The cause of defending the Vietnam Socialist Fatherland on cyberspace cannot be successfully and effectively implemented if we do not have an adequate sense of responsibility or the education of the sense of Fatherland protection on cyberspace is not paid due attention and done regularly.

In the context of increasing international integration and the robust growth of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially information technology and the internet have become a new social space - "cyberspace" . Cyberspace is known for its fast speed of information transmission and searching, huge information storage, community cohesion, borderlessness, multimedia, high interaction. It is an integral part of society, covering all aspects of social life, bringing new opportunities for nations and peoples to cooperate and develop. Its positives and negatives are intertwined. Information on cyberspace can be true or false, inaccurate, difficult to verify and control, and has a negative impact on community culture. It may increase the risk of leaking state secrets; undermine state power and national power. Moreover, it is the primary tool for hostile forces to leverage for their sabotage; a "fertile" theatre for terrorists and criminals, etc.

Taking advantage of this, hostile and reactionary forces have thoroughly exploited cyberspace to conduct the "media revolution", calling for the formation of illegal groups, political opposing forces with counterbalancing activities against the Party; propaganda on Western pragmatism, and incite national hatred; defame the leaders of the Party and State. In particular, during the 13^th Congress of the Party, they ran thousands of websites, blogs, hundreds of magazines, newspapers, publishers and radio stations with Vietnamese programs to promote their information campaigns distorting and destroying the ideology and documents submitted to the Congress and the Party's personnel work; inciting internal separation, forming opposing political groups in order to destabilize political security, social order and safety in our country.

Recognising the importance and urgency of Fatherland protection on cyberspace, on July 25, 2018, our Party issued a Resolution on "Strategy to protect the Fatherland on cyberspace" and a Resolution on "Strategy for National network security”. The former clearly states that: “Building a safe, healthy and widespread national cyberspace, creating favourable conditions for economic development; building, developing and protecting Vietnamese culture on cyberspace”. Performing the task of protecting the Fatherland on cyberspace means our Military will perform its tasks in a new theatre, with new mode and form of war - “without gun smoke". That objectively promotes, creates new opportunities and advantages, but also poses challenges to the task of fostering the sense of Fatherland protection on cyberspace in the Military. The basic requirement of education is to consolidate and raise awareness, enhance beliefs, attitudes, morale and determination to protect the Fatherland on cyberspace for all officers and soldiers, contributing to the completion of the task of protecting the sovereignty, cyber-security and ideological foundation of the Party and the Fatherland on cyberspace.

To do that, it is necessary to carry out the following contents and measures:

Firstly, increasing education on the task of Fatherland protection on cyberspace for military officers and soldiers. It is necessary to thoroughly grasp and well implement the Party's directives and resolutions, legal documents of the State, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence on political, ethical and legal education in the entire Military, especially the legal documents on cyber-security and Fatherland protection on cyberspace, such as: Directive No. 30-CT/TW, dated December 25, 2013 of the Politburo on developing and enhancing the management of electronic journalism, social networks and other types of media on the Internet; Decree No. 72/2013/NĐ-CP, dated July 15, 2013 of the Government on the management, provision and use of the Internet and online information; Circular No. 09/2014/BTTTT, dated August 19, 2014 of the Ministry of Information and Communications on the management, provision and use of information on websites and social networks; Directive No. 03/CT-BQP, dated January 23, 2014 of the Ministry of National Defence on strengthening information security and some issues on operations of cyber warfare; Circular No. 56/2020/TT-BQP of the Ministry of National Defence, dated May 5, 2020 on Regulations on management and assurance of information safety, cyber-security in the Ministry of National Defence, etc.; improve the efficiency of Marxism – Leninism education, Ho Chi Minh's thought, the tradition of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", Directive No. 05-CT/TW of the Politburo (12^th tenure), Central Resolution 4 (12^th tenure) on Party building and rectification. In addition, it is necessary to educate the Strategy for Fatherland protection on cyberspace, the National Cyber-Security Strategy, the Military's directives and regulations on the management and use of Internet, social networks, etc., thereby, making cadres and soldiers "fully aware of, properly and deeply appreciate the opportunities and challenges for our country on cyberspace; clearly define their objectives, views, duties, and solutions to have strong will and drastic measures on cyberspace, contributing to firmly defending the Fatherland in the new situation ”.

Secondly, renewing the programs, contents, forms and methods of education on the mission of protecting the Fatherland on cyberspace in the Military. It is necessary to review, adjust, and develop educational content and programs relevant to the military's tasks; improve the quality of compiling materials for the subjects. Apply flexibly and creatively educational forms and methods; closely combine tradition with modernity. Renovate propaganda methods of the Military's media, further promote the advantages of the Internet; diversify forms of cyber propagation, dissemination and education. In addition to the forms of oral propaganda, it is necessary to hold contests, talk, Q&A about the law, management and use of social networks; pay attention to promoting the effectiveness of social networking sites, the task forces fighting on cyberspace, and the 35^th Steering Committees at all levels. Bring into full play the roles and responsibilities of the subjects, directly the party committees, commanders, political agencies at all levels and political officers in leading, orienting and directing the education on the task of Fatherland protection on cyberspace.

Thirdly, fostering the methods and skills needed for protecting the Fatherland on cyberspace for cadres and soldiers. In particular, it is necessary to focus on fostering the methods of fighting and conducting propaganda on cyberspace; the way to distinguish between good and bad information; the self-defence and "immunity" against false, bad or harmful information; the skills to identify schemes and tricks of hostile forces and reactionary attacks on cyberspace and cyber-security violations; skill of using technical measures to overcome consequences of cyber-attacks. When it comes to the specialised forces and military press agencies, it is necessary to foster the way to hold talks, exchanges, ideological and public opinion orientation; open and maintain the columns of countering "peaceful evolution" on cyberspace. Foster professional skills, information technology skills; expand links, digitise propaganda and fighting operations on cyberspace; fight, prevent, remove and neutralise the operations of bad and malicious accounts and channels; build prestigious media channels to propagate information and orient public opinion on the Internet, such as: YouTube, Fanpage, Facebook, while promoting interaction, sharing and promotion of official information to the community.

Fourthly, defeating the hostile forces' conspiracies and activities in order to improve the efficiency of fostering the responsibility for Fatherland protection on cyberspace in the Military. Special attention should be paid to the two basic fighting directions that are closely related: first, pro-actively and actively fight, criticise, reject wrong and hostile views to protect the Party's ideological basis and raise the awareness of Fatherland protection; second, fight to protect the sovereignty, safety and security of cyberspace to educate and raise awareness of Fatherland protection on cyberspace in the Military. Carrying out the two above fighting directions, it is necessary to actively grasp the situation, early detect the disruptive activities of hostile forces to defeat their conspiracies and tricks. Promote the synergy, roles and responsibilities of organisations and forces; closely coordinate with concerned agencies, departments and branches to step up the fight against opposing and hostile views and claims on social networks.

Senior Colonel, PhD. NGUYEN KIEM VIEN, General Political Department