Vientiane (VNA) – An article recently published by Kongthap, the newswire of the Lao People’s Army, cast a spotlight on the Route 9 – Southern Laos Campaign in 1971, a critical operation that secured the success of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign and the complete liberation of South Vietnam in 1975.
The article recounted how the Lao army, under the direction of the Lao Issara Government based in the revolutionary stronghold of Samneua district, Houaphanh province, joined forces with the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) to mount a bold counteroffensive against US imperialists. This collaboration was rooted in a shared resolve to disrupt the flow of weapons, equipment, and supplies to South Vietnam.
Centred in Savannakhet province, the Route 9 Campaign saw Lao and Vietnamese forces execute a coordinated assault on enemy supply lines stretching from Route 9 to the Vietnam-Laos border. By targeting this logistical lifeline, the allied troops dealt a severe blow to the enemy, setting the stage for subsequent Vietnamese advances.
The Route 9 operation, paired with the Lam Son 719 Campaign in Vietnam, created a secure corridor through Laos, enabling Vietnamese revolutionary forces to push deeper into South Vietnam, laying the groundwork for the triumphant Ho Chi Minh Campaign.
The Lao People’s Liberation Army, guided by the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP), acted in lockstep with Vietnamese forces under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), its Politburo, Central Military Commission, and Ministry of National Defence. In both campaigns, the enemy with technological superiority and robust US military support was defeated.
The triumphs of Route 9 and Lam Son 719 showcased the strategic vision and sound, flexible leadership of the CPV and LPRP. For Laos, the Route 9 victory highlighted the growing strength of its army, which fought shoulder to shoulder with Vietnamese troops in a shared quest for national liberation. These successes have since become shining symbols of the special solidarity between the Vietnamese and Lao armies and people.
Five decades after the war, the invaluable lessons drawn from the Route 9–Southern Laos and Lam Son 719 victories continue to inspire the heroic traditions of both armies, remain highly relevant and meaningful to both Vietnam and Laos as they move forward in a new era, the article noted.
In closing, the article said the above victories were not only pivotal in ending the longest and most brutal war against US imperialism in modern Vietnamese history, but also stand as defining milestones in Vietnam's struggle for independence and sovereignty, opening up a new era of national reunification, territorial integrity, and a united Vietnam advancing on the path of socialism./.
