Throughout his life and for over 80 years of revolutionary cause, General Vo Nguyen Giap, who served as the Commander-in-Chief of the VPA and Secretary of the Central Military Commission for more than 30 years, made significant contribution to the national revolutionary cause. His unwavering spirit, compassion, and commitment to peace defined General Vo Nguyen Giap as the “General for Peace.”
Embracing Vietnam’s humanitarian and peaceful ideology
Born in a nation under oppression, Vo Nguyen Giap’s patriotism was ignited as he witnessed brutal repression by colonialists and their allies. He soon became aware of the revolutionary thought of leader Nguyen Ai Quoc (President Ho Chi Minh), following the path of national independence associated with socialism.
In 1940, under the training and education of leader Nguyen Ai Quoc, Vo Nguyen Giap quickly excelled in all aspects, becoming an outstanding, trusted, and disciple of President Ho Chi Minh. Standing side by side with President Ho Chi Minh during crucial period of national revolutionary cause, he deeply grasped the leader’s strategic vision, particularly the belief that nothing is more precious than independence and freedom, alongside humanitarian ideas, peace, and the fight for justice, national liberation, and the well-being of the people.
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General Vo Nguyen Giap receives Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at his house on August 1, 2008. (Photo: VNA) |
These great ideals became the guiding principles throughout General Vo Nguyen Giap’s revolutionary cause. He remained steadfastly loyal to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation, embodying the noble virtues of a revolutionary soldier: “Each day I live, it is for the country.” Promoting the humanitarian and peaceful ideas of Vietnamese people and President Ho Chi Minh, he consistently upheld Vietnam’s commitment to peace.
Inspired by President Ho Chi Minh’s thought, General Vo Nguyen Giap underscored that Vietnam’s quest for peace must be grounded in justice and humanity. At the Da Lat Conference in April 1946, faced with France’s insincerity, he declared that Vietnam wanted peace, but peace with freedom and fairness, not peace in humiliation and servitude.
Throughout his revolutionary cause, General Vo Nguyen Giap fought for the noble cause of national liberation, independence, and bringing prosperity to the people. His mission was driven by justice, peace, and the people. Beyond his contribution to Vietnam’s freedom, he inspired global movements for peace, independence, and social progress in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, earning worldwide respect and admiration as the “General for the People” and the “General for Peace.”
Valuing people’s lives, while taking care of all soldiers
A commander’s priority is to defeat the enemy and win battles, but General Vo Nguyen Giap never sought victory at any costs. He believed it was not necessary to win many battles, but rather to drive the invaders out of the country. The goal of the Vietnamese resistance wars against foreign invaders was not to annihilate the enemy, but to break their will to conquer, securing independence, peace, and happiness for the nation. Throughout the struggle, General Vo Nguyen Giap always aimed to minimize losses while pursuing victory.
When peaceful means were no longer possible, and military force became necessary, General Vo Nguyen Giap always prioritized the lives of officers and soldiers. As Commander-in-Chief of the VPA, he directed all units to uphold the principle of “achieving the highest victory while minimizing casualties.”
As a young commander without having undergone any formal military training, General Vo Nguyen Giap constantly worked hard to learn the quintessence of the military ideology of the nation and the mankind and drew practical lessons and experience from combat command. He was deeply aware that commanders at all levels, especially the Commander-in-Chief, must be responsible for every wound and every drop of blood of every subordinate officer and soldier.
Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Minh Thao, who was under General Vo Nguyen Giap’s leadership and spent years studying military science, held that the VPA’s Commander-in-Chief often spent sleepless nights and was deeply sad when hearing of heavy losses without a worthy victory. He also noted that General Vo Nguyen Giap’s principle was that the scale of each victory must be inversely proportional to the total number of wounded and dead soldiers in that victory. “The shift from “quick attack” to “steady advance” at the Dien Bien Phu Campaign in 1954 not only secured a historic victory but also reduced casualties. Comrades Vuong Thua Vu and Le Trong Tan, former leaders of the VPA, later remarked that without this change, the resistance war against French colonialists could have dragged on for 10 more years, and many officers would not have survived to fight in the resistance war against American invaders.
Setting aside the past to open the future
Through his whole life and career following teachings of President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap always put the interests of the national revolutionary cause, the country, and the people first. He said that for the sake of national independence, national independence and peace and happiness of the people, he commanded the military to wage the national defense war. When the war is over, he held that it was necessary to look forward to good things in the future for the country, the people and the whole world.
During many talks with foreign officials and journalists, even those who used to be foes, General Vo Nguyen Giap politely and frankly expressed peace-loving goodwill of the Vietnamese people. For example, in 1991, French director Daniel Roussel - the author of many documentaries about the war in Vietnam - met with General Vo Nguyen Giap to make his film. The general said in French to Roussel that, making movies about war, but not for war. Movies which are in service of peace would be alive forever.
In 1995, during a meeting with former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in Hanoi, talking about opportunities that could have fostered peace in Vietnam that had been missed, General Vo Nguyen Giap stressed that, while being resolute in the fight against foreign aggression, Vietnam also very much wanted to end the war... He held that Vietnam did not miss any opportunities because the Vietnamese people love peace more than anyone else and wars would only bring suffering to the Vietnamese people first. The general emphasized that the Vietnamese people’s consciousness and determination to protect independence had become the philosophy, cultural identity and also an unshakable principle. His sincere sharing above made the former U.S. Defense Secretary very emotional.
Especially, in another talk with McNamara in 1997 to discuss Vietnam’s relations with major countries during the war in Vietnam, General Vo Nguyen Giap repeated many times that big countries have the role of big countries, and small countries also have their own roles. Today, in order to build a new world order, all nations must be equal and respect each other’s independence and sovereignty. He emphasized that G7 and G8 could discuss with each other, but if small states are not taken into account, the world will never have peace, stability, and development.
In 1998, receiving the family of former U.S. President J. Kennedy at his home, without recalling the war or mentioning the “dark historical chapters” of the war that the U.S. had caused in Vietnam, General Vo Nguyen Giap only shared about the bilateral relations of the two countries that were once allies against Japanese fascists, about the photo of comrades taken with President Ho Chi Minh given by several American allies. The general’s affection and virtue significantly changed the perception of the former U.S. President’s family. And at a meeting with U.S. veterans in Hanoi on December 17, 2006, General Vo Nguyen Giap said that they had previously come to Vietnam to wage the war, but at this time they came back to the country to join a get-together for peace.
General Vo Nguyen Giap’s good feelings and goodwill towards international guests once again affirmed Vietnamese people’s aspiration for peace and independence, while continuing to demonstrate the nation’s tradition of humanity and peace, desire to set aside the past and look forward to the future that our predecessors throughout the country’s history had done after any war against aggression ended. That is the spirit “Use great justice to overcome brutality/Use kindness to replace violence” in order to bring eternal peace and put an end to war for future generations.
Translated by Minh Anh