The seminar titled Great Victory in Spring 1975 – thePower of Will for the Country's Reunification and Aspiration for Peacewas organised by the Ministry of National Defense, the Party CentralCommittee's Commission for Publicity and Education, and HCM City's PartyCommittee to mark the 40th anniversary of the victory of the country'sreunification.
Besides the presence of leaders and formerleaders, a letter from President Truong Tan Sang was read during theevent, which was held to educate officials, soldiers and people aboutthe previous generations' revolutionary tradition, which paved the wayto the country's industrialisation and modernisation.
NguyenThanh Cung, Deputy Minister of National Defense, who delivered theopening speech, said the victory after 21 years of fighting theAmericans in the harshest military conflict after the Second World Warwas the result of the leadership of the Communist Party, combined withthe power of the people who aspired for peace as well as the country'sreunification.
Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, DeputyMinister of National Defence, said the victory helped liberate thepeople from war between 1945 and 1975 under the leadership of the Partyand the international community.
Le Thanh Hai, Politburo memberand Secretary of HCM City's Party Committee, said the people of Sai Gon –Gia Dinh, the Southern region and the entire country 40 years agosought reunification.
The power of the people converged with theHo Chi Minh Operation, which helped to liberate Vietnam's Southernregion on April 30, 1975.
"The victory was recorded in theworld's history as a great victory of the 20th century. It came from thepower of national unity and the strong determination of the CommunistParty of Vietnam and the people to free the country," Hai said.
Haisaid the seminar would help explain how Vietnam, a small country,defeated two world powers – France and the US – within a 30-year period.
Fortyyears, after the victory, HCM City is the country's biggest economichub and a site of economic and cultural exchange with other countries.
Speakingto the press on the sidelines of the seminar, Lieutenant General Vo VanTuan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army,said that besides the intelligent leadership of the Party and the army,Vietnamese people's aspiration for peace was essential for the victory.
Through the seminar, participants explained the reasons for the victory and withdrew lessons from the event.
The seminar received 101 reports contributed by army generals, scientists and researchers
Itfocused on the role of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President HoChi Minh's leadership and guidelines for the victory, Vietnamesepeople's will in liberating the southern region and reunifying thecountry, and the spirit and creativity of the army during the war aswell as the supporting role of the citizens.-VNA