The participating in a multilateral conference for the first time amid a complicated global situation, the major countries participating in the event all pursued their own goals and interests, but the Vietnamese negotiating team promoted the victory on the battlefield, the righteous strength of the nation, and the steadfast and flexible strategy to achieve important results at the Geneva Conference.
The Geneva Agreement is the convergence of the persistent struggle of the Vietnamese army and people, the burning desire for peace and patriotism, and the courage and intelligence of the Vietnamese people forged through thousands of years of national building and defence. Along with the Dien Bien Phu Victory, the Geneva Agreement concluded the long and heroic resistance of the Vietnamese people against French colonial invasion and American intervention to liberate the North of Vietnam, creating conditions for the North to become a strong support in the struggle to liberate the South and unify the country in 1975.
70 years have passed, but the historical significance of the Geneva Agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Vietnam still retains its value, with extremely valuable lessons in the cause of national building, defence, and development for today and into the future.
Following are the opinions of leaders and experts on the scope, meaning and valuable lessons from this important agreement.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son: Promoting the nation’s heroic historical traditions
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The Geneva Agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Vietnam was signed 70 years ago. With this victory, for the first time in history, Vietnam’s basic national rights of independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity were officially affirmed in an international treaty and recognised by the participating parties. This victory also opened a new strategic situation for Vietnam to move towards fully realising the goals of peace, national independence, national unification, and socialism building. The Geneva Accords along with the Dien Bien Phu Victory created great inspiration and encouragement for the national liberation struggle movement across five continents, for independence, freedom, peace, democracy, progress, and social justice, thus ushering in the collapse of old colonialism around the world.
Activities commemorating the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Agreement, the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of Hanoi, and the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army will be held in 2024, contributing to evoking patriotism, national pride, and aspirations in today’s generation to continue firmly on the path of innovation and national development and defence.
The celebration of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Agreement with practical activities is an opportunity to further spread the nation’s tradition of “when drinking water, remember its source”, and the deep gratitude of today’s generation to beloved President Ho Chi Minh and veteran revolutionaries who participated in negotiating and signing the Geneva Accords and devoted their lives to peace, independence, and national freedom.
Vietnam also once again affirms to international friends that the country always remembers and appreciates their valuable support for the cause of fighting for national liberation, development, and defence.
Reviewing history so that we can more deeply understand the valuable and historical lessons to work together for a better present and future. Having gone through many struggles against foreign invaders, Vietnam appreciates the value of peace, always upholds and respects the basic principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, and will contribute its best to peace, national independence, democracy, development cooperation, and social progress in the world.
Colonel, Doctor Le Thanh Bai, Deputy Director of the Institute of Military History: Enhancing Vietnam’s position in the international arena
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With the Dien Bien Phu Victory, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam Delegation participated in the Geneva Conference as the winner. The Dien Bien Phu victory had an impact on France’s internal affairs, creating a movement to support the just struggle of the Vietnamese people, thereby putting public pressure on French colonialists to de-escalate and find a solution to the war in Indochina. It can be said that military victory during the arduous resistance of the Vietnamese people cleared the path that brought Vietnam to the Geneva Conference. The Dien Bien Phu Victory made an important contribution to forcing the French colonialists to sign the Geneva Agreement, ending the war, and recognising the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Vietnam. Military victory contributed greatly to the signing of this important agreement.
The signing of the Geneva Agreement is also a historical event marking the victory of Vietnamese people’s resistance war against the French colonialists. The agreement created conditions for Vietnamese army and people to consolidate their position and strength, continuing the cause of national liberation. The negotiation and signing of the Geneva Agreement left a great lesson for the next generation: build strong internal strength to enhance the county’s voice and position in the international arena, contributing to protecting independence, sovereignty, and national interests. Valuable lessons from the Geneva Agreements were successfully applied by the Vietnamese Party, State, and people in signing and implementing the 1973 Paris Agreement, as well as in implementing the “bamboo diplomacy” policy.
Dr. Vu Le Thai Hoang, Director of the Institute of Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies under the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam: Creative application of lessons learned from the agreement
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70 years have passed since the Geneva Agreement was signed, but the lessons learned from negotiating, signing, and implementing the agreement remain valid today. Proper understanding of the scope, meaning, and value of those lessons, and the effective application of such lessons to current Vietnamese diplomacy is a very important task. That is a lesson about always upholding the spirit of independence, self-reliance, resoluteness, and perseverance in protecting national and ethnic interests in all circumstances. It is also a lesson on promoting the pioneering role of diplomacy and peaceful measures in resolving disputes and conflicts in current international relations. It also features a lesson about combining national strength with the strength of the times and national solidarity with international solidarity to create increasing position of the country.
From the perspective of diplomacy and foreign affairs, the means of applying lessons from the process of negotiating and implementing the Geneva Agreement need to be very creative, while firmly adhering to core values and principles. First of all, we must always attach importance to strengthening the Party’s leadership in foreign affairs and creatively putting lessons into practice to successfully implement the Vietnam’s foreign policy. The second is to build a comprehensive and modern Vietnamese diplomacy, which always focuses on and strengthens the coordination between diplomacy and defence and security, thus creating strength for the nation’s development. Third is to strengthen research and forecasting work to avoid passivity, especially in the cause of defending the Fatherland. Finally, it is necessary to pay attention to training and investment in diplomatic forces to meet the increasing needs of the current period.
