Struggle to refute the distorted arguments and denial of the historical value of the August Revolution of 1945

General uprising rally at Hanoi Opera House Square. Photo archive

The historical value and epochal significance of the August Revolution cannot be denied.

Every year, when the whole country prepares to celebrate the August Revolution of 1945, hostile foreign forces and political opportunists intensify their propaganda and sabotage activities, posting on the Internet many articles distorting and defaming the historical value and contemporary significance of the August Revolution. From a childish and simplistic perspective, they argue that the success of the August Revolution of 1945 was not due to the talented leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, nor was it the crystallization of the strength of national unity, but that success was a "luck" created by historical conditions. These are false, unrealistic and untrue arguments.

In order for the August Revolution to win in the historic Autumn of 1945, with intelligence, radical revolutionary spirit, leadership art and scientific revolutionary methods, our Party and President Ho Chi Minh led our people through three extremely arduous and fierce struggles for national liberation, with three revolutionary high tides: The 1930 - 1931 revolutionary high tide, with the peak being the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement, the 1936 - 1939 revolutionary high tide demanding people's livelihood and democracy and the 1939 - 1945 revolutionary high tide. At the decisive moment of the nation's history, he called for a General Uprising.“The decisive hour for the fate of our nation has come. Let our compatriots stand up and use our own strength to liberate ourselves...”⁽¹⁾.

To achieve the victory of the August Revolution, since 1939 our Party had directly prepared the revolutionary guidelines, bases and forces to launch an uprising to seize power when the opportunity arose. Our Party determined to build a solid revolutionary base in Bac Son, Cao Bang, with different names. In particular, we built Viet Bac into a complete base; which is“a miniature of Vietnam”; in which, Tuyen Quang is identified as the “Capital of Resistance”.Building a solid base to "create a position" is important for the General Uprising to achieve victory later.

The historical circumstances of August 1945 created a golden opportunity for the entire nation to rise up and carry out a revolution to gain independence and freedom. This was the time when the Japanese army failed and declared their surrender to the Allies on August 15, 1945. At this moment, President Ho Chi Minh emphasized:“This is a precious and rare opportunity. If you miss it, you will never have it again.”At the same time, Uncle Ho clearly stated:"Even if we have to burn down the Truong Son mountain range, we must win national independence."

At this time, the Japanese army was in panic, the French army was not strong enough to return, the puppet government was extremely confused, creating ripe objective conditions, our Party led the entire Vietnamese nation, millions of people as one, unanimously following the Party to rise up and break the shackles of dependence, liberate themselves, and make the August General Uprising in 1945, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - the first people's democratic state in Southeast Asia.

It can be seen that, at the same time in 1945, not every place under Japanese rule could have a revolutionary movement and succeed. Only a country with careful and thorough preparation, a Party that set out a correct and creative revolutionary path, with a long-term vision, accurately forecasting the revolutionary opportunity, seizing the opportunity and gathering the strength of the entire nation, could achieve victory. This shows that the victory of the August Revolution had an extremely great historical significance for the Vietnamese nation. It not only affirmed that the working class and the working people of Vietnam had united their efforts and fought bravely,"show extraordinary willpower"The unanimous rise to gain independence and freedom also affirms the wise and talented leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, headed by President Ho Chi Minh, and not the "luck" as the bad guys still spread and distort; at the same time, emphasizes the undeniable historical value and contemporary significance of the August Revolution. All attempts to speculate and sabotage this revolution by hostile forces are worthless.

August Revolution - The Great Epic

On September 2, 1945, at Ba Dinh Square (Hanoi), President Ho Chi Minh solemnly read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Photo: File/VNA

Assessing the August Revolution of 1945, as Mongolian historian, Dr. Sanomish Dashtsevel stated in his speech at the International Conference "Vietnam in the 20th Century", held in Hanoi (September 2000),“The August Revolution created conditions for the Vietnamese people to become masters of the country and gain great achievements in the cause of defending the Fatherland and building the country. The August Revolution also had important significance for the national liberation and democratic movements in Asian countries and around the world.”

The victory of the August Revolution in 1945 was the greatest heroic epic in the history of our nation's struggle to defend the country, bringing our people from slavery to mastery; bringing Vietnam from a small country to a famous name in the world. That "earth-shattering" revolution was the result of the persistent, arduous, yet extremely heroic struggle of our Party, army and people that is worthy of pride. At the same time, the August Revolution created historical lessons, leaving behind many valuable experiences for the long-term resistance against the aggressive war of French colonialism and American imperialism. The August Revolution followed the teachings of President Ho Chi Minh "Use your strength to free yourself.

The victory of the August Revolution in 1945 affirmed the revolutionary and scientific nature of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought and our Party, first and foremost due to the Party's correct strategic and tactical lines from the beginning, ensuring the smooth and thorough implementation of those lines in the practice of preparing for the uprising and the uprising, making the Party increasingly stronger and deeply rooted in the masses, linking national strength with the strength of the times according to President Ho Chi Minh's call for the August General Uprising:"Because only with unity can there be strength, only with strength can we gain independence and freedom."At the same time, this victory inspired our Party to initiate the national renewal process, which has achieved great and historic achievements, improved people's lives, and increasingly enhanced the country's position and prestige in the international arena.

The above historical facts have completely refuted the false arguments, propaganda, and distortions of hostile forces and political opportunists who claimed that the victory of the August Revolution "was a stroke of luck in history!". The obvious truth is only one, with the truth affirmed.great historical value and contemporary significanceof the August Revolution of 1945always shine and never fade over time.

(1) Ho Chi Minh,Complete Works,National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, vol. 3, p. 596.