The Declaration of Independence and "irrefutable truths"

On September 2, 1945, at Ba Dinh Square, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. (Photo: VNA archive)

On September 2, 1945, at Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, announcing to all compatriots and the world the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam).

The Declaration strongly expressed the will and aspiration of the Vietnamese people "rather sacrifice everything than lose the country, never become slaves." It is also a call to future generations with the spirit "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom."

Declaration of Independence - human rights dialectically unified with national rights

Born nearly 80 years ago, the Declaration of Independence is still deeply relevant both domestically and internationally. With a length of 1,017 words, the Declaration of Independence raised the values ​​of human civilization, the "undeniable truths" about human rights and national rights; at the same time, it strongly condemned the crimes of the colonial regime and fascism in Vietnam, thereby affirming the truth and justice of the Vietnamese people in their right to freedom and independence.

At the beginning of the Declaration of Independence, President Ho Chi Minh quoted the immortal words in the 1776 American Declaration of Independence and the 1791 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

From mentioning human rights as a natural necessity that no one can violate, the right to life, the right to freedom and the right to pursue happiness, President Ho Chi Minh, with his sharp intelligence, practical experience and the practice of the Vietnamese revolution, skillfully developed and created, putting forward an irrefutable thesis on the rights of nations.

"By extension, this means that all peoples on earth are born equal; all peoples have the right to live, to be happy and to be free."

He moved from the concept of human to the concept of nation in a general and convincing way, affirming that national rights and human rights have a dialectical relationship, influencing each other. National independence is a prerequisite to ensure the implementation of human rights and vice versa, implementing human rights well is to promote the noble values ​​and true meaning of national independence.

The elevation of human rights to national rights is a creation of President Ho Chi Minh, not only meaningful to the Vietnamese people, but also to many other oppressed and exploited peoples in the world. This is also a contribution of President Ho Chi Minh's theoretical principles to the treasure trove of human rights ideology.

Researching the Declaration of Independence, Professor Shingo Sibata (Japan) said, "The famous contribution of Uncle Ho Chi Minh is that he developed human rights into national rights. Thus, all nations have the right to decide their own destiny."

Therefore, it can be said that the 1945 Declaration of Independence is not only a declaration of independence of the Vietnamese people but also a declaration of human rights, the rights of colonial peoples in the struggle against colonialism and imperialism. President Ho Chi Minh's elevation of human rights to national rights is a contribution of his theoretical principles to the treasure of human rights ideology of humanity.

Firm for the independence and freedom of the country

The Declaration of Independence read by President Ho Chi Minh in Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945 was the result of a persistent, arduous but also extremely creative struggle of the Vietnamese revolution, culminating in the historic August Revolution.

And the August Revolution demonstrated the outstanding talent of President Ho Chi Minh and the Declaration of Independence was the crystallization of his ideological values ​​and genius vision for the process of development, the struggle for national liberation, as well as his determination for the independence and freedom of the country.

President Ho Chi Minh affirmed the value of independence and freedom that the Vietnamese people had to sacrifice so much blood to regain.

“A nation that has courageously fought against French slavery for more than 80 years, a nation that has courageously stood with the Allies against fascism for several years, that nation must be free! That nation must be independent!."

He also raised the determination to fight to protect and maintain that sacred right of the nation: "The entire Vietnamese people are determined to devote all their spirit and strength, lives and property to maintain that freedom and independence."

When the US imperialists invaded South Vietnam, especially sending a large number of US and vassal troops along with modern equipment and weapons into Vietnam, escalating the attacks on the North with the declaration of "bringing Vietnam back to the Stone Age," once again demonstrating their determination, will, and aspiration for independence above all else, President Ho Chi Minh sent a call to the people and soldiers of the whole country, stating: "The war may last 5 years, 10 years, 20 years or even longer. Hanoi, Hai Phong and some cities and enterprises may be destroyed, but the Vietnamese people are determined not to be afraid! Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom."

He also believed in the future, believed in justice: "Our people's fight against the US to save the country, even though it must go through more hardships and sacrifices, will definitely achieve complete victory. That is certain." And that became a reality when on April 30, 1975, we completely liberated the South, reunified the country, the country was reunited, the aspiration for independence, freedom, and peace of the entire nation became a reality.

The victory of our people in the cause of fighting against the US and saving the country was not only the victory of the strategy of raising high the flag of national independence and socialism, but more importantly, it was the completion of 30 years of war for national liberation and defense of the Fatherland, putting an end to the domination of more than a century of old and new colonialism, successfully completing the task of national liberation and national unification, paving the way for the whole country to advance to socialism. That was also the brilliant victory of Ho Chi Minh's thought of "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom."

Historical value today

77 years have passed, but President Ho Chi Minh's views and thoughts expressed in the Declaration of Independence on human rights, national rights, and the aspiration and spirit of steadfast struggle to maintain independence and freedom are still relevant and have a particularly profound significance in the current cause of national construction and protection.

After more than 35 years of implementing the renovation and international integration, Vietnam has achieved many great achievements in the fields of politics, economics, national defense, security, foreign affairs, culture and society. Vietnam has become a middle-income developing country. Economic growth has reached a high rate. The Human Development Index (HDI) is in the high HDI group of the world...

Along with that, foreign relations and international integration are increasingly extensive and effective. The international position and prestige of our country continue to be enhanced. Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 190 countries in the world; joined and actively built the ASEAN Economic Community; effectively participated in regional and international economic linkages at many levels...

Under the banner of independence and freedom, the Vietnamese revolution has steadily advanced, achieving historic victories of epochal significance. Following the path chosen by President Ho Chi Minh, our Party affirms to continue to steadfastly apply and creatively develop Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought; to steadfastly pursue the goals of national independence and socialism...

In the new conditions, our Party clearly stated: "Strengthening the building and rectification of a clean and strong Party and political system; arousing the aspiration to develop the country, promoting the will and strength of great national unity combined with the strength of the times; ...; firmly building and defending the Fatherland, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; striving for Vietnam to become a developed country with a socialist orientation by the middle of the 21st century."

The streets of Hanoi these days are filled with flags, banners, billboards, and slogans celebrating the 77th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, September 2. (Source: Vietnam+)

With the aspiration to develop a strong country, the guiding viewpoint of the 13th National Party Congress is to ensure first and foremost the national interests. Continue to comprehensively and synchronously promote the renovation process in both breadth and depth with a new level and quality, develop the country quickly and sustainably. Strongly arouse the spirit of patriotism, the will of national self-reliance, the strength of great national unity and the aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country. "Combine national strength with the strength of the times; maximize internal strength, take advantage of external strength, in which internal resources, especially human resources, are the most important."

Entering the third decade of the 21st century, until the entire Party, people and army celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), the world situation will continue to change very quickly, with complex and unpredictable developments, affecting the cause of building and defending the Fatherland, but certainly the value of Ho Chi Minh's ideology of "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom" will not change.

77 years have passed, but every word in President Ho Chi Minh's Declaration of Independence is still full of vitality. The Vietnamese people's aspiration for independence and freedom has always burned, overflowed from thousands of years ago until now and will certainly continue forever.

According to VNA