The “people’s hearts and minds” posture represents an intrinsic source of national strength and constitutes a unique value in Vietnamese military art. In the current context, the Military’s participation in building this special posture holds even greater significance. This article highlights several key aspects that require in-depth study and effective application.

History has proven that whether a nation thrives or not depends on its “people’s hearts and minds”. This is a vital lesson drawn from our millennia-long struggle for national construction and defence.

Military Region 7 builds cultural and sport facilities within Soc Lon pagoda, Loc Khanh commune, Loc Ninh district, Binh Phuoc province (photo: baoquankhu7.vn)

Throughout their revolutionary leadership, the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh have always placed great importance on building a solid “people’s hearts and minds” posture. This consistent viewpoint has enabled our Party and people to achieve successive victories, expelling major imperialists, gaining national independence, unifying the country, and advancing towards socialism. Thoroughly grasping the Party’s guidelines, the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) has taken proactive steps to perform its role in strengthening the “people’s hearts and minds” posture. These include raising public awareness and responsibility for the cause of Homeland building and protection by means of propagation and mass mobilisation campaigns, participating in building pure and strong Party committees and authorities at all levels, assisting the people in socio-economic development, poverty reduction, and natural disaster/epidemic preparedness and response. These contributions have strengthened the people’s trust in our Party, State, VPA, and socialist regime, fostering the spirit of national unity and practically building a solid “people’s hearts and minds” posture to meet the requirements of national construction and protection.

Despite notable achievements, the VPA’s engagement in fostering the “people’s hearts and minds” posture has at times fallen short of expectations. The implementation of measures has sometimes lacked flexibility and creativity, leading to modest effectiveness. Furthermore, the degradation in political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle among a number of cadres and Party members, combined with hostile forces’ increasingly aggressive sabotage, has negatively affected the people’s awareness, thought, and trust. Given this situation, as “an army ready for work”, military units must become more active, proactive, and creative in participating in the building of “people’s hearts and minds” posture.

To address these challenges effectively, several key solutions should be implemented.

First, enhancing information dissemination and propagation to profoundly transform the awareness and sense of responsibility among Party committees and authorities at all levels, and the people regarding the building of “people’s hearts and minds” posture. This is a foundational and decisive solution. Only with an accurate understanding of this policy can responsibility be heightened and efforts intensified. Therefore, military units, particularly local military commands, must enhance their role in advising local Party committees and authorities on renovating the work of information dissemination and propagation. This includes raising awareness and fostering a strong sense of responsibility among political organisations, cadres, Party members, and the people. Emphasis should be placed on Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought on the principle that “revolution is the cause of the people, by the people, and for the people”, and that it is the people that ensure historic victories. Consideration should be given to the Party’s viewpoints and policies on ethnic and religious affairs and national unity in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. Innovative methods should be adopted, while regular education should be combined with thematic sessions tied to major national events. The role of mass media, mass organisations, and cultural institutions must be promoted, alongside patriotic emulation movements that build and replicate exemplary models. These efforts will help instil a heightened sense of responsibility into Party committees, authorities, and the armed forces at all levels. The motto: “the people know, the people discuss, the people do, the people inspect, and the people benefit” should be thoroughly implemented, particularly in fields that directly affect the people’s lives. At the same time, military units should continue advising local Party committees and authorities to harmonise interest relations, safeguard the people’s legitimate rights and interests, and improve the people’s material and spiritual well-being through locally tailored socio-economic development programs and practical activities, such as “Paying debt of gratitude”, “For the sake of the poor”, and “Spirit of mutual support and solidarity”. Additionally, the people’s role in formulating and implementing the Party’s guidelines and the State’s laws must be promoted. All plots and actions aimed at dividing and undermining great national unity must be resolutely handled. Doing so will contribute to consolidating and strengthening a firm “people’s hearts and minds” posture, bringing into play the power of unity, and fostering consensus among the people in performing national defence and security tasks.

Second, participating in building a pure, strong grass-roots political system. This is not only an objective and essential requirement, but also a reflection of the VPA’s nature and noble tradition. To this end, military units at all levels must enhance the training of their cadres and soldiers, equipping them with knowledge of local economic, political, cultural, and social conditions, as well as customs, traditions, and religious practices. They should also develop their capacity to advise and cooperate with other forces in addressing emerging issues. In efforts to build pure, strong grass-roots Party organisations, military units should actively advise local Party committees on leadership measures to strengthen and consolidate political organisations, ensuring that every village or hamlet has a Party cell or at least a Party group. Additionally, military units should propose relevant leadership content and effective methods, focusing on integrating the dissemination of local resolutions and policies into cultural and artistic activities and friendship exchanges. Maintaining close ties with local areas is crucial to identifying and nurturing potential candidates for Party membership. Furthermore, military units must effectively advise Party committees and authorities on issues contributing to local stability and development, such as planning work and military - defence activities. Particularly, it is essential to provide sound advice in effectively performing the function of state management in national defence and security, building all-people national defence and a solid all-people national defence posture. Due regard should be paid to accurately assessing situations and developing appropriate plans to safeguard political security and social order, ensuring stability for socio-economic development. In addition, close cooperation with other forces is necessary to protect the Party’s ideological foundation and thwart hostile forces’ plots and acts of sabotage. These efforts will help reinforce the people’s trust and promote the people’s sense of responsibility for strengthening the grass-roots political system.

Third, actively participating in mass mobilisation, assisting the people in economic and cultural development, hunger eradication, and poverty reduction. This is a crucial and distinct aspect of Party and political work. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to established principles and regulations concerning mass mobilisation but remain flexible and adaptable to each locality’s specific conditions. To ensure effectiveness, military units must first focus on raising awareness and responsibility among Party committees, commanders, cadres, and soldiers regarding the importance of mass mobilisation in the new context. The education process must be comprehensive, coherent, focused, and tailored to localities' realities. These efforts must be conducted regularly through various practical forms and methods to bring about a profound shift in the awareness and actions of Party committees and commanders at all levels towards this work in the new situation and encourage them to stand ready to work in the most difficult, remote, and challenging areas to support and protect the people. At the same time, it is vital to strengthen the leadership and direction of Party committees and commanders at all levels in realising the Central Military Commission's Regulation 718-QC/QUTW, dated 5 November 2021, on the VPA's mass mobilisation work. Regular reviews and adjustments should be made to ensure suitability for military units' practical conditions. Leadership resolutions and implementation plans must be developed to be precise, accurate, and effective, mobilising the combined strength of all organisations and forces in carrying out mass mobilisation.

In the process, military units need to promote the study and following of Uncle Ho’s mass mobilisation style: “Respecting the people, staying close to the people, understanding the people, learning from the people, and being responsible to the people”. This must be accompanied by strict adherence to the principle: “Listening to what the people say, speaking so that the people can understand, and acting so that the people can believe”. It is important to renew and diversify forms and methods of mass mobilisation, focusing on practical goals, such as hunger eradication and poverty alleviation, natural disaster/epidemic prevention and control, and search and rescue operations. Special attention should be paid to twinning activities, field deployments for mass mobilisation, and reinforcement teams working at grass-roots level. Military units must cooperate with local mass mobilisation agencies and political-social organisations in executing “Good mass mobilisation” emulation movement and building “Good mass mobilisation” units. This should be aligned with the implementation of national target programs for economic, cultural, and social development, and sustainable poverty reduction, as well as emulation movements and campaigns inside and outside the VPA. Proactive research and opportune solutions to emerging challenges are vital, especially in border areas, islands, urban centres, industrial zones, and ethnic minority and religious regions. Efforts must be made to diversify forms of mass mobilisation in border areas and promote the role of religious dignitaries, village elders, and other trusted individuals, contributing to advancing socio-economic development and building peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and mutually developed border areas. Particularly, military units must continue to fulfil their core role as a reliable support for the people in natural disaster/epidemic prevention and control, and search and rescue operations while ensuring effective collaboration with various forces to effectively counter acts of sabotage by hostile forces aimed at undermining great national unity.

In the process of implementing those above-mentioned solutions, military units should apply them flexibly and creatively, particularly in remote, mountainous, border, island, and ethnic minority areas. This will contribute to building an increasingly firm “people’s hearts and minds" posture, creating a foundation for Vietnam to enter its era of rise.

Sr. Col. PHAM ANH TUAN

Director of Military Region 7’s Political Department