Solemn Ceremony of Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Armed Forces of Nghe An Province

(Baonghean.vn) – On the afternoon of August 21, at the Military Command of Nghe An province, the Provincial Party Committee – People’s Council – Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province solemnly held the ceremony to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the traditional day of the provincial armed forces (August 21, 1945 – August 21, 2015) and receive the Second Class Fatherland Protection Medal.

Attending the ceremony, on the Lao side, there were delegations from the three provinces of Xieng Khouang, Vientiane, and Xay Xom Bun; on the side of the Military Region 4 Command, there were Lieutenant General Vo Van Viet, Party Secretary, Political Commissar of the Military Region 4 Command; Major General Nguyen Sy Hoi, Deputy Commander of the Military Region 4; and representatives of the Military Commands of Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue provinces.

On the side of Nghe An province, there were comrades Ho Duc Phoc, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Military Party Committee; Tran Hong Chau, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Nguyen Xuan Duong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; comrades of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairmen of the Provincial People's Committee; representatives of leaders of departments, branches, sectors, localities; representatives of agencies and units under the Provincial Military Command.

Also attending were Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, People's Armed Forces Heroes, generals in Nghe An province, and former leaders of the Provincial Military Command through the periods.

On the occasion of the anniversary, General Phung Quang Thanh, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Party Committee, Minister of National Defense sent a letter of commendation and a congratulatory flower basket.

Overview of the celebration

The ceremony took place solemnly, with the participation of leaders of Military Region 4, Nghe An province, representatives of agencies, units and individuals inside and outside the province.

The art program "70 years under the national flag" opened the solemn ceremony.

The commemorative speech presented by Colonel Luong Hong Phong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Political Commissar of Nghe An Provincial Military Command at the ceremony respectfully reviewed the heroic tradition of the province's armed forces during 70 years of construction and growth.

Colonel Ha Tan Tien, member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Commander of the Provincial Military Command, read a letter of commendation from General Phung Quang Thanh, Minister of National Defense.

Accordingly: 70 years ago, under the leadership of the Party and directly the Nghe An Provincial Uprising Committee, tens of thousands of people armed themselves with primitive weapons such as sticks and spears, with the National Salvation Army, Self-Defense Army, and Suicide Squad as the core, together with people all over the country simultaneously rose up, carried out a general uprising, and seized power.

Colonel Luong Hong Phong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command, reviewed 70 years of construction and growth of the armed forces of Nghe An province.

On August 21, 1945, tens of thousands of people, led by the revolutionary armed forces, marched from all directions to the provincial governor Dang Huong's residence to declare the abolition of the feudal colonial government and establish the revolutionary government of Nghe An province. Born and developed on the basis of the Party's revolutionary armed forces, they were the next generation of "Red Self-Defense" soldiers in the 1930-1931 revolutionary movement. Nghe An armed forces always overcame all sacrifices and hardships, worthy of the tradition of the Vietnam People's Army and the heroic Soviet homeland. With that meaning, August 21 every year has become the Traditional Day of Nghe An Provincial Armed Forces.

During the struggle for national liberation and protection of the Fatherland, Nghe An had 506,000 people join the army, 45,000 people join the Youth Volunteer Force, more than 120,000 people join the frontline civilian labor force, including: 2,020 mothers were awarded and posthumously awarded the title of Heroic Vietnamese Mother, more than 45,000 martyrs, more than 40,000 war invalids, people enjoying policies like war invalids, over 11,000 people are sick soldiers;

During the period of building and defending the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Nghe An Armed Forces have always upheld the spirit of revolutionary vigilance, contributing to preventing all plots and actions that violate the sovereignty of the borders, seas and islands of the Fatherland; creatively and effectively implementing socio-economic development programs, participating in the construction of economic-defense zones, and areas of strategic significance in the province. Actively participating in movements to repay gratitude, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, build new rural areas; building safe areas, building the political system and grassroots cultural life, especially in key areas, remote areas, ethnic minority areas and border and island areas; making a very important contribution to the cause of consolidating and strengthening the great national unity bloc, strengthening the "people's heart position", the potential and posture of the entire people's national defense.

Nghe An Armed Forces are always the leading force in natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue, dealing with the consequences of war and implementing the military rear policy well. In addition, Nghe An Armed Forces, through many practical actions, have effectively helped neighboring Lao provinces that share the border; coordinated well in collecting the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in Laos to return to Vietnam, contributing to preserving and promoting the Vietnam - Laos friendship "forever green, forever sustainable".

Lieutenant General Vo Van Viet, Political Commissar of Military Region 4 Command, congratulated and commended the outstanding achievements of Nghe An province's armed forces over the past 70 years.

Nghe An armed forces have been honored by the Party and State with the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces; 159 local army units, militia and self-defense forces, and 81 officers and soldiers have been awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the State; hundreds of thousands of Orders and Medals of various types have been awarded to officers and soldiers.

Honored and proud, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Traditional Day, the Nghe An Armed Forces were awarded the Second Class Fatherland Protection Medal by the President.... On behalf of the President, Lieutenant General Vo Van Viet, Party Secretary, Political Commissar of Military Region 4, awarded the Second Class Fatherland Protection Medal to the Nghe An Provincial Armed Forces.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lieutenant General Vo Van Viet warmly congratulated the provincial armed forces on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Traditional Day; commended the achievements over the past 70 years and at the same time pointed out the urgent and long-term tasks of the army and requested the provincial armed forces to promote the heroic tradition and excellently complete the assigned tasks in the coming time.

On behalf of the province, Lieutenant General Vo Van Viet pinned the Fatherland Protection Medal on the traditional flag of the province's armed forces.

At the ceremony, on behalf of the Party Committee and people of the province, comrade Ho Duc Phoc, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, praised the achievements of the provincial armed forces. Comrade Ho Duc Phoc affirmed: After 70 years of fighting, building and growing, the Nghe An Armed Forces have always shown the mettle of a revolutionary army, born from the people, fighting for the people; a special political force, a fighting force absolutely loyal and trusted by the Party Committee, government and people of Nghe An. In any conditions and circumstances, despite having to endure many hardships and sacrifices; despite having to face sophisticated and cunning plots and tricks of the enemy and in other difficulties, the Nghe An Armed Forces are always loyal and have absolute trust in the leadership of the Party, proactively creative, resourceful and brave, determined to fight and win, closely attached to the people, loving comrades and teammates, and strictly disciplined; Generations of cadres and soldiers have succeeded each other in establishing many feats, making the history of the heroic Soviet homeland more glorious.

At the same time, the Provincial Party Secretary also stated: Nghe An is a province with a strategic position in politics, socio-economics and national defense and security. In recent years, Nghe An has achieved many important achievements but still has many potential difficulties and challenges, the border security situation and security in special areas still have many potential complex problems; the lives of a part of the people in remote areas are still difficult. The new situation is requiring the armed forces of the province to continue to grow.

Provincial Party Secretary Ho Duc Phoc expressed his confidence that Nghe An armed forces will always excellently fulfill the tasks assigned by the Party Committee and people of the province.

Comrade Ho Duc Phoc requested: The provincial armed forces need to continue to thoroughly grasp the Resolutions of the Party Congresses at all levels, focusing on the Resolution of the 8th Central Committee (11th tenure) on "Strategy for protecting the Fatherland in the new situation"; Build a strong Party Committee of the armed forces at all levels, a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and gradually modern Nghe An armed forces; Closely coordinate with departments, branches, sectors, unions, and authorities at all levels to build and consolidate the national defense, take care of building reserve forces, militia and self-defense forces; Promote activities to help people eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, build new rural areas, prevent and overcome the consequences of natural disasters, rescue, ensure the safety of people's lives and property... Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Ho Duc Phoc expressed his belief that the Nghe An armed forces will excellently complete the tasks assigned by the Party Committee and the people.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee presented a banner of honor to the provincial armed forces.

At the ceremony, comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee presented a banner with the words "70 years of Nghe An Armed Forces: Courageous - Solidarity - Creativity - Determination to Win" from the Provincial Party Committee - People's Council - People's Committee - Fatherland Front Committee to the provincial armed forces.

Thanh Son - Cong Manh