Promoting historic values of August 1945 Revolution in the context of comprehensive modernization and accelerated international intergration

72 years ago, under the leadership of the Party, Vietnamese people gained the first remarkable accomplishment of the nation in 20th century: successfully carrying out the August revolution in 1945 to overthrow the cruel domination of Japanese fascism, abolishing an outdated monarchy, seizing back national independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, unifying the country and putting Vietnam on the path of the people’s national democratic revolution to socialism.

August Revolution was a glorious milestone in national history, symbolizing Vietnam’s liberation and development trend in a revolutionary way selected by leader Ho Chi Minh, the Party and Vietnamese people. After more than seven decades, its historic values have been proved by many great victories, creating benchmarks in Vietnamese history and strengthening Vietnam position in the international arena.

August 1945 Revolution broke the chains of oppression, liberated classes and strata from slavery and saved Vietnamese people from impoverishment and protected them from being damaged by the obscurantism policies of colonialism and imperialism. Thanks to this resounding victory, the Democratic Republic government was established on September 2nd, 1945. Therefore, we seized back our national name and Vietnamese lofty traditional values were recovered. The nation’s patriotism reached its new height with full of determination to fight and win.

The glorious victory of August 1945 Revolution was a persuasive evidence for the great power of national unity bloc led by the Party and Ho Chi Minh. It was a strong driving force for Vietnamese people to score new triumphs and continue to write historic and resounding pages in the resistance against foreign invaders, in national construction and defence and in the Renewal (Doi Moi) Process.

As the leader of this successful revolution, the Communist Party of Vietnam was recognized by Vietnamese people as the ruling political party. This ruling mission was not only the outcome of a long period during which the party had led the country on a revolutionary path to resist the domination of imperialism and fascism and seize the power from their hands, but it was also the requirement for attaining the goal of proletarian revolution: to complete the missions of national democratic revolution, and to advance towards socialism. This inevitability asserted the Party's role and its ruling responsibility in protecting and promoting the achievements of August Revolution, creating an independent, unified, democratic and prosperous Vietnam.

August Revolution established and improved Vietnam’s position in the international arena among countries struggling to abolish the national slavery, building a sustainable independence connectedclosely with freedom, democracy and happiness for people, with social equality and progress.

This glorious triumph broke a link in the chain and accelerated the inevitable break-up of colonial system in the world. It ignited the collapse of cruel colonial regime; stimulated the people in the colonies to liberate themselves and seize back their nations’ independence and freedom in a self-reliant way.  The establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam helped strengthen the fighting forces for peace, national independence and social development in the struggle to prevent wars, defend peace and oppose hostile and invading forces.

The success of August revolution is a convincing proof for everlasting strength of Marxism, Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought of national liberation. The path to its success was thoroughly revolutionary, pursuing people’s freedom, justice and happiness that Ho Chi Minh selected by applying Marxism and Leninism to the reality of Vietnam’s revolution. The victory also realized Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts and affirmed their lofty values.

August Revolution (1945) and the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam passed on to succeeding generations a variety of resources, theoretical legacies, lessons and valuable experiences containing solutions applied by the Party and Vietnamese people to resolving complex political, military and diplomatic problems in fighting against the invaders, constructing and defending the socialist Fatherland. Current situation of national development and defense requires the Party and the people to select, inherit and distill the Revolution’s historic values to a higher level.

The first lesson is the determination to preserve national independence and socialism. Connectionbetween national independence and socialism created strength essential for the revolution’s glorious victory. Lasting from the end of 19th century to the beginning of 20th century, struggles for national independence since the invasion of colonialism into Vietnam had witnessed the failures of patriotic movements following either the feudalistic ideology or the democratic bourgeois one. The defeat results from lacking a scientific revolutionary doctrine to orientate them, failing to resolve reasonably the relationship between national sovereignty and people’s benefits, between national independence and social progress, between short-term goals and developmental direction which must be compatible to the world’s context and Vietnam’s features.

Established in 1930, the Communist Party of Vietnam adopted the Political Credo, which clearly defined the revolution’s objective as to obtain national independence and to advance to a communist society.  The document embraced tasks of national liberation within the framework of real values of national independence and the direction for the country to move forwards, meeting developmental requirements of the whole country and Vietnamese society. That direction had been followed and tested during 15 years of continuous struggle, leading to August Revolution 1945, which was an inevitable victory of Vietnam’s revolution in 20th century and the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. September 2nd, 1945 became the landmark which affirmed Vietnam development trend in the new era. Since then, the country’s huge potentials have been unleashed, orientating Vietnam towards new peak on the path to build a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic and socialist-oriented country. As a result, August Revolution successfully fulfilled three functions of a proletarian revolution in a colony: liberating nation, liberating classes and liberatingpeople, among which national liberation played the role as the basis of and prerequisite to the othertwo missions.

It has been 72 years since the success of August Revolution. Vietnam has been moving forwards on the path to its goals of “a rich people, a strong country, a democratic, equitable and civilised society”.After 30 years of  Renewal Process (Doi Moi), “our country has obtained great historical achievements in constructing socialism and defending the socialist homeland”(1). Concurrently, we have to confront a lot of complicated problems, overcome many shortcomings and weaknesses in order to move the country towards fast and sustainable development. The accelerated modernization puts forward arealistic demand of firmly hoisting the flag of national independence and socialism which are ideologies, aims and sources for Vietnamese revolutionary power, proved by the August Revolution’s victory and resourceful reality. Party’s political credo on national construction during transitional period to socialism (supplemented and developed in 2011) drew experience and pointed out oneprinciple of the Renewal Process: “to resolutely follow national independence and socialism, aglorious task that President Ho Chi Minh passed on to successive generations. National independence is the prerequisite to socialism which is a firm foundation for national independence. Building socialism and safeguarding the socialist Fatherland are two strategic tasks closely linked to each other.

It is a lesson of consolidating and developing the power of national unity bloc in National United Front based on the alliance of working class, the peasantry and the intelligentsia under Party leadership.While presiding national liberation, the Party favoured unifying and mobilising national strength at the highest level in order to gain national independence back.  The decision was made on the basis of full awareness of the Marxism and Leninism principle that revolution is the task of the masses. It was also based on deep understanding of Vietnamese culture, correctly assessing abilities and positive attitudes of different classes and people from all social strata about the struggle against imperialism, national liberation and building a prosperous Vietnam.

The 8th plenary session of the Party Central Committee in May 1941 issued a policy on mobilizing the entire people to unify all classes, parties, races and religions, who were willing to fight France’s and Japan’s forces to regain independence for the country in a “national” front namely League for the Independence of Vietnam (Viet Minh). Under Viet Minh, Vietnam doubled its indomitable strength and creativity. The masses had been arranged into patriotic organizations.  Political and armed forces in every region in Vietnam were mobilized to fight on the front lines throughout the nation and in each locality, fulfilling the requirements of each period with maximum effectiveness in the progress of revolution. When the insurrection approached, the Nation United Front became larger by recruitingmore patriotic groups, reducing the scale of the evil forces and neutral forces, creating a powerful group. The national unity bloc is the basis for Vietnamese revolution to strengthen international solidarity with anti-fascist forces in the world. It was true as Ho Chi Minh’s belief in his letter to all citizens on June 6th, 1941, "To defeat France and Japan, we only need national solidarity" (2). With the organized power of the whole nation, combining with favourable opportunities, under the leadership of the Party and Viet Minh Front, all Vietnamese people rose up in a revolt, gaining successin 1945 August Revolution. This resounding victory is undoubtedly the victory of the national unity bloc's strength and determination to struggle for independence and freedom.

Building and promoting the power of national unity bloc was viewed by the Party as the rule of forsuccess of Vietnamese revolution and as the factor for the achievements of the Renewal Process. The party’s credo on national construction during transitional period to socialism (supplemented and developed in 2011) defined a priceless lesson for Vietnamese revolution, which is: “ceaselessconsolidation and fortification of the unity inside the Party or among the people, national unity and international unity. This is a precious tradition and a great source of the revolution’s strength. President Ho Chi Minh once summed up: “Unity Leads to Greater Unity. Success Leads to Greater Success”. 12th National Congress of Communist Party of Vietnam (2016) also affirmed that “The great national unity is a strategic guideline for the Vietnamese revolution, a main driver and a crucial resource for building and protecting the Homeland.”(3)

To motivate and develop national unity bloc’s power to the highest level, the Party has been consistent and thorough in its stance: revolution is of the people, by the people and for the people. Besides, we need to foster every resource and people’s innovative potential, arousing pure patriotic feelings amongpeople, creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese people domestically and overseas to promote their patriotism and together devote their strengths and talents to serving the homeland, linking personal benefits of people from all social strata to national interests, respecting the differencesprovided that they were not opposed to the national interests. Moreover, relations between different social members’ interests should be harmoniously settled, protecting people’s legal rights and benefits;improving their physical and mental life, making sure that each person in society is fairly entitled to the accomplishments of Renewal Process.

It is also the lesson of combining national and the era’s strength, internal and external resources in the spirit of being proactive, creative and self-reliant. Connecting Vietnamese revolutionary movement with an international one is an objective demand for the struggle against French colonialism’s slavery. Since its advent, the Communist Party of Vietnam has always been an active member in worldmovements of communism and international workers. In the process of preparing all resources for1945 August Revolution, our Party completely stood on the Allies’ side in the fight against fascism.As a result, Vietnamese people’s cause of national liberation was supported by other countries’ people and many international forces. The presence of the joint Vietnamese-American force in Viet Bac during August revolution was a manifestation of the combination of internal and external strengths in opposition to fascism. On that foundation, when the Allies attacked Japanese fascists, the Party and Viet Minh Front immediately seized the opportunity and rallied the whole people nationwide to rise up successfully in a revolt. In his Declaration of Independence, President Ho Chi Minh broadcast amessage to the world: a people who supported the Allies against the Fascists should enjoy freedomand independence.  Affiliating national strength with the era’s power, making use of the international assistance in order to accomplish domestic missions were historic facts and reasons for August Revolution’s success.

However, there is an even more lively reality, a decisive factor for the success: the proactiveness and self-reliance of the Party and our people, which was affirmed in a well-known statement of Ho Chi Minh and was thoroughly applied and implemented in the August Revolution: “relying on our own strength to liberate ourselves” (4). We are proactive and creative in politics, in identifying  and improving the guideline on national liberation, overcoming the dogmas on national issues and revolutionary forces. The proactiveness also refers to measures of preparing the forces and carrying out the nationwide insurrection, grasping and utilizing the right opportunity,… August Revolution is atypical benchmark in making use of international power in the spirit of initiative, creativity and self-reliance.    

Against complicatedly and unpredictably international and regional backdrop, there emergesnationalism combined with plots and actions that incite extreme nationalism and violent imposition in international relations. Thus, international integration, multilateralization and diversification in foreign affairs must be based on spirit of self-reliance, self-help and self-determination of the developmental path, avoiding dogma or dependence on supports from outside. The Credo on national constructionduring transitional period to socialism (supplemented and amended in 2011) summed up a lesson which is also the fact of Vietnamese revolution: “Combining national strength with the power of the times, domestic power and international power. Under any circumstance, it is necessary to persevere with the will of independence and self-reliance, upholding the spirit of international cooperation, promoting internal strength while taking advantage of external forces, incorporating traditional andmodern factors".

It is the lesson of constantly enhancing the intellectual level, Party’s leadership capacity and power, Party cadres’ courage and revolutionary virtue so that the Party is strong enough to shoulder heavy duties during the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. In 1945 August Revolution, with the number of just over 1,300 members, a large number of whom were detained in imperial prisons, the Party gained absolute prestige among the masses. People trusted, safeguarded and was ready to follow the Party in the revolution. To achieve that, the Party had built the right path of national liberation; allParty's activities had stemmed from public rational interests and aspirations.

The process of preparing for the August Revolution was also the process of building up a contingent of cadres and party members who consistently heightened good sense of responsibility and the spirit of sacrificing for the nation, putting the Party’s interests as the top priority. These people had little personal interest, “little desire for material". They were united, keeping strong attachment and mutual love for one another. They made every attempt to learn and train themselves in revolutionary movement, closely connect themselves to the masses to lead them move forwards. Therefore, the Party overcame fierce terror of the enemy, successfully brought about a great revival of party system, leading people to carry out August Revolution in 1945.

As the ruling force, during the Renewal Process, the Party heightened its sense of accountability to the nation and people by modernizing and rectifying itself in terms of theory, structure and practice. Bycontinuously enriching the knowledge, the party raised its theoretical awareness of socialism and the path to socialism, constantly improving its political spirit and coordination ability. In the context of this unpredictable and complicated world, the party has directed people to win many historic victoriesin the Renewal Process.

Nonetheless, Party building revealed lots of shortcomings both in theoretical awareness and practical activities. The limitations were reflected in all aspects, contents, stages of work; leadership and fighting capacity of many Party organizations. In some localities, fighting power has been lost; the management, education and training of the Party’s members have not been attended to. Consequently,a number of cadres and party’s members no longer maintain qualities of the communists as they live with faded ideals, degraded personality and decreasing confidence in Party. The Party’s ruling role is therefore in danger...

Understanding the urgent demand of further building the Party to meet the requirements and heavy tasks during the new developmental period, the Party’s 12th Congress (Jan 2016)  identified construction and rectification are the key significant tasks. We need to specifically focus on building a transparent and strong Party not only in politics, ideology and organization but also in morality by actively modernising leadership methods. The 4th plenary of 12th tenure Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) issued Resolution No. 04-NQ/TW on "Strengthening the Party building and rectification; preventing, repelling the degradation of political stance, ideology, morality and lifestyle of a number of the Party’s cadres and members and the manifestations of internal “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”. This Resolution clearly demonstrates the strong political will, great effort and consistent thought of the Party on the special importance of building and rectifying the Party. It came into effect, bringing about considerable changes in Party building and rectification.  This is also the inheritance and evolution to a higher level from the success of Party building in 1945 August Revolution.

Prof, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Member of the Party’s Central Executive Committee, President of HCMA.

1, 3. Communist Party of Vietnam: Document of the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV),  National Political Publishing House, H, 2016, pages 16, 158

2, 4. Communist Party of Vietnam: Complete works of the Party’s Documents, National Political Publishing House, H, 2000, T. 7, pages 167, 418.

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