In order to realize their plot of “depoliticizing” the Vietnam People's Army (VPA), hostile forces have tried to distort its nature of being “loyal to the Party”. Nevertheless, the 75 years of foundation, combat and growth of the VPA have refuted their distortion.
To distort the VPA’s nature of being “loyal to the Party”, hostile forces have employed very sophisticated tricks. They said that in both theoretical and historical bases, the VPA needn’t to be loyal to the Party. Theoretically, they cut short of the Marxist – Leninist doctrine of the origin and nature of the Military when quoting that “The Military only comes after the foundation of the state and is a component of the state and the Military is funded by the state to protect the Fatherland”. Basing on this argument, they hold that: “the Military should only obey the state, not any party in the society”. To strengthen their argument, they cite the Western multi-party political models where the militaries are not put under the leadership of any party. In practice, they resort to the historical event on 26 May 1946 when President Ho Chi Minh awarded the Army College No.1 the flag entitled “loyal to the country, pious to the people” to argue that: “President Ho Chi Minh didn’t require the Military to be loyal to the Party”. Basing on this event, they try to criticize and deny the principle “the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) exercises absolute and all-round direct leadership over the VPA” and demand for the removal of the Article No. 65 in Chapter IV of the 2103 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam which stipulates that “People’s armed forces are to absolutely loyal to the Party”. It should be affirmed that the goal of those plots is to remove the CPV’s leadership over the VPA – the basic principle in building the revolutionary army, thereby disorientating the VPA politically and alienating it from the Party’s goals and ideals, promoting their “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”, and no longer maintain its revolutionary nature and be the fighting force to “protect the People, the Party, the State and the socialist regime” as ruled in the Article No. 65 of the 2013 Constitution. Those plots are not soundly theoretical and practical based, and should be unveiled and refuted.
The history of the past 75 years of foundation, combat and growth of the VPA has proved that it has always been a political and fighting force which is absolutely loyal to the CPV. This is shown in the fact that upon its inception, the Vietnam Propaganda Unit of the Liberation Army – the forerunner of the VPA – was put under the leadership of a Party cell. In terms of ideological background, the VPA is based on the Party’s ideology, i.e. Marxism – Leninism and Ho Chi Minh thought, and takes goal and ideal of the Party, i.e. national independence and socialism as its fighting goal. In terms of organizational structure, the system of Party organizations from the Central Military Commission to party cells in the Military, together with the system of political offices and mass organizations of the Party have been established to ensure that the absolute and all round direct leadership of the Party over the Military be maintained. Through cadre work, party and political work, the contingent of Military officers have been made loyal to the Party, State and the people; ready to fight and sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the country, for socialism and for the happiness of the people. In addition, through the policy work, public work, special propagation work, security work, etc. the Military has always adhered to all policies, guidelines of the Party, contributing significantly to the victory of the cause of national liberation in the past and national construction and defence at present.
In the coming time, the mission of building the Military “revolutionary, regular, seasoned, and gradually modern” will be carried out amid the advantages and disadvantages of the world, regional and domestic situations. In order that our Military continue to maintain and uphold the nature of “loyal to the Party” and forever be the absolutely loyal political and fighting force of the Party, the country and the people, it is necessary to carry out a number of following measures:
Maintain and strengthen the absolute, all round direct leadership of the Party over the Military. This is the fundamental and decisive factor to the loyal of the Military to the Party. To realize this goal, it is necessary to build the Military party organization truly pure and strong in politics, ideology, organizations, and morality. Accordingly, together with continuing to grasp and implement the viewpoints, guidelines and policies of the Party and State, it is necessary to improve the capability and combativeness of the Military party organizations; synchronously and resolutely implement the plans and action programs of the Central Resolution 4 (XII tenure) on Party building and rectification associated with the implementation of the Directive 05-CT/TW of the Politburo (XII tenure) and the Directive 87-CT/QUTW of the Permanent Office of the Central Military Commission on “Strengthening the studying and following Ho Chi Minh thought, morality and style in Military party and army-wide”. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen supervisory and checking work in the Party to opportunely detect, prevent and settle the signs of degradations in politics, morality, lifestyle, “self-evolution”, “self-transformation” and make thorough preparation of Party congress at all levels towards the 13th National Party Congress.
Regularly enhance the efficacy and effectiveness of the party and political work to make it the “soul” and the “lifeblood” of the Military since the party and political work is for maintaining the Party’s leadership over the Military. To that end, party and political work must stick to the practice of combat, combat readiness, labour and work of troops; penetrate each organization, force, unit and task, as well as every aspect of the Military; regularly have renewals and diversify the models and methods of conducting the party and political work to meet the requirements of building the Military in the new situation.
Actively counter the distortion of the VPA’s “loyal to the Party” nature. Party committees in the Military should promote their vigilance; strengthen and build their units comprehensively strong to make them immune to the “depoliticizing” plots of hostile forces; actively counter and criticize the wrongful and hostile arguments to protect the ideological ground, guideline and platform of the Party and the close bond between the Party and the Military, and between the Military and the people. Military units should continue to grasp and thoroughly implement the Resolution 35-NQ/TW of the Politburo (XII tenure) on “Strengthening the protection of the Party’s ideological background and counter the wrongful and hostile viewpoints in the new situation”, the Directive 823-CT/QUTW of the Permanent Office of the Central Military Commission on “Strengthening the leadership and direction on the prevention of “peaceful evolution’ on ideological and cultural fields in the Military”.
Maintaining and promoting the nature of “loyal to the Party”, “loyal to the country and pious to the people” of the VPA and countering the distortion of hostile forces are the responsibilities of cadres and soldiers of the VPA and also of the entire political system under the leadership of the Party.
Nguyen Ngoc Hoi