Võ Nguyên Giáp | |
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General Võ Nguyên Giáp in 1954
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Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam | |
In office 20 September 1955 – 8 August 1991 |
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Prime Minister |
Phạm Văn Đồng Phạm Hùng Võ Văn Kiệt (Acting) Đỗ Mười |
3rd, 5th Minister of Defence | |
In office 11 May 1946 – 8 May 1947 |
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President |
Hồ Chí Minh Tôn Đức Thắng |
Prime Minister | Hồ Chí Minh |
Preceded by | Phan Anh |
Succeeded by | Tạ Quang Bửu |
In office 8 May 1948 – February 1980 |
|
Prime Minister |
Hồ Chí Minh Phạm Văn Đồng |
Preceded by | Tạ Quang Bửu |
Succeeded by | Văn Tiến Dũng |
Member of the Politburo | |
In office February 1951 – December 1986 |
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Personal details | |
Born |
Lệ Thủy, Quảng Bình, French Indochina |
25 August 1911
Died | 4 October 2013 108 Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam |
(aged 102)
Spouse(s) | Nguyễn Thị Quang Thái Đặng Thị Bích Hà |
Awards |
Gold Star Order Ho Chi Minh Order (2) Military Exploit Order (2) Fatherland Defense Order Feat Order Resolution for Victory Order (6) Hero of the People's Armed Forces |
Signature | |
Website | [1] |
Military service | |
Nickname(s) | Văn |
Allegiance | Vietnam |
Service/branch | Vietnam People's Army |
Years of service | 1944–91 |
Rank | General |
Commands | |
Battles/wars |
Võ Nguyên Giáp (25 August 1911 – 4 October 2013) was a general in the Vietnam People's Army and a politician. Giap is considered one of the greatest military strategists of the 20th century. He first grew to prominence during World War II, where he served as the military leader of the Viet Minh resistance against the Japanese occupation of Vietnam. Giap was a principal commander in two wars: the First Indochina War (1946–54) and the Vietnam War (1960–75). He participated in the following historically significant battles: Lạng Sơn (1950), Hòa Bình (1951–52), Điện Biên Phủ (1954), the Tết Offensive (1968), the Easter Offensive (1972), and the final Ho Chi Minh Campaign (1975).
Giap was also a journalist, an interior minister in President Hồ Chí Minh's Việt Minh government, the military commander of the Viet Minh, the commander of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), and defense minister. He also served as a member of the Politburo of the Vietnam Workers' Party, which in 1976 became the Communist Party of Vietnam.
He was the most prominent military commander, beside Ho Chi Minh, during the Vietnam War, and was responsible for major operations and leadership until the war ended.
He was born on 25 August 1911 (or 1912 according to some sources) in Quảng Bình Province, French Indochina. Giap's father and mother, Võ Quang Nghiêm and Nguyễn Thị Kiên, worked the land, rented some to neighbors, and lived a relatively comfortable lifestyle.