In celebration of the 75th Ceremony of Independence Day of Socialist Republic of Vietnam
(2/9/1945 - 2/9/2020)
Independence and freedom are what the Vietnamese have the right to enjoy, and have always been what they aspire after. That aspiration comes from patriotism which has been kept along with the development of Vietnam. Whenever the nation was invaded, the Vietnamese’s patriotism roused up.
From the 10th century to the 20th century, Vietnam went through many invasions; however, sovereignty and independence were always safeguarded. That proves the true value of Vietnamese people which lies in their Aspiration for Independence and Freedom.
In 1010, King Lý Công Uẩn gave an order for the Capital to be moved from Hoa Lư citadel to Đại La citadel, then he changed the name of Đại La to Thăng Long which in Sino-Vietnamese means Flying Dragon
In 1077, to crush the Song dynasty’s plot to invade Đại Việt (Vietnam), under the order of the King, Lý Thường Kiệt had defence lines built along Như Nguyệt river. The poem Mountains and Rivers of the Southern Country was publicly announced during the fierce struggle, inspiring and people and the army to be able to defeat Song invaders.
Mountains and Rivers of the Southern Country
Source: The Complete Annals of Đại Việt
“Sông núi nước Nam, vua Nam ở,
Rành rành định phận tại sách trời.
Cớ sao lũ giặc sang xâm phạm?
Chúng bay sẽ bị đánh tơi bời.”
The poem Mountains and Rivers of the Southern Country. It asserts Vietnam’s sovereignty and its independence.
A military map showing the the resistance against Song invaders in 1077
Source: history textbook (for seventh-grade), Vietnam Education Publishing House Limited Company
In 1428, King Lê Thái Tổ (Lê Lợi) came to the throne, which put an end to the 20-year resistance war against the Ming invaders
At the King's order, Nguyễn Trãi wrote The Proclamation of Victory which was an announcement about the victory of the resistance against Ming invaders and about the rebuilding of the nation.
The masterpiece of lifetime by Nguyễn Trãi, the second Declaration of Vietnam, asserts the sovereignty and independence of Vietnam
“Việc nhân nghĩa cốt ở yên dân,
Quân điếu phạt trước lo trừ bạo.
Như nước Đại Việt ta từ trước,
Vốn xưng nền văn hiến đã lâu.
Núi sông bờ cõi đã chia,
Phong tục Bắc Nam cũng khác.
Từ Triệu, Đinh, Lý, Trần bao đời xây nền độc lập,
Cùng Hán, Đường, Tống, Nguyên mỗi bên hùng cứ một phương…”
Succeeding to the throne of Lý and Trần dynasties, King Lê Lợi gave an order for the Capital to be set up in Thăng Long, then Thăng Long was renamed Đông Kinh.
Kính Thiên Palace, the central building, was where audiences given by the King took place.
In the reign of King Lê Thánh Tông, Forbidden city (or Phoenix Dragon citadel) was enlarged, extending to the West.
Between 16th Century and 18th centuries, old palaces in the Imperial Citadel were repaired, and new palaces were constructed. However, since the establishment of a new political centre, real power was held by Trịnh Lord, so the significance of The Imperial Citadel of Thăng long gradually became faded.
In 1802, King Gia Long (Nguyễn dynasty) decided to move the capital to Huế. Thăng Long became a General Government of the North
In 1831, since the administrative reform adopted by King Minh Mạng, Thăng Long was renamed Hà Nội.
Map of Hanoi citadel in 1888
1802 - 1831 - 1902
After the French occupied Hà Nội, they chose Hà Nội to be the capital of the French Indochina in 1902.
75 years ago, on September 2, 1945, at Ba Đình Square, President Hồ Chí Minh, on behalf of The provisional government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, solemnly declared to the world:
“Vietnam has the right to be a free and independent country and in fact is so already. The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilize all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their independence and liberty”
It was such a firm declaration affirming a truth: "There is nothing more precious than independence and freedom”
The Vietnam Propaganda Unit of Liberation Army, the first main force of Vietnam People’s Army, was founded in December 22, 1944, and was under the direction of comrade Võ Nguyên Giáp. This unit made great contributions to seizing power in August 1945.
Source: Vietnam News Agency
The Instruction “The encounter between France and Japan and our act” was issued by Central Standing Committee to mobilize the masses to resist Japanese invaders, in March 12, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
Cờ Giải phóng News (Liberation Flag), published on June 28, 1945
Source: Hanoi Museum
The General Committee of the Việt Minh held the National Congress in Tân Trào communal house, Tuyên Quang province:
1. The executing of the resolution on the general- uprising mobilization on August 16, 1945
2. The Declaration of the National Liberation Committee
3. The Tân Trào banian tree
Souce: National Archives Center III
Military Order No. 1 for a general uprising carried out at 11 pm on August 13, 1945, issued by Uprising Committee.
The Order said as follows: “We have to take action as soon as possible, bravely… but cautiously, we will definitely gain a complete victory”
Souce: National Archives Center III
President Hồ Chí Minh and members of Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in Tân Trào in 1945
Source: Tuyên Quang Museum
As shown in the painting, President Hồ Chí Minh chaired the National Congress in Tân Trào, 16-17/8/1945
Source: Tuyên Quang Museum
“It’s time for us to decide our nation’s fate. Now we will stand up to liberate ourselves”
(President Hồ Chí Minh)
President Hồ Chí Minh’s letter to call upon people to rise up in arms
Source: Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences Information
People in Thái Nguyên province took actions to seize power, August 20, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
The head office of Vietnam liberation army (after Vietnam seized power) in Thái Nguyên province on August 20, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
People in Hải Phòng took actions to seize power, August 23, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
People in Nghệ An province took actions to seize power, August 21, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
People in Hòn Gai, Quảng Ninh province took actions to seize power, August 26, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
People in Quảng Nam province took actions to seize power, August 18, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
People in Quảng Ngãi province took actions to seize power, August 27, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
People in Cần Thơ province took actions to seize power, August 26, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
Comrade Võ Nguyên Giáp reviewed the troops after they had come back to the Capital from war zones. Later they would fight to seize power from the Japanese
Source: Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences Information
Hanoi people took action to seize power. Forces of revolutionary masses launched an attack on Bắc Bộ Residence, August 19, 1945.
Source: Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences Information
People occupied the civil guard post, August 19, 1945
Souce: National Archives Center III
A flag salute ceremony took place in front of Hanoi Opera House on the occasion of the foundation of Revolutionary government, September 19, 1945
Source: Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences Information
People in Huế took action to seize power, August 23, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
People in Sài Gòn took action to seize power, August 25, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
People in Sài Gòn took action to seize power, August 25, 1945
Souce: National Archives Center III
People in Sài Gòn took action to seize power, August 25, 1945
Souce: National Archives Center III
On August 30, 1945, the Adication ceremony of King Bảo Đại, the last King of Vietnam, took place at Ngọ Môn gate in the Imperial citadel of Huế. The ceremony marked the end of the feudal regime that had lasted for thousands of years in Vietnam.
King Bảo Đại prepared himself for the Abdication ceremony at Kiến Trung palace on August 30, 1945
Source: Collected
“I would rather be a civilian of an independent nation than be a King of an enslaved nation”.
As shown in the scene simulation, King Bảo Đại handed over the royal seal to the delegation of The Provisional Government at Ngọ Môn Gate on August 30, 1945
Source: Collected
President Hồ Chí Minh read The Declaration of Independence at Ba Đình square in the Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long-Hà Nội, which marked the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
The Declaration of Independence Reading Ceremony at Ba Đình square, September 2, 1945
Source: Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences Information
President Hồ Chí Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Đình square, September 2, 1945
Source: Vietnam News Agency
Troops of Liberation Army stood at Ba Đình square on September 2, 1945
Souce: National Archives Center III
President Hồ Chí Minh and Võ Nguyên Giáp were on their way to Ba Đình square, September 2, 1945
Source: Vietnam National Museum of History
The Declaration of Independence Reading Ceremony at Ba Đình square, September 2, 1945
Source: Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences Information
The Declaration of Independence Reading Ceremony at Ba Đình square, September 2, 1945
Souce: National Archives Center III
Millions of people celebrated the Independence Day at Ba Đình square, Hanoi on September 2, 1945
Source: Collected
People celebrated the Independence Day in Saigon on September 2, 1945
Source: Collected
The Declaration of Independence which is 1.120 words long (49 sentences) has four special characteristics:
1. It was written in a very short time, from 26 to 29 August, 1945;
2. It was presented to the Central Standing Committee and Major Patti (member of Office of Strategic Services of The United States) for consultation by Hồ Chí Minh.
3. It started with mentioning human rights, which were pointed out in the 1776 Independence Declaration of the United States and the 1791 Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen of France
4. It was written by President Hồ Chí Minh himself. Coherent writing style, concise content, strong and easy-to-understand words and well-organized ideas show the steely determination to safeguard the newly- won independence and freedom of the entire nation.
(Associate Professor. PhD. Nguyễn Mạnh Hà, Institute of Party History, Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics)
President Hồ Chí Minh addressed at the General election, on January 6, 1946:
“Our Congress is the first one among the nations in Southeast Asia, and the first among the colonies which already gained their independence”
Source: Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences Information
On behalf of the Government, President Hồ Chí Minh took the oath before the Congress, March 2, 1946
Source: Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences Information
The provisional government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was founded after the first free general election, in 1946
Source: Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences Information
The meeting of the Administration of The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , in 1945
Souce: National Archives Center III
On behalf of the Government, President Hồ Chí Minh took the oath before the Congress, March 2, 1946
Source: Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences Information
The Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long - Hà Nội has a close relationship with important events and cultural and artistic values of Vietnam during its process of formation and development as an independent nation for nearly a millennium, and also its process of formation as a modern nation in Asia. The Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long Hà Nội bears a great number of traces of such events. One of them that ever took place here was when President Hồ Chí Minh called upon people to launch the August Revolution in Hanoi, and when he read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Đình square - now located in the surrounding area of the Heritage site.
Vietnam on the world map
Vietnam on the Asia map
The map of Vietnam
The map of Hanoi
The significance and value of the Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long - Hà Nội all lie in area of Ba Đình Political centre, a centre of supreme political, military and administrative power of Vietnam nowadays. That is not a coincidence. In fact, The Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long-Hà Nội has always been a centre of historical events that creates Ba Đình Political centre.
The Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long - Hà Nội and the Ba Đình Political Centre
The Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long - Hà Nội
Vietnam was the pioneer country in the movement against colonialism, and the first country to gain national independence in Southeast Asia and Asia. The establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945) had become a powerful driving force, contributing to the spread as well as strong development of the national liberation movement in Asia, Africa and Latin America in the twentieth century.
The map showing the national liberation movement launched by people in Asia, Africa and Latin America
Indonesia declared its independence on August 17, 1945. New Government was established on September 4, 1945
Source: Collected
The representatives of the United States and Philippines signed a relationship agreement between the two nations, which recognized Philippines as an independent nation, July 4, 1946
Source: Collected
After seizing power from England, the Republic of Egypt was established in 1953
Source: Collected
India declared its independence, and the Republic of India was established on January 26, 1950
Source: Collected
The Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro succeeded. A Socialist government was established on January 1, 1959
Source: Collected
