Thursday, March 26, 2015, 08:14 (GMT+7)
Building the Militia and Self-Defence Force equal to the task of safeguarding the Homeland in the new situation

Over the past 80 years, under the Party’s leadership, people and authority’s nurture, the Vietnam’s Militia and Self-Defence Force has developed “solidly and  extensively”, really becoming the “force of the whole nation, the force of championship, an iron wall of the Homeland”, making significant contributions to the cause of national liberation, Homeland construction and protection.

Militia on Truong Sa (Spratley) archipelago practice shooting 

80 years ago, on March 28th 1935, the First National Congress issued a Resolution on Self-Defence Teams. Since then, that date has become the annual traditional day of the militia and self-defence force nationwide. The Resolution on Self-Defence Teams is an important document directing the self-defence force’s   organization, training, and operation in order to realize Party’s view on all-people armament and all-people war. Accordingly, self-defence units of workers and peasants, sefl-defence teams for national salvation, guerrilla units for national salvation- the forerunners of the current Militia and Self-Defence Force were founded all over the rural and urban areas, becoming a mass armed organization in the Viet Minh Front. Right after their establishment, these forces, together with the National Salvation Army and the Vietnam’s Armed Propaganda Unit for National Liberation, played the core role in people’s armed uprising, carrying out guerrilla war, building revolutionary bases in localities, successfully conducting the August Revolution general uprising, taking control of government for people, firmly safeguarding the revolutionary outcome.

In the resistance war against French colonist, the Militia and Self-Defence Force and guerrilla force were organized and developed extensively, becoming a part of the Vietnam People’s Armed Forces. Despite hardships and very difficult condition, being equipped with primitive weapons and the ones taken from the enemy, the Militia and Self-Defence Force resiliently adhered to their neighbourhood and people, “destroying the puppet authority system, eliminating traitors to the Vietnamese nation”; at the same time, in active cooperation with the local armed forces to destroy enemy’s transport infrastructure, counter the enemy’s search and attacks, siege and force many posts of the enemy to surrender, liberate villages and communes. All of these made contribution to containing, killing and decreasing the enemy’s force, dispersing them, supporting the regular army to carry out many great campaigns, and then winning the decisive victory in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.

In the anti-US resistance war for national salvation, the Militia and Self-Defence Force were built and developed massively, completely satisfying the revolutionary requirements in the South and the North, still demonstrating its role and position. In the North, under the motto “one hand on the plow, the other on the gun”, “one hand on the hammer, the other on the gun”, the Militia and Self-Defence Force actively engaged in production, maintaining social security and order, protecting the area, serving the fights and fighting the enemy.

In the South, the militia and guerrilla force always proactively fought the enemy with every weapon, creative and diverse method, and three offensive angles (military, political, propaganda ones) all over the three strategic regions. In spite of the US- Sai Gon puppet troops’ fierce attacks, militia and guerrilla force in the South resiliently fought, keeping the dovetailing sawtooth pattern, unceasingly developing fighting bases, guerrilla belts, forming a unique and creative way of fight of Vietnam people’s war.

After the national unification, the Militia and Self-Defence continued to bring into play its role in the new condition, being an important part of the Vietnam’s three types of Armed Forces, the core in carrying out military and defence tasks, maintaining political security, localities’ social order and safety, making contribution, in cooperation the whole military and people, to thwarting the hostile forces’ strategy of “Peaceful Evolution”, firmly safeguarding national independence and sovereignty, and socialist regime. Also, the Militia and Self-Defence Force promoted its motive role in production, natural disasters and diseases prevention and alleviation, search and rescue, actively contributing to economic and social development, the country’s industrialization and modernization.

Today, the task of safeguarding the Homeland has imposed higher requirements on the building of all-people defence and people’s Armed Forces in general, and Militia and Self-Defence Force in particular. Thus, bringing into play the Militia and Self-Defence Force’s glorious traditions and valuable experiences of the past years, continuing to build a strong force to be a really core force to protect the Party, authority, and people are of paramount importance.

To this end, first, there should be an enhancement of party committee’s leadership, authorities’ management, and local military organs leadership and command over the Militia and Self-Defence Force.

Second, continuing to build the Militia and Self-Defence solidly and extensively with increasingly higher synergy, first and foremost political quality.

In parallel with building force, continuing to promote reform and improvement of quality of militia and self-defence education and training.

Third, regularly taking an interest in and ensuring appropriate policies and working condition for the Militia and Self-Defence Force.

Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty

Chief of the General Staff, VPA

Deputy Minister of National Defence

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