President Hồ Chí Minh checks the newspaper in the early days of 1954. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — On May 19, 1890, at a lotus village in Nam Đàn District, the central province of Nghệ An, a boy named Nguyễn Sinh Cung was born. At that time, no one could have foreseen that he would one day change the destiny of a nation, becoming a brilliant leader, an outstanding revolutionary, a national liberation hero and a world cultural celebrity.

President Hồ Chí Minh’s life was a tireless journey dedicated to the cause of national independence and freedom and the happiness of the people. He remains a vivid symbol of the Vietnamese people's aspiration for freedom, a shining example of moral integrity and the source of all national victories.

Founder of Việt Nam’s path to national liberation

President Hồ Chí Minh was a great patriot and a visionary who paved the way for Việt Nam’s national liberation. He was a model revolutionary, devoting his entire life to the cause of the nation and its people.

Throughout his revolutionary career, the President strived for the goal of national independence, building a strong nation and a democratic, just and civilised society where all people enjoy freedom, well-being and happiness. He once said that: "I have only one ambition – the utmost desire to see our country completely independent, our people entirely free and every citizen have food, clothing and access to education.”

Born in a patriotic Confucian family and witnessing the hardships of a colonised nation, young Nguyễn Sinh Cung—later known as Nguyễn Tất Thành—harboured a deep and burning desire from an early age to liberate his nation.

In 1911, with unwavering determination, the young man named Nguyễn Tất Thành, who later became the beloved President Hồ Chí Minh, under the name of Văn Ba, got on the French ship Amiral Latouche Tréville to depart Nhà Rồng Wharf in then Saigon, starting a 30-year odyssey to seek a path for saving the country from colonialism. He said: “I want to go abroad, to see France and other countries. After seeing how they do things, I would return to help our people.” Over the three decades travelling across Asia, Europe, Africa and even the Americas, he was exposed to the ideals of Marxism-Leninism and identified the path to national liberation for Việt Nam. He stated that: “To save the homeland and liberate the people, there is no other way than the path of proletarian revolution.”

That choice led to a historic milestone on February 3, 1930, under the leadership of Nguyễn Ái Quốc, the Communist Party of Việt Nam was founded, marking the convergence of advanced revolutionary theory and patriotic movements in Việt Nam, ushering in a new period for the nation’s revolution.

He clearly defined the Party as a revolutionary party of both the working class and the entire Vietnamese nation. As its founder and leader, Nguyễn Ái Quốc directly led the Vietnamese revolutionary movement, guiding it firmly moving forward on the path of national liberation struggle.

The first great milestone of the Vietnamese revolutionary cause under the leadership of the Party and President Hồ Chí Minh was the historic victory of the August Revolution in 1945, which led to the founding of the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam (now the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam). In the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945, President Hồ Chí Minh solemnly declared to the world that: " Việt Nam has the right to be a free and independent country and in fact it is so already. The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilise all their physical and mental strengths and sacrifice their lives and property to safeguard their independence and liberty.”

However, not long after gaining independence, Việt Nam was once again forced to enter into prolonged resistance wars against French colonialists and American imperialists. Throughout those harrowing years, President Hồ Chí Minh served not only as the supreme leader but also as the spiritual heart of the resistance, constantly inspiring the Vietnamese people's unbreakable will and unwavering belief in victory. His philosophy “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom” was more than just a battle cry, it was a way of life and the soul of the revolutionary cause he pursued until his final breath.

President Hồ Chí Minh laid the foundation for building a new kind of state—the state of the people, by the people, and for the people. He consistently emphasised that “The people are the root of the nation.” This viewpoint was not only reflected in his ideology but also in his lifestyle and leadership style. He urged cadres and Party members to stay close to the people, understand them, listen to them, and serve them wholeheartedly. He stressed: “Maintaining close ties with the people and always listening to their opinions are the foundation of the Party’s strength and thanks to this strength, the Party achieves victory.”

In the final days of his life, despite severe illness, President Hồ Chí Minh remained deeply concerned about the country and its people. In his testament, he wrote: “All my life, I have devotedly served the Fatherland, the revolution, and the people.” This was not only the summary of a lifetime, but also a guiding principle and a truth he fully lived out throughout more than half a century of his revolutionary career.

President Hồ Chí Minh and General Võ Nguyên Giáp with the delegation of heroes and exemplary fighters of the People's Liberation Armed Forces of the South visiting the North (Hà Nội, November 15, 1965). — VNA/VNS Photo

Hồ Chí Minh’s ideology and morality shine forever

In Hồ Chí Minh’s ideology and actions, the revolutionary ethics were never abstract or dogmatic concepts. Rather, they were a profound fusion of communist ideals with the traditional compassion of the Vietnamese people, and a blend of unshakable courage and a warm and generous heart.

The virtues upheld by President Hồ Chí Minh are diligence, thrift, integrity, righteousness and impartiality and the spirit of selflessness and the simple and humble lifestyle closely connected with the people. He repeatedly emphasised that to save the nation and achieve national liberation, patriotism alone was not enough, it also required revolutionary ethics and a spirit of resistance against manifestations of individualism, bureaucracy, corruption, authoritarianism and abuse of power. He described individualism as the “internal enemy,” the most dangerous disease facing a revolutionary cadre.

To the people, President Hồ Chí Minh was not only a leader and head of the Party and State, but also a devoted son, a sincere friend and a compassionate old father. He loved the people with a warm, unconditional heart, transcending all boundaries of class and region. For him, the well-being and happiness of the people were the highest measure of national independence.

In his testament, President Hồ Chí Minh worried that “the people's livelihood must be taken care of,” that “revolutionary ethics must be nurtured for future generations,” and that the Party must remain “truly pure, worthy of being both the leader and the loyal servant of the people.” These words of guidance not only reflect the final wishes of a great leader but also serve as a shining example of his boundless dedication, compassion, and selfless sacrifice.

The life of President Hồ Chí Minh is a great epic of wholehearted devotion to national independence and freedom and happiness of the people. He not only made history but also left a priceless spiritual legacy for the Vietnamese nation. His ideology, ethics and lifestyle will forever serve as a guiding light for the cause of national construction and defence today and in the future. —VNA/VNS