In response to the urgent requirements of the Southern battlefield, on November 23, 1972, Division 341 (also known as Song Lam Division) was established. Founded in the last stage of the resistance war against the U.S, which mainly consisted of local forces and some newly-established units, with the spirit of solidarity, unity, will, and full determination, only after two years of construction, the Division constantly grew up in all respects. Many of its units has become typical models, winning three determined-to-win peaks armywide.

In early 1975, in the formation of Corps 4 at the Southeastern front, the Division coordinated with local units and armed forces to courageously fight and engage in 43 consecutive battles with multiple victories, which contributes to the liberation of numerous places. Especially, the Division was honoured to be in the formation of five armies in their speedy offensive that led to the fall of the Saigon government, the liberation of the South, and the reunification of the country. Throughout the fight to safeguard the Southwest border and perform international duties in Cambodia, the Division engaged in hundreds of battles and made many excellent feats, which contributed to the resurgence of the country. Thanks to the feats and achievements in the cause of fighting, constructing, and safeguarding the Fatherland, the Division has been honourably bestowed with multiple noble awards by the Party and the State.

In recent years, as the regular frame unit of Military Region 4, the Division is responsible for managing, inspecting, mobilising, and training reserve forces in four districts of Thanh Hoa province, training the Military Region’s recruits, and performing several other tasks. During the task implementation, the Division’s Party Committee and Command have always thoroughly grasped the Party’s viewpoints, military-defence guidelines, the resolutions and directives of the Central Military Commission (the CMC), The Ministry of Defence (the MoD), and Military Region 4. The Division concentrates on leading and directing the comprehensive implementation of all tasks; the focus is placed on the building of an all-powerful, “exemplary and typical” unit with multiple appropriate measures to lay a foundation for the Division to constantly improve their synergy and combat strength and accomplish all assigned tasks.

Commander of Military Region 4 directs the drill of Division 341 in 2021

To attain those achievements, first and foremost, the Division has concentrated on the building of strong agencies and units in terms of politics, ideology, ethics, organisation, and cadres. Due to the limited strength of the regular frame unit that remains active for duty, the Division’s Party Committee and Command have led and directed their agencies and units to attach importance to political and ideological education and briefing cadres, soldiers, and reservists about tasks so that they can heighten their awareness, sense of responsibility, self-reliance to accomplish all assigned tasks. The education contents focus on the interpretation of the Party’s viewpoints and military-defence guidelines for safeguarding the Fatherland; the tasks of the Army and the Division; the awareness of combat subjects, hostile forces’ conspiracies and tricks of “peaceful evolution” and “depoliticisation” of the Army; the popularisation of Law on Military Reserve forces issued in 2019 and the necessity of building reserve forces in the current period, etc. The Division has directed its agencies and units to implement Project on “Renewing political education at units in the new period”, which concentrates on the renewal of modes and methods of education that match up to the characteristics of tasks and the awareness of the contingent of cadres at grass-roots levels, recruits, and reservists. A close combination of the fundamental political education programme and task-based education has been conducted; meanwhile, traditional education of the Division’s tradition has also been intensified. The signing of the coordination programme with Thanh Hoa Radio and Television, and Thanh Hoa newspaper has been organised to promptly broadcast the unit’s activities. The Division’s agencies and units have also intensified the propagation, dissemination, and education of laws, discipline, ethics, and lifestyles to form a unanimous consensus on awareness, ideology, and actions as well as to establish motives, ideals, responsible, and determination for task accomplishment.

In parallel with the successful implementation of political and ideological education, the Division has also strengthened and enhanced the leadership and combat strength of party committees and organisations at all levels; built transparent, strong, and typical party committees and cells at all levels, which is associated with the building of all-powerful, “exemplary and typical” agencies and units; promptly detected, prevented, and fought against negative manifestations. The Division has grasped and effectively applied Conclusion No. 01-KL/TW issued on May 18th, 2021 by the Politburo on continuing the implementation of Directive No. 05-CT/TW on accelerating the studying and following of Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts, ethics, and manners in conjunction with the implementation of Determination to Win Emulation movement and peak periods of emulation. Typical collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements have been commended and rewarded to stimulate cadres and soldiers. As a result, the Division’s Party Committee always accomplishes assigned tasks and 100% of cadres and soldiers show commitment to tasks and the building of the unit.

In order to generate synergy, the Division has concentrated on improving training quality, qualifications, and combat readiness. On the foundation of thoroughly grasping Conclusion No. 60-KL/QUTW, issued on January 18^th, 2019 by the CMC on continuing the implementation of Resolution No. 765-NQ/QUTW; Resolution No. 269-NQ/ĐU issued on September 13^th, 2013 by the Military Region’s Party Committee on "Improving training quality in the 2013-2020 period and the following years" as well as combat training plans and orders of high echelons, the Division has synchronously and effectively led and directed the training. Before training, agencies and units actively prepare teaching plans, lessons, props, and the training ground; proactively perfect the framework for training reservists (both frame A and frame B) and recruits. Simultaneously, attention has been placed on enhancing training qualifications and methods of cadres at all levels, especially tactical cadres. During the training, the Division has adhered to the motto of “Being fundamental, practical, and steady”, and stuck to three viewpoints, eight principles, and six combinations. As for regular forces and reservists, the Division has determined to take tactical training as the centrepiece and technique training as the core and master all available as well as newly-equipped weapons and equipment; bring into play its creativity, decisiveness in combination with traditional and modern combat plans. Concerning training recruits, in line with intensifying regulation and physical training, the Division has attached importance to soldiers’ tactical and technical proficiency in combat. Well organising annual military exercises, competitions, and sports festivals, the Division attaches much importance to summary and after-action review after each training phase. As a result, the Division’s training quality is constantly improved and satisfies task requirements with absolute safety of human resources, weapons, and technical equipment. For many years, the Division has been rated as Good Unit. Besides, the Division has also strictly maintained combat readiness and built, supplemented, and completed combat plans, search and rescue plans at each level. Its agencies and units have also been directed to organise patrol, guard, military control, and drills as planned to ensure the mobilisation and accomplish all tasks.

Determining that building regularity and discipline are the goals as well as the foundation for the building of an all-powerful unit, the Division has directed its agencies and units to grasp and heighten service members’ awareness and responsibility in complying with the State’s Constitution, Law, Military Discipline, and the unit’s regulations; attach the building of regularity and discipline to building wholesome cultural environment; maintain full compliance with the daily and weekly regimes. Agencies and units have stepped up the construction of landscapes and environments, consolidation and supplement of panels and templates; at the same time, close coordination with local authorities has been implemented to deal with relevant issues. Agencies and units have regularly disseminated and informed soldiers about situations to avoid breaches of discipline. Furthermore, the Division has directed its agencies and units to resolutely fight, prevent, and strictly handle all breaches of discipline and regulations on traffic safety and safety in training, etc. Thus, in recent years, the quality of building regularity and discipline within the Division has been increasingly raised with depth, stabilisation, and absolute safety in all respects.

In line with the aforementioned measures, the Division has also attached importance to logistic assurance to cater for regular and urgent tasks. Implementing the emulation movement titled “Military Logistics Branch follows Uncle Ho’s teachings”, the Division has actively boosted food production and animal husbandry to improve soldiers’ lives; effectively managed and used petrol, electricity, water, and budgets without being wasteful. Besides, the Division has concentrated on ensuring technical work for tasks, especially for mobilisation, training, and combat readiness; regularly fostering and enhancing the qualifications and professional competence of the contingent of technical personnel. Simultaneously, the Division has stringently conducted the preservation and maintenance of weapons and equipment and applied technical initiatives to ameliorate and extend the service life of weapons and equipment; effectively implemented Campaign 50 to enhance the quality and effectiveness of technical work to satisfy all task requirements.

Bringing into play the 50-year tradition of constructing, fighting, and maturing, cadres and soldiers of Division 341 will continue to make every endeavour to build an all-powerful, “exemplary and typical” unit to accomplish all assigned tasks and beautify the tradition of “Boundless loyalty, strict discipline, determination to win” to firmly safeguard the Fatherland in all situations.

Senior Colonel LE THE SOAI, Commander of Division 341