Ho Chi Minh’s path - our Party and people’s revolutionary path

 Ho Chi Minh’s path has been originated by Nguyen Tat Thanh’s process of seeking the path, Nguyen Ai Quoc’s selection of the path, and Ho Chi Minh’s realisation of the path so that he would forever lead a true revolutionary Party, a heroic nation, and the patriotic people with aspirations for Independence, Freedom and Happiness on the country’s way to national independence associated with socialism.

Ho Chi Minh’s path - the path towards Independence, Freedom and Happiness

110 years ago, on 5/6/1911, the 21-year-old man, Nguyen Tat Thanh left the Nha Rong Harbour to seek the way to save his country and people. That journey lasted within 30 years, from 1911 to 1941, across five continents and four oceans. Nguyen Tat Thanh went through 30 different countries and territories, wrestled with numerous difficulties in his revolutionary struggle, did various jobs, and contacted with people from all walks of life, especially the poor within society. Despite differences in their skin colour and language, they all suffered from slavery under the yoke of imperialism and colonialism, while sharing a burning desire for freedom to change their destiny. Coming to France and other Western capitalist countries - the stronghold of capitalism - the invader of his nation, Nguyen Tat Thanh recognised the nature of our country’s enemy. After being enlightened by Marxism-Leninism and the Russian October Revolution, Nguyen Ai Quoc became an indomitable revolutionary soldier and a true Communist fighting for the oppressed people’s independence and freedom, while successfully finding out the way to liberate his nation from the yoke of colonialism. It was the 30-year journey that built up the greatness of Nguyen Ai Quoc and Ho Chi Minh later on, which a few leaders were able to do the same in the 20^th century. That was the greatness of a genius leader, a national liberation hero, a man of culture, and the vanguard of the national liberation revolutionary movement amongst the oppressed peoples all over the world.

After 30 years of travelling to seek the way to save the country, on January 28^th, 1941, Nguyen Ai Quoc came back to his Homeland (Pac Po, Cao Bang province) to directly lead the Vietnamese revolutionary movement. He chaired the 8^th Meeting of the Indochinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, changing the revolutionary strategy, launching the August 1945 Revolution, and giving birth to the People’s Democratic Republic of Vietnam with the immortal Declaration of Independence.

After 30 years of wars to liberate the nation and defend the Homeland, under the sound, clever leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam founded and headed by Ho Chi Minh, the Great Victory of Spring in 1975 marked a great turning point in our national history. It was the first time after 117 years, there was no invader on our land and our country ushered in a promising era of national independence and socialism.

Member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission Nguyen Trong Nghia addressing the Scientific Conference on Ho Chi Minh’s path (photo: tuyengiao.vn)

It could be said that Ho Chi Minh’s path from his journey to save the people to his last minute covered his life and career, expressed his ideology, ethics, method, and style, and focused on the two words, namely Nation and People. In his whole life, Ho Chi Minh has always been patriotic and loyal to the country, and pious to the people. The path that he had selected, discovered, built and left for the Party, the people, and all Vietnamese generations was the path towards national independence and socialism. Ho Chi Minh’s path represents tireless efforts to realise the core development values of Independence, Freedom and Happiness for the nation, the people, and the human race. It also manifests the burning desire of Ho Chi Minh and our entire nation to turn Vietnam into a wealthy country and enable the Vietnamese people to stand in the same position with major powers across the five continents. That desire and his trust were put in the Vietnamese young people. To realise that burning desire, our Party has decided to “arouse the spirit, will, and determination to develop a prosperous, happy, and everlasting nation and promote Vietnam’s cultural values and human strengths in the Homeland construction and protection.” Ho Chi Minh’s path has opened up a new era named after him, the Ho Chi Minh era, the most glorious era in the country’s thousands of years of national construction and protection. To reach the ultimate destination of Ho Chi Minh’s path, it is vital to build a true revolutionary Party under Marxism-Leninism that represents the knowledge, honour, and conscience of the times.

With the diversity of the concept of “Ho Chi Minh’s path” as “the revolutionary path,” each of us feels like he is still leading our Party and people to the final destination of that path. We are devoting effort to following Ho Chi Minh’s instructions, studying, applying, and creatively developing his ideology, ethics and lifestyle as well as the entire legacy that he left, keeping obtaining new achievements in the country’s renewal cause under the Party’s leadership so that we could realise Ho Chi Minh’s aspirations in the new historical conditions.

Remain steadfastness in the ideal and goal of the path selected by Ho Chi Minh and strive to gain new miracles according to the Resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress

Ho Chi Minh’s path which has been leading our Party and people includes the consistent and creative revolutionary ideology and the revolutionary morality. To maintain a close-knit bond with the people, we must exercise democracy and follow the moral standards of industriousness, thrift and integrity. Ho Chi Minh’s path means the lifestyle of a great Man of Wisdom, Humanity, and Courage with the personalities of an East Asian Philosopher and the Vietnamese cultural identities. As a result, in his Testament, Ho Chi Minh succeeded in expressing a cultural style and the ideological maximum within the minimum of language. In each work of Ho Chi Minh, or every speech in front of his compatriots and comrades, or each dialogue with his international friends, he used a minimum of words but managed to demonstrate a maximum of meanings. That unique feature could be found in only Ho Chi Minh and his path which is leading our Party and people to new miracles. He provided us and every Vietnamese generation with the “National Treasure” and “Precious Means” so that we could continue his cause.

Farewell to Ho Chi Minh! We have kept and successfully fulfilled our vows before him. When he was alive, our military and people won victory in the battle of Dien Bien Phu on May 7^th, 1954 that “resounded across five continents and shook the globe.” After he had passed away, Vietnam earned “another Dien Bien Phu victory in the air.” After 12 fierce days and nights in the airspace of Hanoi in late 1972, we forced the enemy to join negotiations and then sign a Peace Agreement. That event turned “Hanoi into the capital of human dignity.” After the Great Spring Victory on April 30^th, 1975 completely liberating the South, unifying the country, and defeating “the two big imperialists” as he said, Vietnam was in the vanguard of the movement against imperialism and colonialism and became the symbol of the national liberation revolution in the 20^th century.

Following the instructions in his Testament, we have dedicated ourselves to building and rectifying the Part, improving the people’s life, healing the wounds of war, fostering economic and cultural development, and rebuilding a more prosperous and beautiful country as he wished.

We have surmounted numerous difficulties and challenges when socialism and the world revolutionary movement fell into a decline in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. When our country has been confronted with a serious socio-economic crisis, under Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, our entire Party, Military and people have united in carrying out a renewal since the 6^th National Party Congress (1986). We have successfully dealt with the socio-economic crisis, maintained the politico-social stability, and kept boosting the country’s development under socialist orientations and the foreign policy of proactive and active integration into the world for the sake of “wealthy people, strong nation, democracy, equality, and civilisation” as he wished. The country’s renewal has lasted in over three decades. Our country has escaped from the state of underdevelopment, developed its potential, and exploited all possible resources to move forward together with other countries in the region and the world. The Political Platform of 1991 (supplemented and developed in 2011) and the Constitution of 2013 have crystallised our Party and nation’s knowledge and led the country’s renewal and integration cause to the tremendous achievements of historic significance.

Nowadays, our Party and people are enhancing renewal and creativity, while arousing and promoting the will and aspirations of Vietnam. According to the Resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress, “by 2025 Vietnam shall be a developing country with a modern-oriented industry base and graduate from lower-middle income status; by 2030, Vietnam shall be a developing country with a modern industry base and upper-middle income; by 2045, Vietnam shall be a socialist-oriented, high-income developed country.” The 13^th National Party Congress has also showed its political determination to “comprehensively, synchronously step up the country’s renewal, fostered rapid, sustainable development, successfully fulfilled the tasks.” In this regard, “socio-economic developments shall be a central task, the Party building shall be a key step, culture shall be developed as the spiritual foundation of the society, and national defence and security shall be ensured as an important, routine task.”

Under the flag of Ho Chi Minh, our Party and people will definitely succeed in building socialism and defending the Socialist Vietnamese Homeland. That is the sacred responsibility of our Party, State, and people, while expressing our absolute loyalty and sentiment towards Ho Chi Minh’s ideology and legacy in the era named after him.

Prof. HOANG CHI BAO, PhD

Ho Chi Minh’s path has been originated by Nguyen Tat Thanh’s process of seeking the path, Nguyen Ai Quoc’s selection of the path, and Ho Chi Minh’s realisation of the path so that he would forever lead a true revolutionary Party, a heroic nation, and the patriotic people with aspirations for Independence, Freedom and Happiness on the country’s way to national independence associated with socialism.

Ho Chi Minh’s path - the path towards Independence, Freedom and Happiness

110 years ago, on May 5/6/1911, the 21-year-old man, Nguyen Tat Thanh left the Nha Rong Harbour to seek the way to save his country and people. That journey lasted within 30 years, from 1911 to 1941, across five continents and four oceans. Nguyen Tat Thanh went through 30 different countries and territories, wrestled with numerous difficulties in his revolutionary struggle, did various jobs, and contacted with people from all walks of life, especially the poor within society. Despite differences in their skin colour and language, they all suffered from slavery under the yoke of imperialism and colonialism, while sharing a burning desire for freedom to change their destiny. Coming to France and other Western capitalist countries - the stronghold of capitalism - the invader of his nation, Nguyen Tat Thanh recognised the nature of our country’s enemy. After being enlightened by Marxism-Leninism and the Russian October Revolution, Nguyen Ai Quoc became an indomitable revolutionary soldier and a true Communist fighting for the oppressed people’s independence and freedom, while successfully finding out the way to liberate his nation from the yoke of colonialism. It was the 30-year journey that built up the greatness of Nguyen Ai Quoc and Ho Chi Minh later on, which a few leaders were able to do the same in the 20^th century. That was the greatness of a genius leader, a national liberation hero, a man of culture, and the vanguard of the national liberation revolutionary movement amongst the oppressed peoples all over the world.

After 30 years of travelling to seek the way to save the country, on January 28^th, 1941, Nguyen Ai Quoc came back to his Homeland (Pac Po, Cao Bang province) to directly lead the Vietnamese revolutionary movement. He chaired the 8^th Meeting of the Indochinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, changing the revolutionary strategy, launching the August 1945 Revolution, and giving birth to the People’s Democratic Republic of Vietnam with the immortal Declaration of Independence.

After 30 years of wars to liberate the nation and defend the Homeland, under the sound, clever leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam founded and headed by Ho Chi Minh, the Great Victory of Spring in 1975 marked a great turning point in our national history. It was the first time after 117 years, there was no invader on our land and our country ushered in a promising era of national independence and socialism.

Member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission Nguyen Trong Nghia addressing the Scientific Conference on Ho Chi Minh’s path (photo: tuyengiao.vn)

It could be said that Ho Chi Minh’s path from his journey to save the people to his last minute covered his life and career, expressed his ideology, ethics, method, and style, and focused on the two words, namely Nation and People. In his whole life, Ho Chi Minh has always been patriotic and loyal to the country, and pious to the people. The path that he had selected, discovered, built and left for the Party, the people, and all Vietnamese generations was the path towards national independence and socialism. Ho Chi Minh’s path represents tireless efforts to realise the core development values of Independence, Freedom and Happiness for the nation, the people, and the human race. It also manifests the burning desire of Ho Chi Minh and our entire nation to turn Vietnam into a wealthy country and enable the Vietnamese people to stand in the same position with major powers across the five continents. That desire and his trust were put in the Vietnamese young people. To realise that burning desire, our Party has decided to “arouse the spirit, will, and determination to develop a prosperous, happy, and everlasting nation and promote Vietnam’s cultural values and human strengths in the Homeland construction and protection.” Ho Chi Minh’s path has opened up a new era named after him, the Ho Chi Minh era, the most glorious era in the country’s thousands of years of national construction and protection. To reach the ultimate destination of Ho Chi Minh’s path, it is vital to build a true revolutionary Party under Marxism-Leninism that represents the knowledge, honour, and conscience of the times.

With the diversity of the concept of “Ho Chi Minh’s path” as “the revolutionary path,” each of us feels like he is still leading our Party and people to the final destination of that path. We are devoting effort to following Ho Chi Minh’s instructions, studying, applying, and creatively developing his ideology, ethics and lifestyle as well as the entire legacy that he left, keeping obtaining new achievements in the country’s renewal cause under the Party’s leadership so that we could realise Ho Chi Minh’s aspirations in the new historical conditions.

Remain steadfastness in the ideal and goal of the path selected by Ho Chi Minh and strive to gain new miracles according to the Resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress

Ho Chi Minh’s path which has been leading our Party and people includes the consistent and creative revolutionary ideology and the revolutionary morality. To maintain a close-knit bond with the people, we must exercise democracy and follow the moral standards of industriousness, thrift and integrity. Ho Chi Minh’s path means the lifestyle of a great Man of Wisdom, Humanity, and Courage with the personalities of an East Asian Philosopher and the Vietnamese cultural identities. As a result, in his Testament, Ho Chi Minh succeeded in expressing a cultural style and the ideological maximum within the minimum of language. In each work of Ho Chi Minh, or every speech in front of his compatriots and comrades, or each dialogue with his international friends, he used a minimum of words but managed to demonstrate a maximum of meanings. That unique feature could be found in only Ho Chi Minh and his path which is leading our Party and people to new miracles. He provided us and every Vietnamese generation with the “National Treasure” and “Precious Means” so that we could continue his cause.

Farewell to Ho Chi Minh! We have kept and successfully fulfilled our vows before him. When he was alive, our military and people won victory in the battle of Dien Bien Phu on May 7^th, 1954 that “resounded across five continents and shook the globe.” After he had passed away, Vietnam earned “another Dien Bien Phu victory in the air.” After 12 fierce days and nights in the airspace of Hanoi in late 1972, we forced the enemy to join negotiations and then sign a Peace Agreement. That event turned “Hanoi into the capital of human dignity.” After the Great Spring Victory on April 30^th, 1975 completely liberating the South, unifying the country, and defeating “the two big imperialists” as he said, Vietnam was in the vanguard of the movement against imperialism and colonialism and became the symbol of the national liberation revolution in the 20^th century.

Following the instructions in his Testament, we have dedicated ourselves to building and rectifying the Part, improving the people’s life, healing the wounds of war, fostering economic and cultural development, and rebuilding a more prosperous and beautiful country as he wished.

We have surmounted numerous difficulties and challenges when socialism and the world revolutionary movement fell into a decline in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. When our country has been confronted with a serious socio-economic crisis, under Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, our entire Party, Military and people have united in carrying out a renewal since the 6^th National Party Congress (1986). We have successfully dealt with the socio-economic crisis, maintained the politico-social stability, and kept boosting the country’s development under socialist orientations and the foreign policy of proactive and active integration into the world for the sake of “wealthy people, strong nation, democracy, equality, and civilisation” as he wished. The country’s renewal has lasted in over three decades. Our country has escaped from the state of underdevelopment, developed its potential, and exploited all possible resources to move forward together with other countries in the region and the world. The Political Platform of 1991 (supplemented and developed in 2011) and the Constitution of 2013 have crystallised our Party and nation’s knowledge and led the country’s renewal and integration cause to the tremendous achievements of historic significance.

Nowadays, our Party and people are enhancing renewal and creativity, while arousing and promoting the will and aspirations of Vietnam. According to the Resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress, “by 2025 Vietnam shall be a developing country with a modern-oriented industry base and graduate from lower-middle income status; by 2030, Vietnam shall be a developing country with a modern industry base and upper-middle income; by 2045, Vietnam shall be a socialist-oriented, high-income developed country.” The 13^th National Party Congress has also showed its political determination to “comprehensively, synchronously step up the country’s renewal, fostered rapid, sustainable development, successfully fulfilled the tasks.” In this regard, “socio-economic developments shall be a central task, the Party building shall be a key step, culture shall be developed as the spiritual foundation of the society, and national defence and security shall be ensured as an important, routine task.”

Under the flag of Ho Chi Minh, our Party and people will definitely succeed in building socialism and defending the Socialist Vietnamese Homeland. That is the sacred responsibility of our Party, State, and people, while expressing our absolute loyalty and sentiment towards Ho Chi Minh’s ideology and legacy in the era named after him.