In the strategic decisive battle of Dien Bien Phu, our artillery force demonstrated its courage and creativity, proving its role as the primary ground firepower of our armed forces, contributing significantly to the victory of the campaign. Via the battle, many valuable lessons were drawn, and they need to be studied and developed to build the Artillery Corps into an “elite, compact, and strong” force, advancing towards modernity, meeting the requirements and objectives of the cause of defending the Homeland in the new situation.

In line with the determination of the Politburo, the General Command, and the Combat Plan of the Campaign, our artillery force was mobilised to participate in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign with the highest strength, most modern equipment at that time, and the Artillery Corps had the honour of firing the first shots to initiate the Campaign. Overcoming countless difficulties, hardships, and sacrifices of the strategic decisive battle, the Artillery Corps excellently completed the tasks of suppressing and eliminating enemy artillery positions, repressing enemy airbase, destroying enemy command posts and depots, disrupting enemy supply lines, and effectively supporting the infantry in the encirclement of enemy positions and assaults to destroy each stronghold, sub-group of strongholds, and the entire stronghold group of Dien Bien Phu, contributing significantly to the victory that “resounded across the five continents, shook the globe”. Commenting on the role of the artillery force in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, General Vo Nguyen Giap said: “It is a corps that has performed its tasks excellently since its establishment to date, worthy of its role as the primary firepower of the Army and the primary land-based firepower of our Armed Forces”.

Troops of the Artillery Corps during a joint exercise of the Army

At present and in the coming years, the task of building and defending the homeland poses significant challenges and demands high standards. However, the organisational structure of the Artillery force has not kept pace with the development of these requirements; the Corps still has a lot of various out-dated weapons and equipment with a low level of uniformity, this causes difficulties in training and mission execution. Given this situation, to keep enhancing the role of artillery firepower in the new condition, the Artillery Corps Party Committee and Command advocate continuing to lead and direct the building of an “elite, compact, and strong” corps, with comprehensive quality and high combat strength, ready to receive and excellently fulfil all assigned tasks, thereby contributing to the steadfast defence of the Socialist Homeland of Vietnam in all circumstances.

First, focusing on building a compact artillery corps in terms of organisational structure, equipped with increasingly modern weapons and equipment. During the Resistance War against the French colonialism, our artillery force experienced continuous and remarkable development, from using portable artillery sections and platoons for fire support in small-scale engagements to employing larger concentrated units such as towed artillery battalions and regiments in combined arms operations. Particularly during the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, our artillery force was mobilised at their highest level, introducing for the first time the 105mm howitzer – one of the most modern and powerful artillery pieces at that time, which astounded the French and significantly contributed to the success of the Campaign.

Inheriting and upholding the lessons on the organisation and deployment of the artillery force in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, based on the comprehensive implementation of Resolution No. 230-NQ/QUTW, dated 2 April 2022, by the Central Military Commission on leading the organisation of the Vietnam People’s Army for the period 2021 - 2030 and the subsequent years, the Artillery Corps Party Committee and Command are focusing on leading and directing the implementation of plans and action programs in accordance with the Resolution in a rigorous, rational manner, suitable to the Corps’ functions, characteristics, and assigned tasks. In the immediate term, the Artillery Corps continues to coordinate with relevant agencies to give advice and direction on the unified organisation and development of a strong three-category artillery force, suitable for the specific functions and missions of each component. Among these, for the regular artillery arms, along with prioritising the building of strong strategic artillery and missile brigades with high mobility and combat capability to meet the requirements of large-scale combined operations, the Artillery Corps continues to give advice and direction on the acceleration of expanding artillery regiments within regular infantry divisions to ensure their combat readiness in key areas. For local troops and self-defence militia units, emphasis is placed on reviewing and building key artillery contingents according to operational plans and combat scenarios for each defence direction, region, and area. At the same time, attention is paid to building a strong reserve of artillery units, ready to be mobilised in the event.

Alongside the organisational development, the Artillery Corps continues to give advice and recommendations to the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence on the procurement and improvement of artillery and missile systems according to the Weapon and Equipment Acquisition Strategy until 2030, and the Project to develop the Artillery Corps into the Artillery - Missile Corps. This includes intensifying research and development and selective procurement as well as technology transfer programmes for various types of self-propelled artillery, rocket artillery, ground-to-ground missiles, ground-based anti-ship missiles, and modern anti-tank missiles. Additionally, research and development efforts are centred on integrated automated command and control systems for artillery as well as various types of vehicle and equipment, ensuring a comprehensive approach to the development of the artillery and missile force to meet the requirements and objectives of the task of national defence in the short and long term.

One of the crucial factors determining the combat strength and ability to fulfil missions of the Artillery Corps is the political steadfastness, fighting spirit, determination to fight and to win of its officers and soldiers. During the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, the Artillery Corps thoroughly understood and absolutely obeyed the orders of their superiors, sparing no sacrifice or hardship. With bare hands and iron minds, Artillery troops towed their weapons out of the battlefield, then again hauled heavy howitzers for hundreds of kilometres of rough terrain to advantageous high grounds. Simultaneously, they flexibly employed independent and coordinated striking methods, combined close-range with long-range strikes, surprise strikes, continuous barrages, relentless strikes, and sustained firing using various types of artillery, causing significant losses to the enemy and rendering them entirely powerless.

Embracing and deeply applying those lessons, the Artillery Corps focuses on leading and directing a vigorous innovation and enhancement of the quality and effectiveness of political education and training to build a pool of artillery officers and soldiers with steadfast political fortitude and high professional ability and combat readiness. Given the complex developments in the global, regional, and domestic situations, especially intensive acts of sabotage from hostile forces and reactionary elements in political, ideological, and cultural domains, the Artillery Corps keeps stepping up the implementation of Directive No. 2423-CT/QUTW, dated 9 November 2023, by the Central Military Commission on “innovating and enhancing the quality of political education in the new period”, aiming to improve the quality and effectiveness of ideological management and orientation to build a corps with strong political fortitude, ready to receive and excellently fulfil all assigned tasks. It carries out uniformed management, training, and screening of Party members, while placing emphasis on comprehensive education and nurturing of character, ethics, intellectual capacity, and practical skills among its Party cadres and members, especially those at key leadership positions at all levels. To achieve high effectiveness, the Artillery Corps continues to concretise the standards of “Uncle Ho’s soldiers” in the new era within the artillery force. Simultaneously, it attaches importance to enhancing the effectiveness of internal political security work, strengthening inspection and supervision to promptly prevent and address limitations in Party committees and commands at all levels, eliminating any risk of “self-evolution” or “self-transformation” within its units.

One of the key factors in building an “elite, compact, and strong” Artillery Corps is to ensure that all troops are well-trained, technically proficient, tactically skilled, and physically fit to fulfil combat missions. Fully embracing and implementing Resolution No. 1659-NQ/QUTW, dated 20 December 2023, by the Central Military Commission on enhancing the quality of training for the period of 2023 - 2030 and subsequent years, the Artillery Corps continues to comprehensively reform training leadership, direction, management, operation, organisation, and inspection at all levels. It directs educational institutions to focus on building and concretising the motto: “the training quality at schools is the readiness capability of a combat unit”, innovating training content, programs and methods of artillery – missile officer, specialised personnel, non-commissioned officer, and troop training courses, ensuring that they are capable of proficiently operating new, modern weapons and equipment. Additionally, it focuses on directing units to conduct comprehensive but prioritised training activities with technical training as the foundation, tactics training as the focal point, and officer training as the key. Also, the Corps promotes the application of science and technology to make breakthroughs in the enhancement of training quality and build artillery units with training excellence. To achieve the set goals and requirements, the Artillery Corps directs the strengthening of practical training to enable the troops to master their assigned weapons and equipment, enhance the speed and effectiveness of combat deployment; conducts long-range manoeuvre training across complex terrains; practises moving and shifting combat formations in night-time, adverse weather, and complex climate conditions, etc. Moreover, it places emphasis on combining combat experience teaching with the utilisation of new advancements in science, technology, and artillery combat art in a (potential) war to defend the Homeland, especially in training and exercises involving the use of new artillery-missile tactics against the enemy with technological superiority.

As a combat and technical arms, to meet the goals and requirements of being “elite, compact, and strong”, alongside the development of its organisation and human resources, the Artillery Corps focuses on ensuring the effective support and robust preparation for a continuous, complex, and solid artillery – missile combat posture, ready to fight and defeat any enemy in any situation. Thoroughly perceiving higher echelons’ resolutions and directives regarding logistics and technical work towards 2030 and beyond, the Corps attaches significance to ensuring timely support with sufficient quantities, correct types, and uniformed logistics and technical equipment, especially in combat-readiness units. In addition, it maintains strict regimes for the preservation, maintenance, and repair of weapons and technical equipment. Also, it focuses on completing the organisational reform of its logistics and technical branches at all levels to meet the requirements of building an “elite, compact, and strong” Artillery Corps. Additionally, the Corps continues to monitor and study the current situation thoroughly to make recommendations on adjusting the strategic deployment of artillery and missile units nationwide. It directs all artillery and missile units during peacetime to fully and meticulously make preparation for the deployment of combat formations according to operational plans and combat scenarios; build mobility routes, conduct terrain surveys, manage artillery control hubs and networks, and establish logistics and technical bases, etc.

The glorious feats pulled off in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign were a source of great honour, pride, and motivation for the Artillery Corps to continuously grow, mature, and achieve exceptional undertakings in the Resistance War against the US Imperialism for national salvation and homeland protection wars. Those deeds serve as an important foundation for the Artillery Corps to overcome all difficulties to develop itself into an “elite, compact, and strong” combat arms, paving the way towards modernity, and continue to write new glorious chapters in the new era, worthy of the tradition of “Bronze feet, steel shoulders, combat excellence, and true strike” of the heroic Artillery Corps.

Major General NGUYEN HONG PHONG, Commander of the Artillery Corps