Promoting the immortal spirit of the August Revolution and National Day September 2

Nghe An Newspaper respectfully introduces the full text of the Speech of Politburo member, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Truong Tan Sang at the Ceremony to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day September 2.

President Truong Tan Sang and Party and State leaders at the ceremony.

Dear Leaders, former Leaders of the Party, State, Vietnam Fatherland Front, veteran revolutionaries, and heroic Vietnamese mothers.

Dear international guests and delegates,
Dear compatriots, soldiers nationwide and overseas Vietnamese.

70 years ago, in the historic days of Autumn, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, our people made the great August Revolution. On September 2, at Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, on behalf of the provisional government, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, solemnly declaring to the people and the whole world: “Vietnam has the right to enjoy freedom and independence, and in fact has become a free and independent country” (1), giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the first people's democratic state in Southeast Asia, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. This important event is a brilliant milestone in the glorious history of building and defending the country of our people.

The success of the August Revolution leading to the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was a great victory for our people, smashing the yoke of domination, oppression and exploitation of the colonial and feudal regimes, and taking power into the hands of the people. Our country transformed from a colonial and semi-feudal country into an independent and free one. Our people transformed from slaves into masters of the country, masters of society, masters of their own destiny. Our country and people entered a new era, the era of national independence and socialism. The August Revolution was an event of epochal significance, of profound international significance; a source of great encouragement and motivation for colonial peoples and oppressed and exploited peoples around the world to rise up and fight for national independence, democracy and social progress.

The August Revolution was a victory of the strength of great national unity, the tradition of ardent patriotism, the mettle, intelligence and indomitable will of our people inherited and promoted to new heights in the struggle organized and led by our Party; it was a victory of the correct revolutionary line, the wise leadership, strategic vision, the acumen to create and seize opportunities that only exist once in a thousand years, combining the strength of the nation with the strength of the times of our Party and President Ho Chi Minh. That line, with the absolute loyalty of the Party members to the revolutionary ideal, regardless of hardships and sacrifices, persistently propagandizing, mobilizing, and organizing the people to rise up in unison to seize power throughout the country, was the result of three revolutionary high tides of our people during the 15 years since the founding of the Party.

Over the past 70 years, fulfilling the sacred oath at the Declaration of Independence Ceremony “The entire Vietnamese people are determined to devote all their spirit and strength, their lives and property to maintain that freedom and independence” (2), our people have devoted countless efforts, intelligence, and sacrificed countless blood to maintain the achievements and realize the noble goals of the August Revolution: independence for the Fatherland, freedom and happiness for the people. Our Party, State and people have crushed all plots of sabotage by hostile forces, protected the young revolutionary government; carried out a nine-year long resistance war, full of hardship and sacrifice, creating the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory “resounding throughout the five continents, shaking the earth.” Then, after twenty-one years of heroic and resilient fighting, we defeated the enemy's war strategies, won total victory in the 1975 Spring General Offensive and Uprising, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, completely liberating the South and unifying the country. Immediately after that, our people had to continue to fight to protect the Fatherland at the Southwestern and Northern borders and fulfill our noble international obligations. Only then could our people truly live in peace and rebuild the country. It was exactly as Nguyen Trai wrote in the Proclamation of Victory over the Wu: "From now on, the country will be stable and the country will be renewed" (3).

The renovation policy proposed by the 6th National Congress of our Party meets the urgent demands of reality, is in line with the people's wishes, is supported and actively implemented by the people, and has opened a new period of development for our country. After nearly 30 years of efforts, our country has achieved great and historic achievements. From a poor and backward country, Vietnam has risen up, emerged from the socio-economic crisis, surpassed the threshold of a poor and underdeveloped country, and become a middle-income developing country; people's lives have improved; politics and society are stable; independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity have been maintained; foreign relations have been increasingly expanded, and Vietnam's prestige and position in the international arena have been constantly enhanced. The nation's overall strength has increased, creating new positions and forces for the country to continue developing with good prospects. The great victories and great achievements of our people over the past 70 years have been admired and highly appreciated by the people of the world and international friends, becoming valuable assets for our nation in the process of promoting industrialization, modernization and international integration.

Dear compatriots and comrades,

Today, the Party, the State and the Vietnam Fatherland Front solemnly celebrate the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. With pride and sacred emotion, we respectfully commemorate President Ho Chi Minh, the genius leader, national liberation hero, world cultural celebrity, who devoted his whole life to the people and the country, leading our Party and people to glorious victories, making our nation and our country shine. His thoughts and career are invaluable assets, a torch to light the way for our nation to firmly step into the future. We will forever remember the great merits of millions of heroes, martyrs, and outstanding sons of the nation who heroically sacrificed for independence, freedom, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, for socialism, and for noble international obligations. We express our deep gratitude to the revolutionary veterans, the heroic Vietnamese mothers, the wounded and sick soldiers, the families with meritorious services to the country, and all the compatriots and soldiers nationwide who have fought bravely, sacrificed, and made great contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of our nation. We will forever remember and express our deep gratitude for the valuable assistance of the people of fraternal countries, progressive forces, and friends from all over the world for the past struggle for national liberation and reunification, as well as for the present cause of building and defending our Fatherland.

Today, our country is facing great opportunities and fortunes, but also many difficulties and challenges. The world and regional situation is changing profoundly and rapidly, with complex and unpredictable developments. Wars, ethnic conflicts, religious terrorism, riots, and territorial sovereignty disputes are taking place in many places; especially the increasingly increasing disputes over sea and island sovereignty in the East Sea and the plots and activities of hostile forces against our State and regime, directly threatening the peace, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. Domestically, the achievements in recent years are very important but not commensurate with the potential, and not sustainable in terms of economy, culture, society and environment. The four dangers that our Party has pointed out still exist, with increasingly serious manifestations and more complicated developments, especially the danger of falling further behind economically and the degradation of political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle, fading ideals, and reduced fighting spirit; bureaucracy, corruption, and waste among a number of cadres and Party members have not been prevented or pushed back, causing resentment in society and discontent among the people, and undermining people's trust in the Party and State.

On the occasion of the August Revolution and National Day, our entire Party, people and army vow to unite, strive, seize opportunities, overcome challenges, devote all their efforts, enhance their will, maintain revolutionary achievements, continue to carry out the noble goals of the August Revolution and the Independence Oath engraved in the hearts of every Vietnamese; successfully carry out the two strategic tasks of building and defending the Fatherland; shorten the development gap with other countries; strive to soon turn our country into an industrialized country in a modern direction; firmly protect independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, protect national and ethnic interests, protect the Party, State, people and the socialist regime; maintain a peaceful and stable environment for national development; enhance the country's position in the international arena; bring a truly free, prosperous and happy life to the people, as Uncle Ho advised: "If the country is independent but the people do not enjoy freedom and happiness, then independence is meaningless" (4).

To successfully achieve these noble goals, our Party, State and people must bring into full play the strength of national solidarity, combined with the strength of the times; continue to comprehensively promote the cause of innovation, develop a socialist-oriented market economy; promote industrialization, modernization, and economic restructuring associated with growth model innovation to develop the country quickly and sustainably. Develop all cultural and social fields; achieve social progress and justice. Take the goal of building a peaceful, independent, unified, territorially integrity-rich, strong, democratic, equitable and civilized Vietnam as a common point, eliminate all complexes and prejudices about the past, accept differences that are not contrary to the common interests of the nation to unite all patriotic Vietnamese people.

Strengthening national defense and security potential, building a solid all-people defense posture, a solid people's security posture, especially the potential and posture of the people's hearts. Building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, gradually modern People's Army and People's Police with high overall quality and fighting power; absolutely loyal to the Fatherland and people, to the Party and State, constantly raising vigilance, defeating all plots and sabotage activities of hostile forces, maintaining political security, social order and safety, protecting the peaceful life of the people, firmly protecting the independence, sovereignty, and sacred territorial integrity of the Fatherland, not being passive or surprised in any situation. Consistently implementing an independent, autonomous, peaceful, cooperative and development foreign policy, multilateralizing and diversifying relations, Vietnam is a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community. Continuously improve the effectiveness of foreign affairs activities, the country's prestige and position in the region and the world, gain support from international friends; actively contribute to maintaining peace, stability and development in the region, and to the struggle for national independence, democracy and social progress of the people of the world.

The key task of decisive significance is to build our Party to be truly clean and strong, with high leadership capacity and fighting power; with correct guidelines, in accordance with objective laws and the country's reality, without dogmatism, conservatism, subjectivity, or voluntarism. Build a contingent of Party members who are truly vanguard and exemplary, putting the interests of the people and the country above all else, first and foremost, and who are trusted and loved by the people. Resolutely prevent and repel the degradation of political ideology, ethics and lifestyle, manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party, especially corruption, waste, and bureaucracy. Only then can we consolidate and strengthen the people's trust in the Party and the State. Continue to innovate the Party's leadership methods in the conditions of the Party ruling in a socialist rule-of-law State and integrating internationally. Successfully organize Party Congresses at all levels and the 12th National Party Congress. Continue to build and perfect the socialist rule of law state of the people, by the people, for the people; all state power belongs to the people; all state agencies and civil servants must be subject to people's supervision. Innovate state management in accordance with the requirements of developing a socialist-oriented market economy; promote democracy, while at the same time upholding discipline and order, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of state management in all areas of social life. More than ever, we must imbibe Uncle Ho's teachings: "A nation, a party and each individual, who were great yesterday, had great appeal, are not necessarily loved and praised by everyone today and tomorrow, if their hearts are no longer pure, if they fall into individualism" (5).

Dear compatriots and comrades.

Solemnly commemorating the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day September 2, deeply aware of the stature, great historical significance and victorious lessons of the August Revolution, we are even more proud of the great achievements and glorious feats of arms of our people over the past 70 years under the leadership of our Party and great President Ho Chi Minh, proud of the heroic country and people of Vietnam, and increasingly increase our determination and confidence to successfully complete all heavy but extremely glorious tasks in the new revolutionary period. Opportunities, luck, and a bright future await our nation! Promoting the immortal spirit of the August Revolution and National Day September 2, I call on all compatriots, comrades and soldiers nationwide, and overseas Vietnamese to continue to foster patriotism, unite, join forces, and form a solid bloc, seize opportunities, overcome all challenges, strive together, bring our country to stand shoulder to shoulder with friends from all over the world; preserve the integrity of the beautiful mountains and rivers our ancestors left behind. We firmly believe that our people - a people with a long-standing culture, intelligence, mettle, a tradition of resilience, indomitability, diligence, intelligence, and creativity, who have made glorious achievements, will certainly create new miracles in the cause of successfully building a Vietnam of rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization, and firmly protecting our beloved Vietnam!

Long live the spirit of August Revolution and National Day September 2!
Long live the Socialist Republic of Vietnam!
Long live the glorious Communist Party of Vietnam!
Great President Ho Chi Minh lives forever in our cause!
Dear compatriots, comrades and delegates,

_____________________________

*Note:
(1) Ho Chi Minh Complete Works, volume 4, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, page 3
(2) Ho Chi Minh Complete Works, volume 4, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, page 3
(3) Nguyen Trai - Proclamation of Victory over the Wu (translated by Ngo Tat To)
(4) Ho Chi Minh Complete Works, volume 4, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, p. 64.
(5) Ho Chi Minh Complete Works, volume 15, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, p. 672.