The August Revolution of 1945 - A glorious golden chapter in the history of the nation.

A reporter from Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Master Nguyen Quoc Hong - Chairman of the Nghe An Historical Science Association - on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945 - August 19, 2022).

PV: Could you elaborate on the historical significance of the August Revolution of 1945 for the Vietnamese nation?

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hong:August Revolution1945 is one of the most glorious chapters in history; a major milestone, a qualitative leap forward in the development of the Vietnamese nation throughout its thousands of years of nation-building and national defense. The victory of the August Revolution was the inevitable result of the long struggle of the Vietnamese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

President Ho Chi Minh reading the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. (Archival photo)

The great victory ofAugust RevolutionIt holds immense significance for the Vietnamese nation and humanity.The first,The August Revolution officially ended over 80 years of French colonial rule, brought an end to the nearly thousand-year-old autocratic monarchy, and established the Democratic Republic of Vietnam – a state of the people, by the people, and for the people; transforming our people from slaves into masters of their own country and their own destiny.

Monday,The victory of the August Revolution in 1945, on the one hand, contributed to defeating the remnants of feudalism, colonialism, and fascism in Vietnam. The August Revolution's victory also broke a crucial link in the colonial system of imperialism, ushering in a period of irreversible decline and disintegration of old colonialism, and making a significant contribution to the cause of national liberation worldwide.

Tuesday,The August Revolution affirmed the leading role of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Throughout its revolutionary leadership, the Communist Party of Vietnam maintained a close, inseparable bond with the people, enjoying their unwavering support and absolute trust. The August Revolution of 1945 was a quintessential national liberation and democratic revolution led by the Communist Party, the first to achieve victory in a colonial country.

Wednesday,The August Revolution marked a qualitative leap forward in the development of the Vietnamese nation, ushering in a new era in national history – an era of independence and freedom leading towards socialism. The victory of the August Revolution created a profound revolutionary turning point in all fields.

Thursday,The August Revolution was a victory of Marxism-Leninism creatively applied to the specific circumstances of the Vietnamese revolution, and the first successful experiment of Marxism-Leninism in a colonial country in Asia…

PV: What values ​​from the August Revolution of 1945 have been passed on and instilled in today's and future generations?

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hong:Understanding the profound significance of the August Revolution of 1945 for the younger generation will contribute to integrating our nation's fine traditions into daily life and into the practical realities of building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland today. When traditional values ​​have taken root in the hearts and minds of the younger generation, they will inevitably become a source of spiritual strength and an intrinsic driving force, enabling them to confidently move forward, dedicating their energy and intellect to achieving the overarching goal of national independence linked with socialism.

Master Nguyen Quoc Hong – Chairman of the Nghe An Historical Science Association – shared lessons learned from the August Revolution. Photo: Thanh Cuong.

Educating future generations of Vietnamese about the values ​​of the August Revolution is a tremendous responsibility towards history. The enduring traditional values ​​of the August Revolution that previous generations have a responsibility to pass on to the younger generation – those who will continue the tradition of "descendants of Lac and Hong" – are: Unwavering commitment to the goal and ideal of national independence linked with socialism. This is the overarching goal of the Vietnamese revolution, with the August Revolution of 1945 considered the starting point of a new revolutionary era fighting for national independence linked with socialism.

Educating the younger generation about the tradition of fervent patriotism, indomitable spirit, and the nation's sense of independence and self-reliance. President Ho Chi Minh affirmed the Vietnamese people's patriotic spirit: “Our people have a fervent love for their country. That is a precious tradition of ours. From ancient times to the present, whenever the Fatherland has been invaded, that spirit has surged, forming an incredibly powerful and immense wave, sweeping away all dangers and difficulties, and submerging all traitors and invaders.”

Educating the younger generation about the tradition of national unity and the creative labor of the Vietnamese people is crucial. The August Revolution of 1945 demonstrated the values ​​of national unity, overcoming difficulties, diligence, creativity, and concerted effort to rise up and fight for victory. During the August Revolution, at the most difficult time, the entire Vietnamese nation demonstrated a spirit of unity, rising up in unison to seize power throughout the country.

Educating the younger generation about the humanistic, compassionate, and harmonious spirit of the Vietnamese people is crucial. The flexible and creative application of revolutionary methods in the August Revolution of 1945 profoundly reflects the humane nature of the Vietnamese people. This is a great lesson for today's youth, especially in the process of international integration, where they need to behave and resolve relationships with other countries and the international community harmoniously.

PV: Could you share some lessons learned from the August Revolution that can be applied to the current process of industrialization, modernization, and Industry 4.0 development?

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hong:The victory of the August Revolution of 1945 left the Party and people of Vietnam with many valuable lessons, enriching the theoretical system of the Vietnamese revolution and contributing to the cause of building and firmly defending the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam. Today, in the context of the country striving to vigorously promote industrialization, modernization, and Industry 4.0, the lessons from the August Revolution of 1945 remain just as valuable.

Issuing the order for the General Uprising in 1945. (Archival photo)

First and foremost, it's a lesson in unity. As we know, the Party has built a great national unity, mobilizing the entire people for a successful general uprising. At the present time, the spirit of great unity must continue to be promoted. To achieve this, everyone, from top to bottom, must be united in purpose and viewpoint to form a solid bloc under the leadership of the Party and the State. The strength of great unity has been a "treasure" that has helped us stand firm through the struggles to defend the Fatherland, and now it will give the nation and country more strength to face challenges such as the pandemic and economic difficulties. The bond, trust, and solidarity between the Party and the people are extremely important and necessary. Unity also extends to international relations. This means leveraging the assistance of friendly countries, while adapting it to Vietnam's specific circumstances.

This is a lesson about choosing the right moment. In this Industry 4.0 revolution, if we don't want to miss out, we must choose the right time to act promptly. However, we must not be hasty; we need to gather our forces beforehand to prepare and determine the foundation for implementation. This includes preparing human resources, potential, infrastructure, and especially leveraging intellectual potential. In this period of development, many opportunities are opening up; we should not ignore them, but neither should we wait for anyone, any country or nation. To avoid missing opportunities, we need to strengthen integration and cooperation, leverage our competitive advantages, understand our country's position, and assert ourselves to the world.

Lessons learned from the Party's correct leadership are the primary factor determining victory. From this lesson, we can clearly see that our Party also needs to continuously train and build itself to be clean and strong; thereby continuing to lead the country through difficulties and achieve the set goals. In the current period, the cadre, especially key cadres and leaders, must always have integrity, be competent, and ensure that their words match their actions; frankly acknowledge and resolutely correct mistakes and shortcomings for the benefit of the people.

PV: Clearly, historical lessons are crucial for success. What are your thoughts on teaching and learning the history of our nation to nurture the younger generations of Vietnamese people today and in the future?

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hong:In my personal opinion, not only in Vietnam, but in any country, understanding one's national history is extremely important and necessary. Regardless of where we are born, we must understand our history and origins, so studying history is almost the most important factor in character development. Studying history not only helps individuals understand the origins of their nation and country, but also helps cultivate character and moral values.

The Scout Ceremony Competition in Yen Thanh district is held annually to commemorate the August Revolution. (Photo: Anh Tuan)

For history to become a source of strength for the future, the teaching and learning of historical knowledge must be done correctly. First and foremost, history is truth; what is included in textbooks for teaching must be true about what the nation and country have experienced. Secondly, we need progressive teaching methods. We need to teach using more vivid and engaging methods such as field trips, extracurricular activities, and discussions. This will help the thinking of the next generation develop more comprehensively.

Finally, teaching should focus on the most essential content, avoiding an overwhelming amount of information. For example, regarding the August Revolution of 1945, we need to concentrate on three key aspects: the context of the revolution's preparation; an overview of the important events; and the lessons learned. Focused content will make it easier for younger generations to understand, absorb, and remember.

Interviewer: Thank you, sir!