Only through patriotic emulation can we defeat them.

(Baonghean) - After Vietnam gained independence in September 1945, as President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Uncle Ho spent nine years in the Viet Bac resistance zone leading the national reconstruction effort, and fifteen years living in Hanoi. Whether working at the Northern Government House, visiting and inspecting the situation in rural areas, cities, factories, military units, receiving foreign guests, or attending international conferences and friendly visits to fraternal countries and friends around the world, the people never saw him wearing a suit, tie, or black shoes. Instead, they only saw him wearing a high-collared Sun Yat-sen jacket, commonly known as a "cadre" jacket. When interacting with the people, he wore a simple brown or light yellow peasant outfit and rubber sandals. That was all.

Once, during a visit to Thai Binh province after the revolution's success, Uncle Ho saw a member of the National Guard working as a security guard wearing gaiters, a wide belt, and a tie, standing out from everyone else in the crowd. Uncle Ho stopped and asked:

- You tie this kind of knot too, Uncle?

In the Northern Government Office after the liberation of the capital, seeing some comrades returning from the war zone already dressed in suits and ties, Uncle Ho said gently:

You guys look like real city dwellers now!

On one occasion, while visiting a foreign country, some of the accompanying officials asked Uncle Ho to take them sightseeing in the city. He agreed but reminded everyone to wear suits and ties properly before going out. The officials also heard him say:

- As living standards improve, so does clothing, but one must adapt to the circumstances and the times.
From President Ho's perspective, the timing and circumstances were very clear. The revolution had just succeeded, the resistance (against the French) had just won, but the people were starving for both food and education. Yet, our cadres – servants of the people – were wearing luxurious clothes like the former rulers, which was inappropriate, unsightly, and distant from the people; the people might misunderstand...

Many times, Uncle Ho went down to the countryside, visiting the farmers plowing in the fields. When he reached the edge of the rice paddies, he would take off his sandals, roll up his trousers, and wade into the water, using the water wheel to irrigate the fields. Returning to the banyan tree at the edge of the forest, he would take out his rice balls and rice cakes and happily eat with his family.

The story goes that: During the trip to France in 1946 to negotiate with the French government to abandon its intention to invade Vietnam (67 years ago), before his departure, Uncle Ho was still working normally according to the planned schedule and timetable. No one saw him "preparing" anything, while many of those accompanying him to France were busy researching Parisian fashion, getting fancy clothes made, buying expensive ties, getting new shoes, and some even buying perfumes with the label "Reverdore (Golden Dream)" for their trip to the West.

The commotion, the apparent "competition" among us in shopping and showing off, made Uncle Ho feel compelled to remind you all, even though he loves everyone very much and lives a very egalitarian life, without discrimination against anyone.

Uncle Ho said something to us that was very sincere and also very relevant to the circumstances at the time:

"If you want to 'compete' with foreign presidents and prime ministers in terms of fashion, you'll lose. But if we compete with them in patriotism and love for the people, then we can win, right?"

Uncle Ho's teachings are truly wise.

Two years later, after our army and people achieved a great victory, liberating the Cao Bang border, the war situation changed, but our position was not yet strong, our forces were still weak. Following the Central Committee's resolution in June 1948, President Ho Chi Minh issued a call for patriotic emulation: "Emulation is patriotism, patriotism requires emulation, everyone emulates, every sector emulates, every day emulates, we will certainly win, the enemy will certainly lose," to achieve the "Three People's" goals: "National independence, people's rights and freedoms, people's happiness." Simultaneously waging war and building the nation, in 1954 we won the Dien Bien Phu victory, and in 1975 we "drove the Americans out, defeated the puppet regime," unifying the country and moving forward to build socialism. We are currently achieving many new successes in the comprehensive national renewal initiated and led by the Party, integrating into the international and regional arenas, aiming to build our country into a modern industrialized nation by 2020.

Nguyen Tan Hoa (Son La Journalists Association)