Communist Review - It has been over 90 years from the spring 1930 to the spring 2021 since the Communist Partyof Vietnam took leadership. The desire for independence, freedom, happiness and prosperity has always been the red thread that runs through the historic springs of the Party, the people and the country. Under the leadership of the ruling Communist Party of Viet Nam with its boldness, independence, creativity, whole hearted service for the Fatherland, Vietnamese people are determined to realize the aspiration to build a Viet Nam of “rich people, strong country, democracy, justice, and civilization”.

Aspiration shaped from springs of struggling for independence and freedom

The spring 1930 marked an important milestone - the foundation of Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV), opening up a new era in the national revolution history, lighting up the path of national salvation and patriotic movements in early 19^th century. The founding of the Party was an inevitable result of social development in Viet Nam and of the combination of Marxism - Leninism representing the worker movement and the patriotic movement; it is important to acknowledge Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh’s great contribution to finding out the path of national liberation and leading the country to development. The birth of CPV is a turning point in the journey to Viet Nam’s national development as the country ushered into a new age that defined national development course.

The conference on the establishment of the CPV adopted the Brief Political Platform and Brief Stratagem of the Party, clearly mapping out development course, fundamental issues on revolutionary strategies and policies in Viet Nam. The Party’s first Political Platform clearly showed its firm political stance, independence, self-resilience and creativity. This was the first Party’s document that truly reflected social conventions, met urgent and essential requirements in Viet Nam, conformed to the world’s development trend, and served as strategic orientations for the revolution in Viet Nam. It also opened up a new age of perpetual national independence and socialism. In his appeal on Party establishment, Nguyen Ai Quoc declared that the Communist Party of Viet Nam was founded and “it is the Party of the proletariat. From this moment, the Party will guide the proletariatand lead the An Nam revolution in the struggle against those who impose oppression and exploitation on us”⁽¹⁾. Thence forth, the Party took the leadership of the revolution and led the Vietnamese people to victory in the struggle for independence and freedom for the Fatherland.

Following all ups and downs of the revolution, the First National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam took place in March 1935 in Macau (China) amidst a warm atmosphere of the springtime. The Congress set out three important tasks, namely strengthening and developing the Party, promoting mass mobilization and dissemination against imperialist wars. It alsoadopted a number of resolutions on the mobilization of workers, peasants, youth, women and soldiers, on the anti-imperialist front, the mobilization ofself-defence forces, on ethnic minority groups, red aid groups, etc. The pivotal 1935 Congress affirmed that Viet Nam had overcome earlier hardships of the “white terror” and marked significant progresses in Party organization and revolutionary movements, setting stage for the successful August General Uprising and the birth of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam.

After 30 years of travelling overseas to seek the way to save his country, Nguyen Ai Quoc came back to his homeland. This wasa significant landmarkin the Viet Nam’s revolution history, since his return contributed to the success of revolutionary movements, the development of historical struggles for independence and national liberation at home and abroad. After analyzing and evaluating the developments of World War II and those in Viet Nam, Nguyen Ai Quoc convened and chaired Party Central Committee’s 8^th Meeting (from May 10 - 19, 1941). The Meeting concluded that national liberation was the imperative and leading task and appealed to “tap internal strength to liberate the country”. Along with Party Central Committee, Nguyen Ai Quoc devised important policies to complete the revolution path, which was defined to be closely associated with national liberation, meeting the aspiration of the people from all walks of life, conforming to the world’s revolution course, and dramatically changing the country’s fate. Such sound guidelines greatly contributed to the subsequent success of the August Revolution in 1945.

Thanks to itspolitical courage and charismatic leadership, the Party managed to lead the struggle for national independence through revolutionary climaxes. Despite a myriad of difficulties and oppressioncaused by the French colonialists and their henchmen, the Party was able to maintain and grow its vitality. In the spirit of courage and wisdom, the Party established and developed revolutionary forces, seized the opportunity to rise up and led the August General Uprising in 1945 to success, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Since then,the Party has become the ruling one.

The successful August Revolution changed the destiny of Viet Nam from a colony to an independent nation and turned Vietnamese people from slaves into masters of the country.

Only after 15 years ofage, did the Party gain national independence, ending more than 80 years of French colonial rule with its feudalist puppet emperor and five years of Japanese fascism, taking Viet Nam in a new era of national independence associated with socialism.

It was not until the spring 1946 that Vietnamese people could enjoy “the first Tet in the atmosphere of national independence”⁽²⁾. “Such Tets are truly our traditional Tets”⁽³⁾. The springs of independence reminds us of the historic oath in the Declaration of Independence – “Viet Nam has the right to be a free and independent country and in fact it is so already. The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilize all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their independence and liberty.” That oath became a torch guiding the people to carry on the resistance war, to protect the results of the August Revolution and to build a prosperous country under the Party’s leadership.

In order to foil the French plot to turn Viet Nam into a colony again, the whole nation stood up in response to President Ho Chi Minh's “Appeal to National Resistance”: “We would rather sacrifice all than lose our country and be slaves”⁽⁵⁾, and followed the Party’s guideline on an all-people, comprehensive, long-lasting, self-reliant resistance war”. This reaffirmed the Party’s strong determination to safeguard independence, freedom, and national liberation in spirit of fighting in line with national construction. It was also crucial to build a strong rear base to cater for the struggle against the French colonialists backed and supported by American imperialists.

In the spring 1951, the Party held its Second National Party Congress in Tuyen Quang. The Congress decided to make the Party’s activities public under the name of Viet Nam Workers’ Party, adding that “the worker class share the same interests with the working people and the whole nation, so Vietnam Workers’ Party should wholly represent the three groups”⁽⁷⁾. The Congress adopted the Party’sPolitical Platform, specifying strategic issues and the major revolutionary task: “to drive away foreign colonists,gain national independence and unification, wipe out semi-feudal remnants, distribute land to peasants, and build foundation for socialism”⁽⁸⁾. The Party’s second Congress witnessed significant advancesin the Party's theoretical thinking on revolution and revolutionary war as it added vitality to the resistance war. It was hailedas “the factor that promoted thewar of resistance to victory”. Since then, the whole nation had mobilized all resources with fierce determination to win the historic Dien Bien Phu Battle, which resounded throughout the five continents, shookthe world, and sounded a warning bell ofthe termination of colonialism.The historic victory provided the inspiration for the worldwide movements of national liberation, and forced French government to sign the Geneva Agreement in July 1954, recognizing the basic rights of Vietnamese people.

That the resistance war against the French colonialism and American imperialism ended successfully demonstrated Viet Nam’s capability and proud tradition of fighting against foreign invaders. The liberation of the Northern Viet Nam paved the way for the South to be liberated, thus reunifying the country. The victory of Dien Bien Phu, which led to the signing of Geneva Agreement, exemplified the triumph of all-people warfare in Ho Chi Minh era.

Despite the Geneva Agreement splitting Viet Nam into two halves, American Imperialists planned to turn the Southinto new-type colony. Vietnamese people were forced to rise up and protect their national independence. After years of mulling over the way to liberate the South, considering the situation at that time, the 15th Party Central Committee conference (January 1959) passed a resolution clearly defining guidelines of the revolution in the South, which showed the Party’s self-reliance and creativity in tough times. The Resolution ignited Dong Khoi Movement in the early spring of 1960, which then fanned the flame of widespread uprising in the South, marking a strategic turn in the revolution in the South.

The Party continued to tailor its guidelines on the resistance war against the American; the 3^rd National Congress in 1960 formalized the tasks of “socialist construction in the North, struggle for peace and national reunification, andcompletion of national people’s democratic revolution throughout the country” ⁽⁹⁾. The sentiment of determination to fight against the American spread across the country - “Anti- U.S.emulation competition was fierce both in the North and South”. “The war may last still 5, 10, 20 years or longer. Hanoi, Hai Phong and other cities and factories may be destroyed but Vietnamese people will not be intimidated. Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom. Once victory is achieved, we will rebuild our country to make it even better and stronger!”⁽¹⁹⁾.

In the Spring 1968, Vietnamese people rose up in response to the Party’s appeal and President Ho Chi Minh’s Tet-greetingpoem on Tet holiday: “Go forward! Certain victory is ours at last!” That spring witnessed a surprising and world-shaking general offensive uprising against the US Military Command in Sai Gon and Sai Gon Government. Amidst the gunfire of the General Offensive Uprising, the whole nation nervously, emotionally and proudly heard Uncle Ho’s Tet-greetingpoem on Tet holiday: “This spring will be far better than any spring past/As truth of triumph spreads with trumpet blast/North and South, rushing heroically together, shall smite the American invaders/ Go forward! Certain victory is ours at last.”⁽¹¹⁾. His poem was an urgent appeal to save the country as the exhortations that echo from previous generations and provoke the sense of sacred obligation to protect the fatherland. “The spring 1968 was the spring of great victory, crippling American’s plot of aggression and marking a turning point in the resistance war”⁽¹²⁾, opening up talk-fightperiod to achieve decisive victory. As a result, the U.S. was forced to de-escalate the war.Thewhole nation joined hands to fight unanimously for freedom and independenceby the spring 1975 – the spring of great victory.

The spring 1973was a diplomatic breakthrough for Viet Nam. After nearly five years of negotiation in Paris Conference that featured exchanges of argument reasoning, the U.S. was forced to sign Paris Peace Accords and recognize basic rights of Vietnamese people as in the Geneva Agreement that the U.S. had declined to sign earlier, putting an end to the Viet Nam war, establishing peace in Vietnam. With the signing of Paris Peace Accords, Uncle Ho’s will in a Tet-greeting poem was step-by-step fulfilled: “For independence, for freedom/Fight so the Americans leave, fight so the quislings collapse/Go forward, soldiers! Go forward, people!/Once the South and the North are reunited, this spring will be the most exciting”⁽¹³⁾.

With overwhelming power at the fighting speed in which “one day was equal to 20 years” andadhering to the Party’s guidelines: “Faster, much faster, bolder, much bolder, making use of every minute, every hour to rush to the front to liberate the South while being determined to win the total victory”, “advance with indomitable spirit”, the South was completely liberated after 55 days since the launch of the General Offensive Uprising; the whole country was reunified. “The complete reunification independence of Viet Nam in the spring 1975 was the country’s splendid victory”. That spring marked a glorious milestone in the country’s history, upholding Viet Nam’s patriotic tradition in the Ho Chi Minh era. The victory over the Americans was attributable to the combined strength of socialism and national democratic revolution. In other words, it was the internal strength empowered by the world revolutionary movements. The victory also featured Vietnamese people’s courage and wisdom, the Party’s independent, self-reliant, sound and creative guidelines pertinent to Viet Nam’s revolution situation. Since the spring 1975, the whole country have enjoyed eternal happiness; the national aspiration for independence and freedom was satisfied.

Aspiration from the springs of peace, reform and development

Following the spring of great victory, the whole nation embarked on constructing socialism. However, the history posed new challenges to the nascent government and the people, notably natural disasters, border wars, looming economic crisis, etc. In such tough times, the Part central committee rallied “all the citizens regardless of ethnicity age and gender unanimously to rise up to protect the Fatherland”. As soon as President Ton Duc Thang issued the urgent enlistment, the whole country were ready, willing, and determined to fight for independence, freedom, and to protect every inch of the Fatherland.

The economic recession in the 1980s and the impacts of the scientific and technological revolution urged the Party to carry out reforms. After careful studies and practical experiments with renovation in theory and thinking, the Party gradually shaped its perspectives and guidelines on the reform path, and partly implemented them. The sixth National Party Congress in 1986 was a significant milestone in the transition period to socialismin Viet Nam, thanks to the introduction of a reform known as Doi Moi - “For the Socialist Fatherland and the people’s happiness”. The Congress ascertained a solution to socio-economic crisis at that time by mapping out guidelines on comprehensive reform. This was the basis for the Party to find the right path to socialism. The Party’s guidelines on reform that underlined the Party’s determination to carry out Doi Moiwere the convergence of the quintessencefrom the Party and the people. The Party’s guidelines on Doi Moi were formulated from the people and for them to implement, which built up confidence of the people.

Shortly after the Congress 1986, Viet Nam ushered into new springs associated with the Doi Moi cause. The preliminary gains of the Doi Moi cause established a firm foundation that helped the country to overcome difficulties in the early 1990s that witnessed the collapse of the socialist system headed by the Soviet Union. Relaying the 1986 Congress’s gains, The 7^th National Congress of the Communist Party in 1991 adopted the Platform on National Construction in the period of transition to socialism. The Platform reaffirmed the revolutionary success in Viet Nam, drew onfive experience lessons, identified six characteristics of Viet Nam’s socialist nation, mapped out seven orientations for national construction and development, and affirmed that Ho Chi Minh Thought and Marxism-Leninism were the ideological basis for the operations of the Party. Viet Nam succeeded in finding the right path to socialism, which was pertinent to its own conditions and characteristics, and put forward solutions to the socio-economic crisis at that time. After ten years of carrying out Doi Moi, “Viet Nam managed to escaped from crisis. The early stage of the transition period to socialism, which is to prepare premises for industrialization, is completed, transitioning to a new period of accelerating industrialization and modernization of the country. The path to socialism in Viet Nam is more and more clearly defined.”

In the spring of 2001 – the beginning of a new millennium, the 9^th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam was held in April 2001 with the spirit “promoting national strength, accelerating the industrialization and modernization process”, defining the revolution goals which were national independence in line with socialism, wealthy people, strong, democratic, fair, and civilized nation. The congress insisted on developing socialist-oriented market economy in the transition period. The Congress also undertook in-depth and holistic assessment of the significance and role of Ho Chi Minh Thought, illuminated the concepts of socialism and the path to socialism in Viet Nam, supplemented and perfected the Party’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralization of relations, in which Viet Nam being a friend, a reliable partner and responsible member of the community for the sake of peace, independence and development.

The 10^th National Congress, which took place in the spring of 2006, set out the Party's goals: mobilizing and tapping all resources, and soon bringing the country out of the underdevelopment state. Reviewing a number of theoretical and practical issues through 20-year Doi Moi, the Party insisted that Viet Nam gained remarkable and historic achievements, drew on five lessons in the Doi Moi process, had better understanding of socialism and the path to socialism, and elucidated the theoretical framework for the cause of Doi Moi, socialism, and Viet Nam’s path to socialism.The Congress highlighted eight characteristics of a socialist nation that Viet Nam endeavor to build, eight fundamental orientations to build socialism successfully. Moreover, the Congress put heavy emphasis on promoting the leadership capacity and fighting strength of the Party, bringing national strength into full play, speeding up comprehensive reforms, and soon taking Viet Nam out of underdevelopment.

In the spring 2011, the Party’s 11^th National Congress took place and recorded new theoretical and practical development in the Doi Moi cause. Reviewing 20 years of implementing the1991 Platform, the Party adopted a new one specifying eight characteristics of socialism in Viet Nam. This was a milestone in the path to socialism as it showed the Party’s breakthrough in Doi Moi guidelines and in the perception of socialism and the journey to socialism in Viet Nam. In terms of economics, the then economic growth model was shifted from solely width to a balance between width and depth, placing emphasis on expanding the size of the economy, while enhancing its efficiency and sustainability. Any changes in the growth model should be linked with economic restructuring. The 11^th Congress also witnessed Viet Nam’s escape from poverty, becoming one of the world’s middle-incomecountries. The aspiration for reform and development was partly fulfilled with outstanding achievements.

Aspiration for national development in modern age

The Party’s 12^th National Congress was held in the spring days of 2016 after 30 years of Doi Moi. The Congress focused on the main theme which is ‘Intensifying the building of a strong and pure Party; promoting the strength of the entire people and socialist democracy; stepping up reform comprehensively and synchronously; firmly safeguarding the nation and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; and striving to soon turn Viet Nam into a modern industrialized country’. Numerous achievements were gained during the 12^th tenure. Specifically, macro-economy was stabilized and economic growth was sustained. Besides, economic potential, size and competitiveness were raised. The work of Party building and rectification was paid special attention to and brought about significant results. The work of prevention and combat against corruption, negative manifestationsand waste was intensified, more efficient, with “building” being closely associated with “fighting”. In addition, synchronous coordination and unity between the Party, the State, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, and political-social organizations were promoted. There were also other noticeable accomplishments such as political and social stability, increasingly consolidated national defence and security, resolutely and persistently protected national independence, sovereignty and territorial unity, comprehensive and extensive international integration, and Viet Nam's increasing position and prestige in international arena. Especially, thanks to national solidarity, the superiority of the socialist system, the synchronous and widespread participation of political system and the people’s massive support, the Covid-19 was under control⁽¹⁵⁾. It is fair to say that never in the history “has Viet Nam been built with such impressive potential, position and prestige”⁽¹⁶⁾.

The success of the 12^th tenure reinforced public confidence in national aspiration for development well expressed in the next National Congress held in the spring 2021. Theoretically and practically reviewing 35 years of Doi Moi, 30 years of 1991 Platform implementation, the 10 years of the Platform supplemented and developed in 2011, and the Socio-Economic Development Strategy 2011-2020, the 13^th National Congress set out specific targets and tasks that were the convergence of wisdom, strong will, and the aspiration shared by the whole nation.

The 13^th National Congress lent its credence in opening up a new period linked with the aspiration for national development to a new height. The Congress sketched out orientations for developments not only in 2021-2025 period but also in the decades to come. Accordingly, “by 2025, Viet Nam will be a developing country with a modern industry, surpassing the lower-middle income level. By 2030, Viet Nam will be a developing country with a modern industry and upper middle income. By 2045, Viet Nam will be a developed country with high income”⁽¹⁷⁾. The Congress, a landmark in the development cause, exhibited the Party’s clear vision, strong aspiration for development, and a radical change in the approach to setting out targets⁽¹⁸⁾. These orientations were set out specifically for each stage, with clear targets in five years’ time, ten years’ time and by 2045.

In order to fulfill the above targets and bring Viet Nam to a new development height, the Congress adopted the six following key tasks. Firstly, continuing to speed up Party building and rectification, building a socialist rule-of-law State and a pure and strong political system. Secondly, drastically and effectively renewing Viet Nam's growth model and economic restructuring; accelerating technology-based industrialization and modernization; perfecting synchronously development institutions suitable to the market economy; promoting economic integration. Thirdly, arousing the people’s patriotism and their sense of determination to build powerful, prosperous, and developed Vietnam. Fourthly, maintaining independence and self-reliance; strengthening national defense and security potentials; improving the quality and effectiveness of foreign affairs and international integration, firmly protecting independence, sovereignty, territorial unity and integrity, the sea waters, islands, air and space under Viet Nam’s sovereignty; maintaining an environment conducive to national construction and development. Fifthly, bringing into full play the strength of national solidarity, socialist democracy and the people’s right to self-governance and mastery; promoting the rule of law; ensuring social order and safety. Finally, strictlymanaging, effectively exploiting land and other national resources;actively protecting and improving the environment by adopting and implementing solutions to climate change. The 13^th National Congress, which took place in the spring 2021, represented strong will, national solidarity, the close relationship between the Party and the people, political mettle, and determination to build a powerful, wealthy, prosperous and happy Viet Nam. The Congress also agreedon a number of policies with a view to promoting comprehensive and synchronous reforms, constructing and firmly safeguarding the Fatherland, maintaining peace and stability, successfully fulfilling set targets, winning more glorious victories in the cause of national construction and defence.  The whole nation, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, is determined to realize the aspiration to build a powerful and prosperous Viet Nam.

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(1) Complete Party Documents, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, vol. 2, p. 16

(2), (3), (4), (5)Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works,

National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, p. 186, 198, 3, 534

(6)Indochinese Communist Party: communique to dissolve itself issued on November 11, 1945, but in fact, the Party started to operateundercover to dodge the enemy

(7), (8) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol. 12, p. 38, 434

(9) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol. 12, p. 673

(10), (11) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol. 15, p. 131, 417

(12) Politburo’sConclusion No148-BBK/BCT, dated May 25, 1994, on “Some issues on the Party's history in 1954-1975 period”

(13) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol. 15, p. 532

(14)Communist Party of Vietnam: Document of 8^th National Congress, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 1996, p. 67, 68

(15), (16) Communist Party of Vietnam: Documents of 13^th National Congress, Political Publishing House, Hanoi, vol. 1, p. 77, 78, 25

(17) Communist Party of Vietnam: Documents of 13^th National Congress, ibid, vol. 1, p. 112

This article was published in the Communist Review No.  963 (April 2021)