On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army (December 22, 1944 - December 22, 2024) and the 35th anniversary of the National Defense Day (December 22, 1989 - December 22, 2024), VietNamNet newspaper respectfully sends to readers articles, stories, memories, commemorations... depicting the image of the Vietnam People's Army soldiers "born from the people, fighting for the people" and the 80-year journey of building, fighting, and growing of the heroic Army force.
The first milestone was the establishment of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army on December 22, 1944. At 5:00 p.m. on December 22, 1944, in the forest located between the two communes of Hoang Hoa Tham and Tran Hung Dao (Tam Kim commune, Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province today), comrade Vo Nguyen Giap announced Ho Chi Minh's Directive and established the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army. The team was organized into 3 squads, led by a Party cell. The Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army was established on December 22, 1944 and was the first regular main force of the Vietnam People's Army.
Right from its inception, this first main force army created the second extremely important mark of the heroic Vietnam People's Army - the tradition of fighting to destroy, winning for sure, and winning the first battle.
To fulfill the role of a propaganda team to build and develop the force, President Ho Chi Minh instructed General Vo Nguyen Giap: "Within one month, there must be activities to gain the trust of the soldiers and create a tradition of quick and positive action for the troops." Implementing this instruction of President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap held a meeting with the Party Cell and the Team Command, deciding to fight immediately after the Team was established.
To ensure the element and goal of winning the first battle to create tradition, General Vo Nguyen Giap and his comrades in the Command Board and Team leaders decided to choose two posts, Phai Khat and Na Ngan, to organize the fight against the enemy.
At 5:00 p.m. on December 25, 1944, the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army team cleverly, boldly, and unexpectedly broke into Phai Khat post (located in Kim Ma commune, Nguyen Binh district, now Tam Kim commune, Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province) and on the morning of December 26, 1944, broke into Na Ngan post (located in Cam Ly commune, Nguyen Binh district, now Hoa Tham commune, Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province), killed two post commanders, captured all enemy soldiers and seized all weapons, military uniforms and equipment. These were the first two victories of the regular main force of the Vietnam People's Army right after its establishment. The victories in Phai Khat and Na Ngan laid the foundation for the tradition of fighting with certainty, fighting to destroy and winning the first battle of our army.
After this important victory, in April 1945, to step up preparations for the general uprising, the Northern Military Revolutionary Conference decided to merge the National Salvation Army and the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army with other armed organizations to form the Vietnam Liberation Army. Implementing the Conference's Resolution, on May 15, 1945, in Dinh Hoa district, Thai Nguyen province, comrade Vo Nguyen Giap announced the unification of revolutionary armed organizations throughout the country into the Vietnam Liberation Army. This can be considered the third milestone in the 80-year journey of formation and development of the Vietnam People's Army.
After the August Revolution, the Vietnam Liberation Army was the core force to build the army of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. In November 1945, the Vietnam Liberation Army changed its name to the National Guard, also known as the National Guard, with a force of about 50,000 men. On May 22, 1946, according to Decree 71/SL of the President, the National Guard changed its name to the Vietnam National Army, placed under the centralized and unified command of the General Staff.
Earthquake
Compared to the French army, our main force was basically equipped with weapons and equipment, military supplies and uniforms that were still lacking and very outdated. However, the French colonial army failed when confronting the young National Army of Vietnam. They were trapped in urban areas by this young army, and collapsed when they failed in the Viet Bac campaign in the fall and winter of 1947, the strategy of fighting quickly and winning quickly was ruined, and they were forced to accept switching to a long-term fight with our army and people. The victory in the campaign to trap the enemy in urban areas at the end of 1946 and the ambush and counterattack in the Viet Bac campaign in the fall and winter of 1947 was the fourth important milestone in the 80-year journey of growth and development of the Vietnam People's Army.
Next, the victory of our army and people in the 1950 Border Campaign in Dong Khe and That Khe was the fifth mark of the heroic Vietnam People's Army. This victory completely collapsed the French colonialists' Vietnam-China border defense system in the northeastern arc of Vietnam.
The sixth mark is the victory of our army and people in the Dien Bien Phu campaign. This thunder truly created an earthquake. The Dien Bien Phu victory created the tradition of determination to fight, determination to win and knowing how to fight, knowing how to win of Uncle Ho's soldiers. After 56 days and nights of brave, resourceful and creative fighting, our army and people crushed the entire Dien Bien Phu stronghold. May 7, 1954 became the anniversary of the victorious end of the resistance war against French colonialism. And this victory created momentum and foundation, forcing the French to bow their heads, accept defeat and withdraw from their country.
On September 24, 1954, the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam issued Decision No. 400/TTg stipulating that "The Army of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from now on will be uniformly called: Vietnam People's Army". This name is used to this day. Thus, this is the 7th important milestone in the 80-year journey of building and developing the Vietnam People's Army.
The next important mark is the resounding victories of our army and people in the resistance war against the US, saving the country from 1954 to 1975. The great victory in the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign on April 30, 1975 was a brilliant milestone. Following that were the victories of the Vietnam People's Army in the two border wars.
One of the extremely important milestones in the 80-year history of building and developing the heroic Vietnam People's Army was that on October 17, 1989, the Central Party Secretariat decided to take December 22, 1944 as the Founding Day of the Vietnam People's Army and at the same time as the National Defense Day.
Firmly protect the Fatherland, create momentum for socio-economic development and diplomacy
In the process of innovation, with the viewpoint of integration, multilateralization, diversification of international relations, and early and far-reaching national defense, the Vietnam People's Army continues to have new marks.
The Vietnam People's Army has firmly protected the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, especially the country's territorial sovereignty, created stability in security and defense, and created momentum for the country's socio-economic and diplomatic development; performed well its international missions; conveyed the message of a peace-loving, humane, benevolent, and loyal Vietnam; is a friend, a reliable partner, and an active, responsible member of the international community, ready to join hands to solve problems that the international community is facing, contributing to maintaining peace, promoting cooperation and development among countries; created new positions and forces, firmly protecting the Fatherland early and from afar by peaceful means...
And perhaps, the best mark in the innovation process that the heroic Vietnam People's Army has created for the masses, compatriots at home and international friends, is its contributions to the prevention and control of the Covid 19 pandemic and the prevention, control, and rescue of natural disasters.
The images of military doctors, medical staff and officers and soldiers from many branches of the military rushing to the front lines to fight the epidemic; and the images of rescue and relief in Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho, Yen Bai, Lao Cai during the recent floods in the North... will forever be beautiful images of Uncle Ho's soldiers, soldiers who truly sacrificed themselves for the people, fought for the people. This is certainly a beautiful mark and will last forever, extending the glorious history of the Vietnam People's Army.
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