Glorious milestones of the Propaganda industry

Revolutionary climax (1930 - 1931) and Nghe Tinh Soviet

Immediately after its establishment, our Party advocated promoting propaganda work on the establishment of the Party and the Party's revolutionary line; widely disseminating the Appeal of leader Nguyen Ai Quoc; proposing many slogans reflecting the urgent aspirations of the working masses...; thereby sparking a vibrant and widespread revolutionary movement throughout the country. Hundreds of struggles of workers, farmers, and soldiers broke out fiercely in many provinces and cities, the peak of which was the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement.

Nghe Tinh Soviet climax in 1930 - 1931. (Painting)

Propaganda work was carried out openly and extensively, focusing on propagating the policies of the revolution: debt cancellation, rent reduction, redistribution of public land to farmers, abolition of all taxes, promulgation of democratic rights, trial of reactionaries, elimination of bad customs, organization of cultural studies... During this period, many newspapers of the Party and localities were born. Revolutionary poetry was circulated. Revolutionary books, newspapers, and documents were widely disseminated.

The focus of ideological work during this period was propaganda and training of propaganda cadres. Ideological work focused on political enlightenment for party members and the masses, propagating Marxism-Leninism, and transforming the patriotic ideology of our people into the stance of the working class.

Fighting terrorism, restoring and developing the revolutionary movement (1932 - 1935)

During this time, ideological work was carried out promptly, sharply, closely following reality, contributing significantly to stabilizing the ideology of cadres and party members, enhancing confidence in the ideals and victory of the revolution; setting a shining example of the communists' spirit of sacrifice and indomitability for the sake of the revolution; contributing significantly to the restoration and development of the revolutionary movement in the face of the enemy's brutal terror, preparing for larger struggles in the future.

Democratic movement 1936 - 1939

During this period, the Party Central Committee advocated the vigorous development of press, publishing, distribution, training, and cadre training through the development of public publication of books and newspapers and the selection of qualified party members to write books and articles; each party cell established a "popular book society" to buy and read revolutionary books and newspapers; and encouraged the masses to buy and read books and newspapers. Party committees at all levels republished Central propaganda materials, established Training Committees to take care of cadre training and political training for party members and the masses. Many works of critical realism were published. The movement to propagate the national language developed widely. Thanks to good propaganda work, we won the elections for the Northern and Central Houses of Representatives (1937-1938).

Propaganda work has made an important contribution to creating a vibrant revolutionary movement, which is considered the second rehearsal for the victory of the August Revolution in 1945; closely following the political goals and tasks, which are: fighting for freedom and democracy, improving life and peace, fighting against colonial reactionaries, fascism and war; creating conditions for the Party's guidelines and policies to penetrate deeply into the masses, contributing to promoting the development of national culture, strongly encouraging the spirit of the revolutionary movement, gathering progressive intellectuals and artists to participate in the revolutionary movement.

National Liberation Movement and August Revolution (1939 - 1945)

Propaganda work during the period of 1939 - 1945 was closely linked to and practically served the arduous, difficult but very heroic and glorious struggle for national liberation of our Party and people. Through propaganda work, it contributed to promoting patriotism and the tradition of solidarity, heroism and indomitability of the nation, rising up to liberate itself from the slavery of imperialism and its lackeys. That is to promptly convey the Party's opinions and policies, put forth appropriate slogans to guide the thoughts and actions of the masses; sharply fight against the thoughts of inferiority, slavery, erroneous tendencies, timidity, hesitation or haste, rashness...

General uprising to seize power in Hanoi. Photo archive

The victory of the August Revolution in 1945 was the victory of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought and the independent, autonomous and creative line of the Vietnamese revolution; at the same time, it was also a great achievement of propaganda work in propagating and mobilizing the revolution, turning Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought, the Party's lines and policies into a revolutionary movement of the masses in the process of struggling to gain power and liberate the nation from colonialism and feudalism.

Participate in protecting the revolutionary government and building a new society (1945 - 1946)

After the August Revolution, the newly established revolutionary government encountered numerous difficulties. The common task of the entire Party, people and army, including the Propaganda Department, was to unite the entire people to protect the young revolutionary government, fight against internal and external enemies, and contribute to advancing the revolution. Propaganda work at this time focused on educating the people on the steadfast, indomitable will and determination to protect the achievements of the revolution, to protect independence and freedom; and to encourage the people to carry out three major tasks: to eradicate hunger, illiteracy and foreign invaders.

Immediately after the uprising, the Ministry of Propaganda was established, taking over the propaganda and press facilities of the old regime. The main branches of propaganda work were established one after another, such as the Voice of Vietnam and Vietnam News Agency. Newspapers of the Party, the Viet Minh Front and many mass organizations were published publicly and widely. Propaganda work focused on denouncing the plots and crimes of French colonialism in the South, arousing the determination to fight against the invasion and supporting the resistance of the people of the South.

In November 1945, the Party Central Committee issued the Directive on Resistance and National Construction, defining the nature of our country's revolution and the two strategic tasks of resistance against French colonialism and building a new regime. Propaganda work focused on the immediate main tasks of consolidating the government, fighting against French colonialism, eliminating internal resistance, improving people's lives, and fighting illiteracy. Everywhere there was the slogan "The frontline destroys invaders, the rear eliminates illiteracy", many folk songs and chants were composed to encourage the movement... As a result, after 1 year, 2 million people had escaped illiteracy.

People enthusiastically participate in the movement to "eliminate illiteracy". Photo: Archive

The campaign to build a new life, educate the spirit of patriotism, the ethics of “diligence, thrift, integrity, and uprightness”, and fight against bad customs and backwardness was also widely propagated. Theft, gambling, bad customs in funerals and weddings were eliminated in many places, information work at the grassroots level, revolutionary arts movements with mass character, especially singing and sports, were widely developed.

In January 1946, the Government decided to hold a general election to elect the National Assembly, draft a Constitution and establish an official Government. The propaganda and election campaign work was truly a fierce struggle against the sabotage of Chiang Kai-shek's army and the Viet Quoc and Viet Cach lackeys in the North and the French colonialists in the South. With the popular slogans everywhere: "All voters go to the ballot box"; "Each vote is a bullet to kill the enemy", the propaganda work contributed to the success of the general election.

Mobilizing the entire people to resist, the entire nation to resist, patriotic emulation and leading to decisive victory (1946 - 1954)

During the years of the resistance war against France, under the leadership and direction of the Central Party and the Government, the team of cadres working in propaganda, press, publishing, culture, arts... were present on the hot battlefields, reflecting and encouraging the heroism in combat and production of soldiers and people across the country.

During this time, scientific and educational work focused mainly on the fields of education and training, health care, and intellectual mobilization. Propaganda work encouraged patriotic emulation movements, eradicated hunger, illiteracy, and foreign invaders. Propaganda and agitation work focused on highlighting the significance of the Viet Bac Victory, and popularizing President Ho Chi Minh's Appeal on December 19, 1946...

Vietnamese soldiers wave a flag on top of a French command bunker in Dien Bien Phu, May 7, 1954. Photo: AFP

In 1954, our army attacked the Dien Bien Phu stronghold. Propaganda work organized political activities for cadres and soldiers on the front line, educating them on revolutionary heroism, the spirit of active attack, the will to win, the determination to obey combat orders, overcoming negative thoughts, fear of hardship and sacrifice, correcting subjective thoughts, underestimating the enemy when there was victory, praising examples of brave fighting and sacrifice. Thereby, contributing significantly to the Dien Bien Phu victory, liberating the North, forcing France to sign the Geneva Agreement.

The highlight of propaganda work during this period was that it reached every home and every person; linking propaganda of the resistance line with agitation to complete specific tasks of the resistance in each period, at all times and places...

Carrying out the task of consolidating the North and promoting political struggle in the South (1954 - 1960)

Implementing the 6th Central Resolution of the Party Central Committee (July 1954) and the Politburo Resolution on economic restoration, completing the national democratic revolution and carrying out socialist transformation in the North, propaganda work helped the Party Committee organize forces to widely propagate the Government's policies towards the newly liberated areas; expose the enemy's distorted and fabricated arguments, mobilize people to participate in the struggle to effectively carry out the takeover work. Commend the movements "Sharing rice and clothes", "A piece of food when hungry is worth a package when full"... which had a positive impact on the masses. Focus on thoroughly grasping and helping the Party Committee implement the Directives, Resolutions and plans of the Secretariat and the Central Committee on strengthening the organization of studying Marxist-Leninist theory for cadres and Party members; educating Party members on socialist enlightenment; on agricultural cooperativization and reforming private capitalist industry and commerce according to socialism...

Thai Binh's "Three Ready" youth movement: Some went to fight, others stayed behind to compete in production under bombs and bullets (August 1964) after the US expanded its air strikes to the North. Photo courtesy

During this period, propaganda work played an important role in arousing the will, knowledge and strength of the masses, strongly encouraging emulation movements such as Gio Dai Phong, Song Duyen Hai, Tieng Trong Bac Ly, Co Ba Nhat... This was also the period when propaganda work achieved many great achievements, especially in the fields of science and technology, such as: education, health care, people's health care...

Along with the task of consolidating the North, propaganda work mobilized the mass movement to support and encourage the struggle of the people in the South, organized rallies, demonstrations, and protests against the US-Diem violation of the Geneva Agreement, repression and terror of the people in the South, sabotage of negotiations and general elections, and mobilized the political struggle movement, leading to the Dong Khoi uprising in the South.

Defeating the US's "Special War" strategy (1961 - 1965)

During the years 1960-1964, the people of the South rose up together and defeated the "Special War" strategy of the US imperialists. Ideological work always focused on thoroughly understanding the direction, tasks, and motto of the struggle in the new situation; attached importance to disseminating practical experiences; at the same time, actively advised and proposed the Party and State to launch the emulation movement "Brave warriors destroy the US", raising the determination to fight the US to complete victory.

The North both built and fought, supporting the South, struggling to unify the country (1965 - 1975)

With the goal of defeating the US imperialists' strategy of "Local War" and "Vietnamization of the war", propaganda work played an important role in motivating the army and people of the North to shift economic development to wartime, both producing and fighting, defeating the US's destructive war and actively supporting the South.

The success of propaganda work in this period was to continue to promote patriotic emulation movements, to encourage compatriots and soldiers nationwide to enthusiastically work, produce and fight. In the North, propaganda work focused on propagating and promoting patriotic emulation movements, such as "For the South", "Three ready youth", "Three capable women", effectively supporting human and material resources for the great frontline in the South, encouraging generations of enthusiastic youth to go to war with the spirit of "Splitting Truong Son to save the country".

For the Central region, focus on propaganda, arouse patriotism and revolutionary traditions, all with one heart "Let the car pass, no regret for the house; Let the road be clear, no regret for blood and bones".

Female Youth Volunteers of Company 317 fill bomb craters to clear the road in Truong Bon during the war years. Photo: Archive

In the South, propaganda work encouraged the masses to step up political and armed struggles everywhere, in all three regions: mountainous, plain and urban areas; aroused hatred for the enemy, fostered patriotism, bravery, and the spirit of not fearing sacrifice, creating many emulation movements to kill the enemy and gain achievements: "Emulation in Ap Bac to kill the enemy and gain achievements", "Take to the streets to demand freedom and democracy", "Sing for my people to hear...

The power of Vietnamese patriotism and heroism was transformed by the victory of the 1975 Spring General Offensive and Uprising, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, liberating the South, unifying the country, and bringing the whole country to socialism.

Overcoming the consequences of war, restoring and developing the economy (1975 - 1985)

The country had just gone through 30 years of war, had to deal with border wars, was besieged and embargoed by the US and other imperialist forces, our country's economy and society fell into a prolonged crisis, and people's lives faced many difficulties.

In that context, propaganda work focused on encouraging all classes of people to raise their will to overcome difficulties, determined to overcome challenges, and quickly unify the country; to promote the spirit of striving to quickly overcome the consequences of war, win the two wars to protect the southwestern and northern borders of the Fatherland, step by step build the country's important initial material and technical foundations, creating conditions for the next steps of development. Especially through practice, it has gradually prepared the theory for the cause of national renewal.

Period of innovation and international integration (1986 - 2020)

At the 6th Congress (1986), our Party initiated and led the cause of comprehensive national renovation. Since then, nearly 35 years have passed, and the task and function have been an important part of Party building work, advising Party committees at all levels in Party building work in terms of politics, ideology, ethics, guidelines, viewpoints and policies of the Party in the fields of propaganda, political theory, Party history, press, publishing, culture, arts, foreign information, science and education.

The 6th National Congress of the Party was held in Hanoi from December 15 to 18, 1986. Photo: nhandan.com.vn

Propaganda work has accompanied the entire Party, people and army in carrying out the cause of innovation and has achieved many successes. These are:

- Create unity of perception, ideology and action within the entire Party and consensus among the people to successfully implement the path of national renewal and international integration.

- Strengthening the belief and pride in the Party, the country and the Vietnamese people; enhancing the prestige and position of the country; contributing to building a clean and strong Party and political system, meeting the requirements of tasks in the new situation.

- Contribute to supplementing and perfecting the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws; constantly caring for and improving the people's material and spiritual life; promoting the people's mastery and the strength of great national unity in the cause of building, developing and defending the Fatherland.

- Struggle to protect the Party's ideological foundation, contribute to building an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity; build a safe and healthy cultural and social environment, and build new Vietnamese people.

Especially in the past 5 years, propaganda work from the central to local levels has had profound changes and achieved outstanding results, contributing with the entire Party, people and army to successfully implement the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress, building the Party and the political system to be increasingly clean and strong.

-The advisory work helps the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and Party committees at all levels to lead and direct the implementation of propaganda work in increasingly proactive, sensitive, creative, and practical ways.

National conference to review 2 years of implementing the Directive of the 12th Politburo on promoting studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle. Photo: Government e-newspaper

The work of advising and proposing in leadership and direction of the implementation of Directive No. 05-CT/TW of the Politburo on "continuing to promote studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle" in conjunction with the implementation of the Resolution of the 4th Central Committee of the 11th and 12th terms on Party building and rectification has gone into greater depth, contributing to building the Party to be increasingly clean and strong in politics, ideology, organization and morality.

- Education in history, tradition, ethics, and lifestyle in general schools; theoretical work, political and ideological education, especially political education in universities, colleges, vocational high schools, and vocational training schools are focused on, making an important contribution to the work of building a clean and strong Party.

- Information and propaganda work, orienting public opinion has many innovations and creativity, meeting the requirements and tasks set forth in practice.

- Advisory work in the fields of science and technology is increasingly proactive and has many important changes.

- The work of combating and refuting false and hostile arguments and viewpoints has had many positive changes and is increasingly effective.