And Uncle Ho's words were prophetic. On May 7, 1954, after 9 years of persistent resistance, our army and people achieved the resounding Dien Bien Phu Victory that shook the world.
From Uncle Ho's "premonitory" verses before Spring comes
During his lifetime, every time Tet came, spring came, despite being busy with a thousand and one tasks of leading the Party, the State, domestic and foreign affairs... Uncle Ho still spent time and enthusiasm to compose many poems to celebrate the New Year. As comrade Vu Ky, Uncle Ho's secretary said: "Since our country had Uncle Ho as President, the Vietnamese people have had a new custom, every time spring comes. That is New Year's Eve to listen to Uncle Ho read Spring poems".
And the Spring of Giap Ngo 1954 was no exception. The Spring of Giap Ngo (1954) was the period when our country was in the process of resistance and national construction. Promoting the resistance to win victory, and carrying out land reform so that farmers could have land, creating a solid rear base to support the battlefield and achieve victory. Therefore, the focus of the poem wishing the New Year of Giap Ngo 1954 was Uncle Ho pointing out to our army and people "two clear tasks".
Uncle Ho wrote: “In the New Year, our army and people have two clear tasks/Strengthening the resistance to gain independence and freedom/Land reform is a very big task/Gradually giving farmers land so they don’t have to worry about poverty/Our army and people are united/The resistance and nation building will definitely be completely successful/World peace and democracy throughout the South, North, West, and East/In the New Year, the newer the victory, the more success.”
Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command: President Ho Chi Minh (middle), General, Commander-in-Chief Vo Nguyen Giap (far right) and comrades in the Campaign Command. Photo: VNA file
The short poem has 81 words, written in free verse with 8 lines, clear, coherent, easy to understand, the poetic words are simple, close, familiar but contain a great policy of the Party along with optimism, confidence in the final victory in the strategic decisive stage. That is: Defeat the invading French colonialists, end the nation's long and arduous resistance war and implement land reform so that people have land, gradually escape poverty. Uncle Ho's New Year's greetings are both a spring celebration and a specific task, instruction and guidance. Uncle Ho called on "our army and people to unite" to carry out well "two clear tasks" of "resistance and nation building".
On the special role of President Ho Chi Minh in the Dien Bien Phu campaign
According to experts, the Dien Bien Phu victory that "resounded throughout the five continents and shook the world" on May 7, 1954 was the convergence of many factors, first of all the victory of the correct and creative political and military lines of the Party, headed by President Ho Chi Minh.
Speaking of the special role of President Ho Chi Minh in the Dien Bien Phu campaign, we must first mention his great vision and strategic perspective. In September 1953, the Politburo met under the chairmanship of President Ho Chi Minh. At this meeting, the Politburo discussed and unanimously approved the combat plan for the 1953-1954 Winter-Spring Campaign.
In the closing session of the meeting, Uncle Ho emphasized: “The General Military Commission must have a long-term plan in all aspects to deal with the enemy on the national battlefield. In terms of direction of operation, the Northwest must be the main direction, and other directions must be coordinated. The main direction is currently unchanged, but it can change in operation. The method of using troops must be flexible.”
President Ho Chi Minh and comrades in the Central Party Standing Committee met to decide on launching the 1953-1954 Winter-Spring Campaign and the Dien Bien Phu Campaign (Phu Dinh commune, Dinh Hoa district, Thai Nguyen province, late 1953). Photo: TL
President Ho's strategic vision was once again demonstrated when at the Politburo meeting on December 6, 1953, he assessed the situation as "we are in a proactive strategic position, while the enemy is in a passive position". From there, he decided to choose Dien Bien Phu as the strategic decisive battle point. This decision can be considered a decisive blow to the outcome of the war later.
Our victory that “overwhelmed the five continents” in the Dien Bien Phu campaign 70 years ago was also due to the extremely decisive and flexible decisions of President Ho Chi Minh. For example, in assigning tasks. That was in January 1954, President Ho Chi Minh and the Politburo met and decided on the campaign command structure and the plan to mobilize the main force to the Northwest, in which General Vo Nguyen Giap was assigned full military authority: Commander-in-Chief, Party Secretary and Commander of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Along with that was the permission for the young General: “Give me the right to decide. If there are any difficult issues, discuss and reach a consensus within the Party Committee, agree with the advisor, then decide and report later.”
According to historians, it was President Ho Chi Minh's instructions, decisiveness and flexibility that gave General Vo Nguyen Giap the basis to handle the campaign very creatively and flexibly, including the historic decision from "fighting fast, winning fast" to "fighting steadily, advancing steadily", bringing victory to the Dien Bien Phu campaign.
President Ho Chi Minh visited and talked with a military unit participating in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign in 1954. (Photo: VNA)
Another decision of President Ho Chi Minh, which is also considered to be a decisive factor in the success or failure of the resistance war, is the "mobilization of the whole nation's strength for the campaign". And reality has confirmed: The Party's line of all-people, comprehensive resistance, both resistance and nation-building, and the great strength of the People are important factors contributing to the victory of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.
In addition to judging and assessing the situation, being flexible in assigning tasks, outlining correct and creative resistance lines and policies, in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, President Ho Chi Minh also closely directed, educated, motivated and encouraged our army and people in a timely manner from the beginning to the end of the campaign. He instilled in our soldiers a determination to fight and win, an extraordinary determination, strength and an iron belief so that our army and people could overcome difficulties and dangers to achieve complete victory.
On the occasion of the Giap Ngo New Year (1954), Uncle Ho gave each cadre and soldier at the front a drinking cup with the bright red words "Resolutely fulfill your duties" printed on it.
As soon as the campaign was about to begin, he sent a letter to the troops in Dien Bien Phu: “You are about to go to the front. Your mission this time is very great, difficult but also very glorious. I firmly believe that you will promote the recent victories, determined to overcome difficulties and hardships to fulfill the glorious mission ahead.”
Right after our army destroyed the Him Lam stronghold, on March 15, 1954, he sent a telegram praising the Dien Bien Phu soldiers: “Uncle and the Party Central Committee have been informed about the first victory of our Army in Dien Bien Phu. Uncle and the Party Central Committee have words of praise for you, comrades. Comrades, do not be subjective and underestimate the enemy, determined to win complete victory for this campaign.”
On behalf of the Party Central Committee and the Government, President Ho Chi Minh directly assigned General Vo Nguyen Giap to study the combat plan and launch the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Photo: VNA file
On May 8, 1954, just one day after our soldiers had captured the enemy's Command Headquarters, captured General De Castries and the entire enemy Command Headquarters at the Dien Bien Phu stronghold, the Dien Bien Phu campaign was completely victorious. He wrote a letter of praise: "Our army has liberated Dien Bien Phu. Uncle Ho and the Government cordially send our compliments to the cadres, soldiers, laborers, youth volunteers and local people who have gloriously fulfilled their duties."
From the vision, strategic and creative leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, we made a historical miracle in the Winter - Spring of 1953 - 1954, the peak of which was the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, gloriously ending the nine-year resistance war against the French colonialists. As affirmed by General Vo Nguyen Giap: "The victory of Dien Bien Phu is the first achievement of President Ho Chi Minh".
Uncle Ho's prophetic verses in the Spring of Giap Ngo that year have become reality.
Anh Thu
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