Heroic Vietnam People's Army - 80 years of building, fighting and growing under the glorious flag of the Party

In any conditions or circumstances, the officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army always keep their faith and love, steadfastly walk under the glorious flag of the Party; wholeheartedly "serve the Fatherland, serve the people"; and well implement the praise of President Ho Chi Minh: "Our army is loyal to the Party, filial to the people, ready to fight and sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for socialism. Every task is completed, every difficulty is overcome, every enemy is defeated" (1).

Since its inception and throughout the process of leading the Vietnamese revolution, our Party has always creatively applied Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's thought on building a new type of army, suitable to the specific circumstances and conditions of Vietnam; at the same time, it affirmed the necessity of organizing and leading the army to become the core force for the entire people to fight the enemy... In particular, on December 22, 1944, implementing the directive of leader Ho Chi Minh, in Tran Hung Dao forest (Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province), the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army, the first main force of the Vietnam People's Army, was established, commanded by comrade Vo Nguyen Giap.

Only three days after its establishment, with 34 cadres and soldiers, equipped with rudimentary weapons, the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army won the first battle, destroying Phai Khat fort (December 25), followed by the Na Ngan battle (December 26). Less than a year later, under the leadership of the Party, our Army, then still a young, small guerrilla army, equipped mainly with rudimentary weapons, together with the entire people carried out the General Uprising, making the success of the August Revolution in 1945, taking power into the hands of the people, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - the first People's Democratic State in Southeast Asia (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam). Immediately after that, our Army, together with the armed forces and all classes of people, smashed all plots and acts of sabotage by internal and external enemies, firmly protecting the revolutionary government and the independence and freedom of the nation.

In the resistance war against the French colonialists, thoroughly implementing the policy of all-people, comprehensive, long-term resistance, relying mainly on our own strength, and promoting the combined strength of the entire nation, our Army raised high the will to fight and win, the brave spirit of "rather sacrifice everything, but never lose the country, never become slaves", "Determination to die for the survival of the Fatherland", establishing resounding victories such as: Viet Bac Thu-Dong (1947), Border (1950), Tay Bac (1952), Upper Laos (1953) and the intense battles of the battlefields from the South, South Central, Binh-Tri-Thien, and the Northern Delta.

We moved forward to carry out the 1953-1954 Winter-Spring strategic offensive with five major blows throughout Indochina, culminating in the historic victory of Dien Bien Phu "resounding throughout the five continents, shaking the earth", dealing a decisive blow, crushing the imperialist and colonialist ambitions of invasion, forcing the French Government to sign the 1954 Geneva Agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Vietnam, successfully ending the nine-year resistance war against French colonialism and American intervention.

During the resistance war against the US to save the country, despite having to confront an empire with the strongest economic and military potential in the world, under the talented and wise leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, our Army overcame all difficulties, hardships, and sacrifices, promoted its revolutionary nature, heroic tradition, bravery, intelligence, creativity, and determination to fight and win, and together with the entire people, continuously defeated the war strategies of the US imperialists, namely special war, local war, and Vietnamization of the war.

The great victories of our army and people in the North and South, especially the defeat of the 12-day and night strategic raid by B.52 bombers of the US imperialists on Hanoi, Hai Phong and some localities in the North in December 1972, forced the US to sign the Paris Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam; creating conditions for our army and people to concentrate their strength with the General Offensive and Uprising in the Spring of 1975, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, completely liberating the South, unifying the country, gloriously ending 30 years of liberation war full of sacrifice, hardship but also very heroic and glorious. Opening a new era - the era of peace, independence, freedom, the whole country moving towards socialism.

After the country's reunification, our Army has performed well the task of building and protecting the revolutionary government, fighting to defeat the post-war plans of imperialism and hostile forces. Once again, our Army entered into fierce battles on the southwestern and northern borders, firmly protecting the territorial sovereignty of the Fatherland, maintaining the peaceful life of the people. At the same time, fulfilling the noble international mission, helping the Cambodian people escape the genocide, leaving a good image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the hearts of the people of the neighboring country.

In the process of innovation, construction and protection of the Fatherland, our Army has promoted its revolutionary nature and the tradition of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", performing well the functions of a combat army, a working army and a labor and production army. At the same time, it has clearly demonstrated its role as the core force in building an all-people national defense, an all-people national defense posture associated with a people's security posture, building a solid provincial and municipal defense zone; always ready to firmly protect the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland; proactively fighting to defeat the plots and tricks of "peaceful evolution" of hostile forces, protecting the Party, the State, the people and the socialist regime.

Along with that, the Army has always taken the lead in propagating and mobilizing people to well implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws; actively and effectively participated in socio-economic development, helping people eliminate hunger, reduce poverty, build political bases, new cultural life, etc., especially in strategic areas, remote areas, border areas, islands; always taking the lead and playing the core role in preventing, combating, overcoming the consequences of natural disasters, and rescuing and saving lives. The Army has actively and proactively integrated and carried out defense diplomacy in accordance with the Party's foreign policies and guidelines, contributing to enhancing Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development, and protecting the Fatherland early and from afar.

The army has actively and proactively integrated and carried out defense diplomacy in accordance with the Party's foreign policy and guidelines, contributing to enhancing Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development, and protecting the Fatherland early and from afar.

Comrade Nguyen Trong Nghia

In the coming years, it is forecasted that in the world and regional situation, peace, cooperation and development will remain the dominant trend, but there will continue to be complex and unpredictable developments; strategic competition between major countries, local conflicts, territorial sovereignty disputes, especially disputes over sea and island sovereignty, etc. will take place in a complex and fierce manner. For our country, after nearly 40 years of innovation, its potential, position and international prestige have been constantly enhanced.

However, our country is still facing many difficulties and challenges. Hostile, reactionary and political opportunistic forces are intensifying their sabotage against the Party, the State and the Army through the strategy of “peaceful evolution”, promoting “self-evolution”, “self-transformation”, and “depoliticization” of the Army with extremely sophisticated, sinister and difficult-to-identify plots and tricks. The above situation poses new and very high requirements for the cause of building the Army, consolidating national defense and protecting the Fatherland.

To meet the requirements of the tasks in the new situation, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense need to continue to thoroughly grasp and effectively implement a number of basic contents, which are: Strengthening political and ideological education, raising awareness among cadres and soldiers about the necessity of maintaining and strengthening the absolute, direct, and all-round leadership of the Party over the Army. Focusing on building a politically strong Army; building clean and strong Party committees and organizations at all levels; and a contingent of cadres and Party members who are truly pioneers and role models.

Continue to thoroughly grasp and seriously and effectively implement the building of a strong, compact and elite Army. Promote the core role of the People's Army in building and consolidating a strong national defense. Step up summarizing practices, researching and developing theories, improving the quality of strategic forecasting, and performing well the advisory function to the Party and State on military work, national defense, and protecting the Fatherland in the new situation.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/quan-doi-nhan-dan-viet-nam-anh-hung-80-nam-xay-dung-chien-dau-truong-thanh-duoi-la-co-vinh-quang-cua-dang-post851549.html