During the Great Spring Victory of 1975, the Special Forces impeccably fulfilled their role as an “exceptionally elite force,” executing operations characterised by “deep infiltration and surprise assaults.” Their significant contributions, in concert with our military and populace, culminated in this monumental triumph. The invaluable lessons drawn from these experiences remain profoundly relevant and warrant continued study and application in the practical development of the Special Forces to meet the demands and tasks of the current era.​

In the Central Highlands Campaign, the Special Forces demonstrated their capacity for “deep infiltration and surprise assaults,” participating in pivotal and decisive battles, seizing key objectives in Buon Ma Thuot; conducting diversionary tactics, restraining, and segmenting enemy forces in Pleiku and Kon Tum; and steadfastly holding positions, repelling enemy counterattacks, thereby excellently accomplishing their assigned missions and significantly contributing to the campaign’s success. Subsequently, the Special Forces collaborated with other units to successfully execute the campaign to liberate Hue and Da Nang. Notably, from 11 to 29 April 1975, under the strategic directive of the Party, the 126^th Naval Special Forces Regiment, in coordination with the Special Forces of Military Region 5 and the 125^th Unit (the Navy), clandestinely traversed the sea, conducted surprise amphibious assaults, and completely liberated islands such as Song Tu Tay, Nam Yet, Sinh Ton, and Truong Sa Lon in the Spratly Archipelago, achieving a strategically significant victory during the General Offensive and Uprising of Spring 1975.​

Building upon these resounding victories, the Special Forces, alongside our entire military and populace, embarked on the strategic decisive battle - the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign. In this campaign, virtually the entire Special Forces were mobilised, serving as a strategic breakthrough force, tasked with capturing 14 bridges along the routes leading into the heart of Sai Gon and securing critical, sensitive enemy targets, thereby establishing a solid foothold and battle formation for the spearheading units to seize primary objectives, culminating in the comprehensive victory of the General Offensive and Uprising.​

A file photo of the Sac Forest Commandos

The ingenuity, bravery, and sacrifices of the Special Forces throughout the resistance war against the United States, particularly during the Great Spring Victory of 1975, have underscored their crucial role and the distinctive, unique art of employing special forces tactics. Concurrently, this highlights the honour, pride, and tradition of being “exceptionally elite, extraordinarily courageous, astutely audacious, striking decisively for great victories” of the heroic Special Forces.​

The commemoration of the 50^th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (30 April 1975 - 30 April 2025) offers an opportunity for the entire Party, populace, and military to reflect upon the glorious, heroic history of the resistance war against the United States, recognising the immense contributions and sacrifices of our military and people in general, and the Special Forces in particular. Simultaneously, it is imperative to acknowledge the responsibility in building and enhancing the role of the Special Forces in the current context. Presently, the tasks of military development, national defence consolidation, and Fatherland protection impose increasingly high demands. To effectively fulfil all assigned duties and merit the trust of the Party, State, People, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defence, the Special Forces have been comprehensively implementing various policies and measures, including the creative application of lessons from the Great Spring Victory 1975 in developing an exceptionally elite Special Forces, responsive to the requirements and tasks of Fatherland protection in the new situation.​

Firstly, focus on building the Special Forces to be exceptionally elite in political aspects. The practical experience of the liberation war, especially during the General Offensive and Uprising of Spring 1975, indicates that the Special Forces were often assigned missions to capture critical, sensitive targets behind enemy lines or in their most fortified positions. These tasks are exceedingly challenging and perilous, necessitating each cadre and soldier of the Special Forces to possess exceptionally firm political will, ready to sacrifice to accomplish the assigned missions. Drawing from this lesson, Special Forces units across the military need to intensify education and thoroughly instil in cadres and soldiers a firm grasp of the Party’s military and defence policies, assigned tasks, the schemes and tactics of hostile forces, and the position, role, and tradition of the heroic Special Forces. This will enhance awareness and responsibility, fostering in the troops an exceptionally steadfast political will and a particularly high determination to overcome all difficulties and challenges, undeterred by sacrifices, ready to accept and excellently fulfil all tasks.​

To achieve high effectiveness, Special Forces units throughout the military must thoroughly grasp and strictly implement Directive No.2423-CT/QUTW, dated 9 November 2023, by the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission “On renewing and enhancing the quality of political education in the new period.” In this, emphasis should be placed on strengthening Party and political work in various tasks; combining the education of the glorious tradition of the Special Forces with the thorough understanding of missions; instilling in the troops a sense of honour and pride as a special force of the heroic Army; and fostering confidence in weapons, equipment, and the art of Special Forces operations in the new conditions. Focus on building Party committees and organisations at all levels that are clean and strong in politics, ideology, ethics, organisation, and personnel; with scientific, flexible, and creative leadership methods and working styles. Strive for 100% of Special Forces teams to have Party committees, spearhead units to have Party cells, and squads to have Party members. Effectively promote the study and emulation of Hồ Chí Minh’s thoughts, ethics, and style, in conjunction with implementing the Determined to Win Emulation movement, peak emulation drives, patriotic emulation, and national campaigns, contributing to the successful completion of all tasks.​

Secondly, build the Special Forces with an organisational structure that is exceptionally “streamlined, compact, and strong.” Based on the lessons learned from organising and employing the Special Forces during the Great Spring Victory 1975, the Corps continues to review and advise the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence to lead and direct military regions, the Navy, the Hanoi Capital Command, and the Corps in establishing Special Forces units in accordance with the new organisational structure, oriented towards being exceptionally “streamlined, compact, and strong,” with a rational structure, comprehensive quality, and a high level of combat readiness, aligning with the tactics of “deep infiltration and surprise assault,” and the strategic principle of “the smaller overcoming the larger.” Within this framework, priority is to be given to manpower and equipment for combat-ready units, anti-terrorism units, and those assigned to defend maritime sovereignty. These units must be capable of effectively responding to both routine and unexpected contingencies and completing all tasks with excellence. Concurrently, further research and proposals must be advanced to establish elite, specialised forces within each branch of the Special Forces. The objective is that by 2030, anti-terrorist and naval special operations units shall attain modern operational standards, laying the foundation for the comprehensive modernisation of the entire Special Forces. Regular and close coordination with relevant agencies, units, and local authorities is essential for developing a robust and high-quality Special Forces reserve. This reserve must be prepared for rapid expansion in the event of war and for adapting to diverse operational demands across all potential theatres of conflict.

Training of the special forces

Thirdly, develop the Special Forces into an exceptionally combative force with superior combat capability. This is of utmost significance if the Special Forces are to remain worthy of the title “exceptionally elite,” always prepared to undertake and triumph in any assigned mission under all circumstances. Accordingly, during the training, special forces agencies and units across the military must focus on innovation, breaking through in complex, realistic combat scenarios. Training must be conducted at high intensity, with increased emphasis on adversarial simulations based on tactical plans and specific situations. The objective is to ensure that cadres and soldiers are proficient in combat skills and techniques, professionally adept, and specialised in their respective branches. A key priority must be placed on training for independent operations, hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship, diving, endurance, and survival skills. Personnel must be capable of overcoming obstacles, camouflage, gathering intelligence on key terrains and targets, and establishing clandestine operational bases. Additionally, focus must be given to training in distinctive operational disciplines such as anti-terrorism, parachuting, airborne assault, and survival in harsh and hostile environments. Specialised, in-depth training must enable troops to master various combat tactics, including ambush, destruction, and surprise attacks, thus excelling in both independent operations and joint operations with other military branches. The end goal is unwavering readiness for combat: to strike and to win.

In parallel with enhancing training quality, special forces units within the military must maintain a thorough grasp of regional operational environments. Plans and contingencies - particularly Plan A2, concerning anti-terrorism and border and maritime sovereignty protection - must be routinely reviewed, adjusted, and updated to ensure realism and feasibility. Frequent drills and simulations should be conducted to improve overall combat readiness, encompassing both personnel and equipment, ensuring rapid deployment under all conditions.

Fourthly, establish a robust, continuous special operations battlefield network. The experience of the resistance war, particularly during the Great Spring Victory 1975, has shown that for successful deep infiltration and high-impact strikes, the Special Forces must rely heavily on the civilian population to construct operational corridors and bases, and to establish a seamless, covert, and strategically advantageous battlefield network, capable of striking the enemy in all scenarios. This condition was instrumental in the legendary feats achieved by the Special Forces.

In a future war to safeguard the Fatherland (should it occur), the Special Forces will continue to be the vanguard for deep penetration and targeted strikes against the enemy’s critical assets. They must be capable of launching pre-emptive strikes from long-range positions, across diverse operational environments and theatres. Hence, comprehensive peacetime preparations are crucial. Special Forces units must be strategically deployed according to national defence plans. Mobile forces under the Special Forces Corps and the Navy should be assigned to various strategic theatres, ensuring operational flexibility and swift mobilisation when ordered. Forces belonging to Military Regions and the Hanoi Capital Command should be deployed in alignment with provincial and municipal defensive plans and with the specific configurations of local units. The Corps must continue finalising the research project entitled “Organisation of Special Forces bases in the national defence war”, and implement the master plan to develop special operations corridors and combat bases across key strategic directions. This should be done by optimally utilising and integrating the outcomes of provincial and regional defensive posture building. Special Forces units must rely on defensive structures, combat bases, logistics hubs, technical support bases, rear bases, and coastal island defences to identify optimal locations for their clandestine combat installations and secure networks across vital operational areas.

Finally, modernise weaponry and technical equipment to meet the demands of contemporary warfare. In light of evolving mission requirements, alongside building a capable force and developing combat doctrines, the Special Forces must be equipped with modern, lightweight, highly mobile, and effective weapon systems. These systems must offer superior functionality, strong firepower, and high operational efficiency to enhance combat effectiveness significantly. To this end, the Corps will continue to advise and propose to the Ministry of National Defence the production and procurement of cutting-edge weapons and combat equipment. These should include, but not be limited to: Next-generation personal firearms such as high-speed submachine guns, advanced sniper rifles, and sidearms; man-portable missile systems; reconnaissance and combat suicide drones; underwater combat weapons; naval mines, torpedoes, and remotely triggered explosives; high-speed transport including armoured vehicles, motorcycles, assault boats, underwater propulsion devices, and mini-submarines. Additionally, it is essential to expand the construction of comprehensive training infrastructures, simulation targets, and specialised facilities. This includes establishing state-of-the-art simulation centres for adversarial training, deep-diving instruction, and anti-terrorist operations. All such infrastructure must be modern, synchronised, and meet the practical training requirements of the contemporary battlefield.

By upholding the heroic tradition and building upon the resounding victories achieved during the Great Spring Offensive 1975, the Special Forces must continue to strive for ever-greater accomplishments. They must remain worthy of the title: an exceptionally elite, extraordinarily brave, astutely daring force that executes deep-strike operations and secures decisive victories.

Major General HOANG MINH SON, Commander of the Special Forces Corps