Rejecting achievements of the August Revolution of 1945: An increasingly old-fashioned allegation
Fruits of the August Revolution of 1945 not only resulted from utmost efforts of our people and Party but were also recognised by the international community and even governments of our former foes. Still, there are old-fashioned allegations denying our achievements.
The outmodedness of allegations refuting fruits of the August Revolution of 1945 can be seen in the following aspects.
Outmodedness in terms of methodology and research methodology. Methodologically, they committed mistakes when their evaluations of the fruits of the August Revolution of 1945 were not based on reality, context, and objective condition of history but the methodology of subjective sociology. They, therefore, could not realise laws of historical development as well as the inevitability of a revolution and its victory. The worship of historical spontaneity and accident led to their belief that victory of the August Revolution of 1945 was just “the luck” of the history. Additionally, they could not figure out that the August Revolution of 1945 was a social revolution, categorised as a proletarian revolution, and took place in an obsolete semi-feudal colony bypassing the stage of capitalism. It was the new-style bourgeois revolution of civil rights led by the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV), which is totally different from previous bourgeois revolution by nature. The August Revolution of 1945 not only aimed to eliminate the apparatus of the old regime and establish a new-style people’s democratic government but also used the new apparatus to transform the old society into a new one towards the goal of socialism chosen by our Party and people. Given their obsolete methodology, they could only judge the revolution by appearances as a transfer of ownership from the monarchy to the single-party system. They also failed to realise the depth, greatness, and thoroughness of the August Revolution of 1945 as a proletarian revolution.
In terms of research methodology, according to Karl Marx, both findings of a study and the roads leading to a study must be universal truths. It means that right methods lead to right outcomes. So, what methods did they use here? Clearly, it was fallacy. As can be seen from the above-mentioned viewpoints, they could only repeat their final standpoints instead of giving evidence or anything to support their reasoning. When using the comparative method, they also drew a faulty analogy between leadership of the Communist Party and ruling of a king or a lord in the feudal system, between socialism and feudalism, in order to equate the nature of the two completely different societies and deny socialism and the path to socialism in our country.
Moreover, they fraudulently exchanged causes with pretexts when reasoning that it was the defeat of Japan in World War II and “power vacuum” that led to swift success of the August Revolution of 1945, with a view to rejecting the CPV’s leadership. If that was the case, why did some Japanese colonies with similar conditions fail to conduct successful revolutions in their countries? Why could only the CPV do this? Obviously, they deliberately ignored and denied the most important factor. The cause of all causes leading to victory of the August Revolution of 1945 was the sound leadership of the CPV. Apart from the fallacy, they concluded hastily, unsystematically, illogically, and incorrectly that the August Revolution of 1945 had been the cause that led to the two subsequent bloody wars in Viet Nam. And if it had not been for the August Revolution of 1945, “our country would have become wealthy and powerful for a long time and would not have been so undemocratic as today.”
Outmodedness in terms of awareness. Both theory and practice reject unfashionable, false content of the above-mentioned viewpoints and affirm that it is impossible to deny achievements of the August Revolution of 1945 due to the following foundations. First, the August Revolution of 1945 is not a historical mistake. Its success was due to the fact that the CPV led by Ho Chi Minh had chosen the right path to national liberation. Second, if it had not been for the August Revolution of 1945, our country would not have never had such fortune, position, potential, and international prestige as it does today. Our people would not have become masters of the country as they do today. Third, the August Revolution of 1945 abolished the colonial, fascist, feudal rule and established the first people’s democratic state in the national history. It is a true revolution. It not only abolished a reactionary, outmoded social system but also built an unprecedented one in the history. Fourth, it was not any other cause or the August Revolution of 1945 but the belligerent nature of colonialism and imperialism that had directly led to the two wars of resistance of our people. That the August Revolution of 1945 was the cause of the two bloody wars in Viet Nam is a deliberate deception, a fallacy aimed to shield warlike colonialists and imperialists. Fifth, to deny achievements of the August Revolution of 1945 is synonymous with refuting one of the most glorious pages of Vietnamese history, services and sacrifice of generations of our cadres, soldiers, and people as well as our Party’s leadership over the revolution and country.
As a result of intolerance, preconception, and lack of political sensitivity, their viewpoints have become obsolete and failed to keep pace with development of cognition and political life at home and abroad today. They deliberately turn a blind eye to a vivid reality of the country. Under the leadership of the Party, with the indomitable spirit, our people fought bravely and made ultimate sacrifice for national independence and freedom.
Obsolescence in practical terms. Viet Nam was an obsolete semi-feudal colony, which had no name on the world map before 1945. The people’s intellectual standards were extremely low with 95 per cent of the population illiterate. The starvation caused by Japanese fascists in 1945 killed over two million of people, accounting for 10 per cent of the country back then. Right after independence, at the first meeting held on 3 September 1945, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam pointed out six urgent tasks, among which hunger eradication was the most important one. The movement for combating hunger was launched immediately. The basic measure to strike at the root of hunger was to get production ramped up. The slogans: “Promote production! Promote production immediately! Further promote production!” “Don’t leave an inch of land uncultivated,” “An inch of land is an ounce of gold,” etc., became practical deeds of the entire Party and people. Consequently, by early 1946, productivity in crop production increased fourfold compared to the period of French dominance. The starvation was pushed back, and finance was initially restored. Victory against hunger was one of the first significant achievements of the fledgling revolutionary government, which contributed to the strengthening of the worker- peasant alliance. Prestige of the Party and State was gradually promoted. People had more confidence and determination to defend the revolutionary government.
In addition, the State encouraged the entire people to foster a new culture and lifestyle, abolish the enslavers’ culture formed in the feudal, colonial system, and developed an anti-illiteracy campaign. 75,805 classes were opened nationwide to eradicate illiteracy for over 2,520,673 people from 8 September 1945 to 8 September 1946. Vietnamese was officially used in the educational system. Attention was also paid to healthcare and prophylactic hygiene. Obviously, if it had not been for the August Revolution of 1945 and the leadership of the CPV led by President Ho Chi Minh, hunger and illiteracy could not have been pushed back within such a short period of time.
As a result of achievements recorded over the past 76 years, beginning from the August Revolution of 1945, our country has evolved from a semi-feudal colony into an independent, free nation, developed towards socialism. Our people have been brought from slavery to mastery over the country. Our country has got rid of poverty, underdevelopment and is promoting industrialisation and modernisation. Socio-political situation is stable while national defence and security are strengthened. External relations and international integration are encouraged in both depth and width, enabling our country to occupy an increasingly vital position in the region and the world. Our country has never had such fortune, position, potential, and international prestige as it does today. This has demonstrated that the path to socialism of our country matches realities in Viet Nam and development trends of the times. The Party’s leadership is key to victories of Vietnamese revolution. The above-mentioned outcomes have rejected fabrications aimed to sow divisions within the great national unity as well as to refute our revolutionary achievements.
Obsolescence in political thinking. The wrong viewpoints represent a lack-of-keenness, insensitivity, short-sightedness political thinking. The short-sightedness is reflected in the self-interested, narrow outlook, which fails to realise the overarching values and common benefits of the August Revolution of 1945. Insensitivity can be seen in their adherence to old prejudices against vivid realities of the country, isolating themselves from the nation and the age. Lack of keenness results from intolerance and failure to overcome personal bias to integrate into the country and international community.
Increasingly, historical realities and theory are proving great values and significance of the August Revolution of 1945 to the whole Vietnamese people. Despite using low cunning and false allegations, hostile forces cannot deny this objective reality.
Associate Professor, Doctor Phan Trong Hao, Central Theoretical Council