In an article on the People’s Army Newspaper on September 15 in tribute to General Phung Quang Thanh, former Defense Minister who passed away on September 11, 2021, incumbent Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang spoke highly of General Thanh’s glorious military career, his great contribution to the military’s development, his strategy on national defense and his special attention to fostering troops.
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General Phung Quang Thanh visited troops of Regiment 102 of Division 308, Army Corps 1 in August 2009. |
According to General Giang, General Thanh is a shining example of the resilient, heroic fighting spirit, strong will, and energy to rise up in any circumstances and any conditions.
Born in a patriotic family rich in revolutionary tradition, Thanh was a martyr’s son. Though he was exempted from doing military service and allowed to study abroad, he insisted on joining the military to combat against foreign invaders.
General Giang recalled that in the resistance war against the U.S. imperialists for national salvation, General Thanh was a brave, ingenious commander. In early 1971 in a battle on No Number Hill in the Road 9 - Southern Laos Campaign (Operation Lam Son) Staff Sergeant Phung Quang Thanh was hit by a shrapnel on his left shoulder. However, he was determined not to leave the battlefield and asked for bandage. Having his comrades put 17 grenades around him, he continued to charge forwards to throw grenades on the enemy and led his platoon under Company 9, Battalion 9, Regiment 64 of Division 320 to team with other units to annihilate an enemy company.
Comrade Thanh’s brave act and outstanding feats-of-arms in the Road 9 - Southern Laos Campaign was vividly covered on the People’s Army Newspaper’s issue on August 4, 1971 by field correspondent Nguyen Duc Toai. The article was spread across theaters and read by all troops. Commanding officer of a platoon Phung Quang Thanh became a role model when he was awarded the title “Valiant soldier in the fight against U.S. invaders” twice. In September 1971, he was titled “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” at the age of 22.
In his nearly 50-year military career and holding different positions, General Phung always showed his high sense of responsibility, revolutionary enthusiasm, and was devoted to the Fatherland construction and safeguarding as well as to building a revolutionary, standardized, elite, and gradually-modernized military of Vietnam, consolidating defense posture, building the all-people’s defense posture and firmly safeguarding the Fatherland.
During ten years undertaking the duty as a Politburo member, Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defense since 2006, General Thanh, with sharp mind, strategic vision, and rich practical experience, made recommendations to the Party and State to issue important policies on military-defense affairs, Fatherland protection in the current period, and to direct the consolidation of the strong all-people’s defense posture, readiness to shift to the people’s war posture, and concentration on building strong defensive areas and strong “people’s heart” disposition.
General Giang wrote that “General Thanh always understood situations thoroughly, made precise forecast and timely proposals, gave direction for flexibly and effectively handling difficult situations related to national defense and security to avoid being put in a passive and surprised position in any circumstances.”
General Giang highlighted General Thanh’s due care for building a healthy, typical, politically-, ideologically-, and organizationally- strong military Party organization and his leadership over troops’ fulfillment of all assignments.
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Gen. Thanh congratulated troops of Brigade 144 under the General Staff and of Battalion 103 of the Hanoi Capital Command who had accomplished their military service in March 2012. |
According to General Giang, the prominent milestone that General Phung Quang Thanh made in his capacity as minister of national defense was that he actively made proposals to the Central Military Commission and advised the Party Central Committee to issue the resolution of the eight session of the 11th Party Central Committee on Fatherland safeguarding strategy in the current period. This is one of the two basic and top strategies of the nation that includes the guideline and directions on developing and implementing strategies, projects, policies in all fields, raises awareness of defense, security, and Fatherland protection tasks, and thoroughly grasps the guideline of early safeguarding the Fatherland from afar and resolutely protecting national independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.
Thanks to General Phung Quang Thanh and the Central Military Commission’s recommendations, the Party and State have issued flexible and effective policies, contributing to avoiding conflicts, meeting strategic goals, and upholding an environment of peace and stability for national construction and development.
With his viewpoint on fostering troops, raising combat strength of the military in couple with promoting Uncle Ho’s soldiers’ virtues in the current period, General Thanh paid due attention to troops and their families. He also set a bright example on solidarity and good affection for troops. His due care was also paid to war veterans, victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, sick and wounded soldiers, thereby enhancing solidarity among troops, tightening close military-civilian ties and shining images of Uncle Ho’s soldiers.
In his career, General Phung Quang Thanh importantly contributed to upholding political stability of the nation, creating favorable conditions for national socio-economic development, effectively implementing defense diplomacy and international integration, thus raising the status of Vietnam and its military in the international arena and securing the important position of the military which is the key force in safeguarding the Fatherland, loyal to and winning trust of the Party, State and people.
Also in the article, General Giang noted that the cause of military building, defense consolidation, Fatherland safeguarding has a new development with higher requirements. He also emphasized that complicated developments in the region and the world, non-traditional security challenges, especially the COVID-19 pandemic have been posing difficulties and heavy tasks for the whole Party, people, and military. Therefore, all troops must follow the good example of General Thanh and others, raise responsibility, continue to devote, and show high resolve in completing all assigned missions, including defeating the pandemic, achieving training targets, maintaining combat readiness posture to early bring the country to the new normal state and sustainably develop the country.
Translated by Mai Huong