In 2018, under the leadership and direction of the Central Military Commission (CMC), Ministry of National Defense (MND), directly General Department of Politics, together with the proactiveness and clear-headedness of Party committees, political commissars and all-level departments of political affairs, the work of propaganda and education across the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) was carried out on a comprehensive, synchronous and focalized basis, greatly contributing to strengthening the VPA politically and successfully fulfilling the tasks of national defense.

It is noted that units across the VPA attached much importance to thoroughly grasping and consistently implementing resolutions, directives and guidelines by the Party, CMC and MND in line with their specific circumstances, particularly Resolutions of the 12^th Party Central Committee’s 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th plenums, new thinking on the task of Homeland protection, etc. Attention was paid to reforming contents, forms and methods of political and legal education on a comprehensive and synchronous basis in line with learners’ knowledge levels. The entire VPA continued to implement the Resolution of the 12^th Party Central Committee’s 4^th plenum on Party building and rectification, the 12^th Politburo’s Directive 05 and Directive 87 by the CMC’s   Standing Committee on “further learning from and emulating Ho Chi Minh’s thought, morality and lifestyle”, as well as the Campaign “Promote traditions and devote talent to deserve being Uncle Ho’s soldiers” while popularizing “Uncle Ho’s teachings” among military personnel. Forces specializing in combating “peaceful evolution”, particularly the Steering Committee, who constantly had their organizational structure consolidated and took specialist training courses, became fairly efficient. Information technology was widely applied to the fight against “peaceful evolution” in order to opportunely combat wrong, distorted and toxic viewpoints, as well as manifestations of “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” from within, particularly in cyberspace, thereby contributing to stronger political will, greater trust and deeper senses of duty among military personnel.

The VPA’s propaganda and education sector closely cooperated with organizations inside and outside the military, at both central and local levels, in popularizing military tasks, defense diplomacy, socio-economic development, disaster preparedness and response, and search and rescue. It also proactively advised the higher echelons on how to better communicate newly arising sensitive and complicated problems to the public, thereby contributing to forging widespread social consensus. The military-run media was at the forefront of the fight against hostile forces’ wrong viewpoints, serving as an effective weapon on the ideological and theoretical front, contributing to uniform awareness and actions among the entire Party, military and people.

Party committees, commanders, political commissars and departments of political affairs at all levels paid attention to launching emulation movements whereby role models were identified and multiplied. “Determination to win” campaigns across the VPA were in accordance with agencies and units’ specific circumstances and their political tasks as well as with those launched by central and local administrations, particularly on the occasion of the 70^th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh’s appeal for patriotic emulation, thereby highly motivating military personnel to strive for their successful fulfilment of assigned tasks. Cultural activities were stepped up and cultural institutions at grassroots level were consolidated, contributing to improving the spiritual life of military personnel and the people. As a result, despite complicated developments in the outside world, the Party’s political base within the VPA was unceasingly strengthened while military personnel had strong political will and a profound sense of duty and constant vigilance, willingly undertaking and successfully fulfilling all assigned tasks.

However, there remained shortcomings as breaches of discipline and laws in a number of units at grassroots level beset the traditional image of “Uncle Ho’s soldiers”. There had yet to be many breakthrough measures to bring about profound transformations in awareness and action among military personnel as well as to correct shortcomings. Manifestations of “aggressive pursuit of achievements” remained.

2019 is an important transitional year of the socio-economic development plan for the 2015-2020 tenure, a preparatory year for Party congresses at all levels leading up to the 11^th Party Congress of the VPA and the 13^th Party National Congress, and an anniversary year of the nation and VPA’s major historical events. The global and regional situations continue to be complicated and unpredictable. Domestically, there remain challenges apart from considerable opportunities. Meanwhile, the VPA continue to implement the Party and State’s important resolutions and strategies on military affairs and national defense while reorganizing its organizational structure and military-run enterprises.

In order to enhance the quality and effectiveness of Party and political work in general, the VPA’s propaganda and education sector in particular, it is essential to focus on the following.

First, continuing to enhance the quality and effectiveness of studying, applying and developing Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought in accordance with Directive 23-CT/TW by the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, dated Feb 9^th, 2018 while correctly implementing the Party, State and VPA’s major resolutions and strategies on military affairs and national defense. Military personnel should be encouraged to unceasingly promote their political will, determination and sense of discipline, thereby willingly undertaking and successfully fulfilling assigned tasks.

Second, continuing to further implement the Resolution of the 12^th Party Central Committee’s 4^th plenum on Party building and rectification, the 12^th Politburo’s Directive 05 and Directive 87 by the CMC’s  Standing Committee, as well as the Campaign “Promote traditions and devote talent to deserve being Uncle Ho’s soldiers”. Departments of political  affairs at all levels should continue to reform forms and methods of popularizing  “Uncle Ho’s teachings” among military personnel, especially exemplary roles played by commanders. It is necessary to continue to fully implement Project “reforming political education in military units in the new situation” and to take synchronous measures for political education towards greater awareness among military personnel, particularly amidst the VPA’s reorganization of military-run enterprises. Units should concentrate on making their military personnel fully aware of the VPA’s assigned tasks, “objects of struggle” and “objects of cooperation”, as well as hostile forces’ plots and artifices, thereby avoiding being caught off guard in any circumstance.

Third, successfully holding celebrations to mark the anniversaries of the nation and VPA’s major events. Special attention should be paid to the 40th anniversary of the victory of the southwest border defense war and the joint victory of Vietnam and Cambodia over the genocidal regime, the 40th anniversary of the north struggle for border defense, the 30th anniversary of the all-people Border Guard Day, the 60th anniversary of  the Traditional Day of Border Guards, the 60th anniversary of the legendary Truong Son – Ho Chi Minh Trail, the 50th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s Testament, the 30th anniversary of the all-people defense Day, the 75th founding anniversary of the VPA. Units across the VPA should closely cooperate with relevant agencies at both central and local levels in holding those anniversary celebrations in compliance with Conclusions by the Politburo and Secretariat as well as guidelines by the Central Commission for Propaganda and Education, the MND and the General Department of Politics.

Fourth, successfully implementing Project “the VPA combat “peaceful evolution” on the ideological and cultural fronts in the new situation”. The Politburo’s Resolution 35-NQ/TW, dated October 22^nd, 2018 on “Further defending the Party’s ideological base and combating wrong and hostile viewpoints in the new situation” should continue to be thoroughly grasped and successfully implemented. The operational effectiveness of the Steering Committee and specialist forces should be improved in the fight against “peaceful evolution” and “depoliticization of the VPA”, particularly in cyberspace. The Steering Committee and specialist forces should proactively grasp situations in order to provide practical advice for Party committees and commanders at all levels on effective measures against “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” from within while opportunely rejecting wrong, hostile and toxic viewpoints in cyber space, thereby consolidating the Party’s ideological base within the VPA.

Fifth, continuing to thoroughly grasp and fully implement the higher echelons’ resolutions and directives on emulation and rewards, particularly Directive 34-CT/TW by the Politburo and Directive 507-CT/QUTW by the CMC’s Standing Committee on “continuing to reform emulation and rewards within the VPA”, as well as the Campaign “Promote traditions and devote talent to deserve being Uncle Ho’s soldiers”, thereby bringing about profound transformations in the implementation of “Determination to win” emulation movements and contributing to the successful fulfilment of political tasks. Much importance should be attached to the 2019 emulation movement “Solidarity, creativity, discipline, exemplary roles, and determination to win” and other campaigns in celebration of the 65^th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory, the 30th anniversary of the all-people defense Day and the 75th founding anniversary of the VPA. Circular 151/2018/TT-BQP, dated October 12^th, 2018 by the MND should be effectively implemented regarding emulation and rewards within the VPA; role models should be opportunely commended and rewarded in terms of training, combat, labor and academic studies.

Sixth, stepping up cultural activities in line with Resolution 23-NQ/TW by the Politburo; fully implementing Directive 355-CT/QUTW by the CMC on “enhancing leadership as to cultural activities within the VPA”, Directive “Building a healthy cultural environment within the VPA” and the campaign “the whole people join hands in building cultural life”; promoting fine qualities of “Uncle Ho’s soldiers” in order to build new socialist people within the VPA. Commanders at all levels should continue to take good care of the cultural and spiritual life of military personnel in accordance with Circular 104/2014/TT-BQP by the Defense Minister.

In order to successfully fulfil the tasks of propaganda and education in 2019 and the years to come, political commissars and departments of political affairs at all levels should continue to promote aggregate strength from different forces across the VPA, diversify their operational methods, and closely cooperate with functional agencies inside and outside the VPA. At the same time, attention should be paid to those in charge of propaganda and education as well as inspection, supervision and review, contributing to the successful fulfilment of assigned tasks.

Maj. Gen. Nguyen Van Duc, Director of the Department of Propaganda and Education, the General Department of Politics