Full text of the General Secretary's article on the April 30, 1975 Victory

We respectfully introduce the full text of the article by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong entitled: "The great victory of the cause of fighting against the US and saving the country is the victory of Vietnam's military line and art under the correct and creative leadership of the Party."

The 1975 Spring General Offensive and Uprising ended the great resistance war against the US to save the country by our army and people, creating a turning point in the history of the nation, opening a new era for our country - the era of independence, unification, and the whole country moving towards socialism. The victory of the resistance war against the US to save the country deeply demonstrated the strength of revolutionary heroism, the mettle and intelligence of Vietnam in the Ho Chi Minh era. It was also an event of great international significance and profound epochal significance. That victory stemmed from many factors, of which the most decisive factor was the correct and creative leadership of the Party, promoting to the highest degree the unique military art of Vietnam.

People from all walks of life in Saigon attend a rally to celebrate the victory. Photo: VNA

Our people's resistance war against the US to save the country (1954 - 1975) was the continuation of the people's national democratic revolution. In the condition that the country was temporarily divided into two regions, our Party and President Ho Chi Minh based on the international and domestic situation, compared the position and strength between us and the enemy, grasped the methodology of Marxism - Leninism, proposed an independent, autonomous, correct, creative resistance line and organized the implementation of that line in accordance with the specific conditions and development of the Vietnamese revolution in the new period. The greatest and also unique feature of our country's revolution from July 1954 to May 1975 was that our Party implemented an independent and autonomous political and military line, raised high the flag of national independence and socialism, and simultaneously carried out two revolutionary strategies: the national and people's democratic revolution in the South and the socialist revolution in the North, aiming at a common goal of completing independence and national unification, leading the whole country to socialism.

Our Party determined that: the North is the great rear, the socialist revolutionary cause in the North plays the most decisive role in the revolutionary cause of the whole country; the South is the great front, the Southern revolution has a direct decisive effect on the cause of liberating the South. The relationship between the two revolutionary strategies in the North and the South is an organic relationship, closely linked together, promoting and supporting each other to develop together. That is a unique feature without precedent in history and a great success of our Party; at the same time, it is the main cause, the decisive factor for the victory of our people's long-term, arduous, and fierce resistance war against the US to save the country.

The determination of an independent, autonomous, correct, and creative revolutionary line demonstrated the Party's far-sighted vision, strategic thinking, and excellent military talent, especially at turning points in the resistance war.

Faced with the situation where the puppet government of Ngo Dinh Diem implemented the policy of "denouncing communism", "destroying communism", dragging the guillotine throughout the South, brutally suppressing revolutionary soldiers and the masses, the revolutionary movement in the South developed with difficulty, in January 1959, the Party Central Committee held the 15th (enlarged) Conference, chaired by President Ho Chi Minh, to determine the path forward of the revolution in the South, clearly outlining the goals and methods of the revolution, the relationship between the two revolutionary strategies in the two regions, between the Vietnamese revolution and the world revolution to liberate the South, protect the North, and unify the country. The 15th Central Resolution clearly stated: the basic path of development of the Vietnamese revolution in the South was to revolt and seize power for the people; there was no other path.

That correct policy of the Party created a "new wind", a new spirit, becoming the driving force to push the Southern revolution forward steadily. It started with the Dong Khoi movement at the end of 1959, then quickly developed into the Dong Khoi climax throughout the South. The victory of the Dong Khoi movement created a turning point, shifting the Southern revolution from a position of preserving forces to an offensive position. This was the beginning of a very unique and creative resistance war against the US, to save the country; at the same time, it was the basis for our Party to continue to develop a comprehensive, all-people's war and defeat the strategies: "special war" (1961 - 1965), "local war" (1965 - 1968), "Vietnamization of the war" (1969 - 1973) of the US imperialists, "fighting to make the US leave", moving towards "fighting to make the puppets fall", completely liberating the South, reunifying the Fatherland.

Along with setting out the correct and creative political and military lines, our Party has firmly adhered to the method of comprehensive violent revolution, including two main forces: the political force of the masses and the people's armed forces, closely combining political struggle with armed struggle conducted throughout the resistance war against the US, saving the country. At the same time, we have persistently implemented the strategic offensive ideology. That ideology was implemented not only when the enemy "de-escalated" but also when they "escalated" the war; and not only for the revolutionary war in the South, but also in the fight to protect the socialist North. The offensive strategy was implemented at all times, in all conditions and circumstances, with the motto: "retreat step by step, overthrow each part, drag the enemy down step by step, move towards completely defeating the enemy, achieving a decisive victory in the resistance war against the US, saving the country".

After the Paris Agreement was signed (January 27, 1973), the US expeditionary force was forced to withdraw from South Vietnam (March 29, 1973), and the battlefield situation changed in our favor. Grasping the strategic opportunity opened up after nearly twenty years of fighting, the 21st Central Conference (term III) held two sessions (session I from June 19 to July 6, 1973, session II from October 1 to October 4, 1973) affirmed and strengthened the determination to liberate the South and unify the country as soon as possible.

In 1974, our army and people launched offensives to create a situation on all battlefields in the South, making the enemy passive and reactive. After the victory in Thuong Duc, Dong Xoai, especially the victory of the Route 14 - Phuoc Long campaign, it created the basis for the Politburo of the Party Central Committee to make a determination to implement the strategic plan to liberate the South in the two years of 1975 - 1976, at the same time having a plan if the opportunity arose to liberate the South in 1975, even before the rainy season of 1975.

During the resistance war against the US to save the country, under the leadership of the Party, the art of military and people's war in Vietnam developed to its peak. The factor ensuring the continuous development of people's war is the people's armed forces, including three types of troops: main force troops, local troops, and militia and guerrillas, which were built strong and widely deployed; in which, the main force corps played a core role in campaigns, carrying out large-scale joint operations between troops and arms.

Grasping the laws of war, applying and creatively implementing the military art of people's war, we have gradually transformed the battlefield situation in a favorable direction, always fighting the enemy from a position of strength, initiative, and surprise. The unique features of people's war are also demonstrated in the close combination of the factors of "position, force, time, and strategy" in each battle and each campaign in a flexible manner, making it impossible for the enemy to predict the directions, spearheads, forces, and strength of our attack. That is the basis for our Party to persistently implement the strategic motto: defeating each part of the enemy, winning step by step, moving towards completely defeating the enemy, winning the final victory with the General Offensive and Uprising in the Spring of 1975.

Our Party especially values ​​and promotes the effectiveness of Party work and political work in the army; in campaigns. Inheriting the experience of Party work and political work carried out since the establishment of our Army and during the resistance war against French colonialism, Party work and political work in the resistance war against America to save the country have been developed to a new level, enriched in many aspects, truly the "soul and lifeblood" of our Army.

Based on the actual situation on the battlefield, Party and political work focused on building fighting determination, making the entire army highly unanimous with the Party's guidelines and policies, both in terms of strategic goals, strategic opportunities, strategic guidelines, and combat methods to achieve victory. Proactively directing the performance of the "working army" function in the newly liberated areas, promoting the role of local armed forces and people in the campaign combat areas.

Party and political work directly oriented the army's ideology, aroused and promoted the tradition of patriotism, the strength of the superior socialist regime in the North, and the indomitable and resilient fighting spirit of the people in the South "for the sake of the Fatherland". Thereby, creating great political and spiritual motivation for the people and soldiers nationwide in the fierce confrontation with the invading enemy. Party and political work activities also contributed to building for cadres and soldiers a revolutionary and scientific military thinking method; correctly resolving the relationship between people and weapons; between politics and the military; between democracy, discipline and solidarity.

Regarding the work of Party organization and building, we have focused on building "four good Party cells" combined with building strong regiments and divisions; strengthening the training of Party members in conjunction with the training of cadres; strictly maintaining the living and working habits of Party organizations under war conditions; regularly taking care of ensuring policies for soldiers and the military rear. The contingent of political cadres at all levels has been strengthened and trained in qualities and capacities, so that they have developed rapidly and affirmed their important role in practical combat.

In particular, our Party pays great attention to building a team of campaign and strategic-level cadres with enough "heart", "vision" and experience in directing combat operations. The images of exemplary, aggressive, decisive, and wholehearted commanders and political commissars of main force corps who are devoted to the cause of liberating the South and unifying the Fatherland forever are for us to honor and learn from.

The effective activities of Party work, political work, and other aspects of work have truly brought the Party's correct and creative guidelines into the combat practice of our army and people, creating great political and spiritual strength, especially at turning points and decisive moments.

The great victory in the spring of 1975 was a great achievement of our people, demonstrating the will and aspiration for independence and national unification of our nation in the Ho Chi Minh era. With the independent and autonomous resistance line, our Party mobilized the highest strength of the whole country, including material strength, political and spiritual strength, and the strength of the ardent patriotic tradition of the thousand-year-old civilized country for the long-term, arduous and fierce resistance war against the invading American imperialists.

Holding high the flag of national independence and socialism, with the viewpoint of loyal and pure international solidarity, our Party has effectively promoted the strength of the nation combined with the strength of the times. The Party, State, Army and people of Vietnam are forever grateful and will never forget the wholehearted and righteous help of progressive people all over the world, of fraternal socialist countries, especially the Soviet Union and China, for the just struggle of our nation; especially the solidarity and alliance in fighting against the common enemy of the people of the three countries of Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia. The great material and spiritual support of the international community was an important factor contributing to the victory of our resistance war against the US to save the country.

Currently, the world and regional situation, in addition to favorable aspects, continues to have complex and unpredictable developments. Strategic competition among major countries is fierce, with potential factors of instability; local wars, armed conflicts, disputes over resources, territorial sovereignty, seas and islands, ethnic and religious conflicts, intervention, subversion, secession, terrorism and non-traditional security threats are on the rise, creating challenges for many countries. Domestically, we have achieved important achievements in all fields after 30 years of renovation; the country's potential in all aspects has been enhanced, our country's prestige and position have been increasingly enhanced, but there are still many difficulties and challenges.

Hostile forces are still promoting the strategy of "peaceful evolution", promoting "self-evolution", "self-transformation", and "depoliticization" of the Army. The situation in the East Sea is complicated, the struggle to protect sovereignty over seas and islands is long-term, with many difficulties. In that context, the task of protecting the Fatherland of our entire Party, people and army is very heavy, intertwined with both advantages and difficulties, opportunities and challenges. To successfully complete this strategic task, we must further strengthen the leadership of the Party, the management and administration of the State, promote the role and responsibility of the entire political system, all levels, sectors and forces, in which the armed forces are the core.

This year, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the complete liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, right at the time when our Party is holding Party congresses at all levels, leading up to the 12th National Party Congress. This is a great event for our Party and our people; at the same time, it is also an opportunity for our Party to further enhance its leadership capacity, fighting strength, promote the intelligence of the entire Party, perfect the renovation policy, successfully carry out the cause of national construction and defense in the new revolutionary period.

The successful lessons of the Party's leadership in the resistance war against the US to save the country must be continued to be inherited and promoted in the new situation. That is the lesson of firmly maintaining the line and goal of national independence associated with socialism; firmly maintaining and creatively applying Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought; firmly maintaining the nature of the working class and firmly consolidating the Party's ideological foundation. On that basis, determining the correct leadership lines, policies and solutions, close to the development requirements of the revolution; actively innovating leadership methods, researching theories, summarizing practices, finding objective laws to ensure that the Party's leadership brings about effectiveness and efficiency in practice.

To build our Party to be increasingly clean, strong, truly "ethical and civilized" as Uncle Ho wished, the entire Party must resolutely and persistently continue to implement the Resolution of the 11th Central Committee, Session 4, in conjunction with studying and following Ho Chi Minh's moral example; strengthen the work of preventing and combating corruption, waste and signs of degradation in political ideology, ethics and lifestyle among cadres and Party members.

Party organizations from the Central to the grassroots level must do a better job of Party building; Party cadres must truly be servants of the people, paying attention to the aspirations and legitimate interests of the people; overcoming all manifestations of bureaucracy, alienation from the masses, "group interests", internal disunity, etc. At the same time, strengthening internal political protection work, actively fighting to defeat all plots and sabotage activities of hostile forces, and maintaining the leadership of the Party and the socialist regime.

The People's Army, as a core force in carrying out the task of protecting the Fatherland and an absolutely loyal and trustworthy political force of the Party, the Fatherland and the People, needs to continue to promote its development in the direction of "revolution, discipline, elite, and gradual modernization". The Army needs to proactively grasp the situation, accurately forecast development trends, especially issues related to national defense and security; on that basis, closely coordinate with the police and foreign affairs forces to advise and propose to the Party and the State to plan policies and strategies to protect the Fatherland and have countermeasures and properly handle situations, avoid being passive and surprised, contributing to creating a peaceful and stable environment for national construction and development.

Our army is a revolutionary army, born from the people, fighting for the people. We must continue to fulfill our roles as a fighting army, a working army, and a labor and production army, worthy of the trust of the Party, State and people, and further enhance the traditional qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers".

To do that, it is necessary to further strengthen the Party's absolute and direct leadership in all aspects over the Army; focus on building a strong Army Party organization in terms of politics, ideology and organization, with comprehensive leadership capacity and high fighting strength; resolutely fight against the plots and tricks of hostile forces to "depoliticize" the Army.

The Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense need to study and successfully implement the Resolution of the 8th Central Committee, Session XI, on the Strategy for National Defense in the new situation; in which the focus is on building an all-people national defense, building an all-people national defense posture associated with a people's security posture, building defense zones and plans and strategies for national defense. Regularly pay attention to building a politically strong People's Army, actively innovating and improving the quality of Party work and political work in the entire army and the militia and self-defense forces.

The 85-year history of our Party's establishment and development shows that the more difficult and complicated the times are, the more the Party's mettle, intelligence, morality and leadership capacity are affirmed. We believe that the successful lessons of the Party's leadership in the Great Victory of Spring 1975, as well as the entire cause of fighting the US and saving the country, will continue to be promoted in the new situation.

Nguyen Phu Trong -General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party,Secretary of the Central Military Commission

According to VOV