The Vietnam-Laos relationship in history and at present was built with the blood and bones of the officers, soldiers and people of the two countries throughout the years of fighting side by side against the common enemy. October 30 this year marks the 75th anniversary of the tradition of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in Laos (October 30, 1949 - October 30, 2024).
Among the Vietnamese volunteer military units that went to perform international missions in Laos, Division 316, Military Region 2 was the first unit to be present in Laos and had the longest time, 13 years of continuous fighting in Laos. In 1969, Division 316, in coordination with Pathet Lao units, organized a defensive and counter-attack campaign, repelling the Cu Kiet Campaign of the US imperialists.
At this time, it was the rainy season, all supply routes to ensure logistics were almost paralyzed, the troops lacked rice and salt and had to eat wild vegetables for many days to have meals. In the midst of the difficult situation, the local logistics resources of the Lao ethnic people saved the soldiers' lives. Although they were also in the midst of famine, the Lao ethnic people lacked food and faced many difficulties, but with the spirit of sharing rice, they gave up their rice, shared clothes, and scraped up the last bowls of rice in their houses to feed the Vietnamese troops.
Veteran of the 174th Regiment, Nguyen Huu Kham, recalled those days filled with love: "During the rainy season, we could not supply supplies from the rear. Therefore, we had to rely entirely on the local logistics force. It was the Lao people who fed the officers and soldiers of the 174th Regiment, Division 316, helping us overcome the years of the rainy season full of hardship, fierceness and sacrifice. For example, when we entered Son village, the people still stayed, there were old mothers who brought out cans of rice to give to the volunteer soldiers, a Lao village contributed 200 kg of rice to the soldiers, took in the wounded, became the rear and considered the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers as their own children."
During nearly 10 years of fighting in Laos, Lieutenant General Nguyen Tien Long, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association, also witnessed touching stories about the selfless help, love, protection and care of the Lao people for Vietnamese soldiers.
Lieutenant General Nguyen Tien Long said: "Many times when the unit returned from a march, there was no rice left, and the people had no rice left either. They only had to go to the fields. Here, this field still has 4-5 bags of rice left. You can take it. On the Lao battlefield, in addition to rice, the Laotian forest land, cassava and the hearts of the Laotian people also fed our soldiers. That's why our regiment sometimes went nearly half a month without receiving supplies, but we were still alive and able to fight."
When the resistance war against the US entered a fierce and fierce phase, we turned the Truong Son road to the West, passing through Laos. The Lao people voluntarily moved their houses, contributed their efforts to break rocks, and opened roads. The Lao tribes in the West of Truong Son even mobilized elephants to pull wood and open roads to help the Vietnamese army. It was the selfless and pure help in the spirit of great international solidarity of the Vietnamese State that the Lao people gave the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers their noble feelings.
Mr. Somsavat Lengsavad, former Deputy Prime Minister of Laos, said that this was truly selfless, pure, righteous, and sincere help that not every nation has.
The former Deputy Prime Minister of Laos said: "That is pure help, without any conditions. For example, Vietnam sent volunteer soldiers to help Laos at Laos' request, Vietnam did not set any conditions. So I think that is a very pure and exemplary action. In this world, there is a special solidarity relationship like this."
In the flow of relations between Vietnam and Laos, defense relations are also one of the pillars and foundations, laid during the resistance war and continuously nurtured in the present and the future. In recent years, in the face of complicated developments in the world and regional situation, the defense relations between the two countries have received more attention: The two sides have promoted dialogue mechanisms, expanded training cooperation; strengthened cooperation in border management and protection. The good results in the defense relations between the two countries have revealed bright futures and prospects.
This is also the opinion of Lieutenant General Vu Chien Thang, former Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense: "I believe that with the breakthrough in the relationship between the two countries, the relationship between Vietnam and Laos will continue to develop to new heights, worthy of the position of each country in the region and the world, meeting the aspirations of the people of the two countries. This relationship has become a law of development, an important factor, ensuring the victory of the revolutionary cause of each country. It is a common, invaluable asset of the two Parties and two peoples that today's generation needs to preserve, protect, cultivate and pass on to future generations."
Major General Nguyen Hoang Nhien, Director of the Institute of Military History, said: "With the goal of deepening the defense relationship between the two countries, making it more and more effective. The armies of Vietnam and Laos have successfully implemented defense relations activities between the two countries with the synchronous solutions that both sides have been implementing, especially the efforts of the armies of the two countries, along with historical practice, we hope that the defense relationship between Vietnam and Laos will achieve even greater achievements, as affirmed by the General Secretary and President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, defense cooperation between the two countries is a special relationship of special, only the special friendship between Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam can do that."
In the past, generations of fathers and brothers of the two ethnic groups of Vietnam and Laos fought together in the same trenches, leaning against the Truong Son mountain range to repel the enemy, regaining independence and freedom for the two peoples. Many cadres and soldiers of the Vietnamese volunteer army still lie forever on the battlefield in Laos. Their blood and bones have mixed and soaked into the fields, villages and lush sa mu forests. These are unforgettable evidences in the relationship between the two countries, which each of us, the descendants of today and tomorrow, need to forever remember, cherish, preserve and promote. Turn the good results of the past into strength in the present to build the future, bringing the relationship between the two countries to develop more deeply, practically and effectively, for the prosperous, sustainable and happy development of the two peoples of Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam.
Source: https://vov.vn/chinh-tri/nhan-dan-lao-da-danh-cho-quan-tinh-nguyen-viet-nam-nhung-tinh-cam-cao-dep-post1130615.vov
Comment (0)