CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY 2022: FOR PATRIOTISM OR HOLIDAY ?
September 2nd (2/9) is a historical date that marks the end of the brutal 58-year colonialism by the French Empire and the relentless Japanese Imperial occupation during World War Two in Vietnamese territory, followed by the abduction of Emperor Bao Dai, bringing an end to the feudalism era in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh, affectionately called Uncle Ho or Chairman Ho by the Vietnamese people, read the Declaration of Independence in front of citizens in Ba Dinh Square (Hanoi) after leading the remarkable victory of the August Revolution in 1945, when Ho Chi Minh and his Communist partisans, known as Viet Minh, had seized control of the government from both monarchy and foreign powers. The Democratic Republic of Vietnam was founded eventually and officially became the first independent state for the Vietnamese people in the 20th century.
The half-century-long revolution campaign was finally achieved, covered with blood, sweat, and tears. A lot of Vietnamese heroes had devoted their whole lives to the full independence, freedom, and happiness of the country and their people from the oppression of the powers that were against the will of the citizens. The August Revolution continued to follow the historical reputation of the Vietnamese people throughout generations, which was renowned for defeating the foreign invaders whose powers were much stronger and standing against the arbitrary and corrupted dynasty rule, which could be led by a lower-class individual to restore the people’s rights and freedom in the country. Inspired by it, the terms “independence, freedom, and happiness” soon became a national motto in Vietnam to remind people today of the sacrifice of their past lives. Rising from the tremendously harsh circumstances but still incredibly accomplishing the ultimate success for the nation in its entire history, the reason for the miracle remains in one word: Patriotism.
Patriotism makes people love their country with all of their hearts and shame themselves whenever their country has flaws; patriotism motivates people to fight for their country without fear or hesitation and to contribute to the country with all of their dedication. As people are now living in peace today, showing patriotism has become less common than in the past. It is simple to understand that when a country faces a national-level threat such as war, conflict, or natural disaster, patriotism will be highly demonstrated by the population on a much wider scale, as they cannot stand by and watch their country and their lives under attack without doing anything. By calling on the solidarity and resilience of a large number of people in a nation, the greater patriotism, the greater the chance the country will overcome adversity. Patriotism during tough times can be portrayed on various platforms. During the Vietnam War, patriotic songs, poems, novels, documentaries, etc. that glorify North Vietnam’s most beloved leader, Ho Chi Minh, the Liberation Army of South Vietnam soldiers, and every person who contributed to the war against the Americans can be found everywhere. They were used as propaganda tools to encourage as many men to participate in a “sacred” war as possible by instilling in their patriotism spirits and the pride of representing the country and history. As a result, with the significant amount of patriotism that every Liberation Front soldier had in common, despite having a weaker army compared to the U.S, they still managed to defeat the most powerful military in the world during that time, subsequently unifying with the Southern citizens after a 21-year separation. We can learn that if you have high-quality armed forces with no compassion, it is still useless armed forces.
However, there is no war now, thanks to our older generation for giving us a peaceful nation. But at what cost? Since the Đổi Mới event in 1986, when the government announced a total economic reform, many foreign businesses across the globe have been freely allowed to enter Vietnam, a large potential market of 98 million people, for investment in order to improve the national economy. Therefore, after years of living in a war-torn hell and sinking in the fierce economic crisis stemming from the outmoded market system and closed-door policy, the Vietnamese can now finally broaden their horizons, learning about what is going on around the world and beginning to appreciate how advanced they are. Since the absolute adoration of things outside Vietnam has been intensively soaring among the population, especially the younger generation, the influence of foreign culture is starting to dominate every aspect of Vietnamese society, which somehow makes people turn their back on their own nation’s values. They see Vietnam as “not as good as” many other countries, not having good economic development like in Singapore, which was once poorer than 1960s South Vietnam and will likely never reach the level of Japan or South Korea, which were several economic strengths in Asia that the Vietnamese government once aimed to surpass. As a consequence, people’s hatred towards their own country due to their constant insecurity regarding their country’s lack of economic or social progress in comparison to others is growing at an alarming rate. Foreign countries, such as the United States or Europe, are often portrayed as "heavenly civilized" by the Vietnamese people and media, despite each of these countries also having its issues. Furthermore, when given the opportunity to live and work abroad, the majority of Vietnamese people will prefer to stay there permanently rather than return home to fully dedicate themselves to their country of birth. Corruption, bureaucracy, low-quality working facilities, and little income are some of the major factors contributing to the national issues, which discourage many people from feeling that Vietnam is not a favorable place to pursue their careers, instead of thinking of solving their country’s problems through their careers. Do Vietnamese people today even work for the country or only for themselves? Are they patriotic or not (anymore)?
The four-day long holiday of Vietnam Independence Day in 2022 is a test for every Vietnamese person to examine their patriotism during peaceful times. Being named after a Father of the people, Ho Chi Minh City must represent the highest sense of patriotism and the capital of all loyal patriot groups in Vietnam. By that, national and Communist Party flags are hung across the largest city in Vietnam, from a small alley to a grand street downtown, or even above a taxi car, alongside the pictures of Uncle Ho and worker classes illustrated in Communist propaganda-style art, added by quotes praising Independence Day. The red and yellow-themed street depictions are being done in both conventional and more modernized ways. While polyester-made flags and vinyl 2D graphic banners are still traditionally popular, huge bright electronic billboard on building walls can be seen frequently in a city during the vibrant nighttime, thereby creating a Manhattan Square-like atmosphere but filled only with the country’s homage.
After two previous years of postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, outdoor activities for the 2/9 holiday in Ho Chi Minh City have finally resumed for the citizens with various exciting subjects. In Nguyen Hue Walking Street, an outdoor photo exhibition about the 2/9 topic has been set up in order to help people comprehend historical values. The photographic documentary focuses on capturing the story of Chairman Ho and his comrades on a mission to lead the country to total liberation and unification from foreign invaders, as well as demonstrating how Vietnam has been thriving so far in terms of economic and social development after a century of being considered a war-ravaged and underdeveloped nation. Adjacent to Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Sai Gon River will host a canoe race, whose national flags will fly above each of them, and citizens on both sides of the river will observe their most respected flags waving past them. Flags will also appear in the sky, where a man equipped with a drone will fly the national flags around the city, and numerous hot air balloons placed in Thu Duc City will simultaneously raise the bigger-sized flag of a red and yellow star into the air in front of citizens. Last but not least, music and dance are essential elements to highlight the memorable day of the national celebration. Back to Nguyen Hue Walking Street again, where a patriotism-theme night music concert called Tết độc lập - Bừng sáng khát vọng dân tộc (Tet of Independence-brighten people’s hope), organized by the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, Department of Culture and Sports, and the Light Music Center, is performed there by lots of professional musicians, singers, and dancers. By ranging from the traditional pieces to the more modern and energetic music genres, the show has successfully praised the patriotism in Vietnamese history and culture and commemorated the warriors who lost their lives for the country’s liberation in front of all generations of audiences. The old see their sacrifices honored, and the young admire the sacrifices of the old.
Entering the 21st century with new changes and challenges, Vietnam, throughout generations, still keeps up with the most precious lesson: “When you drink water, remember the source” (Uống nước nhớ nguồn), which is a famous Vietnamese proverb about the importance of gratitude. The extensive decoration of both Vietnam’s and the Communist Party’s flags has flooded the streets with red and yellow, evoking an atmosphere of national pride, loyalty, and hope. Furthermore, the rapid expansion of new types of programs that are now capable of conveying patriotic messages to the citizens digitally, including the development of computerized banners such as LED or projector displays, which are significantly more cutting-edge so as to catch up with the era of intelligence and technology while retaining the old-school art style of a Cold War-era Communist propaganda graphic, which is familiar to many Vietnamese people, especially the seniors. Besides, citizens, after months of only doing mundane tasks, can spend a little time during the holiday gaining more knowledge about the historical values of the country by attending a photo exhibition or a music show, as well as tasting the rare atmosphere of patriotism pervading across the streets that they will probably only experience during Independence Day, Unification Day, or when the national football team wins a football match.
On the other hand, the 4-day long National Independence Day holiday is a good time for university students and workers to return to their hometowns and reunite with their families. For the young locals, having no school for half a week is extremely enjoyable for them, so that they will be able to do a lot of things that fascinate them the most, including meeting their friends and lovers in a restaurant, Internet cafe, or any famous crowded place in the city centre. Furthermore, families and friends who have good financial conditions can decide to travel somewhere to unwind after a long and exhausting period of work and school, which leaves the city in an eerily deserted atmosphere. Rather than thinking about paying tribute to the fallen soldiers or glorifying the patriotism in Vietnamese culture as the meaning of National Independence Day, many people still consider these days as a regular day off, or an extended version of a weekend, a hang-out day. For instance, during the night concert in Nguyen Hue Walking Street, EDM is one of the features that many young people are waiting for the most, as the state-of-the-art piece of music from the West has recently driven a vast number of Vietnamese youngsters insane. As predicted, a number of audiences, especially youngsters, are showing more interest and passion towards the EDM performance that barely displays any patriotism-related theme other than enjoying the traditional pieces performed by the musicians and dancers in ao dais and Vietnam War-era military costumes, which are the symbols that represent the distinction of Vietnamese culture and, of course, intend to manifest more love and reverence towards the country and its people, which is the main point of holding a big concert like this in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City during such special day.
Is National Independence Day now enjoyable because it is a work-off day? Compared to the past, when the carnage of war and economic hardship were still haunting people’s lives every day, having a National Independence Day will help them forget the current darkness and spend time cheering on each other after learning that the proudly patriotic forces are reaching closer to a total victory. As of today, most Vietnamese people are now living a more stable life with a financially adequate supplement. However, at a time when war is not the concern but the economy is, the citizens continue to face new challenges including studying and working overload or financial stress. In a hustle and bustle life, having a day break to do what we like is very important to maintain our physical and mental health. Nevertheless, a 4-day holiday is still enough for us to express the deep patriotism that might have been hiding inside us during a more Western-prioritized era in Vietnam. What if we could feel it when strolling down a street surrounded by a well-aligned row of national flags hanging in each house, or when listening to a love-country theme song from a concert that we have not heard for a while...
Photographed and written by Nguyen Thanh Minh
