In Commemoration of Comrade Stalin

 Ho Cho Minh

Nhân dân (People) Newspaper, No. 169, March 5, 1954

Today (March 5) last year, a sudden earth-shaking news, a sad news spread throughout the five continents: Comrade Stalin has passed away!

All over the world, working people and oppressed nations are deeply saddened by their teacher, leader, and good friend, Comrade Stalin.

Comrade Stalin was born in 1879, in Georgia, an ethnic minority country in Russia. His father was a shoemaker. His mother was the daughter of a serf. They endured hardships and tried to send Comrade Stalin to a seminary school.

At that time capitalism in Russia was developing. The revolutionary movements also began. Marxism had been spread into Russia. Workers and youth organized secret revolutionary associations.

At the age of 15, Comrade Stalin joined the revolution.

At the age of 19, he joined the Russian Social-Democratic Party, and secretly worked hard: teaching Marxism to workers, writing secret newspapers and leaflets, etc.

At the age of 20, he was kicked out of school on suspicion of revolution.

At the age of 23, he was arrested. In 15 years, Comrade Stalin was arrested 7 times, exiled 6 times, escaped from prisons 5 times.

While in prison, Comrade Stalin took advantage of his time, tried his best to research, and kept in touch with the revolutionary movements outside. Every time he escaped from prison, he would find a trade union and act immediately.

In 1903, while in prison, Comrade Stalin received a letter from Lenin. Although they have not met yet, since then, Comrade Stalin has accepted to be Lenin's loyal student.

After the February 1917 revolution, comrade Stalin was freed, and he helped Lenin lead the Bolshevik Party to prepare for the October Revolution.

Just as the revolution was successful, Russia was invaded by armies of 14 imperial countries (led by Britain, France, the US, and Japan). They also help the Russian puppet rebellious to occupy indiscriminately. The newly organized revolutionary army lacked food, clothing, and ammunition. That year, there was crop failure and famine; each worker, each soldier got only one small piece of bread a day. The capital – Moscow – was threatened by the enemies... The situation was very tense. Whichever front was the most difficult, Lenin and the Central Committee of the Party sent Comrade Stalin to command the battle. Wherever Comrade Stalin goes, there will be victory. In the army, comrade Stalin demanded that the commanders and political cadres commit to suffering with the soldiers, to take care of the spiritual and material conditions of the soldiers. Therefore, everyone was eager to overcome difficulties and fulfill the task.

From 1922 onward, Comrade Stalin was always elected General Secretary of the Party.

The revolution has been successful for 7 years, all the imperialist plots have completely failed, they will accept the Soviet Union.

In 1924, Lenin died. Comrade Stalin must bear the responsibility of leading the Party, Government and Soviet people to build socialism; and leading the world revolutionary movements.

After 9 years of being destroyed by war, the Soviet economy was very tense. By 1925, industry was still low, agriculture consisted of more than 25 million households producing sporadically in the old way. Under the leadership of Stalin, the Party and Government formulated the first five-year plan, aimed at building industry and organizing collective farms. It was also an arduous struggle. Because at that time, the Soviet Union lacked capital, lacked machinery, lacked experience. Capitalist countries found all sorts of ways to boycott and destroy it. But the Soviet people were determined to be self-reliant, endure hardships, to economize food and clothing, and overcome all difficulties, in order to build a socialist economy for the period. Thanks to that, in 1933, the first 5-year plan was a great success earlier and started the second 5-year plan and then the third 5-year plan.

That success was largely due to the vibrant and widespread emulation movements to increase production and savings among the entire people. After 8, 9 years of trying, the situation changed radically: from a backward agricultural country the Soviet Union became an advanced industrial country; from poverty to wealth. Compared to 1913, in 1940 the manufacturing industry (oil, coal, cast iron, iron, machinery, etc.) increased four times; agricultural production increased three and a half times (grain, 3,830 thousand tons, cotton 270 thousand tons, etc.).

While the Soviet Union was concerned about developing a peaceful and beautiful life, 240 Nazi divisions suddenly attacked the Soviet Union. How much manpower and material of the Soviet people were poured into the resistance war to save their homeland.

Thanks to Comrade Stalin and the Party for their wise leadership. The Red Army fought bravely, the people united in resistance, in May 1945, Nazi Germany was defeated, the red flag of the Soviet Union was flying over the capital of Germany. Then the Red Army turned to destroy the Japanese militarists. The victory of the Soviet Union saved the world's people from the fascist yoke, especially helped our Vietnam's August Revolution succeed.

During the resistance war against Nazi Germany (1941-1945), the Soviet people sacrificed tens of millions of people and a lot of wealth to liberate the Fatherland and liberate humanity. With the victory of the resistance war, the Soviet people immediately began to rebuild their country. The fourth 5-year plan has been completed, the fifth plan to 1957 will be completed. While the capitalist countries were in economic crisis, the Soviet Union moved from socialism to communism, and became the richest, strongest, and happiest country in the world. That is the merit of Stalin.

Comrade Stalin's great career is closely associated with that of Lenin, of the Communist Party and the Soviet people, and with the cause of liberation of the working class and oppressed nations in the world.

Comrade Stalin practised and developed Marx - Engels - Leninism. He has shown the way for us to make the revolution victorious. He has taught us to organize a genuine revolutionary party, a powerful people's army and a solid united national front.

In commemoration of Comrade Stalin, we must learn from Comrade Stalin, who used all his life to serve the revolution, class, and nation.

We strive to fulfill two central tasks: uniting all the people to promote the resistance and implementing the land reform policy.

We stand in close solidarity with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, with the people of our friends and with the people of other countries to preserve world peace.

We must learn and practice Marx - Engels - Lenin - Stalinism.

Nhân dân