April 30, 1975
46th Anniversary of the Reunification of Vietnam
Posters celebrating Vietnam’s National Reunification Day, issued on the 45th anniversary in 2020.
The Great Spring Victory that culminated with the fall of Saigon and American occupiers fleeing for their lives, achieved reunification of Vietnam 46 years ago, on April 30, 1975. Reunification of Vietnam shines in the annals of the liberation struggles of the peoples of the world. The defeat of U.S. imperialist aggression lifted the spirit of the peoples of the world who were striving to put an end to colonialism and imperialism. Revolution was in flow then. The world has since changed greatly, gone into a period of retrogression and retreat of revolution, yet today’s Socialist Republic of Vietnam continues to shine and inspire.
« Nothing More Precious then Independence and Freedom; They Have Chosen Uncle Ho’s Path » |
The Vietnamese people and their government, led by the Communist Party of Vietnam have given life to Ho Chi Minh’s unshakable conviction that not even the overwhelming military might of US imperialism could deny the Vietnamese their sovereignty and independence. « Our mountains will always be, our rivers will always be, our people will always be. The American invaders defeated, we will rebuild our land ten times more. »
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam of today is that beautiful poetic expression penned by Ho Chi Minh. Today’s Vietnam inspires that there is an alternative to the imperialist globalized world, in which a chosen few thrive at the expense of the vast majority. Globalization under the control of the financial oligarchy is a disaster with surging poverty, homelessness, unemployment, ruination of nature and threats of world war increasing with every passing day. Vietnam however is living proof that it can be done — that even a small country can thrive, can maintain its dignity, sovereignty and independence.
Socialist Vietnam’s prestige is such that it currently holds, for the second time now, the Presidency of the Security Council. State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on April 19 delivered a speech at the High-level Open Debate of the United Nations Security Council on « Cooperation between the UN and regional organizations in enhancing confidence-building and dialogue in conflict prevention and resolution » where he vigorously promoted peaceful international relations on the basis of upholding the UN Charter and international law.
Vietnam’s success organizing and mobilizing the entire country to contain and prevent the spread of COVID-19, reporting just over 1,500 infections and 35 deaths since the start of the pandemic, has rightly earned Vietnam tremendous international respect.
Despite the pandemic, Vietnam did not experience even a single quarter of contraction in 2020. Quite the opposite its economy grew by 2.9 per cent–one of the highest growth rates in the world–and is projected to grow by 6.5 per cent in 2021.
Vietnam’s socialist democracy is also vibrant. The entire country was fully engaged in the discussions leading to the 13th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam earlier this year and in formulating a vigorous program of action, which is already underway, to take full advantage of the scientific and technological revolution to build a bright future for the people and for the country.
Communist Party of Vietnam’s 13th Congress, February 2021.
Vietnam’s successes all belong to the Vietnamese people and their socialist government led by the Communist Party of Vietnam. It was that unity of the people around their Party and Ho Chi Minh’ leadership that succeeded in overthrowing both the French colonialists and Japanese militarists to gain independence. In 1945 Vietnam succeeded in ending 80 years of colonial rule. President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence of Vietnam at Ba Dinh Square in Ha Noi.
Within a matter of weeks after Vietnam became independent in September 1945, France returned with help from the United States, and was for the second time soundly defeated nine years later in 1954. The imperialists and colonialists sought to rescue their situation by engineering a « temporary » partition of north and south in an effort to deny the existence of one Vietnam. The United States then intervened in 1955, waging one of the most brutal, bloody wars of aggression the world had ever seen. But it too was forced to withdraw in defeat 20 years later. Vietnam was gloriously reunited with the Great Spring Victory of April 30, 1975.
Vietnam’s successes then and now inspire and uplift all peoples striving for the new to emerge. Why would anyone not celebrate what the Vietnamese people have accomplished? Canada should not persist in designating April 30, which is Reunification Day in Vietnam, as so-called Journey to Freedom day. It sows acrimony to insult the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in this way by raising the yellow flag of the U.S. backed militarist regime of former « south » Vietnam. For the state to provide official possibilities for the dregs of that regime to spout hatred against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam lowers the dignity of Canada’s official relations with Vietnam. So does building a monument to the so-called victims of communist tyranny and maligning the Vietnamese community in Canada as « boat people » which ascribes motivations to them which are not true, with a few exceptions of those who fled the revolution because of crimes they committed under the auspices of the U.S. aggressors. Such things are unacceptable.
The 46th Anniversary of the Reunification of Vietnam is a glorious day in the annals of the Vietnamese people’s struggle for sovereignty, independence and freedom.
Long Live the Socialist Republic of Vietnam!
Long Live the Friendship of the Vietnamese and Canadian People!
Hanoi, Vietnam’s main hub for research and development
Long Hậu Industrial Zone, south of Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s financial centre
(Photos and graphics: Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Autumnruv, Luongviethoang.hcm)
