The spirit of National Day September 2 encourages the Vietnamese national spirit forever

Open a new era for the nation

On August 16, 1945, at Tan Trao communal house (Tuyen Quang), President Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh General Department held a meeting.opening of the National Congress(also known as the Tan Trao National Congress). Attending the Congress were more than 60 delegates representing all three regions of the North - Central - South, representing sectors, classes, ethnic groups, political parties, national salvation organizations and a number of overseas Vietnamese in Thailand and Laos. The Congress approved the Ten Policies of the Viet Minh. The first of the Ten Policies of the Viet Minh was "Seize power, build a Democratic Republic of Vietnam on the foundation of complete independence". The Congress also established the Vietnam National Liberation Committee headed by President Ho Chi Minh. The Congress stipulated that the National Flag is a red flag with a five-pointed yellow star in the middle and the National Anthem is the Tien Quan Ca.

National Congress of Tan Trao. Documentary picture

After the successful uprisings in Hanoi and many other places, on August 25, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh returned from Viet Bac to the outskirts of Hanoi. At his request, the National Liberation Committee elected by the Tan Trao National Congress was reformed into the Provisional Revolutionary Government of Vietnam. On the afternoon of August 26, 1945, the Central Committee welcomed him to the second floor of house number 48, Hang Ngang Street. He decided to urgently organize the inauguration ceremony of the Provisional Revolutionary Government on September 2, 1945.

From 12 noon on September 2, 1945, many people from all walks of life began to protest.gathered at Ba Dinh flower gardento receive the official declaration of the country's independence. Red banners with yellow letters in Vietnamese, English, French, Chinese, and Russian were hung across the streets. The people's will was expressed in the words: "Vietnam belongs to the Vietnamese", "Independence or death", "Support President Ho Chi Minh".

According to the National Salvation Newspaper (the propaganda and fighting agency of the Viet Minh Front) published on September 5, 1945, at that time, a flagpole with a radio had been set up in the middle of Ba Dinh Square. The groups attending the ceremony followed the order set by the organizing committee. Closest to the flagpole were the groups of seniors, Buddhists, Catholics and women. A self-defense team, pistols in hand, stood tightly together in a fence around the flagpole. Soldiers of the Vietnam Liberation Army, bayonets shining on the muzzles of their guns, stood in a line behind the flagpole. The outer ring was a sea of ​​people with a forest of bright red flags with yellow stars.

The bustling August days in Hanoi. Photo: VNA

At 2:00 p.m. on September 2, 1945, the Provisional Revolutionary Government arrived to open the ceremony. All the attention of the huge crowd attending the ceremony was focused on President Ho Chi Minh, who officially announced the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

The ceremony began. The red flag with a yellow star was slowly raised to the top of the flagpole, while the military band played the Marching Song. On the flagpole, members of the Provisional Revolutionary Government raised their fists in salute. Below, a sea of ​​arms also went up.

Then, the representative of the organizing committee stood in front of the radio to read the program of the ceremony and introduce the Provisional Revolutionary Government. Next, President Ho Chi Minh, in a clear and simple voice, read the Declaration of Independence.,declared to the entire nation and the world that the feudal regime in Vietnam had ended and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam had been born. In the face of the French colonialists' plot to invade, he emphasized: "Vietnam has the right to enjoy freedom and independence, and in fact has become a free and independent country. The entire Vietnamese people are determined to devote all their spirit and strength, their lives and property to maintain that freedom and independence." At the end of that resounding declaration, all the people under the flagpole unanimously raised their voices in cheers like thunder.

Next was the oath of the Provisional Revolutionary Government. Standing before the national flag and before the nation, the members of the Provisional Revolutionary Government swore: They will resolutely lead the entire people to maintain the independence of the Fatherland and implement the program of the Viet Minh, to bring freedom and happiness to the nation.

After the Provisional Revolutionary Government took the oath, Comrade Vo Nguyen Giap, Minister of the Interior, presented the domestic situation and the Government's policies. Next, Comrade Tran Huy Lieu reported on the mission to Hue to receive the abdication of King Bao Dai. Comrade Tran Huy Lieu presented to the nation the national seal and the golden sword that King Bao Dai had given as evidence that from now on, the sovereignty of the country had been transferred to the hands of the People's Government.

Scene on September 2, 1945 at Ba Dinh Square (Hanoi), where President Ho Chi Minh, on behalf of the provisional government, read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam). Historical photo

Next, comrade Nguyen Luong Bang, representative of the Viet Minh General Department, recounted the arduous and difficult struggle that the Viet Minh Front has been pursuing for the past few years to liberate the nation and called on all compatriots to unite and support the Government, so that the Government can thoroughly implement the Viet Minh Front's National Construction Program.

At 3:30 a.m. on September 2, 1945, the nation took the oath. The representative of the organizing committee stood in front of the platform and read the oaths aloud. After each word was read, all the people standing under the flagpole shouted loudly: "I swear!", clearly expressing the unshakable will of an entire nation determined to preserve its freedom and independence at any cost.

The ceremony ended. The marching song was played by the military band. The rally turned into a grand demonstration. The groups marched around the flagpole one by one and then split into three lines.

Promoting the spirit of National Day

In the Political Report at the Second National Congress of the Party (February 11, 1951), President Ho Chi Minh reiterated: “On September 2, 1945, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was established, declared to the world the independence of Vietnam, and implemented democratic freedoms in the country.”^[1].

In the “Appeal on the occasion of the August Revolution and National Day” written on September 1, 1954, published in Nhan Dan Newspaper, issue 220 (from September 1 to 3, 1954), President Ho Chi Minh pointed out: “The August Revolution succeeded, on September 2 our country declared independence. The Democratic Republic of Vietnam was born. Free general elections were held, the people of our country elected the National Assembly. The National Assembly passed the Constitution and elected the Central Government. Local governments from commune to province were elected by the people. So at that time we began to implement unity, independence and democracy”^[2].

President Ho Chi Minh and members of the Government took the oath of office at the First Session of the First National Assembly (March 2, 1946). Photo: Archive

Independence - Freedom - Happiness are sacred and precious things of the Vietnamese people. Under the leadership of the Party, the August Revolution of 1945 was successful and "brought the Vietnamese people into a new era, the era of independence, freedom and socialism"^[3]Regarding the good nature of socialism, President Ho Chi Minh pointed out: “Socialism is how to make people have enough to eat, enough to wear, increasingly happy, everyone can go to school, have medicine when sick, retire when old and unable to work, bad customs and habits are gradually eliminated... In short, society is progressing, material things are increasing, spirit is getting better, that is socialism”^[4]. Therefore,spirit of August Revolution and National Day September 2will encourage the Vietnamese national spirit forever to bring Vietnam forward to become a rich, strong, democratic, fair and civilized country.

Under the leadership of the Party, our country has achieved great, historic and comprehensive victories in politics, economy, culture, society, security, national defense, foreign affairs, Party building, building a socialist rule-of-law state... In 2020, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the size of Vietnam's economy reached about 343 billion USD, ranking in the top 40 largest economies in the world.^[5]. Import and export turnover in 2021 exceeded 668.5 billion USD, making Vietnam one of the 20 economies with the largest trade scale in the world.^[6].

The 13th National Congress of the Party also set the country's development goals until 2025 and 2030, with a vision to 2045. Specific goals by 2025, the 50th anniversary of the complete liberation of the South and national reunification: To be a developing country with modern industry, surpassing the low-middle income level. By 2030, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party: To be a developing country with modern industry, with high-middle income. By 2045, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: To become a developed country with high income.^[7].

The spirit of National Day September 2 encourages the Vietnamese national spirit forever. Illustration photo: VNA

In the article “Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam” in 2021, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stated: “With all modesty, we can still say that: Our country has never had such a foundation, potential, position and international prestige as today. Those achievements are the crystallization of creativity, the result of a process of persistent and continuous efforts over many terms of the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army; continuing to affirm that our path to socialism is correct, in accordance with objective laws, with the reality of Vietnam and the development trend of the times; our Party's innovation policy is correct and creative; the Party's leadership is the leading factor determining all victories of the Vietnamese revolution”.

Hue, August 20, 2022

[1] Ho Chi Minh: Selected works, volume 2, Truth Publishing House, Hanoi, 1980, p. 463

[2] Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, volume 7, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2002, p. 337

[3] Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, volume 6, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2002, p. 629

[4] Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, volume 13, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, p. 438

[5] Dr. Nguyen Minh Phong - Dr. Nguyen Tran Minh Tri, "Vietnam's economic position and foundation", Nhan Dan Electronic Newspaper, updated on January 10, 2021.

[6] Ngoc An, "Vietnam enters the top 20 economies with the largest trade scale", Tuoi Tre Electronic Newspaper, updated on January 1, 2022.

[7] See the full text of the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party at: https://baochinhphu.vn/toan-van-nghi-quyet-dai-hoi-dai-bieu-toan-quoc-lan-thu-xiii-cua-dang-102288263.htm.