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Senior Lieutenant General Le Huy Vinh delivers the opening speech. |
Themed “50 years of victory of Xieng Khouang - Plain of Jars Defensive Campaign – Victory and Lessons,” the event was attended by Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Le Huy Vinh, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Thai Thanh Quy, Deputy Chief of the General Department of Political Affairs Lieutenant General Trinh Van Quyet, and Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang, among others.
The seminar received 80 reports and memoirs from leaders of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, the General Staff, the General Department of Political Affairs, localities, military regions, services, military academies, generals, officers, historical witnesses, scientists inside and outside the military, and Lao officials.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Le Huy Vinh affirmed that the victory completely defeated the U.S.’ Intensified Special War in Laos, firmly protecting liberated areas and contributed to the strategic offensive of the Vietnamese military and people in the Southern theater in 1972.
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Lieutenant General Trinh Van Quyet speaks at the event. |
The deputy defense minister said that the victory became a vivid symbol of the Vietnam – Laos, Laos – Vietnam special combat solidarity. This was the first time that Vietnam and Laos conducted a complete defensive campaign in the Lao theater, leaving many valuable theoretical and practical lessons.
In his report, Lieutenant General Trinh Van Quyet, who is also head of the steering committee of the seminar, recalled that the Xieng Khouang - Plain of Jars Defensive Campaign took place from May 21 to November 15, 1972 with 244 battles and in unfavorable weather conditions. Despite the rain, the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and Lao troops and people successfully defeated the enemy’s large-scale strategic offensive, firmly protecting the strategic area of the Plain of Jars - Xieng Khouang, maintaining connection among Lao revolutionary bases, and making significant contribution to the victory of our troops’ strategic offensive in 1972.
The deputy chief of the General Department of Political Affairs affirmed that although 50 years have passed, the historical values and significance of the victory remain intact. He said that the victory demonstrated determination and the art of combat at the operational level of the Central Party Committee and the Command in protecting the strategic location. It also contributed to encouraging revolutionary movement in each country.
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Colonel Vongxay Inthakham delivers a report at the seminar. |
Reports at the event also affirmed the sound leadership and strategic vision of the Politburo, the Central Military Commission and the Central Committees of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao Revolutionary People’s Party; highlighted the close and effective coordination between Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and Lao liberation army and the support of military regions and provinces of Vietnam to Laos. They also gave valuable lessons to military building, defense consolidation, and national construction and defense cause.
Head of Defense Attaché Office of the Laos Embassy in Vietnam Colonel Vongxay Inthakham said that the foremost and important coordination between the two countries was their accurate forecast of the situation and high consensus in leadership guideline and thorough preparations for each stage of the campaign.
The seminar was part of the practical activities to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam – Laos diplomatic ties. The event gave participants opportunity to recall the heroic combat tradition and the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.
The event’s outcomes will contribute to raising the quality of tradition education and combat training of military schools, academies, and units in the whole military; consolidating the great, exemplary, and unique friendship between the two parties, governments, militaries, and peoples in the new period; successfully carrying out the national construction and defense cause of the two countries
Translated by Tran Hoai