Proud of 80 years of heroic Vietnam People's Army

"Our army comes from the people and fights for the people."

Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army (predecessor of the Vietnam People's Army). (Source: Vietnam+)

After 80 years of building, fighting and growing (December 22, 1944 - December 22, 2024), the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) has achieved many glorious feats that "shocked the world". We are proud that our Army, together with the entire Party and people, has won many wars of aggression, unified the country, and together advanced to socialism for "A rich people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, and civilization".

With resounding victories, forever recorded in the national history, the Vietnam People's Army defeated the three most powerful empires in the world (France, Japan, America), making its opponents "bow down in admiration".

General Raoul Salan, commander of the French army in Indochina (1951-1953), affirmed: “The Viet Minh soldier is indeed a fearsome opponent. The Viet Minh army grew up in the midst of fire and smoke, reached its peak and was an “unparalleled war machine.”

The Dien Bien Phu campaign was a complete victory. (Photo: VNA)

Mr. James G. Zumwalt, a former US Marine lieutenant colonel who fought in Vietnam (1968-1971), emphasized: "The Vietnamese soldiers, although having "bare feet", but "iron will" helped them win against the Americans - who did not have a corresponding determination".

With the spirit of proletarian internationalism "helping the people of other countries is helping ourselves", the Vietnam People's Army also excellently fulfilled its noble international duty in Laos and Cambodia.

Vietnam-Laos martyrs memorial in Xiengkhuang province (Photo: Quoc Khanh)

During the fierce and arduous period, tens of thousands of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers with heroic spirit crossed the majestic Truong Son mountain range, together with the Lao army and people, to fight against the old colonialists and the new imperialists. That steadfast heart cannot be fully expressed in words.

General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith affirmed: “The Lao ethnic people will never forget that every sacred land of Laos bears the mark of the sacrifice of the cadres and soldiers of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army. Their sweat and blood have mixed with the sweat and blood of the Lao cadres and soldiers.”

Besides, after years of standing shoulder to shoulder “sharing weal and woe” against colonialism and imperialism, the Vietnamese and Cambodian people should have enjoyed peace and built a prosperous and happy life. However, the Pol Pot group carried out a brutal policy of genocide in Cambodia, and at the same time waged a bloody war, violating the sovereignty and territory of Southwest Vietnam.

Responding to the urgent call of the Cambodian National United Front for National Salvation, and at the same time exercising their legitimate right to self-defense to protect their sacred Fatherland, Vietnamese volunteer soldiers did not hesitate to sacrifice themselves, fighting with their Cambodian comrades to save the people of the Land of Pagodas from the genocide, leading to the victory of the Cambodian revolution on January 7, 1979.

Parade at Ba Dinh Square. (Photo: VNA)

Former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen affirmed: “Right when the Cambodian people were about to die, and could only clasp their hands and pray to the gods and Buddha to save them, the Vietnamese volunteer army appeared. The Vietnamese army is the army of Buddha.”

In the new era, we strive together with the nation to build a “revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and modern Vietnam People’s Army” to build, develop, and firmly protect the Fatherland. At the same time, the Vietnam People’s Army also actively and proactively participates in contributing to maintaining peace in the world.

Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations in 2015, emotionally shared: “I would like to bow my head to the brave Vietnamese soldiers who have traveled a long way, far from their families, to help the miserable people in Africa and South Sudan. All of you can be proud of your representatives on the international stage. The people who are living in misery in instability will look to you for help and hope.”

Following in his father's footsteps. (Photo: Ha Huu Net)

Celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army (December 22, 1944 - December 22, 2024) and the 35th anniversary of the National Defense Day (December 22, 1989 - December 22, 2024), we are even more proud that over the past 80 years, the Vietnam People's Army has written the most heroic pages of history, achieved the most glorious feats, and made our country glorious.

The Vietnam People's Army is worthy of President Ho Chi Minh's praise: "Our people are a heroic people, our Army is a heroic Army"!

(*) Mr. Ha Huu Net is the former Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial Literature and Arts Association for the 2017-2022 term.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tu-hao-80-nam-quan-doi-nhan-dan-viet-nam-anh-hung-297337.html