Since then, under the leadership of the Party, the education and training of President Ho Chi Minh, and the support and care of the people, the VPA has constantly developed, becoming the “invincible” military of the Vietnamese people.

Our military is a shining symbol of loyalty, filial piety, bravery, overcoming all difficulties and hardships, fighting and sacrificing for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, and for the happiness of the people. Looking back on the past 80 years of the VPA and its feats-of-arms and achievements, we have the right to be proud of the glorious tradition of the heroic VPA.

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Uncle Ho talks to officers and soldiers of Tien Phong (Pioneer) Division at Gieng Temple (which is now in the Hung Kings’ Temple cultural and historical relic site) on September 19, 1954.

Right after its foundation, with only 34 members, that small military promptly won the first two battles namely Phai Khat and Na Ngan, opening the VPA’s tradition of “Determined-to-fight” and “Determined-to-win.” Less than a year old, that military became the core, with the entire people, to carry out the General Uprising, making the great August Revolution, taking power into the hands of the people, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. It can be said that our military is the military that founded the nation.

During the 30 years of resistance wars, our military joining the entire Party and the entire people defeated two great powers, liberating the Fatherland, and reunifying the country. Before enjoying the happiness of peace, our military continued to stand side-by-side with the Party and the people to protect the Fatherland's borders and carry out noble international duties, both safeguarding national borders and helping revive friend country.

The years of experiencing the fire of war have made our military grow stronger with more corps and services, have effective combat capabilities, and excellently complete the task of protecting the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland. With the spirit of self-reliance, our military has become stronger after each battle, truly becoming the key force in the movement of whole people fighting the enemy, marking brilliant milestones in the golden history of the Vietnamese nation.

As the military for combat, our military has made the enemy terrified. As the military for work, our military is always closely attached to the people. As the military for production, our military has left its mark in socio-economic development coupled with national defense potential building. That is because each officer and soldier always bear in mind that our military comes from the people, fights and sacrifices for the Party, for the Fatherland, and for the people. That goal of the revolutionary military will never change. Therefore, from the lowlands to the highlands, from the mainland to the islands; from economic development, hunger eradication, poverty reduction to natural disaster and disease prevention and control, wherever and whenever people need, the military is there. When people encounter difficulties and dangers, Uncle Ho's soldiers stay ready to assist. That quality, that morality is the source that is nurtured and passed down from generation to generation.

The feats-of-arms of our military are like a shining halo on every page of the nation's golden history in the Ho Chi Minh era. To have that halo, millions of officers and soldiers have sacrificed, been wounded, left part of their blood and bones on the battlefields in the wartime and even in peacetime. So, the value of peace is immeasurable. We must never forget that.

The world is changing every day, with opportunities and challenges intertwined. The complicated international and regional context and the increasing traditional and non-traditional security threats pose new requirements for the task of VPA building. The Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress defines the policy and strategy for building a revolutionary, standardized, elite, and gradually-modernized Vietnam People's Army, with some services, corps and forces advancing straight to modernization. By 2025, the military will be basically built to be elite, compact, and strong, laying a solid foundation for the building of a revolutionary, standardized, elite, and modernized People's Army by 2030. This is an inevitable objective requirement in the face of the practical requirements for military building and Fatherland defense that our Party has clearly seen and pointed out.

To this end, it requires great determination, sacrifice, exemplary conduct, and leadership from Party committees and chains-of-command of agencies and units. The whole military must be unified in will and actions, and complete force arrangement and personnel organization. Agencies and units must constantly improve the quality of training, master modern weapons and equipment, promote research and innovation in operation methods in accordance with the development of science and technology, the combat requirements of the regular force in the people's warfare, and defeat the enemy in all forms of warfare, especially high-tech one.

Focus should be made on building a politically-strong military, upholding the principle of the Party's absolute and direct leadership over the military in all aspects. Accordingly, troops must be educated to have a steadfast political stance, a solid ideological position, and a deep understanding of the goals of combat and work so that they could voluntary act and implement their missions.

Together with building an elite, compact, strong, and modernized military, we must continue to strengthen the building of whole-people defense posture coupled with a strong people's security disposition. Local military agencies at all levels must give suggestions to higher levels to implement contents and meet targets on defensive-area building, especially building a solid people's heart posture, contributing to building a golden wall to safeguard the Fatherland.

80 years is a short period of time in the history of the nation, but it is a arduous and heroic journey of our military. Firmly safeguarding the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, protecting the Party, the State and the people is a glorious but extremely arduous task with many sacrifices. Illuminated by Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought and led by the Party and with the qualities of filial piety and loyalty, our military will certainly complete its mission in an excellent manner, worthy of the title of heroic military of a heroic nation.

By the Editorial Board

Translated by Mai Huong