Forty-five years ago, exercising the legitimate right of self-defence along the Southwest border, our soldiers and people heroically fought, shattering the act of aggression and punishing the genocide crimes of the reactionary Pol Pot - Ieng Sary regime. This victory contributed significantly to firmly protecting the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Homeland. Furthermore, it helped the Cambodian people to escape the genocide and revive their country, which symbolised the steadfast and pure international solidarity between the two nations.

After seizing power in Cambodia, the reactionary Pol Pot - Ieng Sary regime exploited the revolutionary achievements to establish the so-called “Democratic Kampuchea”, imposing a dictatorial, fascist regime characterised by genocide against Cambodian people and waging an invasive war against Vietnam. From April 1975 to the end of 1978, they continuously harassed and launched border incursions into our country, massacring people and looting properties. On the night of 30 April 1977, the Pol Pot - Ieng Sary regime launched an offensive along the borderline of An Giang province, officially waging an invasive war on Vietnam’s Southwest border. The defiant and brutal actions of the Pol Pot - Ieng Sary not only regressed the history of the beautiful Angkor nation but also disrupted the traditional, fraternal relations between Vietnam and Cambodia, directly affecting peace and stability in Indochina and the Southeast Asian region.

In pursuit of the goal of maintaining peace and preserving friendly and harmonious neighbourly relations, our Party and State advocate resolving disagreements through frank dialogue, mutual respect, adherence to international law, and assurance of the interests and aspirations of the people of both countries. In June 1977, the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam sent letters to the Democratic Kampuchea authorities proposing high-level meetings between the leaders of the two countries’ Parties and Governments. However, all these letters were rejected by Democratic Kampuchea. More defiantly, they expanded the scope of their attacks along our southwest border, killing people and burning civilian houses. The situation escalated on 31 December 1977, when the Pol Pot - Ieng Sary regime officially severed diplomatic relations with Vietnam, withdrawing the Kampuchean Embassy from Hanoi and demanding all Vietnamese diplomats in Phnom Penh to return to Vietnam. Simultaneously, they intensified the border invasions.

The Cambodian people, with their desire to live in peace, organised uprisings of both armed forces and civilians in various regions and even within the ranks of officers and troops of the Khmer Rouge. The Pol Pot - Ieng Sary regime brutally suppressed these uprisings, causing thousands of Cambodians to flee to Vietnam to seek refuge and help. In response to the earnest requests and aspirations of patriotic Cambodians, in May 1978, we assisted them in building revolutionary forces, establishing Unit 125 - the precursor of the Cambodian National Salvation Armed Forces, led by Samdech Hun Sen, to return and liberate their country. Facing the urgent demands of the situation, in December 1978, the National Salvation Front of Cambodia was established, and it decided to initiate a popular uprising movement. At the same time, it called for Vietnam’s help in eradicating the genocidal regime and regaining power for the revolution and the Cambodian people. In response to the legitimate call of the National Salvation Front and all the Cambodian people, the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers from Corps 2, 3, 4, and several key units from Military Regions 5, 7, 9, the Navy, and the Air Defence - Air Force closely coordinated with the Cambodian revolutionary armed forces and Cambodian people to launch counter-offensives from multiple directions, successively defeating the forces of the Pol Pot regime. On 7 January 1979, the capital city of Phnom Penh was liberated, laying the foundation for the liberation of all cities, towns, and vast rural areas of Cambodia in a short time. On 8 January 1979, the Revolutionary People’s Council of Cambodia was founded, announcing the complete abolition of the Pol Pot - Ieng Sary genocidal regime and establishing the People’s Republic of Kampuchea. From then on, the Cambodian people escaped the genocide and entered a period of national revival.

Cambodian people eagerly welcome Vietnamese voluntary troops to come to liberate the country (A file photo)

Despite suffering great losses, the remnants of the Khmer Rouge consisting of about 40,000 members fled to the Cambodia - Thailand border. With foreign support, they relied on bases in the treacherous border areas and the Koh Kong coastline to continue their operations, forcibly recruiting Cambodian youth into the military. Additionally, they launched attacks and ambushes against Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and the Cambodian Revolutionary Army. The activities of the remnants indicated that the situation in Cambodia remained unstable, and there was a risk of the genocidal regime returning. At the request of the People’s Republic of Cambodia Government, from 1979 to 1989, tens of thousands of Vietnamese experts and volunteers continued to stand side by side with the Cambodian people in the reconstruction of their country, preventing the return of the genocidal regime there. Besides, Vietnamese voluntary soldiers helped rescue thousands of people trapped and tormented in the hideouts of the genocidaires in the mountains and border areas, reuniting them with their families and restoring peace to the Land of the Temples.

The Victory of the Southwest border war, along with the liberation of the capital Phnom Penh on 7 January 1979, together with the activities of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and expert teams in Cambodia in the following years, hold a particularly great historical significance in Vietnam - Cambodia relations. This marked a glorious milestone in the historical course of the two countries, exemplifying the traditional relationship and faithful bond between the two nations united in overthrowing the genocidal regime. Moreover, it heralded a new era in Vietnam - Cambodia relations, an era of friendship and comprehensive cooperation.

While Pol Pot was implementing a brutal genocide against his own people, killing approximately two million innocent Cambodians and waging a war of aggression against Vietnam, it was the patriotic Cambodians who placed their trust in the aid of Vietnam. Later, Samdech Hun Sen recalled: “Based on the political and international situation at the time… the only country capable of and willing to help was Vietnam, combined with the assistance of Laos and other socialist countries”. Despite facing numerous difficulties after the resistance war against American imperialists, out of friendship and the long-lasting traditional relationship between the two countries, Vietnam sent thousands of people, including soldiers and expert teams, to help the Cambodian people escape the genocide, consolidate the government, restore production, and stabilise the lives of the people. Many Vietnamese sacrificed their youth for this noble international duty while many remained on the Cambodian battlefields or carried lifelong injuries. The losses and sacrifices of thousands of outstanding Vietnamese for the rebirth of Cambodia are forever respected and remembered by the people of both nations. This righteous assistance reflects the tradition of bonding, unity, kinship, and compassion in fighting a common enemy, overthrowing the brutal Pol Pot regime, saving the country and people of Cambodia from genocide, and carrying out the national revival.

The contributions and sacrifices of both nations in the struggle against the Pol Pot regime were selfless, pure, righteous, and affectionate, embodying the spirit of “helping others is helping ourselves”. Both nations had stood shoulder to shoulder in the fight against common enemies, namely the French colonialists and the American imperialists. Therefore, after gaining independence, Vietnam also wished for the other countries on the Indochina peninsula to live in peace and development. The shoulder-to-shoulder solidarity of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam with the Party, State, and people, especially the patriots and the revolutionary armed forces of Cambodia, helped the Cambodian nation escape the tragic history caused by the Pol Pot - Ieng Sary regime.

Despite enduring numerous sacrifices and losses, Vietnam’s selfless and genuine assistance to Cambodia at that time did not receive high consensus from several countries. In fact, some even took actions that complicated and exacerbated the situation. Additionally, hostile and reactionary forces influenced and incited the Pol Pot regime to create “national animosity” to divide and undermine Vietnam - Cambodia relations, posing various challenges in resolving international relations for decades thereafter. Overcoming these difficulties, with conviction in justice, the two countries stood together to overthrow the Pol Pot regime and build a peaceful, stable, and developing Cambodia. This Victory testified to Vietnam’s selflessness, purity, and righteousness, defeating the schemes of hostile forces that sought to divide Vietnam - Cambodia relations. Moreover, it affirmed the solidarity and bond between the two nations with the aspiration to live in peace and stability, looking forward to a brighter future.

The Victory of 7 January 1979, along with the process of Cambodia’s national revival, marks a new chapter in the history of relations between Vietnam and Cambodia. It is also the triumph of a just cause, the continuation of the solidarity and combat against a common enemy, heralding an era of independence, peace, freedom, and development. Praising and honouring the bloodshed and sacrifice of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers in Cambodia, Mr. Chhay Yi Heang, advisor to the Royal Government of Cambodia, wrote: “The Pol Pot genocidal regime was not only the enemy of the Cambodian people but also the enemy of humankind. The assistance of the people, Government, and voluntary soldiers of Vietnam in helping Cambodian people escape the genocide and reviving the nation was a noble and righteous cause of the 20^th century”.

The fighting solidarity between the two nations in history will add strength to the relations between Vietnam and Cambodia, moving into a new era, an era of friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries based on the principles of peace, mutual respect for independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of for the prosperous development of each nation as well as stability and peace in the region and the world.

Major General, Dr. NGUYEN HOANG NHIEN, Director of the Military History Institute