Proud of the generals from President Ho's hometown.

(Baonghean) - On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army (December 22, 1944 - December 22, 2014) and the 25th anniversary of the National Defense Day, Comrade Ho Duc Phoc - Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee - wrote an article expressing his deep respect and gratitude to the generals who have brought glory to the homeland and the country. Nghe An Newspaper respectfully presents the article by the Secretary.

Generals reunited in their hometown of Nghe An in 2012. Photo: Sy Minh

Nghe An is renowned as a land of outstanding people and a "fortress of iron and water." Throughout thousands of years of nation-building and defense, the people of Nghe An have integrated themselves into the Vietnamese community, bravely fighting and defeating foreign invaders to win independence and freedom for the nation. In every historical period, the people of Nghe An have made worthy contributions to the country and to the survival of the nation.

Going back in time, more than 1,300 years ago, the uprising of the hero Mai Thúc Loan (Nam Đàn) achieved resounding victory, driving the Tang Dynasty invaders out of the country and winning independence for our nation. History records: "The Mai Emperor's prestige and virtue spread far and wide / The Tang Dynasty's martial prowess was subdued in a hundred battles." During the three victorious resistance wars against the Yuan-Mongol invaders, Nghe An always served as a strong rear base, providing manpower and resources, and a pillar of support for every dynasty. During battle, on the ships of the Đại Việt army, it was recorded: "Remember the old story of the millet mill. Hoan Diễn still has 100,000 troops." Cương Quốc công Nguyễn Xí (Nghi Hợp, Nghi Lộc) joined Lê Lợi in the Lam Sơn uprising to drive out the Ming invaders and win independence for the nation. The fortifications and training grounds of that era were located in Nghe An province, such as "Lam Citadel" along the Lam River, and training grounds 1, 2, and 3 in Quy Chau and Quy Hop districts. Strategically decisive victories like "The thunderous Battle of Bo Dang, the lightning-fast battle of Tra Lan where bamboo was split and ashes flew" took place in Quy Chau and Con Cuong districts. Nghe An is also the ancestral homeland of King Quang Trung - Nguyen Hue (Ho Thom) and the capital of Phuong Hoang Trung Do. During the great victory against the Qing army, approximately 20,000 young men from Nghe An were part of Emperor Quang Trung's victorious army.

The unwavering spirit of our ancestors has been carried on by subsequent generations, adding glorious chapters to history in the struggles against foreign invaders and for national independence. These are the sons and daughters of Nghe An province who have brought pride and glory to the Vietnamese nation, such as Phan Boi Chau, Le Hong Son, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Le Hong Phong... and especially the great President Ho Chi Minh – the national liberation hero and outstanding cultural figure.

During the two wars of resistance against French colonialism and American imperialism, tens of thousands of outstanding sons and daughters of Nghe An, generation after generation, successively went to fight and serve in the war effort. The province had over 596,000 people participating in the army; more than 45,000 in the youth volunteer corps; nearly 150,000 in the civilian labor force and guerrilla militia; nearly 6,000 veteran revolutionaries and pre-revolutionaries; and over 900 revolutionary cadres who were captured and imprisoned by the enemy. Among them, countless people never returned; the province has over 45,000 martyrs; more than 40,000 wounded soldiers; nearly 1,200 Heroic Vietnamese Mothers; and over 11,000 sick soldiers… In the midst of war, the people of Nghe An demonstrated courage, creativity, and resilience, readily facing all challenges and dangers to fulfill their duties. While on the battlefields, the people of Nghe An demonstrated heroic spirit, joining the army and people of the whole country to defeat the enemy, right in their homeland, generations of civilian laborers and volunteer youth overcame "bombing and shelling," opening roads, transporting ammunition, and providing support to the front lines. These achievements are still recorded at the Truong Bon battlefront (Do Luong) and along the entire route during the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

In times of hardship and war, the spirit of the people of Nghe An was further tempered and shone brightly. This is demonstrated by the list of Nghe An generals awarded by the State over the past decades, numbering approximately 130. Many famous generals include General Phung Chi Kien (Dien Yen, Dien Chau), commander of the first armed forces of the revolution; General Chu Huy Man (Hung Hoa, Vinh City), accomplished in both military and political affairs, affectionately called "Brother Manh" by President Ho Chi Minh; Lieutenant General Tran Van Quang (Nghi Loc), former Deputy Minister of National Defense; Hero of the Armed Forces, General Hoang Dan (Nghi Loc), nicknamed "Tiger General," striking fear into the enemy; General Le Thiet Hung, General Nam Phong... During the war against the Americans, in the most intense years on the Central Highlands Front, there were: Commander Chu Huy Man, Deputy Commander Pham Hong Son; The Political Department of the Front had Cao Tien Phiem… The entire Central Highlands Front had 4 main regiments, and all 4 regimental commanders were from Nghe An: Phung Ba Thuong, Ho De, Hoang Nhien… And Lieutenant General Nguyen Quoc Thuoc, former member of the Central Committee of the Party, former Commander of Military Region 4, former Chief of Staff of the Central Highlands Campaign in the Spring of 1975. Notably, later as a National Assembly representative for many terms, with his intellect, courage, and enthusiasm, Lieutenant General Nguyen Quoc Thuoc heated up the parliamentary sessions, leaving many positive impressions in the hearts of the people.

Generals plant commemorative trees in the grounds of the Provincial Military Command in 2012. Photo: SM

Besides the generals officially appointed by the State, there are many comrades who, although not holding the rank of general, are considered generals in the hearts of the people, and in reality, these comrades held great positions and responsibilities, entrusted by the Party and the State with leading the armed forces, such as: Minister of Public Security Tran Quoc Hoan, who served as Minister of Public Security for 28 years, from 1953 to 1981; Ho Tung Mau (Quynh Doi, Quynh Luu), a revolutionary veteran, the first Political Commissar of Military Region 4; Truong Van Linh (Nghi Loc), a revolutionary veteran, Principal of the Central Military Political School; and Ta Quang Buu, who served as Minister of National Defense and Deputy Minister of National Defense for 10 years.

We can be proud that the generals from Nghe An have further enriched the historical, cultural, and revolutionary traditions of our heroic Soviet homeland. Nghe An generals have always been exemplary in their intellect, courage, bravery, and absolute loyalty to the Party and the people. What is particularly noteworthy is that these generals from Nghe An come from honest, simple, and intelligent peasant and intellectual backgrounds, yet when the country faced foreign invaders, they were the vanguard soldiers on the front lines to defend the Fatherland. Our beloved President Ho Chi Minh once affirmed: "Our people have a fervent love for their country; that is our precious tradition. From ancient times to the present, whenever the Fatherland has been invaded, that spirit has surged, forming an incredibly powerful and immense wave, sweeping away all dangers and difficulties, and submerging all traitors and invaders."

A very distinctive characteristic of the generals from Nghe An is their thirst for knowledge, learning anytime, anywhere possible. Among the generals from Nghe An, there are 26 who are Professors, Associate Professors, Doctors, and Distinguished Educators, such as: Professor, Doctor, Lieutenant General Pham Hong Son (Hung Nhan, Hung Nguyen); Professor, Doctor, Lieutenant General Do Trinh (Tan Ky); Associate Professor, Doctor, Lieutenant General Hoang Nghia Khanh (Nam Dan); Associate Professor, Doctor, Hero of the People's Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Hoang Kong Tu (Dien Ky, Dien Chau)... In particular, Comrade Tran Quoc Hoan researched, created theories and professional skills, and trained many generations of cadres and soldiers of the People's Public Security, achieving many glorious victories. Among the 12 Generals of the Vietnam People's Army, Nghe An has one; among the Commanders-in-Chief of the armed forces, Nghe An has two; and a Minister of Public Security who held the position for the longest time, associated with both national resistance wars and peacetime. Furthermore, Major General Le Thiet Hung was the first general of the Vietnam People's Army to be promoted by the State on September 24, 1946, under Decree 185. With their fervent patriotism and strategic talent, the generals of Nghe An contributed to the glorious heroic tradition of the Vietnam People's Army, while also enriching the revolutionary tradition of their heroic Soviet homeland.

To date, 90 generals from Nghe An province are still alive and scattered throughout the country. Wherever they are, they always cherish their beloved homeland, following the development of the Party Committee and the people of the province. At the "peak" of their positions, respected nationwide, these generals from Nghe An consistently express their gratitude to the martyrs, their families, the heroic Vietnamese mothers, and the wounded and disabled veterans in every forum. Having survived the war and continued to contribute in peacetime, these Nghe An generals have made significant contributions to the renewal and development of their homeland and country. Each heroic and courageous life of these generals serves as a great example for future generations to follow.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army, we are even more proud and grateful to the generals from President Ho Chi Minh's homeland. Regardless of their positions, these comrades have always upheld the spirit of exemplary conduct and shone with the qualities of the soldiers of Uncle Ho. The Party Committee and people of Nghe An are always proud and grateful to these generals who have brought glory to their homeland and country. We will continue to inherit that spirit, unite to build Nghe An into an increasingly prosperous and strong province, becoming an economic center of the North Central region, worthy of being the homeland of the great President Ho Chi Minh.

HĐP