TRANSFORMING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES FOR STEADY GROWTH.
Colonel VU VAN BINH
Deputy Commander
President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum High Command
After completing the postgraduate program in the Czechoslovakia on January 12, 1990, I returned to Vietnam, carrying reflections on witnessing the collapse of socialist regimes in various countries: Poland, Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and later, Romania. My hope was always that the Soviet Union, the stronghold of the socialist revolution, would be a stable support for the gradual development of socialism in Eastern European countries. However, my hope did not come true. In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed, and a socialist system crumbled right in the homeland of Lenin – the home to the great October Revolution.
This event profoundly affected the Vietnam-Soviet relations, particularly the operations at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the relationship between the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum High Command and the Lenin Mausoleum in the long-term preservation of Uncle Ho's body.
Since 1969, the Soviet Union consistently sent three medical experts to Vietnam to directly oversee the task of preserving Uncle Ho's body. Even during the years of war against the United States, these experts stayed with us in solidarity, carrying out this sacred mission. In 1975, thanks to the fraternal assistance of the Party, the State, and the people of the Soviet Union, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was inaugurated at Ba Dinh Square. The medical preservation task was facilitated, and the political and cultural significance of the mausoleum was fully exploited.
However, from early 1992, there was a change in the responsibility for preserving Uncle Ho's body. The Soviet medical expert group permanently stationed in Vietnam was reduced from three to two. Then, on March 04, 1992, Comrade P.I. Phomenko, a medical expert, requested to return home ahead of schedule, leaving only Comrade I.N. Kononukhin. This was unusual as, during the mission to help us preserve Uncle Ho's body, the Soviets adhered to the principle of collective work, never working with us with only one person. Subsequently, many times they did not come directly to check the status of Uncle Ho's body after the end of visiting sessions. From March 14, 1992, they did not come directly, only exchanging information over the phone, stating, "Now, we no longer work with Vietnam; you must handle it yourselves."
Faced with this situation, we became more aware of the need for independence and self-sufficiency. We had to strive harder to master the technology, filling the void caused by the interruption of support from Soviet medical experts. Although this is a science that encompasses many different fields, everyone understood the essential role of the preservation solution that the Soviet experts held at the mausoleum and regarded as their national secret, which we respected. Therefore, we wanted to encourage them to transfer this solution to us for self-management. Through diplomatic methods with the General Department of Technology under the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations of the Russian Federation, on March 17, 1992, two experts from the General Department of Technology came together with Major General Nguyen Van Tuong to directly inspect the solution at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. After this inspection, Comrade X.A. Kravchenko, Head of the General Department of Technology, Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations of the Russian Federation, issued a directive to hand over this solution to Vietnam.
Seizing this favorable opportunity, on March 19, 1992, an important meeting was held at our unit, presided over by Lieutenant General Tran Hanh, the Deputy Chief of the General Staff. The participants included: Major General Nguyen Van Tuong - Commander, Comrades from the Standing Party Committee, comrades Do Van Khoan - Party Secretary, Nguyen Quang Tan - Deputy Party Secretary, Duong Duc Thac - Standing Committee member; and Institute 69: Colonel Do Van Dai - Director, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Chau - Party Secretary and Deputy Director, and Major Vu Van Binh - Deputy Director. The conference mainly focused on how to receive the chemicals for preserving Uncle Ho's body, transfered by the Soviet experts. Despite having numerous ideas and opinons, the majority of the participants unanimously wished that the transfer from the Soviet Union would come true. However, some argued that experts working at Lenin Mausoleum Institute would have been unhappy if transfers had implemented, negatively impacting the long term preservation of Uncle Ho’s body. It was needless to state that even though there were some controversies, everyone was just making their best to reach the common goal, the goal of being independent and self-reliant in long term preserving Uncle Ho’s body.
Commrade Tran Hanh genuinely stated: “If I was a commander, having around 500 liters of chemicals for preserving Uncle Ho’s body in stock would be nice.” The simple yet remarkable speech represented for the unanimous conclusion of the conference.
On March 20, 1992, at 9:00 AM, the solution handover, as instructed by Comrade X.A. Krasnov. The Russian Federation's representatives at the handover conference included Comrade V.D. Onisenco, acting plenipotentiary representative of the General Department of Technology, Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, and Comrade X. V. Chu-rokin, Chief Engineer of General Department of Engineering, Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, with the presence of Comrade Iu.N. Cononukhin, a permanent medical expert at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
On the Vietnamese side, the participants were Major General Nguyen Van Tuong, Head of the Mausoleum Management Board, and Commander of the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum High Command; Colonel Do Van Dai, Director of Institute 69; Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Chau, Party Committee Secretary and Deputy Director of Institute 69, along with Major Vu Van Binh, Deputy Director of Institute 69.
This event of handing over the solution to Vietnam was a significant moment in the process of preserving Uncle Ho's body. It did not change the owner of the preservation solution but, in essence, affirmed the responsibility of the Management Board of the Mausoleum and Vietnamese medical experts in implementing the medical preservation mission of Uncle Ho's body. At the same time, it established a more solid basis for us to advance and master this technology.
Immediately on March 20, 1992, Major General Nguyen Van Tuong, the Head of the Mausoleum Management Board cum Commander, sent a thank-you letter and notification to Comrade X.X. Debop, Director of the Lenin Mausoleum. The letter stated clearly: "Firstly, I would like to express deep gratitude for your precious assistance to the work of preserving President Ho Chi Minh's body over the past years.
On this occasion, I would like to inform you that on March 20, 1992, according to the decision of Comrade A.A. Kravchenko, Head of the General Department of Technology, Comrade V.D. Onisienko, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the General Department of Technology in Vietnam, handed over the entire existing solution at the site to Vietnamese doctors. While awaiting your experts to arrive, Vietnamese doctors have been preparing and using the solution, and maintaining it according to the prescribed regime.
In the current situation, despite many changes, we still desire to cooperate closely with you to ensure the long-term preservation of President Ho Chi Minh's body on a mutually beneficial basis. This cooperation can be conducted through the General Department of Technology or directly with the Lenin Mausoleum on issues of mutual interest.
For now, we request you to urgently send Comrade V.L. Kozensep and I.V. Matveichuk to Vietnam to prepare for sending two experts to assist with the regular maintenance work this year, for a duration of 45 days, starting from September 03, 1992. Please also prepare the necessary supplies and chemicals for this work. For Comrade X.X. Debop, we invite him to Vietnam not only to assist us as a consultant but as an honored guest. Regarding the time, we suggest that he arrange it for convenience, but it would be best around the end of September 1992."
After receiving the solution, on March 23, 1992, the Management Board submitted Report No. 38/BQLL to the Prime Minister, clearly stating: "We have received the solution aided by the Soviet Union without reimbursement according to the 1986-1990 plan, which was considered as their property. Although receiving the handover, continuous cooperation with the Lenin Mausoleum should be still maintained. This issue was previously discussed with comrades Tran Hanh and Nguyen Nam Khanh internally."
Upon the recommendation of Commander, on March 30, 1992, two medical experts, V.L. Kozensep and I.V. Matveichuk, came to Vietnam to assist us in the regular preservation task of President Ho Chi Minh's body. However, by April 03, 1992, Comrade Chief V.L. Kozensep suggested that we continue to request the preservation solution as before. Comrade Do Van Dai explained to him about the legal aspects of transferring the solution between the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations of the Russian Federation and the Management Board. They showed understanding and continued to help us carry out the mission.
Although the difficulties regarding experts seemed to have passed, it turned out unexpectedly. The large-scale production of the preservation solution in September 1992, led by the key expert I.A. Romats faced delays. The solution could not be transported from Moscow to Vietnam to serve the periodic maintenance task. Faced with this situation, Comrade V.L. Kozensep proposed delaying the production until Comrade I.A. Romats arrived. Comrade Do Van Dai, the Director of Institute 69, consulted with the Head of Institute, reporting to the High Command about the determination to carry out the large-scale production according to the approved plan. This suggestion was approved by the High Command, and in practice, it proved to be the right decision, affirming the new maturity of Vietnamese healthcare professionals.
Afterward, the next two scheduled visits of Russian medical experts did not take place as planned, from April 14 to May 26, 1993, and from November 23, 1993, to April 22, 1994.
Despite these disruptions, whenever new groups of experts came, after their evaluations, they consistently noted, "The state of President Ho Chi Minh's body is very stable, and the healthcare tasks carried out by Vietnamese experts are excellent." The Russian experts were surprised at the rapid progress of Vietnamese healthcare professionals.
Therefore, the transfer of the preservation solution for us to manage independently was a significant opportunity, providing favorable conditions for us to boldly and firmly advance during difficult times and challenges.
To achieve success, we must first acknowledge the insightful guidance of senior leaders. As early as 1969, when the Soviet Union agreed to help us with the long-term preservation of President Ho Chi Minh's body in Hanoi, the highest-ranking Party and State leaders had instructed the officials involved in this task that, " We are truly appreciated for our friends assiatance, but remember that Uncle Ho belongs to us, our job is to master this task ourselves." This simple yet straightforward guidance showed a consistent and effective direction on the journey of preserving Uncle Ho.
The strategic and appropriate guidance from the High Command has facilitated strong trust for healthcare professionals of Institute 69 to confidently carry out their professional tasks, even when there were only three medical personnels at the start. The scientific staff of Institute 69 boldly conducted research with intense passion, despite the lack of documents, technical equipment, and numerous daily challenges. Furthermore, they had to work "in silence," a term frequently used in the past by the High Command to describe this unique healthcare task. Additionally, effective coordination within the Ministry of National Defense, with support from various units within the High Command, created a powerful collective force that overcame all difficulties and challenges. This effective coordination extended to collaboration with scientific institutions and scientists during different periods, including exemplary units such as Military Hospital 108, Military Medical Academy, and the Testing Institute of the General Department of Military Medicine. Notable individuals who made significant contributions to the preservation task include Dr. Dang Hanh Khoi, Director of the Army Medical Department, Dr. Nguyen Hung Phuc, Deputy Director of the Military Medical Academy, and Comrade Le Dinh Ly, Party Secretary of Military Hospital 108.
Imagine what would have happened if we had not been proactive and innovative since 1969, relying solely on external assistance. Facing disruptions in expert visits and solution transport in 1991, how would we have coped? Would President Ho Chi Minh's body be in the safe hands as today? I believe that this endeavor significantly contributed to establishing the tradition of the High Command of the Ministry of National Defense - the Unit of the Armed Forces in the new period: loyalty, integrity, unity, self-reliance, and initiative.
