There are two ixnportant things to bear in mind in celebrating the anniversary of independence for the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The first of these is that the people of Vietnam, as with few other people, have had to sacrifice whole generations in their determination to be free of foreign domination, The second is that Vietnam has become a symbol of resistance to a world system of exploitation, In Vietnam, the United States! military industrial system has committed itself, and all other peoples who wish to advance socially and economically and to enjoy national sovereignty must watch the struggle of the people of Vietnam with intense concern and deep feelings of support. The Vietnamese people are engaged in a struggle which is peculiar, The most powerful industrial nation on earth has committed its full resources to the subjection of a peasant people whose victories have been gained through the use of primitive arms and an unconquerable sense of purpose.
The defeat of the United States military in Vietnam, therefore, will be a victory for justice in the world, In an important sense, I believe, it will also advance the cause of peace. At this time, the gravest threat to peace comes from U.S, attempts to dominate the developing countries of the world and to retain control over their natural resources. For as long as this basic policy motivates the United States the world will be faced with crisis after crisis and the ever-present danger of world war, The victory of the Vietnamese people will contribute greatly to the — discrediting of this American policy and will stimulate opposition to it within the Tnited States, just as the defeat of France in Vietnam and Algeria has led to a new and more rational policy on the part of that nation.
If, as may well be the case, American imperialism is not deterred by its impending defeat in Vietnam, it will, at least, be less able to inflict on others the suffering which it has caused the people of North and South Vietnam.
I send my warmest greetings to President Ho Chi Minh and all people of Vietnam on this day of independence celebrations. * Message sent to Ho Chi Minh on August 27th, 1965, on the occasion of the anniversary celebrations of Vietnam,