Forever the truth: 'Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom'

(Baonghean.vn) - 50 years ago, on July 17, 1966, the Voice of Vietnam Radio broadcast President Ho Chi Minh's "Appeal to fight against the US to save the country" to compatriots, soldiers nationwide and international friends across the five continents. In that historic appeal, there was a famous saying that has become the truth of all time: "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom".

The truth “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom” is a manifestation of the indomitable will of the Vietnamese people, which has been forged through thousands of years of building and defending the country. It is an immortal truth, with profound theoretical, practical and contemporary significance. It is also the fighting goal, the source of strength that led to the victory of the Vietnamese people in the great struggle for independence and freedom, for the existence and development of the nation. At the same time, that thought is also a great source of encouragement and motivation for progressive humanity, especially for oppressed peoples in the world in the struggle for peace, freedom and happiness.

On August 19, 1945, Hanoi people captured the Northern Government, the headquarters of the French puppet government - the General Uprising seized power in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)

“Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom” is not the sole thought of President Ho Chi Minh, but it is the thought and reason for living of the entire Vietnamese people. President Ho Chi Minh is a typical representative of the aspirations of the entire nation. To study the thought “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom” it is necessary to place it in the context of President Ho Chi Minh’s entire life of revolutionary activities to save the country and save the people. After more than 30 years of traveling across continents, he returned to the country and directly led the August Revolution of 1945 to success.

On September 2, 1945, at the historic Ba Dinh Square, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and argued and affirmed human rights, which are the right to life, the right to freedom, the right to pursue happiness, a right that was born by "nature", a value recognized and promoted in the American Declaration of Independence in 1776, in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of the French Revolution in 1791, and affirmed that these are undeniable rights.

President Ho Chi Minh read the declaration of independence at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945.

On behalf of the nation, he declared before the nation and the world: “Vietnam has the right to enjoy freedom and independence and in truth 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.”

Throughout the revolutionary struggle, the viewpoint "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom" was reinforced, motivating and inspiring our entire nation to move forward.

Our people’s resistance war against the US for national salvation was in a fierce period. The US imperialists were continuously defeated in both the North and the South, they recklessly and massively sent troops into the South of our country. Faced with that situation, in July 1966, President Ho Chi Minh signed a “local mobilization decree”, calling on the people and soldiers of the whole country to fight and defeat the US invaders.

“Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom” is a proposition of struggle, a struggle for the truth. This proposition of struggle of President Ho Chi Minh points out 4 basic contents, which have profound theoretical and practical significance.

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered at Ba Dinh Square to listen to President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Firstly, with independence and freedom, there will be everything. The country cannot prosper, the nation cannot develop, the people cannot have food to eat, clothes to wear and a happy life without national independence and freedom; the right to live and pursue happiness in an independent and free country is extremely precious and sacred, no one can give themselves the right to intervene, to have the right to violate the national independence of another country or nation, and even less can they have the right to intervene by force.

Second, if they want independence and freedom, oppressed peoples cannot sit still and wait, and even less can they expect the “favors” of imperialist and colonial powers. If they want a truly prosperous and happy life, the first decisive issue is to gain independence and freedom, to rise up and eliminate all shackles, all oppression and slavery…

Under the leadership of the Party headed by President Ho Chi Minh, our people rose up to fight and won the August Revolution in 1945, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Next, the Party led our people to victory in the resistance war against French colonialism and American imperialism and successfully carried out the renovation process, continuing the cause of industrialization and modernization of the country.

People welcomed our army after the Dien Bien Phu victory.

Third, when independence and freedom are violated, the entire nation must resolutely stand up and fight to the end to maintain and protect that independence. Demonstrating the determination to protect independence and freedom in the early days of resistance against the French colonialists. In his call for national resistance, President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: “… No! We would rather sacrifice everything than lose our country, than become slaves.” To protect the independence and freedom of the nation, the Vietnamese people fought steadfastly, upholding revolutionary heroism with the spirit of “determination to die for the country, determination to live for the fatherland.”

The will "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom" was truly a great spiritual motivation that urged generations of Vietnamese people to fight against the invaders, creating the Dien Bien Phu victory "famous in five continents, shaking the earth" and the great victory in Spring 1975, liberating the South, unifying the country, and leading the whole country to socialism.

Image of Saigon on the day of total victory April 30, 1975, the country was reunited.

Fourth, when we have independence and freedom, we must care for the material and spiritual lives of the people. We must make a revolution to gain independence for the Fatherland, and at the same time bring freedom, prosperity and happiness to the people. If the country is independent and free but the people do not enjoy that freedom and independence, then independence and freedom are meaningless. President Ho Chi Minh said: His ultimate desire is to make Vietnam completely independent, the Vietnamese people completely free, "everyone has food to eat, clothes to wear, everyone can go to school". In his Will, before passing away, President Ho Chi Minh continued to remind the Party to have a good plan to develop the economy and culture, in order to constantly improve the people's lives.

The great practical significance of “nothing is more precious than independence and freedom” is not only reflected in the struggle against invasion and in defending the fatherland, but also deeply reflected in the process of building a new society. Once independence and freedom are achieved, the important thing is to make the value of independence and freedom more meaningful, each citizen must have food to eat, clothes to wear, education, work, the right to be masters, and human rights. That is the great theoretical and practical significance, the profound and lasting contemporary value of President Ho Chi Minh’s thought “nothing is more precious than independence and freedom”.

Peace(Synthetic)