On the eve of the 108th anniversary of the October Revolution, through a bilingual presentation by lecturer Hong Hoa and documentary footage, the question of how a revolution that took place in faraway Russia in 1917 could help an Asian nation like Vietnam achieve independence and freedom in 1945 was vividly explained to students born a century after the event.

The October Revolution of 1917 not only liberated the Russian people but also became a source of inspiration for colonial nations striving for self-determination. Through the vision of the great revolutionary Nguyen Ai Quoc, the path of national liberation associated with socialism reached Vietnam, leading the working-class movement and culminating in the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, a decisive factor behind the nation’s later victories.

The proletarian revolution in Russia also had a fervent supporter from Vietnam, Ton Duc Thang, who later became the first President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the first Chairman of the Vietnam–Soviet Friendship Association, affectionately known by the Vietnamese people as “Uncle Ton.”

Mikhail, a third-year student at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), said the “special class” provided him with valuable insights into the golden pages of Vietnam–Soviet relations even before they were officially established. He found the lesson highly engaging, saying it helped him feel the living historical connection between the two countries and made Vietnam feel much closer.

The 108th anniversary of the Russian October Revolution was commemorated on November 7, a proletarian uprising that, in just ten days, “shook the world”.

Russian October Revolution marked in HCM City

A get-together to mark the 107th anniversary of the Russian October Revolution (November 7, 1917 - 2024) was held by the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) in HCM City on November 5.