The fire from 'The Fatherland's Bronze Citadel' to the aspiration of Vietnam 2045

The fire from 'The Fatherland's Bronze Citadel' to the aspiration of Vietnam 2045 - Photo 1.

The fire of the Southern resistance is not only a historical memory but has become a priceless spiritual heritage, a red thread running through the two great resistance wars of the nation. Photo archive

Looking back over the 80-year journey, the flame of the Southern resistance is not just a historical memory. It has become a priceless spiritual heritage, a red thread running through the two great resistance wars of the nation and is now being transformed into a strong driving force, fostering the aspiration to build a strong and prosperous Vietnam by 2045. Interpreting the core value of the spirit of September 23 - the spirit of autonomy, the will "to die free than to live as a slave" - and its strong vitality in the flow of national history is a way for us to be grateful for the past, understand the present and confidently step into the future.

From 28 days of freedom to the oath of the mountains and rivers

The success of the August Revolution in 1945 was a great event, but the joy of independence of the people of the South was short-lived, only 28 days, from August 25 to September 22, 1945. On the night of September 22 to the morning of September 23, 1945, with the support of the British army, the French army opened fire on Saigon, beginning the reoccupation of the South. They attacked the headquarters of the young revolutionary government, blatantly trampling on the independence that our nation had just won with blood and sweat.

At the moment when the fate of the nation hung by a thread, the Regional Party Committee, the People's Committee and the Southern Resistance Committee made a historic decision: to launch a national resistance war. On the morning of September 23, at a joint meeting at house number 629 Cay Mai Street (now Nguyen Trai Street), the "Appeal of the Southern Resistance Committee" was drafted and quickly spread throughout Saigon and the provincial capitals: " From this moment on, our top priority is to destroy the French invaders and their henchmen ", and the Appeal ended with the sentence: " The resistance begins! ".

That call was like a command from the heart, arousing the passionate patriotism that had been burning in the hearts of every Southerner. It was not a war of a fully equipped regular army. It was a war of the entire people. The mechanics of the Ba Son factory, the workers of the Cho Quan power plant, the rickshaw drivers, the merchants, the students, the intellectuals, and the numerous farmers from the suburban areas stood up together with all the weapons in their hands. Sharpened bamboo trees, spears, and homemade machetes became symbols of the iron will, of the spirit of "using the weak to fight the strong", "using primitiveness to defeat modernity" of the Southern army and people in the early days of the resistance.

Saigon city was seething with the atmosphere of "fighting inside and besieging outside". Self-defense teams, militias, and volunteer workers organized raids on enemy positions, burned warehouses, and thoroughly implemented the "non-cooperation" policy. People evacuated, implemented "empty houses and gardens", and turned Saigon into a city with "no electricity, no water, no markets" for the enemy. It was the people's unanimity and unanimity that defeated the French colonialists' "quick strike, quick victory" plot, holding them back in Saigon for a long time, creating valuable conditions for the whole country to prepare for a long-term resistance war.

President Ho Chi Minh closely followed every development of the Southern battlefield. He affirmed: " The Southern region is the blood of Vietnamese blood, the flesh of Vietnamese flesh ". In his letters and appeals to the people of the South, he always expressed his trust and deep admiration. He himself gave the army and people of the Southern region the noble title: "Citadel of the Fatherland". That title is the most worthy recognition for the spirit of brave sacrifice, for the indomitable will, for the pioneering role of the Southern region in the struggle to protect the sacred independence of the nation.

The steel of the Southern resistance spirit

What made the extraordinary strength of the Southern resistance was the core spiritual values that were crystallized and shone brightly in the face of challenges.

That is the spirit of self-reliance, self-reliance, and self-strengthening. The history of the formation of the land and people of the South has forged a strong, dynamic character, not willing to yield to circumstances. Since the time of opening up the land, Vietnamese immigrants had to struggle with harsh nature, creating their own lives. That spirit, when facing foreign invasion, became the courage to "dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility" for the fate of the nation. In the context of the young Central Government, communication between the South and the North encountered many difficulties, the Southern Regional Party Committee decided to launch a resistance war. It was a bold decision, demonstrating political acumen and a high sense of responsibility. The people of the South stood up with their own strength, with self-made weapons, and with the creative fighting style of people's war.

That is the will "rather die free than live as a slave". The oath on Independence Day 02/09 is not an empty slogan, but a profound expression of the desire for freedom that is deeply ingrained in the flesh and blood of the Vietnamese people. After nearly a century under the yoke of domination, more than anyone else, our people understand the value of independence. Therefore, when the enemy returned, the Vietnamese people did not hesitate, ready to sacrifice everything to protect the fruits of the revolution. This will became an invincible source of spiritual strength, helping our army and people overcome all hardships and deprivation to fight and win.

That was the strength of the great national unity. The resistance war in the South was a true people's war from the beginning. All classes, regardless of rich or poor, religion or ethnicity, shared the same hatred for the enemy and the will to save the country. Workers and peasants were the core force, accompanied by youth, students, intellectuals, even national bourgeoisie and patriotic religious dignitaries. Organizations such as the Vanguard Youth and the Trade Union Volunteer Teams quickly became the armed forces of the masses, demonstrating the great strength of the national united front. This strength terrified and bogged down the enemy, even those equipped with modern equipment.

Those three core values blended together to form the "steel" of the Southern resistance spirit. It was not only the strength of the South during the 9 years of fighting against the French, but also continued to be tempered, promoted and became the red thread throughout the resistance war against the US to save the country later. The spirit of "going first and coming later", the dynamism and creativity in the "divine and supernatural" fighting style of the Southern army and people once again created resounding victories, contributing decisively to the Great Spring Victory of 1975, completely completing the cause of national liberation and national reunification.

Vietnam Aspiration 2045

Peace was restored, the country was reunited. The spirit of the Southern resistance in the past did not fade but continued to transform, becoming a powerful source of energy in the process of building and developing the country. The fire of self-reliance, dynamism, creativity and the desire for freedom has been and is an important driving force promoting the remarkable development of the South and the whole country.

Ho Chi Minh City, which 80 years ago was a pioneering stronghold, is now the economic locomotive of the whole country, a dynamic economic, financial, scientific and technological center and an internationally integrated one. The miraculous development of the City named after Uncle Ho is the continuation of the spirit of "dare to think, dare to do" of the early days of the resistance war. Modern infrastructure works, high-tech zones, skyscrapers rising from the land that once collapsed under bombs and bullets are the most vivid proof of the vitality and aspiration to rise of a nation that never bows its head.

The Mekong Delta, once a strong base of the revolution, is now striving to transform itself into the country's rice, fruit and seafood granary, ensuring food security and making a huge contribution to export turnover. The industrious and creative spirit of the "barefoot" farmers of the past is now being promoted in the application of science and technology, building high-tech agricultural models, adapting to climate change, bringing Vietnamese agricultural products to the world.

The 13th National Party Congress has set a historic goal: By 2045, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the country, Vietnam will become a developed, high-income country. This is a great aspiration, a great goal, requiring extraordinary efforts from the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army. To realize that aspiration, we need more than ever to arouse and strongly promote the spirit of the Southern resistance.

That is the spirit of self-reliance and self-improvement in building an independent and self-reliant economy. In the context of a volatile world, relying on internal strength, maximizing the country's potential and advantages, mastering technology, and building national brands of international stature are the inevitable paths to sustainable development. The lesson of self-reliance in the early difficult days of resistance is still valuable.

That is the spirit of constant innovation and creativity. The fourth industrial revolution is opening up both opportunities and challenges. The dynamic spirit, not afraid of difficulties, daring to make breakthroughs of the Southern people needs to be strongly spread in all fields, from state management, economic development to scientific research and education, to create leaps and narrow the gap with advanced countries.

And above all, that is the strength of the great national unity bloc. The aspiration for 2045 is the common aspiration of all Vietnamese people. The strength to realize that aspiration must come from the consensus and joint efforts of the entire political system and all classes of people, regardless of composition, religion, ethnicity, domestic or foreign. The spirit of "all people as one" of Saigon on August 25, 1945 and of the South on September 23, 1945 needs to be recreated in the country's construction today.

Eighty years, a long enough journey for a generation to be born, grow up and go down in history. But the flame of the Southern Resistance will never be extinguished. It has become a part of the national soul, an eternal value. The 80th anniversary of the Southern Resistance Day is not only an opportunity for us to review a heroic past, to pay tribute to the sacrifices of previous generations. More importantly, it is an opportunity for us to reflect on ourselves, to have a deeper understanding of the spiritual values that made the victory, and to turn those values into concrete, practical actions in the work of building and defending the Fatherland today.

The flame from the "Citadel of the Fatherland" in 1945 will continue to be the light that guides the way, the driving force that urges us to firmly step on the path to realizing the aspiration of a strong Vietnam in 2045. The legacy of September 23 is immortal, and it is the responsibility of today's generation to make that legacy shine brighter and brighter.

Chu Van Khanh

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/ngon-lua-tu-thanh-dong-to-quoc-den-khat-vong-viet-nam-2045-102250923163900585.htm