The civilian-military command of Hoa Binh province was established on 16 August 1947 to meet the pressing requirement of developing the armed forces for the self-reliant, comprehensive, all-people, enduring war of resistance against the French colonialists. Despite numerous difficulties and challenges, over the past 75 years, under the leadership of the 3rd Military Region’s Party Committee and Command, first and foremost the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People’s Council, and the Provincial People’s Committee, Hoa Binh armed forces have been built and continually developed to act in concert with people to defend their native land and make substantial contributions in terms of manpower and material to glorious victory of our people’s holy wars of resistance as well as actively participated in developing Hoa Binh province in every aspect.

In the early days of the war of resistance against French colonialists, on realising the motto of rapid, widespread development, stepping up guerrilla warfare, destroying lackey governments at grassroots levels, driving the development of the war of resistance, and protecting the revolutionary government, right after its foundation, the Provincial Military Command Board actively advised the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People’s Committee, and the 2nd War Zone Command to establish command boards of districts and communes to create a fairly complete system of military organisations; develop forces at all levels drastically and enhance combat strength. Many guerrilla units such as Yen Luong, Phu Lam, Cong Hoa – Lac Son, etc., were founded within a short period of time. Guerrilla warfare was developed extensively, which inflicted attrition and great losses on the enemy, annihilating France’s “Muong autonomous territory” in the area. This allowed the provincial armed forces to take a step further. The more they fought the stronger they became. They not only fought small-scale battles but also gradually launched combined arms operations with regular forces at all levels. One of the examples is Hoa Binh Operation of 1952, which made a substantial contribution to the final victory over the French colonialists of our military and people.

In the war of resistance against the American imperialists, the provincial armed forces brought into play their advisory role and directly took part in building strong local governments, constructing irrigational works, applying advances of science and technology to production, promoting economic, political, social development, and providing a great amount of manpower and material to the Southern theatre of war in the spirit: “All is devoted to the front line. All is to triumph over American aggressors”. To make preparations for countering U.S. Air Force’s war of sabotage in the North in order to protect their localities, the provincial armed forces scrutinised situations carefully, especially the southern flank of Ha Noi capital – the key bombing raids of U.S. Air Force. At the same time, they followed closely leadership and direction of higher echelons on taking the local armed forces to a step further in accordance with the area and specific characteristics of a modern war. Accordingly, besides provincial battalions, Hoa Binh town and districts also established local companies and platoons. The Militia and Self-Defence Force and the Reserve were built extensively. All hamlets and villages had militia platoons and sections. Some even had militia companies. Particularly, the province established a 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun company while the district/town military commands founded many 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun platoons. Many 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun sections and batteries as well as anti-aircraft infantry squads were also set up. These units helped to create an extensive, robust, multi-layer, multi-range people’s air-defence posture, which together with regular air-defence units shot down a lot of American military aircraft in the area, contributing to complete defeat of U.S. Air Force’s war of sabotage in the North and the decisive victory of the general offensive and uprising of 1975.

Entering the era of national construction and defence, most notably in the recent years, the provincial armed forces have deeply grasped the Party’s military, defence guidelines; actively advised the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People’s Council, the Provincial People’s Committee, the 3rd Military Region’s Party Committee and Command; and played the core role in undertaking military, defence missions and building an increasingly strong all-people national defence in connection with the people’s security, which serves as a precondition for promoting socio-economic development and firmly protecting the local area. These contributions of the provincial armed forces are recognised and highly appreciated by local party committees, authorities, and people.

Collecting martyr's remains back to the locality

There are some lessons learnt from achievements and realities of carrying out military, defence missions over the past 75 years. They are also basic solutions which have been applied effectively by the Provincial Military Command.

First of all, the Provincial Military Command has actively advised local party committees and governments at all levels to lead and direct military, defence missions, ensuring closeness, unanimity, synchronicity, and ability to bring into play strength of the whole political system and people in performing these vital tasks. On the basis of thoroughly perceiving the Party’s military, defence guidelines and resolutions and directives of the higher echelons, especially the Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW of the Politburo (10th tenure) on “Continuing to build provinces and cities under the direct leadership of the central government into strong defensive zones in the new situation,” the Resolution of the 8th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (11th tenure) on the “Strategy to Safeguard the Fatherland in the New Situation,” etc., the Provincial Military Command  regularly develops a firm awareness of situations, takes the lead and works closely with local departments and branches, particularly the people’s public security, to advise the Province to issue resolutions, directive, plans, projects, etc., on military, defence work in accordance with the area. Priorities are given to proposals aimed at materialising mechanisms and policies on promoting the building of potential and posture of defensive zones and implementation of the Law on National Defence, Law on Militia and Self-Defence Force, Law on National Defence and Security Education, Law on Military Service, and so on. When the province ramps up industrialisation and modernisation, to ensure that each stage of economic growth is aligned with strengthening defence potential, the Provincial Military Command works closely with functional branches to successfully appraise projects. It also advises the Provincial People’s Council to formulate strategies, plans, and projects on socio-economic development. Particularly, foreign direct investment projects must be aligned with ensuring national defence and security according to the Party’s policy. Given active, effective participation of military commands at all levels, the province has recently witnessed a significant investment in socio-economic development. However, the projects, industrial parks, new urban areas, hydropower plants, residential areas, etc., in the province are all closely monitored, ensuring that they both promote socio-economic development and create defence, security potential. In recent years, together with fully exploiting advantages of terrain, especially caves, the province has mobilised and invested hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dongs in building and strengthening many defence works such as secret assembly areas, rear bases, combat bases, headquarters, military constructions. More importantly, it has built models of cultural-defence villages in extremely difficult areas within the defensive zones to establish a firm, interconnected, all-round posture, which not only helps to consolidate national defence but also is a vital element in firmly preserving political stability, social order and safety, creating favourable conditions for sustainable, equal, widespread socio-economic development in the province.

Second, it is necessary to build robust, high readiness armed forces, which are reliable, faithful political forces of local party committees, governments, and people. Closely following resolutions, directives, and instructions of higher echelons, the Provincial Military Command directs its departments and units to focus on strengthening organisations and staffing in accordance with their functions and missions, in which priorities are given to combat-ready units and key areas in terms of national defence and security, ensuring the “streamlined, compact, strong” direction. The standing force is built to become “revolutionary, regular, advanced, and gradually modern.” Training contents, programmes, and methodologies are ceaselessly reformed to include new ones suitable for operations in the areas. Special importance is attached to enhancing quality of district, provincial defensive zone exercises; operational coordination between the provincial armed forces and regular units of the army corps to protect the areas and central agencies; combat support exercises of departments, divisions, and branches in the province; and commune, ward, town defence exercises. The Militia and Self-Defence Force is built to become strong and extensive, possess increasingly high political quality, and is properly structured under the motto: where there are people and party organisations there are members of the Militia and Self-Defence Force. The Reserve is built, registered, managed, and inspected closely; is regularly strengthened; and become increasingly competent. The Reserve is always put on high alert to provide security to major political events and national critical infrastructure and in the vanguard of preventing and responding to floods, storms, forest fires, epidemics, and so forth.

Third, the provincial armed forces attach importance to successfully selecting and calling citizens up for military service; carrying out policies on military families and gratitude policy; and encouraging the masses to build strong political bases. Therefore, in recent years, the province has always fulfilled all targets of military enlistment with an increasing number of young party members. In 2021, despite numerous difficulties, the Provincial Steering Board 515 actively conducted search and collection of 23 martyrs’ remains, who laid down their lives in the war of resistance against French colonialists. The province reviewed and provided one-time grants to 1,260 beneficiaries as stipulated by the Decision No. 49/2015/QD-TTg and Decision No. 290/2005/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister. The provincial armed forces have been awarded 1 first-class Order of Combat Merit, second- and third-class Orders of Military Merit, 2 second-class Fatherland Protection Orders, and many other noble prizes by the State in recognition of its achievements.

Tapping into the traditions over 75 years of building, combat, and development, the provincial armed forces continue to strive for successfully accomplishing its missions, deserving to be an absolutely faithful, reliable political force and combat force of party committees, authorities, and people, contributing to making Hoa Binh province economically rich, politically strong, culturally and socially developed, and robust in terms of national defence and security.

Senior Colonel NGUYEN QUOC TOAN, Member of the Provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board, Chief of the Provincial Military Command