Appeal for General Insurrection

August 1945

Source: Hồ Chí Minh toàn tập, Tập 3, Chính trị Quốc gia - Sự thật, Hanoi, 2011, pp. 595-596.

Translation: Hồ Chí Minh, Selected Works, Vol. II, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Hanoi, 1961, pp. 157-159. 

The National Congress held on August 16, 1945, at Tân Trào (Tuyên Quang province) was convened by the Việt Minh General Committee. Present at the Congress were 60 rep-resentatives of various political parties, mass organizations, and nationalities. The Congress approved the ten policies and the order of general insurrection issued by the Việt Minh Front, and appointed the Viêt Nam National Liberation Committee which was the Provisional Gov-ernment of the Democratic Republic of Viêt Nam presided by Comrade Hồ Chí Minh. After the closing of the Congress, President Hồ Chí Minh wrote this letter calling on the people throughout the country to rise up and reconquer independence.

Dear compatriots,

Four years ago in one of my letters I called on you to unite together. Because unity is strength, only strength, enables us to win back independence and free-dom.

At present, the Japanese army is crushed. The National Salvation movement has spread to the whole country. The Revolutionary Front for the Indepen-dence of Viêt Nam (Việt Minh) has millions of members from all social strata: intellectuals, peasants, workers, businessmen, soldiers, and from all national-ities in the country: Kinh, Thổ, Nùng, Mường, Mán, etc. In the Front our compatriots march side by side without discrimination as to age, sex, religion or fortune.

Recently, the Việt Minh Front convened the Viêt Nam People’s Congress and appointed the National Liberation Committee to lead the entire people in the resolute struggle until national independence is won.

This is a great advance in the history of the struggle waged for nearly a cen-tury by our people for their liberation.

This is a fact that enraptures our compatriots and fills me with great joy.

However, we cannot consider this as good enough. Our struggle will be a long and hard one. Because the Japanese are defeated, we shall not be liberated overnight. We still have to mike further efforts and carry on the struggle. Only a united struggle will bring us independence.

The Việt Minh Front is at present the basis of the struggle and solidarity of our people. Join the Việt Minh Front, support it, make it greater and stron-ger!

At present, the National Liberation Committee is, so to speak, in itself our provisional government. Unite around it and see to it that its policies and orders are carried out throughout the country!

In this way, our Fatherland will certainly win independence and our people will certainly win freedom soon.

Dear compatriots,

The decisive hour in the destiny of our people has struck. Let us stand up with all our strength to free ourselves!

Many oppressed peoples the world over are vying with each other in the march to win back their independence. We cannot allow ourselves to lag behind.

Forward! Forward! Under the banner of the Việt Minh Front, move for-ward courageously!