Chairman Ton Duc Thang - a bright example of revolutionary ethics

VOV.VN would like to introduce the full text of the article by Prof. Dr. Tran Dai Quang, Member of the Politburo, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the occasion of the 130th birthday of President Ton Duc Thang (August 20, 1888 - August 20, 2018):

PRESIDENT TON DUC THANG - A MODEL LEADER, A RESILIENT COMMUNIST, A BRIGHT MORAL EXAMPLE OF THE VIETNAMESE REVOLUTION.

President Ton Duc Thang - a model leader, a resilient communist, a close comrade of the great President Ho Chi Minh, a shining example of revolutionary morality - has strived and sacrificed his whole life for the cause of national liberation, national reunification, building and protecting the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

President Ton Duc Thang - exemplary leader, a resilient communist (Archival photo)

The life and revolutionary career of President Ton Duc Thang, which compatriots and comrades affectionately call respected Uncle Ton, is associated with the glorious struggle history of our nation in the 20th century. As an outstanding son of An Giang homeland with a rich tradition of patriotism and revolution, from a young age, he early became aware of the revolution and participated in the patriotic movement against French colonialism. During his youth wandering abroad, working in the French workers' and trade union movement, he participated in the French Navy uprising in the Black Sea on April 20, 1919, supporting the great Russian October Revolution, opposing the armed intervention of imperialist countries against the young Soviet State, contributing to protecting the stronghold of the world proletarian revolution.

Returning to the country in 1920, with enthusiastic patriotism, Comrade Ton Duc Thang combined the operating experience of the workers' movement and the French trade union with the reality of the patriotic movement and the Vietnamese workers' movement, first of all the Saigon - Cho Lon workers' movement, to find appropriate forms and methods of organizing struggle. At the end of 1920, Comrade gathered workers with the same aspirations to establish the Secret Trade Union - the first trade union organization of the Vietnamese working class. The Trade Union led by Comrade organized many struggles, demonstrations, strikes, and labor strikes, typically the Ba Son workers' strike (August 1925), marking a new development in the spirit of solidarity and organization of our country's working class.

In 1927, the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Organization, a predecessor organization of the Communist Party of Vietnam founded by comrade Nguyen Ai Quoc, began to disseminate Marxism-Leninism in the South. Comrade Ton Duc Thang joined this organization and held the important position of Member of the Southern Party Committee, Secretary of the Saigon - Cho Lon City Party Committee. Under the Comrade's leadership, the Saigon - Cho Lon workers' movement developed strongly.

In 1929, Comrade Ton Duc Thang was arrested by the French colonialists and sentenced to 20 years of hard labor. Nearly 17 years imprisoned in colonial prisons in Saigon and Con Dao Prison, having to endure all kinds of brutal torture by the enemy, Comrade always maintained the steadfast and indomitable integrity of a revolutionary soldier, was one of the founders of the Red Prisoners Association and founded the first Party cell in Con Dao prison as the leadership nucleus, creating strength to fight against the brutal prison regime, fighting to protect the Party, turning colonial and imperial prisons into schools for communists.

The August Revolution of 1945 was successful, returning from Con Dao prison, just setting foot on land, Comrade Ton Duc Thang immediately participated in the resistance war against French colonialism, was assigned to participate in the Southern Regional Party Committee and was then assigned by the Party and State to take on important responsibilities: Member of the National Assembly Standing Committee (March 1946), Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam National People's Union (abbreviated as Lien Viet, May 1946), Deputy Head of the National Assembly Standing Committee (November 1946), Minister of Home Affairs (April 1947), Head of the Central Committee for Patriotic Emulation Mobilization (January 1948), Acting Head of the National Assembly Standing Committee (Year 1948).

In January 1948, Comrade Ton Duc Thang was additionally elected to the Party Central Committee, and together with the Central Party Committee, led the resistance war against French colonialism. As a son of the South, Comrade always had deep feelings for his homeland, "many times proposing to Uncle Ho, to the Central Government to return to the battlefield to participate in the resistance war with comrades and people of the South"[1].

At the 2nd National Congress of the Party, in February 1951, Comrade Ton Duc Thang delivered the opening and closing speeches of the Congress, was elected by the Congress as a member of the Party Central Committee and continuously held this important responsibility until the end of his life. In the closing speech of the Congress, he emphasized the pioneering and exemplary role of cadres and party members: "All party members and cadres must strive to study hard, try to set an example for the masses, try to be worthy of being party members of the party that pioneer and lead the entire class and nation in resistance and national construction"[2]. Regarding the great unity policy of the Party, Comrade clearly stated: "Our front policy is a class alliance policy for resistance. Not just a mere class alliance, but a class alliance for resistance. Once it is a class alliance for resistance, conflicts of interest between classes must be reasonably interpreted. But we always pay special attention to the interests of the hardworking and large masses because they are the foundation of the unified national front, the great unity of

In March 1951, at the National Congress for Unification of Viet Minh - Lien Viet, Comrade Ton Duc Thang presented a Political Report, clearly stating the necessity and importance of unifying Viet Minh - Lien Viet, the nucleus of the great national unity bloc to carry out the task of resistance and national construction, gaining independence for the Fatherland, democracy for the people and contributing to the cause of protecting world peace. The Congress passed the Resolution unifying Viet Minh - Lien Viet into a unified national front named Vietnam National United Front, abbreviated as Lien Viet Front; unanimously elected Comrade Ton Duc Thang as Chairman of the Lien Viet Front.

After the victorious end of the resistance war against French colonialism, in his position as Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, at the National Conference of Delegates of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Comrade Ton Duc Thang presented a Report, clearly defining the viewpoints, requirements, and tasks of the Fatherland Front work in the new situation, which emphasized the task of strengthening national unity, restoring the economy, healing the wounds of war in the North, and fighting for national reunification.

At the fifth session of the 1st National Assembly (September 1955), the National Assembly unanimously elected Comrade Ton Duc Thang to hold the position of Head of the National Assembly Standing Committee. In addition to two key positions in the National Assembly and the Vietnam Front, Comrade was also elected as Honorary Chairman of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Commission and at the World Peace Congress held in Helsinki, Finland (July 1955), Comrade was elected as a member of the World Peace Council.

At the eighth Conference of the Central Executive Committee of the Vietnam Workers' Party, term II (August 1955), Comrade Ton Duc Thang presented a paper on front work and based on that paper, the Conference passed a Resolution, which clearly stated: "The immediate task of our Party is to strive to gather the forces of the entire people into a broad Front with a common platform suitable to fight against US imperialism and its henchmen, to realize national reunification"[4].

Thoroughly grasping and implementing the Resolution of the 8th Conference of the 2nd Central Executive Committee of the Party, in his position as Chairman of the Lien Viet Front, Comrade Ton Duc Thang directed the successful organization of the National Congress of the National United Front (September 1955). The Congress discussed and approved the draft New Platform and Charter and decided the new name of the National United Front as the Vietnam Fatherland Front; elected Comrade as Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

At the first session of the 2nd National Assembly (July 1960), at the request of President Ho Chi Minh, Comrade Ton Duc Thang was elected Vice President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. In his position as Vice President, Comrade together with the Central Committee of the Party, State, National Assembly, and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front planned the guidelines, policies of the Party and State, especially in the fields of industry and agriculture. With a humble, simple, and close-to-compatriots demeanor, Comrade spent a lot of time visiting units of the people's armed forces, construction sites, factories, enterprises, cooperatives, production facilities, schools..., encouraging and motivating soldiers, workers, farmers, laborers, students to emulate in labor, production, combat, and study, contributing human and material resources, actively contributing to building socialism in the North, promoting the cause of resistance against the US and national salvation in the South, towards national reunification.

In March 1964, President Ho Chi Minh convened and chaired a special political conference to express the determination of the entire nation to successfully carry out the task of the Vietnamese revolution in the new situation. At the Conference, Comrade Ton Duc Thang presented an important paper "Mobilizing the entire people to perform the great and very glorious tasks set out by President Ho Chi Minh", in which he affirmed: "With the strength of solidarity of compatriots across the country, with the support and consensus of the people of the world, we will definitely break down all plots of American imperialism and its henchmen. The South will definitely be liberated, the North and South will definitely reunite as one family" [5].

After President Ho Chi Minh passed away, the Fifth Session of the 3rd National Assembly unanimously elected Mr. Ton Duc Thang as President, and Mr. Nguyen Luong Bang as Vice President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. At the Session, Comrade Truong Chinh, Member of the Politburo, Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee, delivered a congratulatory speech and affirmed: "Mr. Ton Duc Thang and Comrade Nguyen Luong Bang are two veteran soldiers of the Vietnamese revolution, close comrades of President Ho Chi Minh, outstanding children of our Vietnamese nation. The two comrades were unanimously trusted by the National Assembly to be assigned the responsibility of leading our State, which is very worthy"[6].

The victory of the resistance war against the US, saving the country in the Spring of 1975 opened a new era for the Vietnamese nation - the whole country unified, advancing towards socialism. At the Ceremony to celebrate the great victory of the nation in Saigon city (now Ho Chi Minh City), May 15, 1975, President Ton Duc Thang, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, read a welcome speech, highlighting the great victories of the entire nation over the past 30 years and calling on compatriots across the country to "determinedly turn today's heroic revolutionary atmosphere into a high-level emulation to implement President Ho Chi Minh's sacred Testament, build a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic and prosperous Vietnam, making worthy contributions to the world revolutionary cause"[7].

The first session of the 6th National Assembly (June 1976) decided to change the country's name to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. At the first session of the unified National Assembly, Comrade Ton Duc Thang was trusted by the National Assembly to be elected President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

With 92 years of age, nearly 70 years of continuous revolutionary activities, President Ton Duc Thang has made many contributions and made great contributions, contributing to the Central Committee of the Party, State, National Assembly, and Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to lead the entire Party, people and army to successfully carry out the resistance wars against French colonialism and US imperialism, completely liberate the South, unify the country, build and protect the Fatherland. Uncle Ton's life and noble revolutionary career are a bright example of patriotism; loyalty and dedication to the revolutionary cause; spirit of bravery and indomitability; virtue of humility and simplicity; love for comrades and compatriots; spirit of great national unity and proletarian international solidarity. Prime Minister Pham Van Dong clearly stated: "The most precious legacy that Comrade Ton Duc Thang left for the people is the qualities of Ton Duc Thang, a synthetic product of the heroic qualities of the South, the resilience and creative talent of Vietnam, the pioneering qualities of the working class,

Due to his great contributions to the Vietnamese revolution, the movement to protect world peace and the development of friendship between nations, President Ton Duc Thang was honored to be the first person to be awarded the noble Gold Star Order by our Party and State; the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union awarded the Lenin Order, the International Prize Committee awarded the Lenin Prize "For peace and friendship between nations"; and was awarded many other noble awards and titles by our Party, State and friendly countries. Speaking to congratulate Comrade Ton Duc Thang on being honored to be awarded the Gold Star Order, President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: "Comrade Ton Duc Thang is a revolutionary moral example: throughout his life he is diligent, thrifty, honest, and righteous; throughout his life he wholeheartedly serves the revolution and serves the people"[9].

The 130th anniversary of President Ton Duc Thang's birth is an opportunity for us to review, commemorate, express deep gratitude, continue to study, cultivate, and train according to the example of beloved Uncle Ton; strengthen the education of communist ideals, patriotic and revolutionary traditions for cadres, party members and people, especially the young generation; foster pride and belief in the leadership of the Party and State and the cause of renovation, construction, protection and development of the country.

We vow to strive to successfully realize the wishes of Uncle Ho and beloved Uncle Ton, build our Party and State truly clean and strong; promote the strength of great national unity and socialist democracy; comprehensively and synchronously promote the renovation process; maintain a peaceful and stable environment, firmly protect the independence, sovereignty, and sacred territorial integrity of the Fatherland; build a Vietnam with a rich people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization, firmly moving towards socialism.

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[1] Ton Duc Thang: An ordinary person - Great, National Political Publishing House - Truth, Hanoi, 2013, p. 105.

[2] Communist Party of Vietnam: Party Documents Complete Works, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2001, p. 12, p. 494.

[3] Communist Party of Vietnam: Party Documents Complete Works, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2001, p. 12, p. 487-488.

[4] Communist Party of Vietnam: Party Documents Complete Works, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2002, p. 16, p. 571.

[5] An Giang Department of Culture and Information: Chairman Ton Duc Thang (1888 - 1980), An Giang, 1988, p. 266-267.

[6] Ton Duc Thang - Exemplary communist, symbol of great unity, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2003, p. 20.

[7] Nhan Dan Newspaper, No. 7786, May 16, 1975.

[8] Ton Duc Thang: An ordinary person - Great, National Political Publishing House - Truth, Hanoi, 2013, p. 211.

[9] Ton Duc Thang: An ordinary person - Great, National Political Publishing House - Truth, Hanoi, 2013, p. 370.