The armed forces of Nghe An province firmly protect the achievements of the revolution.

Building and protecting achievements

On August 21, 1945, in response to the General Uprising order, under the direct leadership of the Nghe Tinh Uprising Committee, the Vinh town self-defense fighting team, along with tens of thousands of revolutionary masses, achieved a remarkable victory: attacking the provincial governor's residence and the French secret police headquarters, forcing the enemy to lay down their weapons and hand over power to the people. The uprising was swift and successful, "without shedding a single drop of blood," marking a glorious milestone in the history of the armed forces of Nghe An.

Following the August Revolution of 1945, the fledgling revolutionary government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam faced numerous difficulties and challenges, particularly the invasion by French colonialists. To protect the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, on December 19, 1946, President Ho Chi Minh issued a nationwide call for resistance. Responding to his call, the army and people of Nghe An province rose up in unison with the spirit of "Fighting to the death for the survival of the Fatherland." The province's armed forces, with ingenuity and courage, attacked enemy outposts and airfields; building and firmly defending the strategic base area – a vital rear base not only for Military Region 4 but also for the entire country and the fraternal Lao revolution.

During the nine years of resistance against the French, tens of thousands of cadres and soldiers from Nghe An province provided support to the front lines, forming the first main army units of our army. Militia and guerrillas coordinated with the main army units to fight on many battlefields in Binh Tri Thien, Hoa Binh, Northwest Vietnam, Ha Nam Ninh, and Central and Upper Laos... contributing to the glorious Dien Bien Phu victory that "shook the world." Along with fighting, the provincial armed forces also played a core role in eradicating hunger and illiteracy, and carrying out land reform – urgent revolutionary tasks at that time.

Following the Geneva Accords, the country was temporarily divided into two regions, North and South. Nghe An, with its special strategic location, served as both the frontline for the North and the direct rear support for the major frontline in the South and the Laotian revolution. The US imperialists identified Nghe An as a key target for attack, turning it into one of the fiercest battlefields in the North.

With the spirit of "cutting through the Truong Son Mountains to save the country," nearly 300,000 cadres, soldiers, and militia members from Nghe An reinforced the battlefields. In the rear, the army and people fought shoulder to shoulder. The Soviet flame continued to shine, giving strength to the army and people of Nghe An to fight and defeat the enemy.

During the war against the US, the provincial armed forces, in coordination with main units, shot down 553 aircraft (second only to the North), sank or destroyed 36 warships, and captured dozens of commando and reconnaissance teams. Local troops and militia alone shot down 112 aircraft and sank or destroyed 26 enemy warships and commando boats. Notably, the Nghe An militia was the first to shoot down an American aircraft using infantry weapons, initiating the movement to shoot down American aircraft with personal weapons in the Socialist North. In addition, the military and people mobilized over 40 million man-days to build transportation routes to support the fighting.

Fulfilling a glorious international mission, from 1959 to 1973, the armed forces of Nghe An participated in 250 battles on the Laotian battlefield, killing and wounding over 2,500 enemy soldiers, seizing many weapons and military equipment, and contributing to expanding the liberated areas together with their Laotian counterparts.

The heroic deeds of the army and people of Nghe An contributed to defeating the two air and naval bombing campaigns of the US imperialists against North Vietnam, and helped force the US imperialists to sign the Paris Agreement on the unconditional end of the war in Vietnam.

When the homeland was invaded on the northern, southwestern, and island borders, nearly 200,000 young people from Nghe An province once again went to fight to support the battlefields in the country and in neighboring Laos and Cambodia. During the 1985-1986 dry season campaign, the provincial armed forces, along with units of Military Region 4, coordinated with their Lao counterparts to defeat the Vang Pao bandit stronghold, liberating thousands of people.

Following in the footsteps of heroic traditions

Entering the period of reform (from 1986 to the present), the armed forces of Nghe An province have proactively advised the Party Committee and the government on effectively implementing state management of national defense, building regional defense potential, and combining socio-economic development with strengthening national defense and security. The system of defense structures on the sea, islands, borders, and inland has been built synchronously, forming a comprehensive and solid defense posture. The provincial armed forces have seriously and effectively carried out national defense education, recruitment, militia building, and reserve mobilization force management.

The provincial armed forces have consistently received attention and been strengthened in terms of politics, ideology, organization, ethics, and personnel; prioritizing the development of a team of officers and staff capable of meeting the demands of the new situation. Training for all personnel has been continuously improved and enhanced; emphasis has been placed on comprehensive, in-depth training tailored to the specific circumstances and mission requirements of each unit.

Military, police, and border guard forces have coordinated patrols and controls to protect the sovereignty and security of borders, islands, and inland areas, maintaining stability in the region; and participated in disaster prevention and mitigation efforts.natural disasters...disease outbreaks and search and rescue operations with the spirit: "Saving the people is a command from the heart," "The lives and property of the people are paramount," contributing to promoting the qualities and spreading the image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the new situation....

Furthermore, the provincial armed forces regularly coordinate and effectively carry out mass mobilization work, policy work, and patriotic emulation movements in the locality; especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the spirit of "fighting the epidemic like fighting an enemy," the officers and soldiers of the provincial armed forces were always the core force, leading the way and leaving a deep impression on the people.

In preserving and promoting international relations, the armed forces of Nghe An maintain solidarity and friendship with the government, people, and armed forces of the three border provinces of Laos. Defense diplomacy activities, bilateral patrols, and information sharing are carried out effectively, contributing to building a peaceful, friendly, and cooperative border. The search, excavation, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who died in Laos are carried out meticulously and with great compassion.

Recently, in strict implementation of the Resolutions and Conclusions of the Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Central Military Commission, the provincial armed forces have deployed the reorganization of local military agencies according to the two-tiered local government model. To date, the reorganization of local military organizations within the armed forces has met the requirements of the new situation, aligning with the organization, staffing, and deployment of military forces in localities. In particular, it has ensured the principle of absolute Party leadership over the Vietnam People's Army; guaranteed command and unity in building a comprehensive and solid defense zone, maintaining stability; and ensured a "lean, efficient, and strong" operation.

Colonel Dinh Bat Van, Commander of the Provincial Military Command, stated: In the coming time, with high political determination, the armed forces of Nghe An province will continue to uphold their proud tradition of being twice awarded the title of Hero.Armed ForcesThe people have overcome all difficulties to build a strong, comprehensive, "exemplary and outstanding" provincial armed force with a rational organizational structure, suitable to the requirements of national defense in the new situation. They continue to be the core force in building a national defense posture integrated with a people's security posture, building an increasingly strong defense zone to meet the requirements of building and defending the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the new period.

Thanh Chung