Hoàng Văn Thái (lieutenant general)

Hoàng Văn Thái Hoàng Văn Xiêm
Portrait of General Hoàng Văn Thái (1986)
1st Chairman of the Committee of Physical Training and Sports of Vietnam
In office 1960–1965
President	Hồ Chí Minh
Prime Minister	Phạm Văn Đồng
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	Hà Quang Dự
Deputy Minister of Ministry of Defence
In office 1974–1986
President	Tôn Đức Thắng Trường Chinh
Minister	Võ Nguyên Giáp Văn Tiến Dũng
1st Chief of General Staff
In office 7 September 1945 – 1953
President	Hồ Chí Minh
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	Văn Tiến Dũng
In office 1954–1954
Preceded by	Văn Tiến Dũng
Succeeded by	Văn Tiến Dũng
In office 1975 – 1975 (acting)
Commander of the PLAF
In office 1967–1973
Preceded by	Trần Văn Trà
Succeeded by	Trần Văn Trà
Personal details
Born	(1915-05-01)1 May 1915 An Khang, Tiền Hải, Thái Bình Province, French Indochina
Died	2 July 1986(1986-07-02) (aged 71) 108 Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
Spouse(s)	Lương Thị Thanh Bình (m. 1939; his death 1986) Đàm Thị Loan (m. 1945; his death 1986)
Awards	Gold Star Order (posthumously) See full list below for details of orders and commemorative medals awarded
Military service
Nickname(s)	Quốc Bình (1941-1944 in China) Mười Khang (1965-1973 as Vietcong commander) Thành
Allegiance	Viet Minh  Vietnam
Service/branch	Vietnam People's Army Viet Cong
Years of service	1941–86
Rank	General
Commands	Việt Minh Vietnam People's Army People's Liberation Armed Forces
Battles/wars	First Indochina War Battle of Điện Biên Phủ Vietnam War Tết Offensive

Hoàng Văn Thái (1 May 1915 – 2 July 1986), born Hoàng Văn Xiêm, was a distinguished Vietnamese 4 star Army General and a communist political figure. His hometown was Tây An, Tiền Hải District, Thái Bình Province. During the Tết Offensive, he was the highest senior North Vietnamese officer in South Vietnam. He was the first chief of staff of the Vietnam People's Army, and was responsible for key military forces in North Vietnam. He was also Chief of Staff in the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ.

Hoang Van Thai was born Hoang Van Xiem, on 1 May 1915 (or 1917 since his older brother was born in 1915), in the village of An Khang (now Tay An, Tien Hai District, Thai Binh Province). His father, Hoang Van Thuat, was a Han Nom teacher. He had 7 siblings, he was the third child.

Hoang Van Thai was dedicated to studying and graduated from a French-Vietnamese colonial elementary school, however, he dropped out of school at the age of 13 because of financial difficulties; Xiem had to work as a barber. At the age 15, he was influenced by Hồ Chí Minh's revolutionary movement.

At the age 18, Hoang Van Thai worked in a mine in Hong Gai, Quang Ninh Province, he attended movements against the unfairness of the mine owners and returned to his hometown in 1936.

In 1938 he joined the Communist Party of Indochina. Trailed by the colonial authorities, he fled to the Republic of China in 1941. There, he was educated at a military academy in Guilin. In 1944 he returned to Vietnam where he was employed for propaganda and intelligence purposes of the forming Viet Minh. In December 1945 he became Chief of Staff of the Viet Minh forces. In 1948 he was promoted to Major General. Hoang Van Thai was dismissed as Chief of Staff shortly before the beginning of the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ. His successor was Van Tien Dung.