From that sacred moment, a new era of the nation was opened - the era of national independence associated with socialism, the era of the people being masters of their own destiny.
After 80 years, the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945 is not only a legal document giving birth to a nation, but also an immortal heroic piece of literature, the crystallisation of the wisdom and aspirations of an entire nation after thousands of years of fighting for the right to live. The value of the Declaration goes beyond history, becoming the ideological foundation for the country’s development over the past eight decades.
Today, as looking forward to A80 - the 80th anniversary of National Day, Vietnamese people are more deeply imbued with the immortal value of the Declaration of Independence, more proud of the stature of the Ho Chi Minh era and more responsible for continuing to write that immortal epic in the work of building and protecting the strong and prosperous socialist Fatherland of Viet Nam.
From the day of independence to the glorious feats of the nation
On September 2, 1945, the Declaration of Independence giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam opened a new era, but the journey to protect the nation’s young independence was not smooth. Shortly after the founding of the country, Vietnamese people had to face countless challenges: internal enemies, external enemies, famine, illiteracy, and an exhausted economy. In such dire circumstances, under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, the people unanimously overcame all difficulties and moved the revolution forward.
In the first years after the August Revolution, the revolutionary government implemented a series of strategic decisions: eliminating hunger, illiteracy, and foreign invaders; organising the General Election to elect the First National Assembly (January 1946); building the first democratic Constitution; and establishing an official government. These were steps that laid the foundation for an independent, democratic, and free nation, affirming the legitimacy of the new Vietnamese State in the international arena.
However, history forced the nation to enter a great challenge: the resistance war against the French colonialists (1946-1954). With the spirit of “We would rather sacrifice everything than lose our country, never become slaves,” the entire people rose up under the banner of resistance, a long-term, arduous but resilient war.
The climax of that resistance was the world-shaking Dien Bien Phu Victoryin 1954, forcing the French colonialists to sign the Geneva Agreement, recognising the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Viet Nam. This was not only a victory for the nation, but also a feat of great significance, strongly encouraging the national liberation movement around the world.
After 1954, the country was temporarily divided into two regions. The North entered a transitional period to socialism, building the material and spiritual foundations for the new regime; the South continued the revolutionary fight against the US-puppet regime to liberate the nation and reunify the country.
During the 21-year resistance war against the US to save the country (1954-1975), the people wrote an immortal heroic epic, demonstrating the strength of national unity and the talented leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh. The great victory in the spring of 1975 with the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign ended the domination of the US imperialists, bringing the country complete independence and reunification.
The 13th National Party Congress affirmed: The victory of the resistance war against the US imperialists to save the country is a shining symbol of Vietnamese revolutionary heroism, the pinnacle of the heroic epic of the Ho Chi Minh era. That victory not only liberated the nation and unified the country, but also left valuable lessons about the strength of great national unity, about the people’s war policy, about the steadfastness in the goal of national independence associated with socialism.
After 1975, the country entered a new period: healing the wounds of war, overcoming difficulties, protecting the border and carrying out the construction and renovation process. The historical context at that time was extremely difficult: the economy was exhausted after the war, the bureaucratic and subsidized management mechanism revealed many shortcomings, the country was besieged and embargoed, the international situation was complicated.
Despite facing many harsh challenges, the spirit of the Declaration of Independence and the indomitable tradition during 30 years of resistance are still the driving force for the nation to continue to rise.
The 6th National Congress of the Party (1986) initiated the comprehensive renovation policy, marking a new turning point, continuing to affirm the mettle of the Vietnamese people in the cause of national construction. This is a historical turning point, affirming the mettle, intelligence and creativity of the Party, and at the same time continuing the spirit of independence that Uncle Ho affirmed in the 1945 Declaration: independence must be associated with prosperity and happiness for the people.
During nearly four decades of renovation, Viet Nam has achieved great achievements of historical significance. From a poor and backward country, Viet Nam has risen to become a middle-income country, integrating more and more deeply into the world, and its international reputation has constantly improved. Stable economic growth rate, constantly expanding GDP scale, people’s lives have improved significantly, the poverty rate has decreased sharply. Viet Nam has become one of the economies with dynamic growth rates in Asia-Pacific.
Not only that, our country has also achieved many remarkable advances in culture, education, health, science and technology; strengthened national defense and security; expanded foreign relations and deeply integrated into the world. In particular, in the context of globalisation and increasingly deep international integration, Viet Nam has affirmed its mettle and position.
Up to now, our country has established diplomatic relations with most countries, is an active and responsible member of many international organisations, and participates deeply in important multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, ASEAN, WTO, APEC, CPTPP, RCEP... Viet Nam has repeatedly assumed the role of a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, ASEAN Chair, and successfully organised many major international conferences... The Party has affirmed: “Our country has never had such fortune, potential, position and international prestige as it does today”.
Looking back on the journey since independence, the Vietnamese people have gone through great marches, leaving behind glorious feats of arms, great and great achievements. Each of these historical marks is a chapter in the immortal epic, proving the truth that Ho Chi Minh affirmed: “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom”.
And as the XIII Congress Document emphasised: “Our national history has proven a truth: Under the leadership of the Party, the Vietnamese people have achieved great victories, leaving historical marks of great significance for the times”.
That spirit, that spirit will continue to guide the nation to firmly step forward on the road ahead, making Viet Nam a developed, powerful, and happy country, just as Uncle Ho had wished since the historic Autumn of 1945.
In nearly four decades of renovation, Viet Nam has achieved great and historic achievements. From a poor and backward country, Vietnam has risen to become a middle-income country, integrating more deeply into the international community, and its international reputation has continuously improved. The economic growth rate is stable, the GDP scale is constantly expanding, people’s lives have improved significantly, and the poverty rate has decreased sharply.
Continuing the heroic epic of Ho Chi Minh
In 2025, Viet Nan will celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day September 2 - a brilliant milestone in the historical journey. A80 is not only an opportunity for the entire Party, people, and army to review the heroic atmosphere of Independence Day, but also an opportunity to look back on the glorious journey the nation has travelled, affirming the nation’s aspirations to rise in the new era.
From the 1945 Declaration of Independence, through the great feats of the 20th century and the great achievements of the renovation process, to this day, Viet Nam is continuing to write a new epic - the epic of integration, creativity and sustainable development.
The spirit of the Declaration of Independence – “all peoples in the world are born equal” - has, is and will continue to guide the journey of nation building in the Ho Chi Minh era. If 80 years ago, the Vietnamese people stood up to declare independence to the whole world, today, Viet Nam confidently affirms its position as an independent, self-reliant nation with increasingly high prestige in the international arena.
The 13th National Party Congress emphasised: “Strongly promote the will and aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country; arouse the strength of great national unity, combined with the strength of the times”. This is the motto for the entire Party and people in the period leading up to A80.
The nation’s history has proven a truth: Under the leadership of the Party, the Vietnamese people have achieved great victories, leaving historical marks of great significance for the times.
Documents of the 13th National Party Congress
A80 is taking place in the context of the country undergoing strong changes. After nearly 40 years of renovation, Viet Nam has risen to become a middle-income country, deeply participating in the global value chain, becoming a safe and attractive destination for international investors. Digital transformation, development of knowledge economy, green economy, and circular economy are opening up new development horizons.
Regarding foreign affairs, Viet Nam continues to affirm its role as an active and responsible member of the international community. From the spirit of “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom” that President Ho Chi Minh affirmed until today, Viet Nam has clearly demonstrated its mettle: independent but not closed, self-reliant but always ready to cooperate and develop together with the world.
The A80 anniversary also has a special meaning in strengthening the people’s trust in the Party’s leadership, arousing pride and responsibility to continue the tradition of the ancestors. Looking towards A80, Vietnamese people not only pay tribute to the generations who sacrificed for independence and freedom, but also affirm their determination to realise the aspiration to build a prosperous and happy country.
As President Ho Chi Minh once advised: The Hung Kings had the merit of building the country, we, their descendants, must work together to protect the country. That advice, after nearly a century, still echoes in every step of the nation, especially in the context of the country moving towards new strategic goals.
The 13th National Party Congress has set the goal: by 2030 - the 100th anniversary of the Party’s founding – Viet Nam will become a developing country with modern industry and high average income; by 2045 - the 100th anniversary of the country’s founding - it will become a developed country with high income.
Thus, A80 is both an opportunity to look back on the past journey and a spiritual support to continue to move forward strongly on the journey towards important historical milestones ahead. This is also a vivid demonstration of the immortal vitality of the Declaration of Independence: from the aspiration for independence and freedom in 1945 to the aspiration for strength and prosperity in the 21st century.
A80 also has the meaning of connecting tradition with the present and the future. If the Declaration of Independence resounded at Ba Dinh in the fall of 1945 as a thunderclap awakening the whole nation to stand up, today, that spirit continues to inspire the younger generation - the owners of the country in the digital age.
A80 is both an opportunity to look back on the past journey and a spiritual support to continue to move forward strongly on the journey towards important historical milestones ahead. This is also a vivid testament to the immortal vitality of the Declaration of Independence: from the aspiration for independence and freedom in 1945 to the aspiration for strength and prosperity in the 21st century.
A80 will not only be a commemorative day, but also a festival of Vietnamese faith, intelligence and creativity, a “new epic” in the Ho Chi Minh era - an epic of innovation, creativity, integration and development.
That is an affirmation to international friends that the Vietnamese people not only know how to make achievements in the resistance war, but also have enough courage, intelligence and aspiration to affirm their position in the era of global integration.
That is the continuation of the heroic spirit of September 2, 1945, a testament to the eternal vitality of the Declaration of Independence, and at the same time a call for the entire nation to continue to unite, steadfastly follow the chosen path, and steadily move forward into the future.
Celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day - September 2 - A80, Vietnamese people are more deeply aware of the immortal value of the Declaration of Independence: national independence is closely linked to the freedom and happiness of the people. This is both a source of pride and a historical responsibility for today's and future generations. Continuing the heroic epic of Ho Chi Minh, the entire Party, people and army vow to unite, promote Vietnamese intelligence and bravery, and are determined to realise the aspiration to build a strong and prosperous country, standing shoulder to shoulder with the world powers - as Uncle Ho always wished.
