His heart was divided when the North gained independence in 1954, but the South was still in the war. He was always concerned about the cause of liberating the South and reunifying the country. “My heart and 17 million compatriots’ in the North always beat with the hearts of compatriots in the South. We always remember the compatriots in the South who are fighting against the Americans and Diem’s puppet government to save the homeland.”(6) Ho Chi Minh’s aspiration for independence and freedom is summed up in his saying, “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom!” National independence and the people’s freedom are inseparable from the unification of the country. When the fight in the South started, Ho Chi Minh continued to affirm to all Vietnamese people and the world, that “the South is the blood and flesh of Vietnam.”(7) “People in the South are Vietnamese people. Rivers may dry up, mountains may erode, but that truth never changes!”(8) For him, the mountains, rivers, and lands of Vietnam constituted an indivisible unity. He compared the three regions of Vietnam to “sons of one father,” “a house with one roof.” Thus, people in all three regions shared the hardship and hunger, working together to realize the same oath, “this land only comes under a red flag with a yellow star”. Liberation of the South and national reunification became Ho Chi Minh’s utmost wish and the top goal of every Vietnamese patriot.

2. Independence and national unification - completely fulfilling President Ho Chi Minh’s willHo Chi Minh always had a special affection for the people of the South.

He unequivocally said, “The South is always in my heart!” That sentiment is not only the love of the homeland, where he used to live. He said, “My hometown is in Nam Dan, Nghe An, but my mother died in Hue, my father died in Cao Lanh. My homeland stretches across the country.” Above all, he showed love, concern, and grief when the South was not liberated. His heart and mind were always with the South and the cause of national reunification. He said, “When the Fatherland has not been unified and the compatriots still suffer from misery, I can’t eat and sleep well.”(9) How could he be happy when “half of the body” of the nation was still divided, half the Vietnamese blood has not merged into one continuous thread. “The road to liberation is only half gone. Half of the liberation road is still in the fire.” Ho Chi Minh named the South “the country’s iron bulwark” for its fierce and undying struggle for national reunification. He wrote, “People of the South, each family, each person has a pain. All that pain is my pain!” He felt concerned because he hadn’t fulfilled his responsibilities to the South. To Huu, a revolutionary poet, once wrote, “Who told me how deep Uncle Ho’s heart is? He loved every river and mountain of the South. All of these are like our flesh and blood dripping!”

Ho Chi Minh’s love for the South did not deter him from the objective of independence and reunification. More than ever, the South became the symbol of the aspiration and will for national unification and solidarity. Ho Chi Minh always dedicated the most solemn and earnest words to praise the indomitable and resilient spirit of the Southern compatriots. During the war of resistance, the South always had the strength of all the people of the country. He said, “All those on the front line are never alone, because you have a whole group of people united to support you. The final victory is certain to be ours.”(10) He was determined that “At this time, fighting against the United States, saving the country is the most sacred task of all patriotic Vietnamese people.”(11) “Let’s unite and gather millions of people as one, determined to defeat the American aggressor.” With a strong belief in victory, he said, “Our people’s war against the United States and for national salvation has to go through more hardship and sacrifices, but we will definitely win completely. That is a sure thing.”(12) “Our compatriots in the South and the North will definitely gather in one house. On the day of victory, our people will rebuild our country more magnificent, bigger, and more beautiful than now.” That belief and aspiration motivated the hearts of the people of the country’s two regions to strive for the unification of the country.

As a great rear, the North provided human and material resources to the great front line of the South with the determination to “cut through the Truong Son to save the country, with hearts to awaken the future.” “Each person works with double labor for the South.” “Rice does not lack a kilogram, the army does not lack one person.” “Youth - three readinesses.” “Women - three responsibilities.” The countryside lived by the motto of a “strong hand for a gun, a firm hand to plow.” The rear emulates the front to “all for the frontline, all to defeat the American aggressor.” Along with that spirit, the South Vietnamese army and people were brave and bright, determined to fight and win, to “find the US to attack it, find the puppet to destroy it.” “We fight until the US quails and the puppet government collapses.” With the aspiration for unification, the strength of the North in the rear, the patriotism and determination to win, the South Vietnamese people have gradually defeated the modern war strategies of the United States imperialists, moving forward to a big victory.

The great victory in the spring of 1975, brought about by the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign, brought the nation to a happy day of reunification. But by the time that day had arrived, “the country is full of joy,” the festival in celebration that “the whole country is united,” Uncle Ho had passed away. He was unable to fulfill his last wish, “I will go across the country to congratulate the compatriots, cadres, and heroic soldiers, visit the dear old men, teenagers, and children.”(13) Ultimately his life and career “became the symbol of the struggle of the Vietnamese people for a free and unified Vietnam.”(14)

3. Forty-five years after reunification, Vietnam steadily moves forward

April 30, 1975 has entered into the annals of the heroic history of the nation, opening a new page for our people. From the ones who lost their lives and their country, they became the winner in the fight against the French colonialists and the US invaders, realizing the unification dream and putting an end to the arduous 30-year struggle. And thus, President Ho Chi Minh’s last wish to “build a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and rich nation”(15) was finally realized.

Forty-five years have passed, and the country has turned a new page of peace. Vietnam cherishes the values of independence and unification as well as the sacrifices made by generations of the heroes of the wars. “Reviewing the old, cherishing the new” is said to remind the succeeding generations to respect and preserve peace. The desire for independence and freedom is associated with national unity and integrity as an eternal value, giving strength to today and on into the future. We look to the past to examine the lessons, and the experience, strength, and determination of the people for the cause of building and defending today’s national independence.

The current renovation of our country has been opening up many advantages but also presented new challenges and difficulties which threaten independence, sovereignty, unity, and the territorial integrity of the Fatherland. In the new global situation, the Party continues to “resolutely and persistently struggle to firmly defend the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, protecting the Party, State, people and social system.”(16) To continue the unification triumph song, we need to instill these valuable lessons:

First, the nation’s long history has shown that “the construction of the country must go hand in hand with the defense of the country.” Thus, to develop the country, we must defend the country and build a solid defense and security system. Safeguarding the country means maintaining sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. In the new circumstance, it is necessary to insist on the goal of national independence as it is associated with socialism, which is “the glorious flag that President Ho Chi Minh handed over to today and future generations. National independence is a prerequisite for the realization of socialism, and socialism is a solid basis for national independence.”(17) The Party defines the overall goal to “Firmly defend our independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.”(18) The country cannot be protected only by the desire for peace. Vietnam cannot build the country only by means of pure patriotism. It must go by action, using pragmatic development in all aspects. Building socialism is the foundation to bring “enough food and warm clothes” to the people by maintaining national independence. National independence can only be achieved when the freedom and happiness of the people are guaranteed.

Second, building and defending sovereignty and territorial integrity must rely on the strength of the entire people. It is the people who “shake off the mud and stand up brightly” to write the heroic history of the nation. Today, to maintain national independence, all resources must be brought into play, especially domestic resources, as instructed by Ho Chi Minh. He succinctly said, “if you want people to help you, you must help yourself first.” To do so, it is necessary to “constantly improve the material and spiritual life of the people,” to take care of and foster the people’s strength because “the people only know the value of independence and freedom when they are affluent and well.” The Party and State must handle the legitimate interests of social classes by recognizing and promoting their similarities, removing all prejudices, guilt, and hatred formed in the past to bring into full play the power of patriotism. One of the decisive factors to promote the strength of the entire people is to build a revolutionary party that is “both moral and civilized” to serve as an exemplary leader. It is the moral duty of leadership to build and perfect the State of the people, by the people, and for the people, thus ensuring that democratic rights belong to the people. The people are the masters and they enjoy the right to mastery.

Third, independence, unity, and territorial integrity cannot be separated from the building of strong internal strength. As Ho Chi Minh once said, “With self-reliance, one will be independent; with self-reliance, one will be free.”(19) Independence needs to include territorial independence, national security, as well as sovereignty in its national politics, economics, culture, lifestyle, and social ethics. It is impossible to gain political independence if there is no economic dependence. It is impossible to maintain independence and sovereignty if the lifestyle and morality of society are degraded and the national culture is deformed. There can be no independence, freedom, or unity without preventing and repelling the political, ideological, and moral degradation of cadres and Party members. Vietnam cannot achieve genuine independence if it is not built on a class of people who appreciate and inherit the indomitable and resilient tradition of the nation.

Fourth, independence does not mean isolation and closure. It is necessary to make use of the strength of the time, to build and develop the country in the spirit of “more friends, fewer enemies.” Vietnam is “willing to be a friend, a reliable partner” with all countries on the principle of “respecting each other’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.” Historically since the nation’s founding, we have experienced a lot of pain and loss. Thus, the Vietnamese people yearn for peace and try their best to preserve it. However, Vietnam does not accept to exchange her independence and sovereignty for anything and will never allow any benefit that harms her right to national independence and sacred freedom. Therefore, while promoting multi-lateralization and diversification of international relations, it is closely followed by “actively and resolutely fighting and defeating all conspiracies and ambitions to interfere in its internal affairs, which infringe upon Vietnam’s independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, national security, and political stability.”(20)