It's as if President Ho Chi Minh is present on this joyous day of great victory!
Exactly half a century ago today, the whole country resounded with songs of triumph: "As if Uncle Ho were present on this joyous day of great victory / Uncle Ho's words have now become a glorious victory / Thirty years of struggle to regain the integrity of the nation / Thirty years of democratic republic, the resistance has succeeded..." (Music and lyrics by Pham Tuyen).
The lyrics are concise, yet they contain a wealth of sacred emotions. The rhythm of the song is the heartbeat of millions of Vietnamese hearts, filled with pride and poignant remembrance of the outstanding leader, beloved by the entire Party and the entire nation...
Throughout his life, President Ho Chi Minh always held a special affection for his compatriots in the South. He said, "The South is always in my heart." During the two wars of resistance against French colonialism and American imperialism, he closely followed every step of the revolution in the South. He was always concerned: "As long as the Fatherland is not unified, and our compatriots are still suffering, I cannot eat or sleep peacefully..." Whenever people and soldiers from the South came to visit the North, he would summon them to his stilt house to talk, encourage, advise, and share meals with him... Even in his final days on his sickbed, he continued to follow the war situation in the South with great concern...
In gratitude for President Ho Chi Minh's kindness and affection, the army and people of the South, along with the army and people of the whole country, bravely fought and achieved many outstanding victories, culminating in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, achieving "total victory for us" on April 30, 1975. This is a great achievement of the Vietnamese revolution, affirming the unshakeable will of our people to unify the country, forged over thousands of years of nation-building and national defense.
The embodiment of that indomitable, steely will, and the soul of the resistance war, is the glorious Party and the great President Ho Chi Minh. The great victory of Spring 1975 was a brilliant achievement, a great triumph of the resistance war against the US to save the nation. This victory reflected the extraordinary willpower of our army and people; at the same time, it affirmed the determination of the Vietnamese people to liberate the South and unify the country. In particular, the Ho Chi Minh Campaign was the decisive blow that took place nearly two years earlier than initially planned, causing surprise and terror to the enemy. Implementing the Politburo's strategic guiding principle of "speed, boldness, surprise, and certain victory," our army and people brilliantly and completely executed the final campaign of the resistance war.
The great victory of Spring 1975 ushered in a new era for the country: the era of Independence, Unification, and Socialism. During the long night of slavery and under enemy bombs, the greatest aspiration of our nation was Independence, Freedom, Peace, and Unification. Today, the greatest aspiration of the Vietnamese people is the aspiration for a prosperous and happy nation. This is clearly stated in the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party, reflecting the great political determination of the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army to "strive to make our country a developed nation by the middle of the 21st century, following the socialist orientation." This is a great aspiration, rooted in the practical realities of the revolution under the leadership of the Party, especially from the tremendous achievements of nearly four decades of national renewal, which has opened a new era – the era of the nation's progress.
To usher the country into a new era, our Party is continuing to innovate its leadership methods, urgently removing bottlenecks hindering development; resolutely building a truly streamlined political system that operates effectively and efficiently, meeting the requirements of the new revolutionary period... It can be said that this is the second Renovation initiated and led by our Party since the completion of the national liberation and reunification of the country. The miracle of a semi-feudal colonial country that bravely fought and defeated two of the world's most powerful imperialist and colonial powers; the miracle of a country that, from being surrounded and embargoed, successfully implemented the Renovation with great achievements; the results of the fight against corruption, and the building and rectification of the Party in recent times... are the energy and confidence that fuel the nation's new journey.
As a nation that has endured long and arduous wars of resistance to liberate the people and protect the homeland, the Vietnamese people understand better than anyone else the brutality of war. Those tragedies have receded many decades ago, but their lingering effects still ache in the material and spiritual lives of many individuals, families, and generations, poignantly reminding everyone of the immeasurable value of the peaceful life we enjoy today. What greater happiness is there than living and working in a peaceful country, especially one that is undergoing gradual renewal and development like our beloved Vietnam today? While in many parts of the world, bombs still fall, bullets fly, death and displacement still occur. Therefore, maintaining revolutionary vigilance, working together to preserve peace, and resolutely defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland remain the constant guiding principles of every cadre, soldier, and citizen of Vietnam.
The international context and the spirit of the times are opening up historical opportunities for our nation, but also posing enormous challenges. The lesson of "seizing opportunities" and the swift, bold spirit of the Great Victory of Spring 1975 remain invaluable. Patriotism, self-reliance, and the aspiration to build a prosperous and happy country... along with the unity of all Vietnamese people both at home and abroad, are immense internal resources that will propel the nation's progress towards early success.
History presents some incredibly significant coincidences: In mid-April 1975, based on our position and strength on the Southern battlefield, on April 14, 1975, the Politburo approved the plan to liberate Saigon, codenamed the Ho Chi Minh Campaign. General Vo Nguyen Giap, Commander-in-Chief, issued the directive: "Speed, even greater speed; boldness, even greater boldness; seize every hour, every minute, rush forward to liberate the South and unify the country!"
Fifty years after that historic campaign, in April of this year, the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam held its 11th Conference to discuss key issues of the institutional reform revolution, streamlining the apparatus, promoting science and technology... and important matters leading up to the 14th National Party Congress. This was truly a historic conference discussing historic decisions. It can be said that never before has the country faced such a new opportunity for development as it does now.
And these days, the whole country is once again filled with the joyful song, "As if Uncle Ho were present on this joyous day of great victory!" In the era of national resurgence, "Uncle Ho is still marching with us," continuing the glorious revolutionary path that He had charted and guided. The resounding song urges the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army to strengthen their ranks, overcome all obstacles, and keep pace with the times. Studying and following Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality, and style, the army and people of the whole country "vow to strive forward with Him forever," fulfilling His last wish: "To build a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and prosperous Vietnam."
