Some participants in a symposium held by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence in Hà Nội on October 25 to look into the historical signifiance and lessons from the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts in Laos. VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE – With the spirit of proletarian internationalism and following President Hồ Chí Minh’s teaching that “helping the friend means helping ourselves”, volunteer soldiers and experts of Việt Nam in Laos made substantial contributions to excellently fulfill the duty of joining hands with the Lao army and people to secure complete victory in the resistance wars against the French and US invaders.

Shortly after the August 1945 Revolution came to success, in October the same year, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, and the Lao Issara Government signed a treaty on mutual assistance between the two countries and another on the organisation of the Laos - Việt Nam combatant alliance. On October 30, 1949, the Standing Board of the Central Committee of the Indochinese Communist Party decided that the military forces of Việt Nam fighting in and assisting Laos would be oganised into a separate system in the name of “volunteer soldiers”.

This was an important historical milestone marking the development and maturity of the military forces on the Lao battlefield, and also affirming the Commust Party of Việt Nam (CPV)’s righteous policy and viewpoint on performing the noble international mission. Since then, October 30 was designated as the Traditional Day of the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in Laos.

Talking to the Việt Nam News Agency, Bounhom Thedthany, Vice Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Committee of Xiengkhouang province, described the establishment of the Laos - Việt Nam combatant alliance in the time of their struggles for national liberation as a highly significant landmark which came as a result of the all-round and long-standing cooperation between the two Parties and States.

Thanks to this cooperation, he said, Việt Nam and Laos were liberated, and the two peoples now can live in prosperity and happiness and continue developing their countries in a new socialist-oriented era.

Standing on a hill in the Plain of Jars in Xiengkhouang, Lt. Gen. Nguyễn Tiến Long, Standing Vice Chairman of the Việt Nam - Laos Friendship Association Central Committee, recounted that in April 1964, he was a soldier of Battalion 51 of Regiment 148 under the Northwest Military Region and deployed to Laos to perform the international duty. After the Vietnamese unit excellently fulfilled the task and returned to the homeland, Battalion 51 was assigned to stay in Laos and turned into volunteer troops safeguarding the Plain of Jars, which witnessed fierce battles of the Việt Nam - Laos alliance against the common enemy.

Long, who spent nearly 10 years serving in Laos, shared that the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers received considerable care and assistance from the Lao Party, State, and people to fulfill their mission.

Việt Nam now has friendship and relations with almost all countries around the world, including time-honoured and close-knit ties with tens of them, but Long said he is proud and appreciates that the Vietnamese and Lao Parties and States identified the two countries’ relations as great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation.

He considered this as a summary of the bonds between the two nations dating back hundreds of years and beyond, voicing his firm trust in the two Parties and States’ path of staying united and supporting each other.

Sen. Lt. Col. Vanhthong Ouanthanongsing, a war veteran of Laos who used to coordinate with Vietnamese volunteer soldiers in Xiengkhouang, said the enormous assistance from the Vietnamese people performing the international mission of helping his country regain independence was an enormous and great one found nowhere else in the world.

He said he will never forget this help but continue to educate younger generations on the Laos - Việt Nam special relations, particularly in the struggle for the liberation of Laos as well as the development and safeguarding of the country nowadays.

The creative application of historical experiences, especially those from activities of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in Laos, is critically important to the continued solidification of the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, and peoples, Vanhthong opined.

For his part, Phetsamone Davongsone, Secretary of the Xiengkhouang provincial Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union, said the committee has been working to raise the local youth’s understanding of the bilateral relations, especially the Laos - Việt Nam combatant alliance, which helped bring about prosperity and happiness for the people today.

Việt Nam, a close and unique friend, sent volunteer soldiers and experts to assist with the liberation of Laos, he went on, adding that Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane, and Souphanouvong laid the foundation for young generations of both countries to join hands in fighting to regain independence.

Phetsamone affirmed that the Youth Union Committee of Xiengkhouang will push ahead with communications so that young people of Laos are thoroughly aware of and treasure the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. VNS