ON April 30, Vietnam celebrated the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification. The defeat of US imperialism and its retreat from Vietnam on April 30, 1975, marked the end of the 30-year long resilient struggle for independence, freedom, and reunification of Vietnam. It put an end to more than a century of colonial and ushered the country into a new era – an era of national independence and socialism.

The fall of Saigon was not merely a military defeat for the United States, but a historic triumph of national liberation struggle led by the Communists against imperialism. It signaled the final collapse of the US-backed puppet regime in South Vietnam (the Republic of Vietnam). The Vietnam War was a revolutionary war fought by the Vietnamese working class and peasantry against feudal-capitalist exploitation and foreign domination. The unification of Vietnam under socialist rule was a decisive blow to US imperialism.

HISTORICAL

BACKGROUND

Vietnam’s struggle against colonial domination began under French colonial rule (1887-1954). The French, with the support of native landlords, extracted rubber, rice and minerals for export. The oppressed peasantry was mobilised by Viet Minh (League for the Independence of Vietnam), led by Ho Chi Minh. The decisive victory secured by Viet Minh forces at Dien Bien Phu, led by the legendary General Vo Nguyen Giap, resulted in the defeat of the French and their eventual ouster from Vietnam.

Following the Viet Minh’s victory, alarmed by the rise of communist forces and their growing influence among the people, the US played its dirty hand and divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel. This division created two countries – the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) under communist rule and the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) as a US controlled State. The US reneged on the promise of reunification of the country in 1956 and instead, installed its puppet Ngo Dinh Diem’s government. This government repressed the peasants and stood with the landlords and supported feudal oppression.

The Viet Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh, worked for the reunification of the country and also to end the feudal-capitalist oppression carried on with the active connivance of the US imperialism. The Communist Party led by Ho Chi Minh decided that it has to simultaneously carry out two strategic tasks: ‘The socialist revolution in the North and the people's national democratic revolution in the South, resolutely driving away the invaders’.

To achieve these tasks, it became important to organise the peasantry, as only 2 per cent owned nearly 50 per cent of the land and exploited the peasantry who were dependent on these lands for their livelihood. The Communist Party formed the National Liberation Front (NLF) and led the movement against the ruling classes and imperialist exploitation in South Vietnam. They mobilised peasants under the slogan of ending feudalism, distribution of land to the tiller and driving out imperialists from the country.

Along with these struggles carried out in the rural areas, the Communists also organised the nascent and developing working class. They organised the workers in Saigon and around them, the emerging middle-classes. As a result of these efforts, the Communists were able to build a substantial support base even in urban areas, which was reflected in various protests witnessed during this period. The Tet offensive of the 1968, and the guerrilla struggles centred around the now world-famous Cu Chi tunnels in rural Saigon dealt a severe blow to both imperialists and feudal lords.

International support and solidarity for the Vietnamese struggle against the US also played an important role in the defeat of the US imperialism. Many progressive people within the US defied their own government and stood in solidarity with the Vietnamese. The solidarity movement in many countries, including in our own country, further strengthened the resolve of the fighting people of Vietnam.

Here we also need to remember the aid extended by the socialist countries led by the USSR and China, to the Vietnamese struggle. All these factors contributed to the ultimate defeat of US imperialism and the collapse of the puppet regime that had depended on its support. The fall of Saigon was poignantly captured in the iconic image of helicopters landing on the rooftop of the US embassy to evacuate the last remaining troops.

SOCIALIST

VIETNAM

Vietnam was reunited under the Communist government, an event that, unfortunately, could not be witnessed by Ho Chi Minh, who had immense faith in the people: “No matter how difficult or arduous, our people will definitely win. Our Fatherland will definitely be reunified. Compatriots of the North and the South will definitely be reunited under one roof”.

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam was formed after the reunification of the country. The Communist Party was confronted with the difficult task of leading the country which suffered from centuries of colonial oppression and economic backwardness. The US imposed an economic embargo on Vietnam, which lasted till 1994 and tried to sabotage all attempts to secure international aid and assistance to overcome its backwardness. The socialist camp led by the USSR helped the Vietnam during these difficult times.

Uncle Ho, as Ho Chi Minh is affectionately called, expressed his final wish to see Vietnam united and prosperous: “My ultimate desire is that our entire Party and people unite and strive to build a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and prosperous Vietnam, and make worthy contributions to the world revolutionary cause”.

Fifty years since reunification, Vietnam has emerged as one of the fastest developing countries. From being a poor, backward nation devastated by the war and subjected to blockade and embargo, Vietnam has made remarkable progress. A few statistics show us the distance traveled by Vietnam under the rule of the CPV. In 1993, 58 per cent of the people were declared to be living under poverty. In 2024, this number fell down to a mere 1.93 per cent! Today, Vietnam ranks among the top 15 developing countries in the world. Vietnam has now transformed into a developing country with near upper-middle income status.

The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has resolved to lead the country on a path of continued development, progress, and prosperity. As General Secretary To Lam stated: “To realise the aspiration of building a Vietnam ten times better than today, we must liberate all productive forces, unleash all resources, and leverage all potential and strengths to strongly promote socio-economic development. In 2025, we strive to achieve economic growth of at least 8 per cent and double-digit growth in the 2026–2030 period. We are determined to successfully implement the strategic goals of becoming a developing country with upper-middle income and a modern industry by 2030, and a developed, high-income, socialist-oriented nation by 2045.”

To achieve these targets, the Party has reaffirmed its commitment to the path laid out by Ho Chi Minh. It aims to eliminate corruption, disparities, and uneven development. Recently, the Party has taken some decisions to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency. The number of provinces has been reduced from 63 to 34, and the district-level government – found to be an obstacle that delayed implementation – has been abolished. Lower level units of popular governance, have been made more accessible to the people. Similarly, the lower level units of governance, communes are also being remodelled to make them more accessible. 

All these measures are intended to ensure that more money is available to benefit the people – to ensure all children avail free education till their 12th standard and provide free healthcare to all its citizens. As Ho Chi Minh stated: “The Party must have a good plan to develop the economy and culture, aiming to continuously improve the people's lives”. The Party is formulating policies to meet the aspirations of the people according to the changing times.

Guided by the principle, that ‘the people are the root’, the CPV is moving on the path of innovation and development to benefit all. They intend to successfully accomplish the five-year socio-economic development plan for the 2021–2025 period, and get ready for the upcoming 14th Congress of the Party in 2026.

On this historic occasion, let us wish the CPV and the people of Vietnam all success in their endeavours to build socialism.