In Laos, there is no victory without the sacrifice of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army.

In Laos, there is no place without the footprints of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, there is no victory without the sacrifices and contributions of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers.

On the morning of October 25, the Ministry of National Defense organized a scientific conference "Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts help the Lao revolution - Historical significance and lessons learned".

75 years ago, on October 30, 1949, the Central Committee of the Indochinese Communist Party decided: Vietnamese military forces fighting and working to help Laos would be organized into a separate system and named Volunteer Army.

Helping a friendly country is helping ourselves. Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts fought side by side, fought together with Laos, and won glorious victories.

Senior Lieutenant General Le Huy Vinh, Deputy Minister of National Defense, affirmed that the great contributions and sacrifices of the Vietnamese volunteer army and military experts directly consolidated and built the tradition of special fighting solidarity between Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam - a symbol of international proletarian solidarity, a unique model in the history of international relations.

With all the modesty of revolutionary soldiers, the cadres, soldiers of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts have every right to be proud of having successfully fulfilled their noble international duty in Laos.

Senior Lieutenant General Le Huy Vinh quoted President Ho Chi Minh's sayings about the relationship between the two countries: "If we love each other, we can climb any mountain, wade any river, cross any pass. Our two countries, Vietnam and Laos, have a love deeper than the Red River and Mekong River" or President Kaysone Phomvihane once affirmed: "Mountains can wear away, rivers can dry up, but the Vietnam-Laos relationship will forever be stronger than mountains and rivers".

The Deputy Minister of National Defense said the workshop was an opportunity to gain a deeper and more correct understanding of the history, contributions and great sacrifices of previous generations, thereby determining to preserve and promote the strength of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

W-IMG_0315.JPG.jpg — Lieutenant General Truong Thien To, Deputy Chief of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army.

Lieutenant General Truong Thien To, Deputy Chief of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, said that in 1954, the Party Central Committee sent a military advisory group (Group 100) to help the Lao revolution. In the following years, Vietnam sent military expert groups 959, 463 and 565; and volunteer army groups 335, 316, 763, 766, 866, 968 to help the Lao revolution in combat, building revolutionary bases, and developing forces.

The assistance of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts helped the Lao revolution win the campaigns: Nam Tha (1962), 128 and 74A (1964), Nam Bac (1968), Muong Sui (1969), Canh Dong Chum - Xieng Khouang (1969 - 1970), Route 9 - Southern Laos (1971), Canh Dong Chum - Xieng Khouang (rainy season 1972)..., forcing the US and the Lao rightists to sign the Vientiane Agreement (February 21, 1973), creating favorable conditions for the Lao army and people to fight for power, establishing the Lao People's Democratic Republic (December 2, 1975).

In 1975, the Lao revolution won, and the Volunteer Army and military experts gradually withdrew from the country.

Vietnamese volunteer soldiers bid farewell to their Lao friends before returning home. Source: Photobook Vietnam - Laos Special Relations/Thong Tan Publishing House.

Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh emphasized that the history of international relations has many cooperative, alliance and mutual support relationships, but the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam is a special relationship, unique in the world.

The solidarity and fighting alliance between Laos and Vietnam in the fight against the common enemy is a clear and typical demonstration of the value of that special and unparalleled relationship.

The Ambassador expressed that during the 30 years of revolutionary war (1945 - 1975) and the following years, the Vietnam People's Army fought side by side, "biting a grain of salt in half, breaking a stalk of vegetable in half" with the Lao army and people to win many great victories.

W-IMG_0320.JPG.jpg — Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh.

The leaders of the Lao Party, State and people affirmed: "In Laos, there is no place without the footprints of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army, there is no victory without the sacrifices and contributions of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army."

The Lao people trust and consider the officers and soldiers of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and Military Experts as their own relatives.

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