General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh - Uncle Ho's excellent student

(Baonghean) -Comrade Nguyen Van Linh (1915-1998), real name Nguyen Van Cuc (Muoi Cuc), was born on July 1, 1915 (May 19, At Mao year) in Yen Phu village, Giai Pham commune, Yen My district, Hung Yen province.

Born into a patriotic family, he was aware of the revolution early. In 1929, he joined the Student Union led by the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association. On May 1, 1930, he participated in distributing leaflets against the French colonialists. He was arrested, sentenced to life imprisonment, and exiled to Con Dao.

In 1936, Nguyen Van Linh was released from prison. In early 1941, he was captured by the enemy, brought to Saigon, sentenced to 5 years in prison and exiled to Con Dao for the second time.

In 1945, the August Revolution succeeded, and he was assigned by the Party Central Committee to fight in the South and from then on, he devoted his revolutionary life to the people of the South during the two resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism until the day of complete liberation of the South and national reunification. He was successively assigned important responsibilities by the Party: Secretary of the Saigon - Cho Lon City Party Committee (1946 - 1947), Secretary of the Saigon - Gia Dinh Special Zone Party Committee, and acting Secretary of the Southern Regional Party Committee (1957 - 1960). At the 3rd National Party Congress (1960), he was elected to the Party Central Committee and appointed Secretary of the Southern Central Bureau and then Deputy Secretary of the Southern Central Bureau.

In December 1986, at the 6th Party Congress, he was elected to the Central Executive Committee, member of the Politburo, holding the position of General Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the Party, and concurrently Secretary of the Central Military Party Committee (1987).

Having held various leadership positions in local and central agencies, wherever he was and whatever he did, he devoted all his intelligence and strength to the Party and the people, putting the common interests of the revolution above personal interests. During more than 10 years of being imprisoned and tortured by the enemy in Con Dao prison, 30 years of hardship in the two resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism in the South, until becoming the Party General Secretary, he always promoted the steadfast qualities of a communist, beautifully demonstrating the virtues of integrity, modesty, a simple and exemplary life, being a shining example of the qualities of a communist "loyal to the country, filial to the people" following the example of Uncle Ho.

The outstanding feature in the style of Comrade Nguyen Van Linh is his meticulous, concrete, and democratic style. He often went down to the grassroots, met with cadres and people, democratically inspired everyone to speak, debate, and propose; listened to people's opinions, especially opposing opinions, to think, consider, and resolve them appropriately and most effectively; each of his decisions was the result of research based on the collective wisdom of the masses.

Comrade Nguyen Van Linh paid great attention to summarizing practices. Whenever planning and promulgating new guidelines and policies, he always considered them in the practical context, from the specific situation of the country. When faced with issues with different opinions, he often used practice to convince and conclude. He often reminded Party committees and cadres at all levels to go deep, closely follow the people's lives, summarize practices to complete the policies and guidelines that have been set out.

He said: “Every issue can be fiercely debated, but once decided, it must follow the majority, and then reality will be the judge.” Our Party’s innovation policy was formed and developed from the summary of the people’s creative practices, including the contributions of comrade Nguyen Van Linh. In his responsibility as General Secretary of the 6th Party Central Committee, he and the Politburo and the Party Central Committee were sensitive, proactive, creative, and skillful in steering the revolutionary boat through dangerous steps, promoting the innovation process and achieving very important achievements, creating a basic premise for our country to develop rapidly in the following stages.

As an excellent student of President Ho Chi Minh, Comrade Nguyen Van Linh always upheld revolutionary ethics, diligence, thrift, integrity, impartiality, loyalty to the country, filial piety to the people, living honestly, frankly, harmoniously, close to everyone, hating ostentation and formality. He realized that corruption, waste, and bureaucracy could become a threat to the survival of the socialist regime. The articles "Things to do immediately" published in Nhan Dan newspaper, signed NVL in the first year of the renovation period, created a new vitality in society, showing the concern and determination of the leader of our Party and State to fight corruption, negativity, protect the interests and mastery of the people. At the 7th Party Congress (June 1991), although he was still healthy enough to be re-elected, he still asked the entire Party and people for permission to resign from the position of General Secretary. As an Advisor to the Central Executive Committee, he continued to devote all his strength and intelligence to providing many important opinions to the Party and State leaders on implementing and perfecting the renovation policy and major issues of the country.

Currently, in the process of implementing the renovation process, striving to become an industrialized country in the direction of modernization and international integration, many guidelines and policies have been and are in great need of consensus and emulation from all walks of life. Therefore, the effectiveness of mass mobilization work has become even more important. The 7th Central Executive Committee Conference (11th tenure) has just issued Resolution No. 25 on "Strengthening and innovating the Party's leadership over mass mobilization work in the new situation". Innovation in thinking and working methods in mass mobilization work has been and is a topical issue requiring political determination from the entire Party and the entire people.

On the occasion of the 98th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Nguyen Van Linh, each cadre, party member and citizen of ours reflects on and respects the excellent student of President Ho Chi Minh, a typical mass mobilization cadre of the Party, who always holds in his hands the "golden key" to enter the hearts of the people with correct and profound perceptions of the role of mass mobilization work; the willingness and dedication to the assigned work, truly living with the daily life and activities of the people; trained and matured from the mass movement, trusted and loved by the people; having sharp thinking and reasoning, steadfast in the path of innovation in the direction of socialism, all for the happiness and prosperity of the people...

Nguyen Van Thanh (Dong Ha, Quang Tri)