These days 68 years ago, the whole country excitedly welcomed the Autumn of Independence. In that autumn, under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, our people conducted the general uprising, seizing power from the Japanese fascism in less than a fortnight. Thenceforth, our people became real masters of their own lives, destiny and future of the nation.

The August Revolution is a vivid symbol of revolutionary heroism in Ho Chi Minh Era, profoundly reflecting our people’s patriotism, indomitable and intolerant spirit to brutal invaders. It will be the pride of the nation forever. Following the success of the Revolution, after more than 10 days, on 2 September 1945, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence in the Ba Dinh square in the boundless pride and excitement of the whole country. He solemnly declared to the world the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam – the first state of workers and farmers in the South East Asia region. The Declaration showed our will that “nothing is more precious than freedom and independence” and our determination to defend the “inviolability” of the country to the last.

Upholding the spirit of the August Revolution and the Declaration of Independence, we have gained a series of victories in light of the Party’s leadership: defeating French colonialism and American imperialism in the two resistant bloody wars to finalize the nation liberation and country unification cause gloriously; then winning the two border wars at the two ends of the country and realizing our international mission to save Cambodian people from genocide and continuing to gain great achievements in the cause of renovation, construction and defending the nation.

At present, we are carrying out the two strategic tasks in the context of fast changes in the world and the region which bring about both chances and challenges. More than ever, the whole Party, people and troops need to uphold the heroic spirit of the August Revolution to realize our objectives of a prosperous people, a strong country, a democratic, equitable, and civilized society, steadfast to socialism.

Under new circumstances, the spirit of the August Revolution and the Declaration of Independence must be shown in the fact that the more difficulties we meet the more steadfast in independence and socialism we become. While focusing on the two central tasks of developing the economy and constructing the country, we must not neglect the mission of consolidating national defense and protecting the nation. By reviewing 10 years of implementing the Central Resolution (Tenure IX) on “Strategy on Defending the Fatherland under new circumstances”, lessons and strategic solutions need to be drawn on the combination between socio-economic development and defense-security enhancement; defense and foreign affair activities need to be closely linked to create a peaceful and stable environment for the comprehensive development of the country.

The spirit need to be shown in realistic actions of the whole Party, people and troops in successfully implementing all the guidelines of the Party, policies and laws of the State. In the coming time, all cadres, party’s members, and soldiers need to focus on implementing the Central Resolution 4 (Tenure XI) on “Some urgent issues on Party building at present” in association with the Directive 03-CT/TW of the Politburo (Tenure XI) on “speeding up the study and imitation of Ho Chi Minh moral example” through concrete and effective solutions aimed at making significant changes in the Party building, consolidating people’s belief in the Party and continuously improving “people’s strength posture”.

The spirit also need to be shown in the continuation of building the people’s armed forces, especially building a “revolutionary, regular, seasoned, and gradually modern” Army; focusing on building a politically and organizationally strong Army so that it upholds its key role in building an entire people’s defense, protecting the Fatherland. The People’s Army must always stay vigilant, be aware of the situation, be proactive in coordinating with relevant forces and the whole people to deal with any situations, first and foremost to defeat the strategy of “Peaceful Evolution” of the hostile forces, the violations of sea, land and island sovereignty.

Although the Autumn of Independence happened 68 years ago, its spirit remains in each of us. This is an important spiritual support for the cause of national construction and defense of our troops and people nowadays.