party organizations within the army in terms of politics, ideology, ethics, organization, and personnel. Building a contingent of military officers who are absolutely "loyal to the country, devoted to the people," striving throughout their lives for the Party's ideals; wholeheartedly and diligently serving the Fatherland and the people, always placing national interests and the interests of the people above all else; being thrifty, honest, upright, and selfless; daring to think, daring to act, daring to take responsibility, daring to innovate for the common good, and actively and exemplarily implementing the Party's policies.

Fourth , to strengthen the contribution of the Vietnam People's Army in achieving the strategic goals of the 100th anniversary under the Party's leadership, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), and maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.

Implementing the Party's strategic goals, alongside opportunities and advantages, presents many difficulties and challenges, requiring the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army, in which the People's Army must be one of the core forces advising the Party and the State to seize opportunities and overcome challenges; the People's Army must truly be a "fighting force," a "working force," and a "production force," further enhancing its role as a "production force" to develop the national defense industry within the overall framework of building an independent and self-reliant economy.

Vietnam will enhance its contribution to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world through the activities of its military, primarily through defense cooperation to strengthen trust, minimize disagreements and conflicts; actively participate in international search and rescue operations, and join United Nations peacekeeping forces.

With its glorious achievements and immense contributions to the cause of national liberation and the defense of the socialist Fatherland over the past 80 years, and with its revolutionary nature and the tradition of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," our Army deserves to be the heroic army of the heroic Vietnamese nation, the pride of the Party, the State, the Vietnamese people, and all peace-loving, freedom-loving, and justice-seeking people around the world.

According to VNA

Source: https://baobinhduong.vn/quan-doi-nhan-dan-viet-nam-niem-tu-hao-cua-dan-toc-a338034.html