Prepare all aspects to publish the Vietnam Military Encyclopedia

On the morning of September 29, in Hanoi, the Steering Committee for Compiling the Vietnam Military Encyclopedia of the Ministry of National Defense held a conference to evaluate the results of compilation and prepare for publication of the Military History volume of the Vietnam Military Encyclopedia. Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, member of the Party Central Committee, member of the Central Military Commission, Chief of the General Staff, Deputy Minister of National Defense, Head of the Steering Committee chaired the conference. Also attending were Lieutenant General Mai Quang Phan, member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics and members of the Steering Committee.

Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty chaired a meeting of the Steering Committee for Compiling the Vietnam Military Encyclopedia. Photo: Trinh Phu Son.

The central report, presented by Major General Nguyen Don Tuan, Director of the Department of Military Science, said: According to the Project to compile the Vietnam Military Encyclopedia approved by the Ministry of National Defense, the work has 6 volumes, including: Military History, Military Geography, Military Engineering-Logistics, Military Art, Military Figures, Armed Forces Organization and General Guide. From 2005 to present, the Steering Committee for Compiling the Military Encyclopedia has directed agencies to develop criteria, create a list of entries, organize 5 professional training courses for 350 cadres and collaborators participating in the compilation; conduct many seminars to collect opinions from scientists, experts, generals, managers and witnesses... By August 2014, the compilation of the Vietnam Military Encyclopedia had completed 91.7% of the entries, organized scientific editing and technical editing in accordance with regulations. According to plan, the first volume of Military History will be published at the end of 2014, the last volume will be published in 2019.

At the meeting, members of the steering committee gave their opinions on compiling the content and form, supplementing and completing some entries, reviewing the structure of the sections and entries to ensure the balance of the Vietnam Military Encyclopedia and the Military History volume.

Concluding the meeting, on behalf of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty praised the Steering Committee and the Department of Military Science, the agency that drafted the Vietnam Military Encyclopedia, for being proactive, making efforts, being creative, and promoting a high sense of responsibility in directing, organizing research, and compiling on schedule. The Head of the Steering Committee assigned the Department of Military Science to absorb comments, research, select, adjust, and perfect the content, form, and layout of the Military Encyclopedia and the Military History volume, in time for publication on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army.

The Chief of the General Staff requested that in the research and compilation, accuracy, objectivity, and respect for historical truth must be given top priority; ensuring the correct time, content, and nature of historical events, especially sensitive events. Agencies and departments must coordinate closely, assign tasks to each area for easy inspection and monitoring; editing must be careful, meticulous, scientific, and ensure publication progress. On behalf of the Ministry of National Defense, Comrade Do Ba Ty resolved the recommendations raised by the Steering Committee, assigned the Department of Military Science to preside over and coordinate with the Department of Finance to research and amend Circular 13/2009 dated March 26, 2009 of the Ministry of National Defense regulating a number of spending regimes for the compilation of military encyclopedias and military dictionaries, ensuring suitability with the new development situation, to submit to the Minister for approval and promulgation.

According to QĐND