1. The birth of War Invalids and Martyrs Association 

After the triumph of the August Revolution in 1945, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) was founded not long before the second invasion of the French colonialists. With the motto “... sacrifice everything, but definitely refuse to lose our country, and definitely refuse to be enslaved”, our army and people bravely fought off the invaders. In the early years of the fierce Resistance war against France, many compatriots and soldiers fell, sacrificing their flesh and blood on the battlefields. With the moral tradition of “When drinking water, think of its source” and “Returning the favours”, the Party, Government, Uncle Ho and the people of Vietnam had paid all their respect to the war invalids and martyrs who fought for Vietnam’s independence.

In early 1946, the Association helped soldiers in distress who were born in Thuan Hoa (Binh Tri Thien), then those in Hanoi and some other localities... After a while, it was changed to the Wounded Soldiers Aid Association. Within the Central Committee was the General Council, whose Honorary President was elected to be President Ho Chi Minh.

On May 28th, 1946, the Wounded Soldiers Aid Association held an important talk at the Hanoi Opera House, encouraging everyone to join the Association and help the injured soldiers, President Ho Chi Minh attended.

On November 17th, 1946, also at the Hanoi Opera House, the Vietnam National Union held a volunteering ceremony “Winter Soldier”, commencing the “Winter Soldier” campaign throughout the country to help soldiers in the cold winter. President Ho Chi Minh attended the ceremony and he took off his shirt to give to the soldiers.

When the nationwide Resistance war broke out, on December 19th, 1946, following President Ho Chi Minh’s Call for National Resistance, Vietnamese people simultaneously rose to fight with the spirit “To die for the life of the Motherland.” The number of people injured and sacrificed in battle rocketed, and the lives of soldiers, especially wounded soldiers, faced many hardships and deprivations.

Confronting this situation, our Party and Nation had made many decisions about important policies on the work of war invalids and martyrs, helping to stabilize the material and mental life of war invalids and martyrs’ families.

On February 16th, 1947, President Ho Chi Minh officially signed Decree No. 20/SL, establishing pension, disability and death benefits. This is the first legal document affirming the important position of the work of war invalids and martyrs to the Resistance war and the Party, Nation and Government’s attention to war invalids, sick soldiers and martyrs’ families.

In June 1947, representatives of the Viet Minh Headquarters, the Central Committee of the Women’s Salvation Union, the Central Committee of the National Salvation Youth Union, the Political Bureau of the National Army of Vietnam, the Department of Information and Propaganda and several localities, met at Dai Tu (Bac Thai) to discuss the work of war invalids and martyrs and to implement President Ho Chi Minh’s directive to choose a day as Vietnam’s war Invalids and Martyrs’ Day. At this meeting, the delegates agreed upon July 27th as the “National War Invalids Day”. Since then, every year on this occasion, President Ho Chi Minh had sent letters and gifts to visit, encourage, and remind everyone to pay gratitude and wholeheartedly help war invalids and martyrs’ families. Especially since the Dien Bien Phu Victory, the Government and President Ho Chi Minh had paid more attention to the contribution of war invalids and martyrs to our glorious victory.

In July 1955, our Party and Nation decided to change the “National War Invalids Day” to “War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day” to recognize the virtuous sacrifices of compatriots and soldiers nationwide for the roaring triumph of the whole nation.

After the liberation of the South and reunification of the Motherland, according to Directive 223/CT-TW dated July 8th, 1975 of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, from 1975, July 27th every year officially became the “War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day” of the whole country.

Each year, on the “Day of Invalids and Martyrs”, the entire Party, people and army organize many practical and meaningful activities to care for the wounded soldiers, martyrs’ families, as well as revolutionary contributors.

2. The meaning of War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day

 Invalids and Martyrs’ Day has profound historical, political and social significance, which are:

- The tradition of “gratitude and charity”, respect and appreciation of our Party, Nation and people to those who have sacrificed and devoted themselves to the independence, freedom and unification of the Motherland, for the people’s happiness; thereby promoting patriotism, consolidating and fostering faith in the revolutionary cause chosen by the Party, Uncle Ho and the people of Vietnam.

- Honoring heroes, martyrs, wounded soldiers and revolutionary heroes; affirming their dedication and sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the nation and the people’s happiness is priceless. Taking care of wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, families of martyrs and people with meritorious services is an honour and responsibility of all levels, branches, socio-political organizations and people, of today and tomorrow’s generations.

- Our Party, Nation and the people pay magnificent respect to the great contributions and sacrifices of compatriots and soldiers to the Motherland; at the same time, always pay attention to spreading responsibility, civic duty and deep gratitude to all classes of people, of revolutionary generations for war invalids, martyrs and revolutionary heroes.

(Source: tuyengiao.vn)

Translator: Tran Linh Ngan - English 2124