Misery:
Women and children take cover 20 miles from Saigon during
the Vietnam War, 1966. The war ended 9 years later,
April 30, 1975.
Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam
Vietnam Celebrates
Victory Over the 'Greatest Imperialist'
Thirty
five years ago today, Saigon, the capital of what was then known as South
Vietnam, fell to North Vietnamese forces. The event marked the defeat of
America and its allies and a victory for the forces of Ho Chi Minh. According
to this article from Vietnam's state-controlled Voice of Vietnam, the
pain and sorrow of the war brought out the best of the Vietnamese people, many
of whom sacrificed all, 'for the sake of national independence and freedom.'
In every period of Vietnam's
thousand-year history, our forefathers achieved many brilliant feats of arms and left numerous landmarks. But the great
victory in the spring of 1975 is considered one of the greatest and most
brilliant of them all.
The victory successfully ended
Vietnam's war for national salvation against the U.S. imperialists. Across the
entire country, it was also a deciding factor in achieving national reunification
and the people's democratic revolution. It was an event that marked a new era of
independence, unification and socialism.
The great victory in the spring
of 1975 also had epochal significance because we had defeated the "greatest
imperialist," weakened the imperialist system, shattered the neo-colonialist
chain, and made an important contribution to the common struggle of the world's
people for peace, independence, democracy and social progress.
It was a milestone that was
eloquent proof of Vietnam's character, wisdom and the powerful will o our
people. The long-fought outcome of the war and the arduousness of the effort fostered
the invincible strength of the Vietnamese revolution, and the basis of these
efforts was the clear-sighted leadership of our Party.
With correct and creative
guidelines, our Party successfully mobilized the combined strength of the entire
country and friends around the world. Standing out in this struggle were the socialist
countries, particularly Laos and Cambodia, who contributed extraordinary
strength to help us achieve victory.
Although much time has
elapsed, memories of that glorious time live on in our hearts. We all knew that
war meant sacrifice and suffering. But for the sake of national independence
and freedom, all Vietnamese, with incomparable strength, went to battle or
participated in the resistance war. Bombs and shells couldn't deter their
patriotism, determination and courage. On the contrary, they further tempered
the steel in our people in terms of fighting skills and spirit.
Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US
We will never forget heroic
fighting, sacrifices and losses of our people to achieve final victory. People
in the socialist north were determined to contribute every human and material aid
to the resistance. Meanwhile, southern people, including women, joined up as
well. Many young and unmarried men and women sacrificed their lives for out
nation. Many wives were separated from their husbands or sons forever. The
husband and nine sons of mother Thu of Quang
Nam Province, lost their lives in the war. She epitomizes
the heroism of Vietnamese mothers and will be forever remembered.
U.S. infantrymen pinned down by North Vietnamese snipers during
a battle northeast of Saigon in June, 1967.
Millions of Vietnamese
soldiers and people heroically laid down their lives for the marvelous victory
in that historical spring. No other country in the world has a cemetery for war
martyrs in every commune and district. Our responsibility today is to provide the
younger generation with an education about our patriotic traditions and moral
standards, and teach them to be grateful to their forebears.
Marking the 35th anniversary
of the Great Victory in the spring of 1975, all of us are proud of our Party
and heroic people. The great significance and precious lesson of that victory
remain valuable to the building and defense of our nation. We are determined to
promote the heroic tradition of our country, to achieve new victories and build
Vietnam into a wealthy, strong, democratic, fair and civilized socialist nation.
*Dr. Vu Van Hien is the General Director of the Voice of Vietnam
