The 100th anniversary of late State President, General Le Duc Anh’s birthday (December 1, 1920-2020)

BTO - Born and raised in the context of the nation being ruled by foreign invaders, people were living under the oppression of feudal regime, comrade Le Duc Anh had promoted his patriotism and a fighting spirit for revolutionary cause. His determination and strong will urged him to join revolutionary movements and experience the nation's resistance wars. He has become a determined communist, a gifted commander, an excellent and simple leader who devoted his whole life to the homeland and Vietnamese people.

Former President Le Duc Anh

Becoming a communist…

Comrade Le Duc Anh (secret name is Nguyen Phu Hoa or Chin Hoa, Sau Nam) was born in December 1, 1920 at Truong Ha village, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien-Hue. He is a native of Loc An commune-Phu Loc district-the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

He was enlightened to ideals of revolution when he was 16 years old, and two years later he joined the Indochina Communist Party (the predecessor of the Communist Party of Vietnam). In October, 1939, when French colonialism carried out a crack-down on Party members in Phu Vang district, Le Duc Anh secretly left his hometown for Da Lat, Loc Ninh, and Quang Loi to take part in revolutionary organizations. The hardship and challenges during the first years of revolutionary activities made him become a steadfast communist with a strong will for revolutionary cause of the Party and the people’s happiness.

A talented military commander…

During the anti-French resistance war, comrade Le Duc Anh engaged in the process of founding, developing and guiding armed forces and revolutionary movements in the regions of Loc Ninh, Hon Quan, Ben Cat. With a military thoughts and ability of

a mentor, comrade Le Duc Anh was assigned as chief of staff of Military Zone 7, Military Zone 8, Sai Gon-Cho Lon Military Zone, and deputy Chief of Staff of the South Command. Since then, he changed his role from a political officer into a military commander specializing in building up military forces, organizing military operations, designing and developing military tactics for main force and other armed forces in those localities.

At the end of 1953 and early 1954, comrade Le Duc Anh had the honor of accompanying comrade Le Duan to the Viet Bac revolutionary base to report to Uncle Ho and the High Command on fighting experience. Uncle Ho praised the Southern area’s soldiers and people for their achievements in fighting against the enemies.

In the first years of the anti-US resistance war, comrade Le Duc Anh worked at the high command as the deputy director of war department, director of department of military force, deputy chief of Staff of Vietnam People’s Army in respectively. During that time, he larnt a lot about different functional departments and works in strategy consultancy, as well as improved his knowledge about scientific methodology in implementing military consulting and enhanced his political theory level as well.

At the end of December, 1963, comrade Le Duc Anh made a secret journey towards the Southern battelfield on “no-number” ship to take the position as deputy chief of the Vietnam People’s Army General Staff, then chief of Staff of the Southern Command. In the General Offensive and Uprising in the Spring of 1968, comrade Le Duc Anh was the Chief of Staff of the Command of the South Vietnamese Liberation Army. He commanded a military force to carry out an attack to the General department of Police in Sai Gon. During the campaign, he made many proposals and strategies to guide the offensive, leading to important outcome that broke the American “localized war” strategic. This campaign marked a turning point for our people’s anti-US resistance war. In early 1969, Colonel Le Duc Anh was assigned the commander of the Military Zone 9 to command the soldiers and people in Military Zone 9 in a battle in Chuong Thien defeating 75 battalions of the enemies. With significant victories in period 1964-1974, comrade Le Duc Anh was promoted from Colonel to Lieutenant in April 1974.

During the Spring General Offensive and Uprising in 1975, he was assigned the position of Deputy Commander of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign and Commander of the South-Western Army, making a remarkable contribution to putting an end to the three-decade conflict in Vietnam and unified the country on April 30, 1975.  

After the South of Vietnam had been completely liberated, and the whole country had been reunified, in May, 1976, comrade Le Duc Anh was assigned as Commander of the Military Zone 9 (MZ9). In his newly-assigned position at that time, he directed the MZ to concentrate on addressing major things at the same time and quickly creating stability to ensure people’s livelihood and the MS’s activities as the country changed its phrase from wartime to peace time.

When the Pol Pot reactionary group waged war to invade the entire southwestern route, comrade Le Duc Anh was transferred to a new position of Commander-cum-Political Commissar of the Military Zone 7, cum Head of the Front of the Ministry of Defense in the Southwest Front.

Implementing the guidelines of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Central Military Commission, Comrade Le Duc Anh proactively directed the Military Zone 7 to assist the Cambodian people in building revolutionary armed force at the military region. During his international missions in Cambodia, he had outstandingly accomplished many noble missions. With his excellent achievements in the protection of the Southwest border war and his support for the Cambodian people, Comrade Le Duc Anh was promoted his rank from Lieutenant General to Lieutenant General in January 1980 and to top-ranking General in December 1984.

On February 16^th, 1987, The Politburo and State Assembly decided to assign Mr. Le Duc Anh as Minister of National Defense. After receiving new position, he made appropriate proposals to the Politburo on dealing with the border issue. And from border issue, it came up with formulating strategies and strategies of foreign affairs. Comrade Le Duc Anh made many significant contributions to the promotion of Vietnam and China relations, closing many years of tense confrontation. He proposed to the Party and State while directly directed various major issues in terms of military, national defense, and sea and islands sovereignty protection.

Excellent and simple leader

At the first session of the 9^th National Assembly (September 1992), Mr. Le Duc Anh was elected as President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. As state President, comrade Le Duc Anh made great merits and contributions by a plenty of outstanding hallmarks both internally and externally. The State President Le Duc Anh had put all his energy and determination into the general work, promoting the people’s mastery, mobilizing every new dynamics and exploiting all potentials to develop the people’s life and production.

On account of foreign affairs, President Le Duc Anh also made many significant contributions to the country’s external relations, notably the promotion of normalization of Vietnam-America relations. Moreover, Vietnam joined ASEAN and has good relations with a number of countries, opening up investment opportunities.

Strategic leader as well as Commander Le Duc Anh was always dynamic, not afraid of difficulties, decisive, straightforward and strict. However, he was a very kind person at work and combat. He was willing to share the best one to his employees and soldiers. When the a top-ranking General as well as Minister of National Defence Le Duc Anh visited the young soldiers, he always showed his friendliness and informality in his conversation.

He always encouraged and helped war veterans to overcome difficulties thanks to his good preferential policies. Such a simple, thrifty and anti-pompous President Le Duc Anh was forever imprinted in his fellows’ memories. Former President Le Duc Anh always listened to his inferiors’ opinions and suggestions, grasped the people’s thoughts and feelings, and issued close and appropriate guidance to the actual situation.

Throughout his revolutionary lifetime, Mr. Le Duc Anh always outstandingly fulfilled his responsibilities to the Party, State, the Fatherland and people, contributing to the cause of national Liberation, construction and defense.

On the occasion of 100^th birthday anniversary of Comrade Le Duc Anh, people nationwide have a chance to commemorate and appreciate his great dedication to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation. It also aims to propagate and educate cadres, soldiers and the people especially the young generation to study and practice following his revolutionary moral examples. It should raise and uphold our will of self-reliance and national pride as well as unite to build up the country more civilized, rich and beautiful and firmly protect our dear Fatherland.

Translated by Phuong Lan and My Thien (Source: Binh Thuan Newspaper)