During the 80-year journey of building, fighting and growing up (from 15 October 1945 to 15 October 2025), under the leadership of the Party, the armed forces of Military Region 4 have upheld revolutionary heroism, overcome countless difficulties and challenges, together with the army and people of the whole country to make glorious feats in the cause of national liberation, building and safeguarding the Fatherland. That serves as a great motivation for the armed forces of the Military Region to excellently fulfil all assigned tasks, worthy of the trust and love of the Party, the State, and the People Party, State and People.

Military Region 4 is a strategic area for national defence and security of the whole country, a land of sacred land, talented people, and rich revolutionary traditions. Before the 1945 August Revolution, armed forces under the leadership of the Party in the area were established very early in the area, serving as the predecessors of the Military Region's armed forces.

To meet the demands of the revolutionary mission, on 15 October 1945, the Party Central Committee and President Ho Chi Minh decided to establish military zones across the country, including Military Zone 4 - the predecessor of today’s Military Region 4. After 80 years of building, fighting, and growing up, the Military Region's armed forces have promoted their core role, together with the local people, achieved resounding victories, making significant contributions to the cause of national liberation, building and safeguarding the Fatherland.

In the two resistance wars against the colonialists and the imperialists, Military Region 4 was both the frontline and the rear. Despite facing countless difficulties and hardships, and enduring numerous sacrifices and losses, the armed forces of the Military Region always uphold revolutionary heroism, unparalleled bravery, promote the spirit of self-reliance, self-strengthening, both building and fighting, constantly maturing in all aspects. Established from militia and guerrilla forces, they developed into a three-category armed forces, serving as the core in uniting with the entire people to fight the enemy. During the 9 years of resistance against colonialism, the armed forces of the Military Region flexibly applied various combat forms and tactics; promoted guerrilla warfare, combined armed struggle with political struggle, military agitation, protecting the area, and building the rear. The Military Region also launched numerous campaigns and operations within the country, while coordinating with the revolutionary armed forces of neighbouring countries to operate in the battlefields of Central and Lower Laos and Northeastern Cambodia. These efforts defeated many enemy sweeps, pacification and control operations, restrained and wore down the adversary, and destroyed key elements of its main forces, thereby contributing to the failure of their war strategies. In particular, in the Winter-Spring Campaign of 1953-1954, the army and people of the Military Region coordinated with the battlefields’ forces to hold back the enemy and devoted all human and material resources to support the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, together with the army and people of the whole country to create a victory that "resounded throughout the five continents and shook the earth", gloriously ending the resistance war against invading colonialists.

During the resistance war against the US to save the country, with the spirit of "All for the front, all to defeat the American invaders", the army and people of the Military Region steadfastly held their ground to fight, support the combat, and boost production. Units and localities in the Military Region initiated countless revolutionary movements and slogans that had great influence, becoming symbols of revolutionary heroism, such as: "Great Wind", "No regrets for the house before the vehicle has passed", "Aim straight at the enemy and shoot", etc. Despite enduring millions of tons of bombs and bullets rained down by the enemy, the army and people of the Military Region always firmly believed in the leadership of the Party, steadfastly held their ground, not moving an inch, not leaving a millimetre, bravely fighting to firmly protect the rear and the strategic supply corridor of the Truong Son Road. Coordinated with the main army units to defeat the US imperialists' war of destruction by air and naval forces in the North and won resounding victories in the campaigns: Route 9-Khe Sanh (1968); Route 9-Southern Laos (1971); liberated Quang Tri and protected Quang Tri Citadel (1972),... greatly contributing to the victory of the General Offensive and Uprising in Spring 1975, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, completely liberating the South and unifying the country. Along with that, the armed forces of the Military Region always uphold the noble international spirit, together with the army and people of Laos, built forces and combat alliances, contributing to building the great friendship and special solidarity between the armies and people of Vietnam and Laos.

Exhibition of training visual aids at the Party Congress of the Military Region

After 1975, the Military Region's armed forces have promoted the tradition of heroic, steadfast, and indomitable spirit in the liberation war, actively participated in labour, production, and healing the wounds of war; fought to protect the southwestern and northern borders and carried out international missions. In recent years, in the context of complicated international and regional developments, the Military Region's armed forces have always maintained absolute trust in the Party's leadership, upheld revolutionary vigilance, regularly grasped the situation. They have closely coordinated with the Party committees and local authorities of provinces and cities in the region to provide leadership and direction in effectively carrying out military and defence tasks; steadfastly upholding and promoting their core role in building the all-people national defence posture, closely linked with the people’s security posture and the increasingly solid ‘people’s heart and mind posture". The restructuring of forces along the principle of being ‘elite, compact and strong’ has been carried out in a rigorous and determined manner. The units are built to be comprehensively strong, “exemplary, and typical”. The regular order and discipline management have made steady progress. The overall quality and combat strength of the armed forces of the Military Region have been enhanced, while effectively fulfilling their functions and tasks as a working army, engaging in production, and carrying out defence diplomacy. In particular, officers and soldiers of the Military Region’s armed forces have taken the lead and served as the core in disaster prevention and control, search and rescue, and environmental remediation; in strengthening the grassroots political system, conducting effective mass mobilisation, assisting the people in hunger eradication and poverty reduction, building new rural areas, and implementing rear-service policies and gratitude activities. Through these efforts, they have further illuminated the noble qualities and image of ‘Uncle Ho’s soldiers,’ tightened the solidarity with the people, and proven themselves to be a political and combat force of absolute loyalty and reliability to the Party, the State, and the People.

In recognition of its outstanding achievements, the Military Region's armed forces were honoured by the State with 02 Gold Star Orders, 03 Ho Chi Minh Orders, 03 Independence Orders of First, Second and Third Class; 1,047 collectives and 393 individuals were awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces, along with countless other noble awards.

In the time ahead, both nationwide and within the Military Region, politics and society will remain stable, the economy will continue to make progress, and national defence and security will be firmly maintained. However, hostile and reactionary forces are carrying out subversive activities in an increasingly overt, direct, and determined manner, while natural disasters and epidemics continue to evolve in complex ways. The implementation of the two-tier local government system poses new and higher demands and tasks for local military and defence work. In order to carry forward and promote its glorious tradition and to achieve new feats in the present era, the armed forces of the Military Region will focus on thoroughly grasping and effectively implementing several key tasks and solutions as follows:

1. Continue to build the Military Region's armed forces that are lean, compact in organisation, and strong in politics and ideology

Building on the results and experiences gained, the Military Region will continue to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the Party’s line on military and defence affairs, particularly the resolutions of the Politburo, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defence’s plan on organising the Vietnam People’s Army for the 2021–2030 period and the following years. It will take the initiative in coordinating with Party committees and local authorities to strengthen the three-category armed forces with a rational structure and high quality in accordance with the criteria for a modern Military Region 4 armed force in the new context. Efforts will be accelerated to review and streamline the organisation and staffing of agencies and units to ensure compactness, strength, synchronisation, rationality, and clarity in functions, tasks, and working relations. In particular, continued emphasis will be placed on directing the effective restructuring of local military agencies along the principle of being ‘elite, compact and strong’ in conformity with the two-tier government model, with special attention given to remote, mountainous, and border areas.

Conducting humanitarian relief and disaster response in 2025

Along with consolidating the organisational structure, the Military Region will focus its leadership on successfully implementing the Resolution of the 12th Congress of the Military Region’s Party Committee for the 2025-2030 term. The priority will be given to enhancing the leadership capacity and combat strength of Party committees and organisations, and the quality of Party members, while consolidating and improving the effectiveness of commune-level military Party cells. Continued efforts will be made to build and implement the models of the ‘Four-Good Party Cell’ and the ‘Four-Good Grassroots Party Organisation.’ The Military Region will also step up political and ideological education; effectively implement Resolution No. 847-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Commission and the movement to promote tradition, dedicate talents, and live up to the honour of ‘Uncle Ho’s Soldiers’ in the new era, while fostering the cultural values of ‘Uncle Ho’s Soldiers’ in the homeland of the President. These efforts aim to inspire and strongly promote patriotism, self-reliance, confidence, independence, resilience, national pride, and the heroic traditions of the Army and the Military Region’s armed forces, ensuring that they remain united in will and action, ready to accept and excellently fulfil any assigned mission.

2. Breakthrough in excellent training and high combat readiness

The Military Region continues to direct, thoroughly grasp, and promote the implementation of the resolutions and directives of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence on training and combat readiness, in particular Resolution No. 1659-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Commission dated 20 December 2022, and Resolution No. 755-NQ/DU of the Military Region Party Committee dated 15 February 2023 on improving the quality of training for the 2023-2030 period and beyond.

On that basis, innovation in leadership thinking and direction of training is to be promoted; targets and measures in programmes and implementation plans are to be urgently reviewed and supplemented, ensuring high feasibility, alignment with practical conditions, the Party’s new thinking on national defence and the military, and the requirements of safeguarding the Fatherland in the new situation. To achieve high effectiveness, agencies, units, and localities focus on synchronous, in-depth, and modern training; training to master existing and new weapons and equipment; night training, mobile training, and high-intensity training in all conditions, close to combat reality, tasks, targets, areas, and operational plans. Innovation in the content and methods of organising exercises is to be promoted, especially military region defence exercises and defence area exercises in line with modern combat conditions. Leadership strictly maintains combat readiness regimes; promptly adjusts, supplements, and completes resolutions and combat plans; adjusts the defence posture of the Military Region, provincial and municipal defence areas, and regional defence in accordance with the reorganisation of the two-tier local government system; ensures the effective operation of regional defence commands; and strengthens measures to strictly manage borders, seas, islands, and key areas.

Cyberspace combat capabilities are to be improved, with co-ordinated implementation of solutions to ensure information security and safety. Combat readiness plans and strategies are to be proactively developed and rehearsed; and co-ordination with local forces, Party committees, and authorities is to be strengthened in order to effectively mobilise forces and resources to participate in the prevention of, response to, and recovery from natural disasters, epidemics, and rescue operations.

3. Strengthening the potential and posture of all-people national defence

At present, localities within the Military Region have implemented the two-tier local government model, posing new issues for military and defence work. In this context, the Party Committee and High Command of the Military Region have proactively co-ordinated with functional agencies of the Ministry of National Defence and provincial and municipal Party committees to lead and direct the improvement of the quality of building and operating provincial and municipal defence areas in close association with the Military Region’s defence posture, thereby creating a solid and interlinked defensive disposition across each locality and newly established administrative unit.

In the immediate term, efforts are focused on reviewing and adjusting the planning and defence posture of the Military Region and provincial and municipal defence areas; supplementing and perfecting mechanisms for directing and managing the construction and operation of defence areas; and completing combat readiness plans and operational determinations for safeguarding the Fatherland. Provincial and municipal Military Commands are directed to advise Party committees and local authorities in concretising and issuing programmes, projects, and plans to implement military and defence strategies; closely combining socio-economic development with the strengthening of national defence and security; and bringing into play the combined strength of the entire political system in building the potential and posture of all-people national defence in association with people’s security. These efforts aim to enhance sustainability and the ability to mobilise resources to meet the requirements of defence situations in accordance with the “four on-the-spot” principle.

The Military Region continues to co-ordinate and direct localities to focus on building a strong and extensive militia and self-defence force, as well as a sizeable, high-quality reserve force. The implementation of projects to build a maritime militia and standing militia will be accelerated. Localities and units will continue to carry out the project on “Enhancing the quality and effectiveness of mass mobilisation work of the armed forces of Military Region 4 in special areas for the 2026-2030 period and beyond,” actively contributing to the consolidation of a strong grassroots political system in critical, border, remote, mountainous, and strategically pivotal areas of national defence and security. At the same time, defence diplomacy will be effectively promoted, especially in carrying out Mission C; the quality of strategic research, forecasting, and advisory work on defence diplomacy will be enhanced, contributing to the building of a peaceful, friendly, co-operative, and developed Viet Nam-Laos border, thereby firmly safeguarding the Fatherland from early on and from afar.

4. Promoting the development of science and technology, digital transformation; enhancing the quality of logistics and technical work, ensuring timely support for all tasks

Thoroughly grasping and implementing Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo (13th Tenure) dated 22 December 2024, and Resolution No. 3488-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Commission dated 29 January 2025 on the development of science and technology, national innovation, and digital transformation, the Party Committee and High Command of the Military Region advocate further breakthroughs in science, technology, and digital transformation.

Priority is given to studying the schemes and tactics of hostile forces within the Military Region; theories of building a modern army, modern warfare, and operations in defence areas and the Military Region’s defensive posture. Emphasis is placed on applying information technology and new technologies to military activities, scientific research, initiatives, and technical innovations. Resources are actively mobilised for the development of digital infrastructure, digital data, and digital human resources; models of “digital units” and “digital soldiers” are to be built, mastering digital platforms and digital skills in order to serve assigned tasks. Operational processes are to be optimised, leadership, command, management, and certain training and operational activities are to be transferred onto electronic platforms, thereby building a safe, healthy, and widespread digital environment.

Throughout the Military Region, resolutions, projects, programmes, emulation movements, and campaigns on logistics and technical work continue to be thoroughly grasped and effectively implemented, ensuring adequate, synchronous, and timely logistical and technical support for training, combat readiness, and disaster prevention tasks.

Alongside these missions and solutions, the Military Region continues to lead and direct agencies and units to strengthen troop management, creating strong transformation in building regularity and observing military discipline and State law; resolutely preventing serious disciplinary violations that could undermine combat strength, tradition, and the noble qualities of Uncle Ho’s Soldiers.

The 80-year tradition of building, fighting, growth, and development of the armed forces of Military Region 4 embodies both the essence and spirit of the nation and our Army, while also carrying the distinctive identity of this land and the character of its people. It is the crystallisation of willpower, determination, patriotism, and the courage of the troops and people of this sacred land renowned for its extraordinary heroes. This legacy has become the pride of generations of officers and soldiers of the Military Region’s armed forces. These traditional values are a powerful source of motivation for the Military Region’s armed forces to carry forward with even greater strength, to write new feats of arms in the new era, and to contribute, together with the entire Party, people, and Army, to guiding the nation firmly into a new era - an era of prosperity and strength for Viet Nam."

Lieutenant General HA THO BINH, Commander of Military Region 4