40 years ago, at 11h30 sharp on the 30thApril 1975, the flag of the National Liberation Front for South Vietnam was hung and flew on top of the Independence Palace – the Presidential Palace of the Sai Gon puppet government, signaling the victory of the Ho Chi Minh campaign, the peak of the General Offensive and Uprising and the end of the 21 year arduous but glorious resistance war against the US for national salvation. As a result, the cabinet of the Sai Gon puppet government was arrested and fell with the unconditional surrender of President Duong Van Minh.
The Spring 1975 great victory was an important event. It was soon broadcasted on big international media corps. The world was shocked with different feelings. To the imperialism, it was an awesome shock and a direct hit for their will of invasion.
For socialist countries as well as international friends and the progressive human beings world wide, it brought about satisfaction, admiration, and pride of the heroic and brave Vietnamese people in the forefront against the US.
For our country, it was a great victory in the nation’s history showing the mind and power of Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh era. The victory liberated Sai Gon and the South totally, reunified the country. Vietnam was no longer devided but enjoyed its integrity from the northernmost Mong Cai town to the southernmost Ca Mau Cape. No words could describe the joy of people and troops of the country in the victorious day. The whole nation was full of delight of a big festive day – the Reunification Day. What a pride!
The victory was the one of our great cause to liberate the nation, the society, the people beginning with the August Revolution (1945) and ending with the General Offensive and Uprising in 1975.
The most overwhelming and decisive factor to the victory was the sound and creative leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh. With the guidelines of independence and self-reliance, national independence and socialism, conducting two strategies of revolution in the North and in the South at the same time, our Party has brought to play the power of the whole country, combined the power of the nation with that of the time to gain total victory. Along with sound political and military guidelines, the Party creatively applied the method of violent revolution, the strategic thinking on offensive and long-lasting struggle; developed the military arts of the Vietnamese people’s war to a new height, gradually weakening the enemy and gaining victory step by step. We implemented persistently and consistently the two-stage strategic determinations: “to fight for the withdrawal of the US” (1973) and later on “to fight for the fall of the puppet government” and ended victoriously the war with the General Offensive and Uprising in Spring 1975, freed the South, reunified the country. We shared the joy of Great Victory with our beloved Uncle Ho, the great conductor of the war.
The victory also resulted from the tradition of a nation with thousands of years of culture and humanity. Under the leadership of the Party, our people entered the war and gained victory with patriotism, an aspiration for peace and national reunification, determination, intelligence and creativity.
The victory of Vietnamese revolution is also the victory of the world revolution, of the international communist and proletariat movement, of the national liberation movement worldwide, of the socialist countries, particularly the USSR and China and especially of the solid alliance Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia.
History is a nonstop stream. 40 years after the historic victory, under the leadership of the Party, our nation is now steady on the way to socialism with significant achievements after 30 years of renovation.
Nowadays, we are striving for the national cause of socialist construction and defence in the context of complicated and unpredictable evolutions of the world and region, deep and extensive international integration and severe sabotages of hostile forces by their “Peaceful evolution” strategy. The mission set forth, hence, is more demanding with both opportunities and challenges. In such a context, more than ever, we need to be steadfast in the aims of national independence and socialism, believe in the Party’s leadership, consolidate national solidarity strive for the goal of “a wealthy people, a powerful country, a democratic, equitable and civilized society” and fulfill the two strategic missions of national construction and defence.
It is necessary for us to grasp the Party’s viewpoint that economic development as the centre, Party building as the key, and cultural construction as the spiritual foundation of society, defence and security strengthening as the critical and frequent task. Basing on that ground, we are to combine closely the missions; proactively widen external relations and actively integrate into the world; coordinate the missions in the fields of defence, security and diplomacy; speed up the construction of an all people defence; build the people’s defence posture associated with people security posture; build defence zones and people armed forces, particularly people’s army and people’s public security forces, etc., to continuously enhance and consolidate the country’s power and status serving the cause of national renovation, construction and defence.
The People’s Army as a core force in the mission of Homeland protection need to grasp and implement thoroughly the Central Resolution 8 (XI tenure) on “Strategy to safeguard the Homeland in the new situation”, the Central Resolution 4 (XI tenure) on Party building associated with the implementation of the Decree 03-CT/TW of the Politburo (XI tenure) on “Continuing to study and follow Ho Chi Minh moral example”; speed up the Determined to Win movements of Determined to Win, “Promoting tradition, devoting talent, deserving Uncle Ho soldier”; convene party congress at all levels in preparation for the 12th national congress of the Party; fulfill all assigned tasks to deserve the trust of the Party, State and people.
These are the most essential and meaningful activities of the entire Party, people and troops on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the National Liberation and Reunification Day (30-4-1975 – 30-4-2015).
The spirit of the Great Victory of Spring 1975 will remains forever through time, in the history and in the memory of Vietnamese people today and tomorrow.
National Defence Journal.