Addressing the event, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong expressed the Vietnamese people’s heartfelt gratitude toward President Ho – “the great leader of the Party and nation, the hero of the national liberation movement and the world cultural activist, who founded and trained the Party and State.”

“We also remember and owe a deep debt of gratitude to our fellow countrymen, comrades and volunteer soldiers who sacrificed their lives on the Ho Chi Minh Trail for the cause of national liberation,” said Mr Trong.

He thanked the former Soviet Union, China, Cuba, Laos, Cambodia and many other international friends for their whole-hearted support and effective assistance to Vietnam during the resistance war against US imperialists.

He praised Army Corps 12 for their outstanding achievements during the past 50 years.

Fifty years ago, Army Corps 12 (now Truong Son Civil Engineering Corporation), was assigned to open a strategic artery through the Truong Son Mountain Range to transport troops and cargo to the southern front.

“Though time flies, the legend of the Ho Chi Minh Trail still lives on as the pride of the nation and goes down in history as a glorious feat of arms by the Vietnamese people during the great war of resistance against US imperialists,” said Mr Trong. “The great magnitude and valuable lessons drawn from opening and maintaining the trail are of practical significance not only to the past struggle for national liberation but also to the current cause of national construction and defence.”

The NA Chairman reviewed the tremendous achievements Vietnam has made during the Doi Moi (Renewal) process, and identified difficulties and challenges facing the country in the new era.

“In the light of the Resolutions of the 10^th National Party Congress, the entire Party, people and army try our best to overcome difficulties and challenges, accelerate national industrialisation and modernisation and international integration so as to lift Vietnam out of its underdeveloped nation status and become an industrial nation by 2020,” said Mr Trong.

He asked the army to modernise itself to become the mainstay of the Party and State.

He presented the Military Exploit Order, second class, to Army Corps 12 in recognition of its outstanding achievements in building the people’s army and strengthening national defence, contributing to the cause of socialist construction in Vietnam.

In his speech, Minister of Defence Gen. Phung Quang Thanh attributed the victory of the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the clear-sighted leadership of the Party and President Ho, saying it is a bright symbol of the revolutionary heroism of the Ho Chi Minh Era and the earnest desire of the Vietnamese people for national independence, freedom and unification towards socialism.   

“This victory could not be achieved without great support and effective assistance from ministries, sectors and mass organisations as well as love and assistance from people in Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, the Vinh Linh Special Zone and other localities where the trail runs through. This victory is a testimony to the special solidarity of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in the fight against the common enemy as well as the great and effective assistance from the former Soviet Union, China, Cuba and other international friends.”

Dong Sy Nguyen, former commander of Truong Son soldiers, recalled the glorious moments and exploits of his soldiers 50 years ago.   

With a total length of nearly 20,000km encompassing Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, the Ho Chi Minh Trail formed a strategic transport artery, comprising 26 land routes on the eastern and western parts of the Truong Son Mountain Range, more than 1,400km of oil pipelines and a system of 6,000km long waterway transport routes.

For their outstanding achievements, many collectives and individuals of Army Corps 12 have been awarded high distinctions from the Party and State, including the title “The Hero of Armed Forces”, the Ho Chi Minh Order and the Gold Star Order.