In the Vietnam Military Strategy for the new era, our Party continues to be persistent with people’s war in order to promote the synergy of the whole nation unity bloc, the whole political system with people’s armed forces being the key one in firmly protecting Vietnam Socialist Fatherland. This is an inheritance of the nation’s traditional military art in the history of Homeland construction and defense.

Building and defending the nation represent the mainstream in Vietnam’s history in which we used to face with much stronger invaders. This experience helped build up an unique military art which is called Vietnam’s people’s war. Since its inception and during the course of leading the revolution, our Party has inherited and developed the nation’s military art while creatively applying war and military doctrine of Marxism – Leninism to bring the Vietnam people’s war to a new height. It is the people’s war conducted with the synergy of the whole nation in all fields with the combination of the nation’s strength and time’s strength in which military might is the main feature and people’s armed forces are the key.

Implementing the people’s war guideline under the leadership of the Party, in the resistance wars against the colonialists and imperialists for national salvation, we have mobilized the synergy from the whole nation to defeat each enemy’s strategy and annihilate the enemy part by part before reaching the final victory. Especially, in the resistance war against the U.S., the Vietnam people’s art of war was developed to its peak. We built tri-troop armed forces which included regular force, local force and guerilla force; we built widespread revolutionary mass in both liberated areas and enemy-occupied areas; and we conducted people’s war creatively and effectively with both local troops and regular mobile corps.

In the present era of Homeland construction and defence, our Party continue to be persistent with the all people’s national defence and all people’s defence posture to conduct people’s war when the country is invaded. The guideline of people’s war is further asserted in the Vietnam Military Strategy for the new era. Accordingly, the strength for Homeland protection comes from the synergy of the whole nation unity bloc, of the whole political system under the leadership of the party with people’s armed forces being the key ones. However, there have been major changes in the present situation in which our enemy will be very much likely to use high-tech weaponry on large scale. The requirements and missions of Homeland protection are becoming more challenging, especially the mission of protecting sea, border sovereignty; combating “peaceful evolution” strategy, riots, coups, separation; maintaining peace and stability for building and developing the country. Facing the issue, some people argue that in the condition of high-tech warfare, people’s war is no longer suitable, or even a mistake. We don’t disregard the role of weaponry, particularly the high-tech one; however, high-tech weapons are not almighty solution but latent with its own limitations. Furthermore, weapons, however modern they are, are still operated by humans. Therefore, humans are still the decisive factor. People’s war guideline always taps the utmost of human and people as a mass. In order to realize the goals of the Strategy for Fatherland Protection, it is necessary to resort to the strength of unity and the struggle of the whole people. This can only be achieved through implementing the all people’s defence and people’s war guideline. Hence, being persistent with people’s war is a scientific and sound guideline of our Party. In the event of a Homeland protection war, our rival will be armed with more, or even much more modern equipment. In such condition, people’s war will be the only sensible one which can promote the strength of the whole nation, and the ultimate strategy of defence.

Thoroughly grasping the Party’s guideline of people’s war and the viewpoint of people’s war in the Vietnam Military Strategy for the new era, it is necessary to adhere to the following principles:

First, attaching importance to building the all people’s national defence and the all people’s defense posture strong. The all people’s national defence, all people’s defence posture and people’s war are closely related. Building the strong all people’s national defence and the all people’s defence posture; being ready to transform to potential and people’s war posture are prerequisites for wining a people’s war. Therefore, more than ever, it is necessary to strengthen the building of the all people’s national defence, the all people’s defence posture, focusing on the building the potentials and defensive areas, and especially the firm “people’s heart and mind” posture in each locality and in the whole country. It is necessary to strengthen education, enhance the awareness of the whole Party, people and political system of the building of the all people’s national defence, of getting ready for people’s war in the new condition right in peace time. Pay attention to raising awareness of the whole people of partners and rivals, defence and security situations, of the goals and missions of Homeland protection in the new situation. Continue to strengthen the combination between socio-economic development and defence and security consolidation, especially in key, strategic, sea, border, island areas.

Second, building the Party and political system strong and pure; settling the internal issues thoroughly. Focus on building the Party pure and strong politically, organizationally, and morally; cadres and party members must be wholehearted with the country and the people. To that end, it is necessary to further implement the Resolution 4 (12^th tenure) on party building and rectification and the Directive No. 05 – CT/TW of the Politburo ( 12^th tenure) on further studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s thought, dignity and style. At the same time, strengthen the unity and solidarity, enhance the leadership capability of the Party; strengthen the combat against corruption among cadres and party member; prevent “self evolution”, “self transformation” from inside. Besides, it is necessary to maintain the Party’s leadership principle over the cause of defence, security and Fatherland protection; pay more attention to building the national defence in the new condition. Improve the capability and efficacy of state management over the society, especially the state management over defence and security; build the strong great unity bloc; promote the role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organisations and people’s unions in building the all people’s national defence. Bring to the fullest the strength from the unique culture of the nation, the distinct feature in building the all people’s national defence and people’s war in the new situation. Strengthen the theoretical study and practical review to shed light on the fundamental issues of socialism and the protection of socialist Fatherland in the present situation; combat and criticize strongly with the wrongful arguments of hostile forces; consolidate people’s trust in the Party, State and the regime which is the basic and decisive ground for mobilising human and material factors for defence and security missions. Build the right mechanism and policy for mobilising the country’s human and material potentials for defence and security missions in line with the conditions of a socialist – oriented market economy.

Third, have breakthroughs in the thinking and building of a modern all people’s national defence – the main ground for conducting the people’s war in the new condition. When mention the all people’s defence and people’s war, traditionally, we usually think of scattered, widespread, and simple factors. In the new condition, it is necessary to have breakthrough thinking in building the strong and modern all people’s national defence. Accordingly, the viewpoint on people’s war should also be made modern, comprehensive, especially the factors of capability and standard of organisation, equipment, weaponry and the art of war. Pay attention to modernizing weapon and equipment. Although not overstating weaponry, we admit that people with better weapon and equipment will bring about better results in combat.

In building the all people’s national defence, it is necessary to develop it comprehensively in terms of potentials, potentials and posture. In order to have a modern national defence, it is necessary to focus on economic development and increase national reserve for defence; apply the achievements of science and technology to build a modern defence industry. Combine improvement and modernisation of the existing weapons with new purchase; equip the military with long range, strategic weapons with strong firepower and high accuracy to enhance the deterrence in peace time and get ready to win a possible war. Strengthen the building of firm provincial (municipal) defensive areas; bring to the fullest the strength of the people in building the all people’s national defence.

Strengthen military scientific research, especially the study of the art of war for the people’s war for national salvation. In particular, attach importance to the study and forecast of the situation, especially strategic forecast, and the forecasts of challenges, defence and security situations, possible war types, and possible large – scale invaders and border, sea, and island intruders. Conduct in-depth study to develop combat theory for people’s war, especially new types of combat, such as: sea and island protection warfare, defensive warfare, offensive warfare, network warfare, electronic warfare, etc. It is necessary to inherit the lessons from the past wars but avoid experience dependence and make it relevant to the new conditions of the national salvation people’s war.

Lt Gen, Assoc Proff, Tran Thai Binh, PhD, and Major Do Minh Thuc, M.A