Vietnam and the history of a resilient people

Throughout over 4,000 years of history, the Vietnamese people have repeatedly risen up to expel foreign invaders. Therefore, the desire for peace and independence has always been deeply felt and burning in every Vietnamese person. When the Communist Party of Vietnam was founded on February 3, 1930, this longing was ignited and transformed into a powerful force, that later led the Vietnamese revolution to the success of the general uprising in August 1945, culminating in the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on September 2, 1945.

From being a colonized country without a name on the world map, the Vietnamese people were able to hold their heads high and proudly assert their position as an independent and sovereign nation. After founding the state, the people continued to fight and sacrifice to protect and uphold this independence.

President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi on September 2, 1945, proclaiming the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now Socialist Republic of Vietnam. (File photo)

Marking 79 years of National Day this year, Dr. Nguyen Thi Lien, lecturer of History of the Communist Party of Vietnam, at Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment, shed light on a journey full of hardships, challenges but also great glory of the Vietnamese people, in an interview granted to VOV. Following is the full text of the interview.

Aspiration for national independence, freedom

In the Declaration of Independence read by President Ho Chi Minh at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945, he emphatically declared that “The entire Vietnamese people are determined to use all their spirit and strength, lives, and property to maintain this freedom and independence.” What is the significance of President Ho Chi Minh’s statement at that time, you think?

Dr. Lien: Well, national independence is a sacred value that has been protected and preserved by countless generations of the Vietnamese people. The Declaration of Independence affirms the Vietnamese people’s aspirations for freedom and independence, and their determination to protect these aspirations.

Under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, our people endured a long and arduous struggle with great sacrifices to achieve the success of the August 1945 Revolution and gain national independence. Thousands of soldiers were captured and brutally tortured. During this period, we lost all Central Committee members. This was a significant loss to the Vietnamese revolution. Overcoming these tremendous setbacks, the Communist Party of Vietnam, with the consensus of the entire Vietnamese people, launched the General Uprising in August 1945 and seized power shortly afterwards.

VOV: “Seizing power was difficult, but maintaining it was even more challenging.” Was President Ho’s reminder for our entire nation to prepare for the difficult and fierce days ahead?

Dr. Lien: That’s true because Vietnam faced countless difficulties after the August Revolution. The provisional revolutionary government had an empty budget, while more than 90% of the population was illiterate at that time. With regard to foreign relations, no country worldwide recognized our independence or the fledgling government. The situation was hanging by a thread, as allied troops entered Indochina along with 200,000 Chinese troops.

Overcoming the difficulties and challenges, the Vietnamese people desired nothing more than genuine peace, true independence, and territorial integrity, towards the goal “Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one, and they enjoy freedom and happiness.”

Shortly after we regained independence, we had to confront the French colonialists returning to invade the country for the second time on September 23, 1945. More than a year later, President Ho Chi Minh, on behalf of the Party Central Committee and the Government, launched an appeal for a national resistance war, affirming the desire for peace, as well as the will and determination to protect national independence and freedom.

When the country was in danger, the oath of independence was the voice calling on the entire Vietnamese people to rise up and drive out the invaders. How was this vividly and clearly demonstrated in the struggle against American imperialism?

Dr. Lien: On July 17, 1966, Voice of Vietnam (VOV) broadcast President Ho Chi Minh’s appeal for another national resistance war against American imperialism to compatriots and soldiers across the country. In that historic call, there was a famous and timeless statement that has become a universal truth: “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom.” This call served as a major campaign to unify the will, strengthen the faith, and consolidate the determination of the entire Party, army and people as they entered the most critical phase of the resistance against American imperialism.

Having gone through fierce wars, our people increasingly cherish the values ​​of independence and freedom. At that time, Vietnam was geographically small and financially exhausted due to the plundering and exploitation policies of colonialism. But thanks to the combined strength of the entire nation fighting against the enemy, difficulties that seemed insurmountable were overcome, and we succeeded.

A street in Hanoi in early September 2024, marking 79 years of Vietnam's National Day

Considering the indomitable spirit of our nation in the early days of national independence, what do you think about the power of Vietnamese patriotism throughout the struggle to drive out invaders and protect our land and borders?

Dr. Lien: The history of the Vietnamese nation is the history of a resilient and persistent nation in the struggle to build and defend the state. From the uprising of the Trung Sisters against Han Chinese domination, to victories over the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, and especially defeating 200,000 Qing invaders at the end of the 18th century, these events vividly demonstrate the patriotic spirit and indomitable will of our people.

These glorious feats of arms not only reflect the patriotic spirit and the united effort of our ancestors in defending and building the country but also affirm the invincible strength of the people. The people are history makers, and their strength is invincible. It is the common people, with their calloused hands and muddy feet, who have tirelessly laboured through generations, to shape our Fatherland. Time after time, they have shed their blood to create a solid wall of defense to preserve and protect our beautiful homeland.

National independence closely associated with socialism

In both wartime and peacetime, our Party has always been steadfast and persistent in its goal of national independence associated with socialism. Why must we always closely link these two propositions together?

Dr. Lien: Firstly, national independence and socialism are fundamentally and dialectically related. Just from its inception, our Party has asserted that national independence and socialism are the goals and ideals of both the Party and the people. Advancing towards socialism is the inevitable path of the Vietnamese revolution.

The Party has continuously supplemented and developed the policy of linking national independence with socialism throughout its leadership. Thus, achieving national independence is necessary to build socialism, and advancing towards socialism is essential to maintain national independence.

What would be the consequences if national independence and socialism are separated from each other?

Dr. Lien: There was a time when Communist parties had to pay the price for their mistakes and shortcomings, and a clear example of this was the collapse of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. This is the most vivid example of the downfall of an outdated model of socialism. In contrast, during the course of leading the revolution, the Communist Party of Vietnam and our people have continued to adhere to the goal of national independence associated with socialism. In this leadership process, the Party and the people have both implemented and continuously researched, evaluated, and anticipated suitable models and steps appropriate for each stage.

Upholding the value of national independence, freedom

In a world still fraught with instability, war, and conflict, Vietnam has managed to maintain peace and stability. This is a vivid and clear demonstration that the path we have chosen is the right one, do you think?

Dr. Lien: We all know that, although peace and stability remain the dominant trends, complex and unstable situations in the region and around the world still occur. These instabilities are the causes of conflicts, escalating tensions, and even ethnic and religious conflicts, territorial disputes, resource disputes, and interventions aiming at regime change. These issues continue to evolve in a complex manner. Hot spots still exist and expand in many regions around the world.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has recently warned that the number of migrants worldwide could increase significantly due to the impact of conflict, food crises, and climate change. In the face of such complex and unstable developments, we have creatively applied Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts on national independence linked with socialism, achieving true independence and self-reliance for the people, and ensuring a prosperous, free, and happy life for them.

Unity creates the indomitable strength of the Vietnamese people.

Each revolutionary period in our country presents us with new opportunities and challenges. So, in the current situation, what can be considered the common denominator for us to unite and gather the strength of national solidarity?

Dr. Lien: During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh paid special attention to the issue of national unity. Later, his thoughts were inherited and successfully applied by the Communist Party of Vietnam in leading the people in the struggle for national liberation, carrying out the Doi Moi (Renewal) process, and building and defending the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Such thoughts hold a particularly important, consistent, and overarching position in the Party’s guidelines.

Throughout various revolutionary periods, the Communist Party of Vietnam’s perspective on building national unity has been increasingly refined and developed. At the 13th National Congress in 2021, the Party set the goal for the current phase of the Vietnamese revolution as follows: “To promote the will and strength of great national unity combined with the strength of the era; to comprehensively and synchronously advance the renewal process, industrialization, and modernization; to firmly defend the Fatherland, maintain a peaceful and stable environment; and to strive to make our country a developed country with a socialist orientation by the middle of the 21st century.”

Thus, that goal is also the ultimate aim of gathering the strength of the great national unity bloc. The unity between the revolutionary goal of the Party and the goal of the great national unity bloc shows the harmony between the Party's will and the people's heart; between the revolutionary goal of the Party and the aspirations of the entire people, originating from the aspirations of various social strata. Therefore, great national unity is the core value, the strategic policy, and the source of strength and main driving force of the Vietnamese revolution. It plays a decisive role in every victory of the Vietnamese revolution in the process of building and defending the Socialist Fatherland./.