This is the ever-resounding victory and the symbol of the bright Vietnam-Cambodia solidarity in combat during the historical period of hardship of the two countries.
After the success of the resistance war for national salvation against the American imperialists, the Cambodian people had little time to enjoy peace as the Khmer Rough regime then carried out a reactionary and perilous interior policy against their own people. The policy resulted in serious consequences when the society experienced a disorder as series of traditional cultural values were destroyed, and millions of Cambodians were barbarously killed. Busy streets, green villages and families full of happy melodies in national festive days had become past experiences. The whole country shifted back to a big zero: no freedom of travel, no freedom of assembly, no freedom of speech, no freedom of religions, no freedom of learning, no freedom of marriage, no currency, no markets... and even no tears for the tormented sufferings of the nation.
Volunteer soldiers in Cambodia. Photo: vtc.vn
Worse still, the Democratic Kampuchea (Khmer Rough-controlled state) was trying its utmost to incite hatred against Vietnam. In late 1978, the Khmer Rouge clique led by Pol Pot - Ieng Sary deployed a large number of troops along the eastern border area of Ben Soi in Tay Ninh province, Vietnam to open way for an extensive and deep penetration into the Vietnamese territory in an attempt to occupy the town of Tay Ninh, Hong Ngu-Dong Thap, Bay Nui-An Giang, Ta Pho, Ta Teng-Kien Giang. Wherever they went by, the Khmer Rouge soldiers aggressively looted and brutally and barbarously killed Vietnamese people.
Facing such a critical situation, on December 5, 1978, the Politburo and the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam adopted the “Combat Readiness Plan of the General Staff,” at the same time emphasized that, at the request of the revolutionary forces of Cambodia, Vietnam was ready to support the Cambodian patriotic armed forces to overthrow the reactionary regime of Pol Pot - Ieng Sary, helping the Cambodian people retake power and build a new life. This was an important decision, expressing the noble international obligation of Vietnam towards Cambodia.
As for the Cambodian revolutionary forces, on December 2, 1978, in the liberated area of Snun (Kratié province), a Congress for the establishment of the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation was held. The Front then asked for support from Vietnam to “not only save tens of thousands of Cambodian refugees, but the whole nation.”
In response to the request, from late 1978 and early 1979, the Vietnamese Volunteer Soldiers of Army Corps 2, 3, 4, and a number of units of the Navy, Air Defense Air Force Service, Military Regions 5, 7, 9 in coordination with revolutionary armed forces of the Cambodian people launched counter-attacks against the Pol Pot - Ieng Sary forces from various directions. In the Northwestern direction, from December 31, 1978 to January 3, 1979, Army Corps 3 and Cambodian Infantry Battalion 3 and six Cambodian armed working teams opened offensives to liberate provinces of Kong Pong Thom, Siem Reap, Battambang and Pursat from the Pol Pot clique.
At the same time, units of Military Regions 9 and 2 attacked the Pol Pot forces in the areas of Ta Pong, Kiri Vong, Prochrey, Tun leap, Toliop, Southeastern San Teng, the heights of 384, 451, 328, and liberated Kong Pong Trach, Kampot and Kompong Som Port. Meanwhile, in the direction of Army Corps 4, from January 1 to 3, 1979, the corps’ units attacked the enemy along Road No.1 and areas along the Mekong River, pushing them back to their defensive areas in Sakach, Pray Veng and Niek luong. Army Corps 4 advanced along Road No.10 and the North of Ta Ho (located on Road No.1, West of Prasat). Along the coast, Vietnamese naval units in the Vietnamese southernmost waters were ordered to get ready to support combat forces at sea when necessary.
On January 5, 1979, high-ranking officials Le Duc Tho, Le Trong Tan, and Le Duc Anh on behalf of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense arrived in Chi Lang (where the headquarters of Military Region 9 was stationed) for a meeting and agreed to assign more missions to the military region. On January 6, 1979, the forefront of the Ministry of National Defense ordered units to launch a general offensive on Phnom Penh capital and at 17:00 of January 7, 1979, Phnom Penh was completely liberated and the revolutionary flag of the Kampuchea People's Revolutionary Party and the Vietnam People’s Army were flown atop the Royal Palace in the city. The victory ended the three years, eight months and twenty days of the hell-on-earth of the Cambodian people. That victory was won with the great support of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers. The then Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk stressed, “Without the victory on January 7 and the help of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, there would not exist a Cambodia like today.”
The eventful history of the Vietnam-Cambodia combat solidarity has now become more vivid and lively with the victory on January 7, 1979. That victory will live forever, serving as the important foundation and premise for the two countries to continue to stand together to overcome all difficulties and challenges, striving to build wealthy and powerful nations, contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the rest of the world.
Translated by Chung Anh