The army fought for independence and national unity.

From the first main force, the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army, the Vietnam People's Army has been constantly built and matured in combat, growing stronger and more complete in terms of organizational structure, overall quality, and combat strength.

Promoting the achievements of the August Revolution, the Vietnam People's Army became the core for the entire people's resistance, winning step by step, moving towards completely defeating the war efforts of French colonialists and American imperialists, successfully completing the cause of national liberation.

1. The Vietnam People's Army was born, the main force, the solid support of the people in the August 1945 General Uprising to seize power. Immediately after its establishment (December 22, 1944), the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army Team with an initial force of 34 officers and soldiers under the command of comrade Vo Nguyen Giap, the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army Team successfully organized a raid on the two posts of Phai Khat (December 25, 1944) and Na Ngan (December 26, 1944), opening the tradition of "determination to fight, determination to win" of the Vietnam People's Army.

When the time for revolution was ripe, on August 13, 1945, the National Uprising Committee established by the Party Central Committee and the Viet Minh General Department issued Military Order No. 1 to mobilize the Vietnamese army and people to rise up to gain national independence. In compliance with the general uprising order and the call of Leader Ho Chi Minh, the uprising committees, liberation army units, and guerrillas from the Viet Bac base and other war zones quickly advanced to the localities to coordinate and support the political army of the masses to rise up to seize power.

Within just two weeks (from August 13 to 28, 1945), the general uprising to seize power took place vigorously across the country, achieving fundamental victories and establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - the first state of the people, by the people and for the people in Southeast Asia. The victory of the August Revolution in 1945 affirmed that the armed and paramilitary forces were truly the core, effectively and actively supporting the large political force of the revolutionary masses rising up to seize power; at the same time, marking the maturity of the Vietnam People's Army.

2. The Vietnam People's Army promoted the core role of the people's armed forces, contributing to the victory of the resistance war against French colonialism. After the failure in the offensive on Viet Bac, the French colonialists were forced to switch to a long-term war with us, using sweeping, expanding occupation and pacification as the main measures, combining the exploitation of human and material resources to maintain the war. Implementing the policy of "independent companies, concentrated battalions", since 1948, hundreds of independent companies and armed propaganda teams advanced deep into the enemy's rear, supporting the people in many places, especially in the Northern Delta, to simultaneously rise up and destroy the enemy.

On the basis of meeting all necessary conditions, on April 15, 1949, the Ministry of National Defense - Commander-in-Chief decided to establish the 308th Division - the first main force division of the Vietnam National Army. Subsequently, the birth of strong mobile main force units at division and regiment levels marked the rapid development of our army in response to the initial policy of advancing to mobile warfare, contributing to the victory of the Border campaigns (September 16 - October 14, 1950), Hoa Binh (1951-1952), Tay Bac (1952), and Upper Laos (1953).

During the 1953-1954 Winter-Spring Campaign, the three armed forces promoted the role of each army in combat operations, closely coordinated with the Lao and Cambodian revolutionary armed forces, carried out strategic attacks, forcing the enemy to respond passively, and strained to resist on the battlefields of the Northwest, Central Laos, Lower Laos-Northeast Cambodia, Northern Central Highlands, Upper Laos...

Entering the decisive strategic battle of Dien Bien Phu, we concentrated a large main force, combined with unique campaign art, to attack and destroy the strongest defensive group of the French army in Indochina at that time; at the same time, we promoted people's war in coordinated battlefields across the country, successfully completing the resistance war against the invading French colonialists.

3. The Vietnam People's Army is constantly being consolidated and strengthened in all aspects, maintaining its core role, fighting with the whole country to complete the cause of liberating the South, unifying the country and fulfilling international obligations.

With the victory of the Dong Khoi movement (1960), the southern revolution shifted from a position of preserving forces to an offensive position. Immediately after its establishment (January 1961), the Southern Liberation Army developed in scale, organization, and force, while building and protecting the liberated areas, receiving support from the North, combining with on-site logistics to carry out increasingly large-scale battles and campaigns, typically Ap Bac, Binh Gia, Dong Xoai, Ba Gia, contributing to the bankruptcy of the US imperialists' "Special War" strategy.

When the US sent the US and allied expeditionary forces to directly participate in the war in the South, in 1965 alone, the Southern Liberation Army developed its forces to 5 divisions; at the same time, it promoted concentrated operations, won consecutive victories in direct confrontations with the US army in Nui Thanh, Van Tuong, Pleime... contributing to strengthening the determination to "fight the US" and the ability to "defeat the US".

Relying on the widespread people's war situation, the army and people of the South stepped up their offensive, opening up favorable opportunities to carry out the 1968 Mau Than General Offensive and Uprising, advancing to win great victories in the 1972 strategic offensive, forcing the US and the Saigon government to sign the Paris Agreement (January 27, 1973). Along with the national mission, the Vietnam People's Army persistently implemented the Party's pure international solidarity policy in the spirit of "Helping friends is helping ourselves", standing side by side with the army and people of Laos and Cambodia to fight against the common enemy, the US imperialists.

On the basis of the rapidly changing situation of the war in a favorable direction, at the end of 1974, the Politburo determined to mobilize the strength of the army and people of the whole country to successfully end the resistance war against the US, to save the country. Implementing the strategic determination of the Politburo, the Vietnam People's Army promoted the strength of large-scale combined arms to carry out the "lightning-fast" General Offensive and Uprising in the Spring of 1975, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, completing the cause of liberating the South and reunifying the country.

With 34 officers and soldiers in the first main force, the Vietnam People's Army rapidly developed in terms of organization, force and combat level, becoming the leading force, leading and supporting the movement of the whole people to fight the enemy.

Continuing to promote the tradition of "determination to fight, determination to win", maintaining the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", the Vietnam People's Army always actively builds a politically strong force as a basis to improve overall quality, combat strength, and together with all classes of people, successfully complete the task of protecting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Fatherland.

NDO

Source: https://baohanam.com.vn/quoc-phong/doi-quan-chien-dau-vi-doc-lap-thong-nhat-non-song-142257.html