August Revolution and the spirit of solidarity to repel the Covid-19 pandemic today
The lesson of solidarity from the August Revolution of 1945 has always been a guiding torch for the Vietnamese people to this day when the whole country is determined to repel the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the socio-economy and lives of millions of Vietnamese families, creating an unprecedented picture in the country's history.
But in such dire circumstances, hope was lit. It was the light of solidarity, of unity, of sharing, of mutual love and support.
"United, even more united"
Solidarity is an extremely valuable tradition and lesson of the Vietnamese people, forged through thousands of years of history of building and defending the country: "One tree alone cannot make a forest, three trees together can make a high mountain"; "Unity, unity, great unity. Success, success, great success"...
Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Ngoc Anh - Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics assessed: "The August Revolution in 1945 was a great revival of a nation that knew how to rely on each other, join hands and unite for justice, conscience and basic human values".
 |
That was the combined strength of the entire nation, of all classes of Vietnamese people and the strength of international solidarity: the entire people rose up together, supported by the anti-fascist Allied forces around the world; from the war zone to the plains, from the countryside to the cities, then both the cities and the countryside rose up together to seize power for the people.
The August Revolution created an unprecedentedly widespread and powerful revolutionary movement with a large number of participants, regardless of ethnicity, religion, class, social stratum, economic sector, gender and members of the great Vietnamese national family.
Over the past 76 years since independence, it is the spirit of solidarity of millions of Vietnamese people that has led the country through many invasions, won victories against powerful enemies and left strong marks in the process of building and developing the country.
Unite to fight the enemy, unite to cope with natural disasters and now, unite to repel the epidemic.
 |
During the fourth outbreak, facing the difficulties and losses of our compatriots nationwide, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong once again earnestly called on the entire Party, the entire people, the entire army and our compatriots abroad: “We have tried even harder; we have united even more; we have been determined even more; the entire nation is one, united with the Party, the Government, all levels and sectors to find every way to resolutely prevent and repel the epidemic, not allowing it to spread and break out in the community”.
The spirit of national solidarity is first and foremost demonstrated in the consensus and determination of the entire political system, from the central to local levels. From the Politburo, the Secretariat, the National Assembly, the Government, and ministries, branches, and agencies from the central to local levels, all have a unified understanding: The epidemic must be stopped at all costs so that people can soon return to the "new normal", restore production and life so that children can go back to school and adults can return to offices, factories, and workshops.
In a letter to the frontline forces on August 2, 2021, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh wrote: “Over the past 500 days, the Covid-19 pandemic has been very complicated and unpredictable, causing many difficulties and hardships, but it has not diminished the spirit of the frontline forces fighting the epidemic for the community. I feel that the spirit of the movements "Three ready", "Three responsibilities", "Five volunteers" ... of the past years has spread more strongly among the frontline forces fighting the epidemic. You are "ready to go anywhere, do anything when the People and the Fatherland need you".
 |
| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited and encouraged the epidemic prevention forces, staff, nurses and doctors at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Vu Khuyen |
Over the past 500 days, hundreds of thousands of medical staff, soldiers, and police officers have put aside their personal lives, regardless of difficulties and dangers, to go to epidemic areas to help people. Many cases have become F0, F1, and some have sacrificed their lives while on duty. They are willing to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the community and the country.
“Social distancing, but human love is closer”
The spirit of national solidarity and self-sacrifice for others is not only reflected in the actions of the frontline forces but also spreads to every nook and cranny. Despite social distancing, people are closer to each other.
Many "fireplaces" of warm compatriot love were maintained to provide food for soldiers, civilians and soldiers on the front line of epidemic prevention and control; rice ATMs, mask ATMs, and oxygen ATMs were put into use; movements to mobilize landlords to reduce prices or provide free rooms for workers, the poor, and near-poor households, etc.; "Zero-dong stalls", "Kitchens of love", "Supermarkets of love", "Zero-dong supermarkets", "Volunteer groups going to the market to help people", "Gifts delivered to homes", "Volunteer delivery", "Protecting green areas" checkpoints, etc. were formed and flourished in many localities.
 |
| Mr. Luong Van Sam, a resident of Minh Thanh village, Luong Minh commune, said, “My family was already poor, but the epidemic made things even more difficult. If it weren’t for the support from our superiors, I don’t know how our family would have managed.” Photo courtesy: Dinh Tuan |
All of these noble gestures are crystallized from the fine tradition of "blood flows, intestines soften", "love others as you love yourself".
Ms. To Thi Bich Chau, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the strength of national unity is the decisive factor for the sustainable victory of the Vietnamese Revolution and victory in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a locality heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the city's residents cannot help but feel a bit sad when trains and trucks carrying food from localities more than a thousand kilometers away come to the city's residents during the period of social distancing with many campaigns such as: "Week for the City named after Uncle Ho", "All for the beloved South"...
“Social distancing, but human love is closer” - Ms. To Thi Bich Chau, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City shared.
The source of national strength is solidarity. President Ho Chi Minh once said: There is a close relationship between solidarity and victory, the scale of solidarity determines the scale and level of success. Only when the whole nation unites into a unified, consensual, and unanimous bloc will the country have enough strength to overcome all difficulties and challenges.
Without unity of will and action, without mutual support and assistance, we would never have the position and strength we have today./.
