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Lt. Gen. Tran Vo Dung and Maj. Gen. Doan Xuan Bo co-chair the event. |
Political Commissar of MR4 Lieutenant General Tran Vo Dung and Editor-in-Chief of the People’s Army Newspaper Major General Doan Xuan Bo co-chaired the event.
The seminar was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the South Liberation and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975 - 2025) and offered an opportunity for participants to recall the heroic traditions of the Party, the nation, and military and highlight the great contribution of the military and people of MR4 during the resistance war against the U.S. imperialists.
After four months of careful preparation, the scientific seminar was successfully conducted, completing all planned contents and programs. The organizing panel received nearly 50 reports from enthusiastic leaders of the General Staff, the General Department of Political Affairs, provinces and cities in the region; scientists, researchers, and leaders of agencies, units, academies, and schools both inside and outside the military. Each presentation was a scientific work, shedding light on the significant role and contribution of the military and people of Military Region 4 in the history of the national liberation struggle, while drawing valuable lessons to be applied in the current task of building and protecting the Fatherland.
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Maj. Gen. Doan Xuan Bo delivers opening speech. |
In his opening speech, the PAN’s Editor-in-Chief Doan Xuan Bo provided an overview of the land and people of the region. He emphasized that in spite of facing numerous hardships, MR4’s people are rich in patriotism, always stay united, and demonstrate indomitable spirit, resilience, creativity, and aspiration to rise above challenges. These qualities not only shone brightly during the resistance war but also continue to be nurtured and developed in the period of renewal, contributing to building a stronger and more prosperous Vietnam.
During the seminar, delegates affirmed that MR4 holds a geographically, politically, and militarily important position, serving as a strategic area in the resistance war against the U.S. imperialists. Stretching from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien Hue province (now Hue city), the military region bore the heavy responsibility of supporting the frontline while directly facing fierce attacks from the enemy.
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Lt. Gen. Tran Vo Dung speaks at the seminar. |
Concluding the seminar, MR4’s Political Commissar Tran Vo Dung affirmed that with its special geopolitical position, the military region was considered the "steel door" protecting the Northern rear and the vital corridor connecting the North and the South, through which troops, weapons, and supplies were transported to the Southern battlefield via the legendary Truong Son - Ho Chi Minh Trail. During the resistance war, the enemy understood the importance of the region, so they focused on relentlessly attacking key points such as transportation routes, warehouses, ports, and production facilities. Areas like Vinh Linh Special Zone, Quang Binh, Dong Loc T-Junction, Truong Bon, and Ham Rong Bridge became legendary names associated with the indomitable will and resilience of troops and people of MR4 in the fight against the invaders.
Under the leadership of the Party, directly by the Central Military Commission (CMC) and the Ministry of National Defense (MND), the military and people of MR4 promoted revolutionary traditions, steadfastly held their ground, both fought and enhanced production to provide maximized support for the frontline. During the resistance war against the U.S. imperialists, the region mobilized millions of tons of food. Hundreds of thousands of youth volunteers and conscripted laborers and tens of thousands of young people volunteered to contribute to the revolutionary cause, and many of the region's sons and daughters laid down their lives for national independence and freedom.
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Delegates joining the seminar |
During the seminar, reports highlighted the close leadership and direction of the Party, the CMC, and the MND in strengthening the armed forces of MR4 to meet the requirements of the people's warfare. Despite the brutal airstrikes of the U.S. imperialists, the military region’s armed forces established a solid defense, protecting the Northern rear, while actively fighting the enemy and ensuring the strategic supply routes remain open. The air defense, artillery, infantry, and militia units of MR4 made remarkable achievements, shooting down thousands of enemy aircraft and safeguarding crucial routes supplying the southern battlefields.
The seminar also clarified the unique military art that troops and people in the region applied in people's warfare. These included the art of combining offense and defense, creating interconnected formations of regular forces, local forces, and militia force. Even under intense enemy attacks, MR4 maintained the solid people's warfare and organized forces to both protect the area and pro-actively attack and defeat the enemy’s sabotage operations. Battles at Vinh Linh, Route 9 - Southern Laos, Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Citadel, and anti-aircraft artillery batteries protecting strategic supply lines affirmed the significant role of the region in the overall national defense strategy.
At the event, delegates also emphasized the special role of MR4 in building a solid rear, ensuring the supply of human and material resources for the resistance war. Promoting the military-civilian solidarity, troops and people in the region mobilized all available resources, effectively carried out recruitment, training, and ensured weapons, equipment, and logistics support during the most challenging times of the resistance war.
Delegates agreed that in the face of the rapid development of science and technology and non-traditional security challenges, the region needs to continue innovating, improving the quality of training, and being ready for combat, with a focus on applying information technology, electronic warfare, and building the armed forces capable of adapting to modern warfare.
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Delegates tour a book exhibition held on the sidelines of the seminar. |
From the lessons learned, the seminar emphasized the responsibility of today's generation to promote the heroic traditions of troops and people of MR 4, build the strong whole-people’s defense posture in combination with the whole-people’s security posture, contributing to firmly protecting the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the new situation.
The content, messages, significance, and lessons from the seminar are valuable material for MR4, the PAN, and other press agencies to continue the dissemination in the coming time, especially ahead the 50th anniversary of the South Liberation and National Reunification Day, and the upcoming 80th anniversary of the foundation day of the military region (October 15, 1945 - 2025). This will also be a precious source of material to help units within the military region intensify education for troops about traditions, thus upholding their patriotism, political stance, moral qualities, and lifestyle.
Translated by Tran Hoai