How do parades and marches commemorating April 30th differ from military reviews?
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country, a national-level military parade and march will take place in Ho Chi Minh City on April 30th. Many people are wondering what a military parade and march are? How do military parades and military reviews differ?
Military parade, procession
Colonel Duong Van Thuy, former Head of the History Compilation and Editing Department of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, stated: A parade is an organized movement of military units or armed forces on streets or squares.
Military parade formations typically march in step, carrying flags, weapons, and military equipment to showcase military strength.
The main purpose is to promote and showcase the nation's strength and create a positive atmosphere during major holidays such as National Day or anniversaries of historical victories.
Furthermore, the Vietnamese dictionary edited by Professor Hoang Phe clearly states: "Marching: A group of people marching in formation past a platform or along the street to demonstrate strength."
When is the parade?
Regarding the military parade, Colonel Duong Van Thuy stated that it is a solemn ceremony, showcasing the military strength, discipline, and dignity of the armed forces. It is also an opportunity for the army to introduce itself and demonstrate its strength to the public and high-ranking leaders of the country.
"Therefore, the participants in the parade are usually elite military forces from various branches of the armed forces. In addition to personal weapons, the parade units also showcase many types of modern military equipment and vehicles such as tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, aircraft... to affirm the military potential and national defense strength of the country," Colonel Thuy shared.
Thus, while parades and marches share many similarities, their most significant difference lies in their purpose. The purpose of a parade is to test the level of coordinated combat operations between different branches of the armed forces, to showcase the strength and morale of the army, and to demonstrate the commander's assessment of the forces.
The purpose of military parades is to encourage and showcase the armed forces to the public or to celebrate major national events.
"Although different in purpose, both parades and marches are activities that contribute to strengthening patriotism, national pride, and affirming the great strength and position of the people's armed forces," said Colonel Duong Van Thuy.
In Vietnam, military parades are usually held on significant occasions in the nation's history, especially on major anniversaries. Some notable parades that have taken place in Hanoi include:
January 1, 1955: The first parade of the Vietnam People's Army was held at Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, to introduce the force after the historic victory at Dien Bien Phu.
September 2, 1975: The first military parade after the reunification of the country, a day of special significance in the nation's history as the country was reunited.
September 2, 1985: One of the largest military parades ever held, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The event involved approximately 30,000 people and numerous modern military weapons and equipment.
