General Vo Nguyen Giap, military genius, prestigious leader, shining example of revolutionary ethics

Dear leaders and former leaders of the Party, State and Vietnam Fatherland Front!

Dear revolutionary veterans, heroic Vietnamese mothers, heroes of the People's Armed Forces, and heroes of labor!

Dear delegates and guests!

Dear compatriots and comrades!

In the heroic atmosphere of the 77th anniversary of the founding of the heroic Vietnam People's Army, the 32nd anniversary of the National Defense Day and the preparation to welcome the new year 2022, today, in the homeland of Quang Binh - a land of talented people, with a long history and glorious revolutionary tradition, we solemnly organize the 110th anniversary of the birth of comradeGeneral Vo Nguyen Giap, former member of the Politburo, former Secretary of the Central Military Commission, former Permanent Deputy Prime Minister, former Minister of National Defense, Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People's Army, National Assembly Delegate from the 1st to the 7th terms; a highly prestigious leader of our Party, State and People; an excellent and close student of the great President Ho Chi Minh; a staunch revolutionary soldier; the first General of the Vietnam People's Army.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, I warmly welcome and send to the leaders and former leaders of the Party, State, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front, veteran revolutionaries, heroic Vietnamese mothers, heroes of the People's Armed Forces, heroes of labor, delegates, distinguished guests, the family of General Vo Nguyen Giap, and all compatriots and comrades my best wishes and best regards.

Dear compatriots and comrades!

General Vo Nguyen Giap was born on August 25, 1911 in Loc Thuy commune, Le Thuy district, Quang Binh province. Born into a Confucian family with a rich tradition of patriotism, in a countryside rich in historical, cultural and revolutionary traditions, he soon had a passionate love for his country and a deep love for his people. From an early age, directly witnessing the oppression and exploitation of his compatriots by the colonialists and their lackeys, he soon nurtured a revolutionary spirit and the will to fight for national liberation. At the age of 14, he became enlightened and participated in revolutionary activities.

Since his student days, having absorbed the revolutionary ideology of Leader Nguyen Ai Quoc, he actively participated in the strike movements at Hue National School. In 1927, he joined the Tan Viet Revolutionary Party - a predecessor of the Indochinese Communist Party, now the Communist Party of Vietnam. In 1936, he participated in the Party's democratic movement in Hanoi and was an editor of the Party's newspapers such as:“Our Voice”,“Go”,"Aggregate","Times","News"...; participated in the Indochina Congress movement, was elected Chairman of the North Vietnam Press Committee.

In the early 1940s, under the guidance and assignment of the leader Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh, he actively participated in revolutionary activities, stayed close to the people and the area, built bases, and opened military training classes at the Cao - Bac - Lang base. In December 1944, he was assigned by the leader Ho Chi Minh to establish the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army, the predecessor of the heroic Vietnam People's Army.

In his positions as a member of the Central Executive Committee, the Central Standing Committee of the Indochinese Communist Party, a member of the National Uprising Committee, a member of the Vietnam National Liberation Committee, and Commander of the Vietnam Liberation Army, he made important contributions to the Party's strategic decisions, directed the armed forces, and together with the entire Vietnamese people, made the victory of the August Revolution in 1945, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

During the 9-year long resistance war against the French colonialists, under the leadership of the Party and the great President Ho Chi Minh, Comrade directly commanded many important campaigns. Especially in 1954, Comrade was trusted by the Party and President Ho Chi Minh to directly command the Army's divisions and forces to attack the Dien Bien Phu stronghold, defeating the professional army of the French colonialists, contributing with the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army to make the Dien Bien Phu Victory.famous in five continents, shaking the earth", forcing the French colonialists to sign the Geneva Agreement on July 20, 1954 on suspending the war and restoring peace in Indochina.

After the North was liberated, he and the Party Central Committee led the entire people and army to simultaneously carry out two strategic tasks: building and defending the socialist North and promoting the national democratic revolution in the South; successively defeating the war strategies of the invading US imperialists, achieving glorious victories with the climax being the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign in 1975, completely liberating the South, unifying the country, and leading the whole country to socialism.

The country was peaceful and unified. In his capacity as Secretary of the Central Military Commission (until 1977), Minister of National Defense (until 1980), Permanent Deputy Prime Minister (from January 1980 to April 1981), and Vice Chairman of the Council of Ministers (from May 1981 to December 1986), he and the collective leadership of the Party, State, and Army led the entire people and army to carry out two strategic tasks of building and defending the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam, and carrying out the cause of national renewal.

He was a member of the Party Central Committee of the II, III, IV, V and VI terms; a member of the Politburo of the II, III and IV terms; a National Assembly delegate from the I to VII terms. He was also the Honorary President of the Vietnam Veterans Association; Honorary President of the Vietnam Historical Science Association, the Vietnam Association for Promoting Education, the Vietnam Association of Former Teachers... He was awarded the Gold Star Order, 2 Ho Chi Minh Orders, the 70-year Party membership badge and many other noble awards from Vietnam and internationally.

Dear compatriots and comrades!

Comrade Vo Nguyen Giap was a General, the first Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People's Army. He assumed great responsibility at the age of 37; however, with extraordinary will and determination, and tireless efforts, he excellently completed his mission, worthy of the trust of the Party, the great President Ho Chi Minh and the heroic Vietnamese People. With 30 years as Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, he was an outstanding military man, a highly prestigious leader of the Party, the State and our People; loved, respected and honored by the officers and soldiers of the Army as "The Elder Brother" of the Vietnam People's Army. In the historical turning points of the Vietnamese revolution after the August Revolution in 1945 and the military campaigns in the resistance war against French colonialism and American imperialism; under the banner of hundred battles, hundred victories of the Party and the great President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap contributed to great victories, joining the heroic historical flow of the nation; becoming a legendary general, a military genius... and was admired and respected by many heads of state, politicians, scholars, historians, journalists, writers and the people of the world.

General Vo Nguyen Giap is a man with great merit and contribution in building a strong, disciplined, elite and increasingly modern Vietnam People's Army. From the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army - the first main force with only 34 soldiers and a few dozen rudimentary rifles and flintlocks, it gradually developed into battle-hardened regiments and divisions, steadfast in fighting and defeating the invading enemy. The Dien Bien Phu victory is a vivid demonstration of the maturity and growth of our Army under the wise leadership of the Party, beloved Uncle Ho and the talented command of the General. For the first time in the world, the army of a small, backward colony defeated the professional army of a powerful colonial empire.

During the resistance war against the US to save the country, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief, he was the one who made many contributions to building the People's Army to become more regular and modern, building the Air Defense - Air Force, Navy, Special Forces, building the Truong Son road - Ho Chi Minh road on land and the Ho Chi Minh road on sea to provide timely support to the large front line in the South. Especially, in the final stage of the resistance war against the US to save the country, he proposed to urgently establish the main army corps (Army Corps 1, 2, 3 and 4) to create a combined strength, meeting the requirements of coordinated operations of the armies and services, carrying out major battles. The General Offensive and Uprising in Spring 1975, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, proved that his proposal was creative, timely and accurate, in line with the situation and historical conditions at that time.

General Vo Nguyen Giap was a military commander with outstanding military talent, a master of strategy, military art, especially the people's war strategy. In major campaigns of decisive importance, he always showed decisiveness, sharpness and special military thinking. Under the leadership of the Politburo, headed by President Ho Chi Minh, he directly directed the miraculous people's war of the Vietnamese people to reach the pinnacle of military art. The superior strategy of the all-people, all-out war, long-term resistance defeated and completely bankrupted the strategy of total war, quick war, quick victory and other strategies of the most powerful empires in the 20th century. His military knowledge and talent were all self-researched from the history of the Vietnamese people's resistance against foreign invaders and world military history; Self-trained, self-summarized experience through actual combat of our Army, admired by the world, honored as one of the famous generals in human history.

Comrade Vo Nguyen Giap was a talented general, a very careful commander, always comparing the balance of power between the two sides, proactively forcing the enemy to fight in our way, leading to complete defeat. A typical example is the decision to change the combat strategy from "quick strike, quick solution" luxurious "play steady, advance steady” in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign - the most difficult decision in the General's military career but completely correct, contributing to reducing the blood sacrifice of our soldiers and our people. The General was also the one who approved the proposal to establish the Eastern army wing and gave the order "Faster, faster; bolder, bolder", leading the entire army to charge forward, fiercely attacking the enemy's last lair in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, bringing the resistance war against the US to save the country to complete victory.

General Vo Nguyen Giap had great merit in forming and developing the Vietnamese military doctrine in the Ho Chi Minh era, which is the people's war strategy, using justice to overcome cruelty, inheriting and promoting the valuable historical lessons of our ancestors in fighting foreign invaders in the new era. He attached great importance to building the Party organization.clean and strong"In the armed forces; pay attention to and take care of building political mettle, fighting mettle, military tactics, and combat capabilities; educate and foster qualities"Uncle Ho's soldiers" for officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army.

General Vo Nguyen Giap was an excellent and close student of President Ho Chi Minh. Living and working beside him, being educated and trained by him, he made great efforts to study his ideology, ethics, style, and lifestyle, always cultivating, practicing, speaking, and acting according to the example of the great Uncle Ho. He was one of the first people to research and write about Ho Chi Minh's ideology, ethics, and style in a fundamental, comprehensive, and systematic way, and made many important contributions to the research and application of Ho Chi Minh's ideology to the Vietnamese revolutionary practice. In fields such as education - training, science - technology, journalism, diplomacy, culture, history, etc., he made important contributions, truly a man of complete talent and virtue, both literary and martial.

The General always shines with noble personal qualities, an exemplary model of revolutionary ethics.diligence, thrift, integrity, impartiality; about integrity, simplicity, tolerance, kindness, modesty, eagerness to learn, solidarity, living with affection, wholeheartedly loving comrades and compatriots; about high sense of responsibility, scientific working style, principles but extremely flexible, always promoting the role of the collective, obeying the organization; always valuing reality, believing in the strength of the masses, closely connecting and bonding with the people; tirelessly striving to build the great national unity bloc, devoting all intelligence and strength to successfully completing all tasks assigned by the Party, people and Army.

Through more than 80 years of rich revolutionary activities, General Vo Nguyen Giap's life was closely associated with the cause of national liberation struggle, building and defending the Fatherland. He set a shining example of a steadfast revolutionary soldier, absolutely loyal, devoted to sacrifice all his life, wholeheartedly striving for the goals and ideals of the Party. Whether the revolution encountered favorable or difficult times, he always had absolute trust, loyalty, and steadfastness with the Party and the People, just as he once said during his lifetime: "I live every day for the country that day.". Comrade always remembers, follows the example and practices President Ho Chi Minh's advice: To make a revolution, one must "Putting public service first”, which means to put the common interest first and foremost - consider that as a motto to live by and strive for throughout life. These are also very profound lessons for each of us.

Dear compatriots and comrades!

We celebrate the 110th birthday of General Vo Nguyen Giap today, which coincides with the 77th anniversary of the founding of the heroic Vietnam People's Army and the 32nd anniversary of National Defense Day. Under the absolute, direct leadership in all aspects of the Communist Party of Vietnam, over the past 77 years, our Army has continuously developed and matured, becoming the invincible army of the heroic nation, defeating powerful empires, their lackeys and fulfilling the noble international mission.

Our army today has a full range of military services, branches, force components and increasingly modern weapons and technical equipment; is well-trained in tactics and campaigns, and is proficient in techniques; has inherited unique military art; has comprehensive strength, high level of expertise and combat readiness; together with the entire Party and people, firmly protects the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, airspace, sea and sacred and noble islands of the Fatherland. At the same time, comrades have made many outstanding achievements in performing training tasks, combat readiness, disease prevention, natural disasters, rescue and relief, protecting people's lives and property; in labor production, economic, cultural and social development. These are important achievements in defense diplomacy, notably participation in United Nations peacekeeping activities, which have contributed significantly to maintaining peace and stability in the world and in the region. On behalf of the Party and State leaders, I acknowledge and warmly commend the exploits and achievements of the officers and soldiers of the heroic Vietnam People's Army.

The glorious achievements of our Army in the past 77 years of glorious journey are the result of the education and training of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the great President Ho Chi Minh; the protection, care and nurturing of the People, the precious help of international friends; including the great contribution of General Vo Nguyen Giap. These are the efforts and blood of generations of cadres and soldiers who were intelligent, brave, resilient, ready to fight and sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for the happiness of the People. Those achievements have highlighted the flag of determination to fight and win of the heroic Vietnam People's Army, built a glorious tradition, worthy of the praise of President Ho Chi Minh: "Our army is loyal to the Party, filial to the people, ready to fight and sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for socialism. We will complete every task, overcome every difficulty, and defeat every enemy.".

Dear compatriots and comrades!

Reviewing the life, revolutionary career and great, especially outstanding achievements of Comrade General Vo Nguyen Giap, we are even more proud of the glorious Communist Party of Vietnam, proud of the heroic Vietnamese nation, proud of the great President Ho Chi Minh, proud of the heroic Vietnam People's Army that educated and trained a loyal revolutionary soldier, a talented and virtuous General, an excellent son of the country and homeland of Quang Binh, who devoted his whole life to the glorious revolutionary cause of our Party and People. The personality, character and great contributions of Comrade General to the revolutionary cause of Vietnam and the world will forever be recorded in the glorious history of our nation and the history of the world revolutionary movement.

Studying and following the example of General Vo Nguyen Giap and other exemplary predecessors, we vow to forever follow the path chosen by the Party, beloved Uncle Ho and our people; to excellently continue the glorious revolutionary cause - the priceless legacy that our predecessors and generations of fathers and brothers have exchanged their blood and bones to gain; to strive to build an increasingly prosperous, civilized and developed country and firmly protect our beloved Fatherland; to maintain the achievements of the renovation process as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed:“Our country has never had the foundation, potential, position and international prestige as it does today.”

Promoting the glorious tradition of the heroic Army, the noble qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers", following the example of General Vo Nguyen Giap - "Elder Brother" of the Vietnam People's Army, officers and soldiers of the entire army are absolutely loyal to the Fatherland, the Party, the State, the People and the socialist regime; constantly promoting revolutionary heroism, good nature and glorious tradition, determined to successfully perform the functions of a fighting army, a working army, a production labor army; forever being a special political force, an absolutely loyal fighting force, a core force together with the entire people to firmly defend the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

On this solemn occasion, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, I request all levels, sectors, localities and wish that the officers and soldiers of the entire army further promote the spirit of solidarity, joint efforts, unanimity, mobilize the participation of the entire political system, the business community and people of the whole country and the overseas Vietnamese community to continue to uphold the spirit of patriotism, the will of self-reliance, self-strengthening, the strength of the great national unity bloc and the aspiration to rise up, make efforts to overcome the difficulties and challenges ahead, determined to strive to successfully implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress; continue to comprehensively and synchronously promote the renovation process, bring the country to rapid and sustainable development, determined to successfully build a socialist Vietnam, for the goal of "rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization".

On the occasion of the New Year 2022 and preparation for the Lunar New Year of the Tiger, I wish all delegates, distinguished guests, family of General Vo Nguyen Giap, compatriots and comrades good health, happiness and success.

Thank you very much!