April 30 Victory – an immortal legacy in the hearts of Cuban people
During the most intense years of the war, all of Cuba seemed to hold its breath, following every development in Vietnam, said Rafael Suengas, a revolutionary veteran who once led the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam.
Rafael Suengas talks to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Cuba. (Photo: VNA)
Havana (VNA)ꦰ – The April 30, 1975 victory was not merely a military triumph but represented the culmination of a resilient struggle rooted in the ideology of President Ho Chi Minh, said Rafael Suengas, a revolutionary veteran who once led the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam.
In 1930, with the establishment of the Communist Party of Indochina, President Ho Chi Minh laid the foundation for the national liberation movement through the power of great national unity, Suengas told Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Cuba on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975–2025).
He recalled the historic moment when Liberation Army tanks rolled into the Independence Palace—a moment that held significance not only for Vietnam but also for the global revolutionary movement.
The Cuban revolutionary veteran was particularly impressed by Vietnam’s strategy of “fighting while negotiating.” While the people and soldiers of the North bravely endured intense B-52 bombings, Vietnamese diplomats maintained a firm stance at the Paris peace talks. Suengas said it was a perfect combination of military prowess and diplomatic intelligence.
Beyond politics and military affairs, Vietnam held deep personal meaning for Suengas. Recounting the harsh days of war, his eyes lit up as he spoke of the special bond between the two nations. He remembered working alongside Liberation Army soldiers during a sugarcane harvest in Cuba under the scorching sun of 1970. They worked tirelessly, as if they were still fighting in their homeland, he said.
This sentiment, according to Suengas, was not his alone but shared by the Cuban people. During the most intense years of the war, all of Cuba seemed to hold its breath, following every development in Vietnam.
The Cuban people's deep affection towards Vietnam was expressed not only in words but also through concrete actions. In 1964, amid the war, ballet legend Alicia Alonso and the Cuban National Ballet braved hardships to perform in Vietnam for the first time—an act of profound solidarity. Cuban doctors also volunteered to assist and treat wounded soldiers and civilians in Vietnam.
Suengas quoted Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s immortal statement: “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its own blood,” and affirmed that this was not merely a slogan as thousands of young Cubans really wished to stand shoulder to shoulder with their Vietnamese comrades in the battlefield.
According to the revolutionary veteran, the greatest lesson from the April 30 victory is the power of great national unity.
Fifty years after reunification, the lesson from Vietnam remains as relevant as ever: A nation, no matter how small, can defeat any invading force if it is united and steadfast. Vietnam will forever be a beacon for movements fighting for justice./.
The April 30, 1975 triumph also had a significant impact on the international history as it completely dismantled the geopolitical framework of the US imperialism in the world. It became a great impetus for revolutionary forces globally, contributing to the advancement of humanity’s struggle for peace, national independence, democracy, and social progress.
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