A prominent and unique feature is that the Vietnam People's Army was established before the birth of the revolutionary state, a rare phenomenon in the history of revolutions in the world . This is not only a difference in the order of organizational development, but more deeply, it clearly demonstrates the dialectical, proactive, and creative revolutionary thinking of the Party and leader Ho Chi Minh. It is the proactive and flexible nature of establishing the armed forces early on that has created conditions for the revolutionary forces to have a sharp tool, a reliable support to organize and seize power throughout the country.

Urgent need to organize revolutionary armed forces

Right from its inception, our Party set out the immediate task of the Vietnamese revolution in the political struggle period as “organizing a worker-peasant self-defense team”. Following that policy, in the 1930-1931 revolutionary movement, the peak of which was the Nghe-Tinh Soviet, many worker-peasant self-defense teams (Red Self-Defense Teams) were established in all three regions of the North, Central and South. The first Party Congress (March 1935) issued a resolution on the Self-Defense Teams, defining the principles for building and operating the Self-Defense Teams, the first basis for building the Party’s revolutionary armed forces.

Liberation Army and Self-Defense Forces parade at Hanoi Opera House Square, August 1945. Photo courtesy

In the early 1940s, the international and domestic situation had many profound changes, especially the outbreak of World War II. When Japanese fascists entered Indochina (in 1940), France had to surrender, the colonial power structure was seriously shaken. The Vietnamese people were caught in a situation of "two yokes" - being both dominated by French colonialists and oppressed by Japanese fascists. Faced with that situation, the Indochinese Communist Party promptly organized the 8th Central Conference (May 1941) under the chairmanship of comrade Nguyen Ai Quoc, determining: National liberation was the top priority of the Vietnamese revolution. To gain independence, it was necessary to prepare comprehensive forces, in which building the armed forces was an urgent requirement: "The Indochinese revolution must end with an armed uprising". The guiding ideology throughout is: "Actively prepare the armed forces so that when the opportunity comes, we can launch an armed uprising to take power into the hands of the people."

Shortly after the 8th Central Conference, the Bac Son, Nam Ky, and Cao-Bac-Lang guerrilla teams were formed, becoming the premise for the birth of the main force. Thus, in the context of intertwined opportunities and challenges, the Party wisely chose the path of revolutionary violence, preparing the armed forces to be the core for the nationwide uprising.

Military organization before the state: strategic vision and creativity

On December 22, 1944, under the direction of President Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army was officially established in the Tran Hung Dao forest (Cao Bang). With only 34 soldiers and rudimentary equipment, that small army carried a great historical mission; it was the predecessor of the Vietnam People's Army, the core force in the uprising to seize power. Right from its inception, the team clearly defined the motto of action "politics is more important than military", closely combining propaganda, mass organization with armed combat. After a few days of establishment, the team won two battles in Phai Khat and Na Ngan, causing great resonance among the people and strengthening the belief in the revolutionary forces. By May 1945, the revolutionary armed forces were merged into the Vietnam Liberation Army. While the revolutionary state had not yet formed, this force took on many roles: fighting, protecting bases, organizing propaganda and even representing the early revolutionary government.

In major revolutions in the world such as Russia (1917) or China (1949), the revolutionary state was often established first, then the revolutionary army was built. Vietnam went in the opposite direction and this was a special creation, reflecting the Party's initiative and flexibility in directing the struggle for power. The fact that the Army was established before the state was not only a rare phenomenon but also demonstrated historical inevitability, when the old regime had not collapsed, but the revolutionary force was strong enough to replace it with a new order, which required a strong tool of violence as the core.

The unique strategic thinking of the Party and leader Ho Chi Minh in organizing and building the armed forces before the government was established was demonstrated: First, it was the far-sighted vision of the role of violence and armed revolution. President Ho Chi Minh determined: "To save the country and liberate the nation, there is no other way than the path of proletarian revolution". The army was established in advance to prepare for armed uprising, demonstrating initiative rather than passively waiting for the right time. Second, it was the skillful combination of military and politics, violence and organization. The Vietnamese armed forces both fought and did mass mobilization work, organized the masses, and built revolutionary bases. The idea of ​​"fighting army, working army, producing labor army" was a Vietnamese creation. Third, the armed forces were built on the foundation of the people's hearts, from the people, fighting for the people's interests. That was the key factor creating great strength for the Vietnamese revolution.

The decisive role of the armed forces in the August Revolution of 1945

After the Japanese coup against the French (March 9, 1945) and the surrender to the Allies (August 15, 1945), the revolutionary opportunity came, the armed forces quickly played a central role in launching and directing the General Uprising to seize power. From the Viet Bac resistance base, the Liberation Army units simultaneously attacked the midland and delta provinces. In Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh... the armed forces played a core role in organizing forces, disarming the enemy and establishing a revolutionary government.

In Hanoi, on August 19, 1945, more than a hundred thousand people took to the streets to demonstrate their strength and quickly turned into a general uprising. With the support of self-defense fighting teams, the people of Hanoi took over the enemy's headquarters, such as the Imperial Commissioner's Palace and the Security Camp. The Hanoi people's struggle for power was victorious, prompting localities across the country to rise up in a general uprising. With the armed forces as the mainstay and armed struggle as the core, the general uprising to seize power in provinces and cities across the country quickly won. In places where there were still resistance forces, the armed forces quickly suppressed and neutralized them. The armed forces not only fought but also carried out political tasks, organized, mobilized the masses, and built trust. They were the concrete "faces" of the new government, symbols of revolutionary strength. Thanks to that, the government was quickly established, order was maintained, and counter-revolutionary forces were neutralized.

The characteristic of “The Army being born before the State” is a clear demonstration of the strategic vision, initiative and unique creative thinking of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh. If our Party had not previously built the armed forces and established large bases to support political forces and political struggles, and when conditions were ripe, had not quickly launched an armed uprising, the revolution would not have been able to quickly gain victory.

Major General, Associate Professor, Dr. NGUYEN VAN SAU, Deputy Director of the Institute of Strategy and History of National Defense of Vietnam

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/80-nam-cach-mang-thang-tam-va-quoc-khanh-2-9/quan-doi-ra-doi-truoc-nha-nuoc-tu-duy-sang-tao-cua-dang-va-chu-pich-ho-chi-minh-844484