From the August Revolution to the revolution of streamlining apparatus (Part 6)

PART 6: STEP BY STEP REMOVING DIFFICULTIES, MOVING TOWARD INTEGRATION

In the autumn of August 1945, after the long darkness of slavery under the yoke of both colonial imperialists and the feudal monarchy, 25 million compatriots, under the brilliant leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, “rose from the mud to shine,” establishing the first workers’ and peasants’ state in Southeast Asia. Thirty years later, the victory of April 30, 1975 marked a golden milestone, a complete triumph that opened a a new chapter of history, an era of national independence and the country’s transition toward socialism.

“After liberation, Dong Nai deeply applied the lessons learned from the August Revolution 1945: ensuring organizational unity under the Communist Party’s leadership; rallying national strength under the banner of patriotism; seizing opportunities to build a new life, shaping a Dong Nai blossoming on the ‘land once ravaged by fierce warfare” said Tran Quang Toai, MA, Chairman of the Dong Nai Historical Science Association.

Turning difficulties and challenges into driving forces and opportunities

After 1975, although the country was free of foreign invaders, it soon fell into a severe socio-economic crisis. Inflation at times soared to 700–800%, ration coupons were inadequate, and people lacked basic food. Essential goods such as fuel, food, flour, and fertilizers were heavily dependent on Soviet aid, which was gradually declining. The centralized subsidy mechanism hindered growth, leaving the economy almost exhausted. Vietnam still remained under blockade and embargoes.

Workers at Bac Dong Phu Industrial Park, Dong Phu commune, produce export goods. Photo: Cam Lien

At that time, in the former Binh Phuoc province, the economy and education level were extremely low; industry was almost nonexistent, handicraft production remained small and fragmented; infrastructure was underdeveloped; agriculture and livestock raising were scattered. While embarking on rebuilding the nation after the war, the province still faced remnants of the old regime and Fulro group, which were actively plotting to overthrow the fledgling revolutionary government.

Colonel Nguyen Chi Cuong, former Member of the Provincial Standing Party Committee and former Director of Binh Phuoc Public Security, recalled: “After liberation, three organizations posed major threats to political security in Binh Phuoc. However, under the Party Committee’s leadership, local authorities at all levels, public security force upheld the spirit of solidarity, working in coordination with the military, other relevant forces, and the people to raise vigilance and launch continuous attacks, dismantling many reactionary armed political organizations. As of late 1979, Fulro force was basically eradicated.”

Recalling the revolutionary lessons for the post-1975 period in Dong Nai, “ the land once ravaged by fierce warfare”, Huynh Van Binh, a 90-year-old revolutionary cadre and former Chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee for 1984–1994 period, affirmed: “After 1975, the biggest issue for both the country and Dong Nai was food supply. As Head of the then Department of Agriculture, I strongly advised and proposed initiatives on seed improvement, irrigation works, and mobilization of skilled agricultural workers to quickly secure sufficient food for the people. Within two years (1976–1977), nearly 45,000 hectares of land were reclaimed and intensively farmed. Dong Nai built nine electric pumping stations, 15 reservoirs, and three saltwater prevention dikes for agricultural production. In terms of industry, 40 centrally-run factories quickly started operations, along with 29 state-owned enterprises and hundreds of cooperative and private handicraft facilities. The state and cooperative trade network expanded. As a result, local GDP grew by 9.9% per year.”

Huynh Van Binh (also known as Nam Binh), former Chairman of Dong Nai People’s Committee and former Head of the Tri An Reservoir Clearing Committee, still vividly remembers the period when the state and the people joined forces to implement great projects in the province. Photo: Cam Lien

According to the memoir Overcoming the great storm by former Secretary of Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee Phan Van Trang, after stabilizing social order and security situation to gradually bring people’s lives back to peacetime, the Party and the revolutionary government implemented the collection of Nguyen Van Thieu regime’s currency and exchanged it for the people with the National Bank of Vietnam’s money. With careful direction, many exchange points were set up, mobilizing teachers, students, and staff to participate, ensuring no errors occurred. At that time, the Central Committee continuously directed revolutionary authorities across the South to eliminate speculative and market-disrupting activities of the comprador bourgeoisie. After eradicating this class, the South continued to reform commercial capitalists to build a new trade system. These lessons on unified leadership and mobilizing all classes of people into political tasks after liberation were applied effectively.

When Party Central Committee initiated the policy of “Renewal (Doi moi), opening up, shifting from a centrally planned subsidy-based system to a socialist-oriented market mechanism,” Dong Nai’s leaders identified industrial parks for making detailed planning of roads, electricity, water, and waste treatment, building infrastructure in accordance with planning to attract foreign investors. Seizing the opportunity, Dong Nai successfully carried out its first overseas promotion trips to Taiwan (China), followed by Thailand, China, then Japan and the Republic of Korea…... This paved the way for foreign investment attraction and diplomacy chances, enabling Dong Nai to emerge as a strong economy in the Southern key economic region.

Unity – the “lever” for success

To this day, people in the province still remember the unity of soldiers and civilians who dammed the Dong Nai River to build embankments and dams on the Dong Nai River to create the legendary Tri An Hydropower Plant. This effort helped bring light to all aspects of the local people’s material and spiritual life. Huynh Van Binh, the then Vice Chairman of Dong Nai People’s Committee and Head of the then Tri An Reservoir Clearing Committee, shared: President Ho Chi Minh taught: “Unity, unity, great unity / Success, success, great success.” To succeed in any endeavor, solidarity must be the principle and the key of every era! The implementation of Tri An Hydropower Plant carried that spirit. With the approach of ‘the State and the People working together,’ about VND 100 billion out of the total VND 500 billion investment came from contributions by Southern residents. Locals provided six million workdays to clear 32,000 hectares of forest and plantations. Each day, around 10,000 people worked on site, with the peak reaching up to 30,000 laborers. Men and women, all volunteered to bring light to the lowland region.”

Tri An Hydropower Plant – the nation’s first project implemented under the “State and People working together” model. File Photo.

The lesson of solidarity after 1975 was reflected in the slogan and motto of reconciliation and harmony: no religious or ethnic discrimination, no division between former and current regimes, especially for the intellectuals and those educated in the socialist North, policies of reconciliation were adjusted accordingly, representing a significant lesson under the conditions at that time. Particularly after the country adopted the Renewal (Doi moi) policy in accordance with the spirit of the 6th National Party Congress, Dong Nai strongly implemented the national reconciliation policy. Intellectuals who had previously collaborated with the former regime actively participated in activities aligned with Party guidelines, gradually overcoming difficulties, integrating into the new context, and opening doors to foreign investment.

M.A. Tran Quang Toai, Chairman of Dong Nai Association of Historical Sciences

 

In the former Binh Phuoc, after the province was re-established in 1997, former Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Standing Party Committee, Chairman of Dong Nai People’s Council, and Head of the provincial delegation of National Assembly Deputies Nguyen Huu Luat worked with the Provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee to stabilize the organizational apparatus and workplaces while focusing on socio-economic development as the core task and foundation for the comprehensive growth of the new province back then. Efforts were made to boost production, increase state budget revenues, and accelerate infrastructure construction. In the first year after re-establishment, with unity among the Party, authorities, mass organizations, and people, production remained stable and grew. Key economic targets were achieved: provincial GDP rose by 9.1% compared to 1996, while per capita income grew by 5.6%. The economic structure began to shift toward a higher share of industry. The province prioritized investment in production and public welfare projects.

By applying the lessons learned from the August Revolution, from “taking the people as the root” to seizing opportunities, Vietnam in general and Dong Nai in particular have stayed focused on overarching goals, proactively identified policy-related bottlenecks, and boldly proposed solutions for comprehensive and sustainable development in the nation’s era of independence.

By: Cam Lien

Translated by: M.Nguyet-Thu Ha