Especially, on December 22, 1944, the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), the first regular military force of Vietnam, was established to deal with the real situation at that time. Laying more stress on politics, President Ho Chi Minh and the Party have always focused on building strong Party organizations in the military, ensuring the absolute leadership of the Party over the military in all aspects. The absolute leadership of the Party has resulted in resounding victories during wartime and great achievements in peacetime of the military, contributing to liberating the nation from colonialist and imperialist invaders and firmly building the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The victories of the VPA include the resounding Dien Bien Phu Victory in 1954, the liberation of the South and reunification of the nation in 1975, as well as the current active participation of Vietnamese peacekeepers in UN peacekeeping missions, and the VPA’s role in developing the national economy while maintaining political stability and security. The reality has confirmed that the absolute leadership of the Party over the military has always brought about and will certainly bring about successes in safeguarding and developing the country. The VPA will always place its trust and loyalty in the leadership of the CPV.
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Defense Minister, General Ngo Xuan Lich |
In the current period, we are facing challenges and standing chances at the same time in the cause of developing and safeguarding the nation. Peace, cooperation and development are still the main trends, but factors causing instability are still there to affect the nation. Hostile forces are enhancing their “peaceful evolution” strategy to sabotage the achievements of the Party and the State.
In that context, the VPA must continue promoting its tradition and uphold its troops’ willpower and combat capability, serving as the core force for the whole country to safeguard the socialist political system. To get this done, the Party must keep its absolute leadership over all aspects of the military. This is the decisive factor to promote the VPA’s revolutionary tradition and ideals, keeping the VPA absolutely loyal to the Fatherland, the Party, State and the people.
In the context of international integration, the task of safeguarding the nation is much harder for the VPA. To deserve the trust of the Party, State and people, the VPA must keep upgrading, modernizing, and reorganizing its forces so as to meet all task requirements. The VPA must hone its units’ and agencies’ combat readiness capabilities, making efforts to avoid war, but ready to fight and win any aggression and invasions.
In 2020, Vietnam is the ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. These are the two important missions to fulfill, as they pose difficulties but also bring opportunities for Vietnam to reaffirm its position in the international arena. In that context, the VPA must be fully aware that integration and national defense are the two tasks that serve to firmly safeguard national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity while protecting the Party, State, people and the socialist political system, facilitating the cause of national modernization and industrialization, and maintaining political stability and social order.
As a military born from the people and fighting for the people, the power of the VPA stems from the people. Inheriting and promoting that tradition, the VPA must tighten the military-civil solidarity and build a strong whole people’s warfare, serving as the firm foundation for the cause of national defense. The military must closely coordinate with other forces to enhance the capabilities of mass organizations and combine military with economic task performance while building strong defensive areas and carrying out well homefront policies.
On the occasion of the 90th founding anniversary of the CPV, the VPA promises to stay ever-loyal to the Fatherland, the Party, and the people and promote its glorious tradition to successfully complete any assigned missions, serving as the core force of the country in safeguarding the nation in the new period.
General Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Defense Minister
Translate by Huu Duong