Post date: 27/10/2013

Font size : A- A A+

The first General of Vietnamese People's Army

The Viet Bac-Thu Dong campaign in 1947 succeeded in defeating the strategic strike of the French into the Viet Bac-Thu Dong resistance base, crushing the French scheme of "Fast Strike, Fast Victory". On that occasion, President Ho Cho Minh, on behalf of the Party and the Government, on January 20, 1948, signed Decree 110/SL to confer on the 37 year old Vo Nguyen Giap, Commander-in-chief of Vietnamese armed forces, the rank of a general. He was the first general of the Vietnamese armed forces.

It is recorded in the archives of Viet Nam People's Army history that when giving the military insignia to Commander-in-chief Vo Nguyen Giap, President Ho Chi Minh was touched and told him that: "On behalf of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, I confer on you the military rank of general so that you can lead our armies to success in the resistance against French colonialists".

In response to President Ho Chi Minh's teaching, General Vo Nguyen Giap not only succeeded in defeating the French in the Dien Bien Phu campaign, a world-shaking victory, but also in liberating Southern Viet Nam and in uniting the country following a victory over the Americans and the South Viet Nam puppet government.

On May 27, 1948, President Ho Chi Minh conferred on Commander-in-chief Vo Nguyen Giap the military rank of general in accordance with Decree 110/SL issued on January 20, 1948

On May 27, 1948, in Luc Ra (at Re Pass, Tuyen Quang province), the Government Council, led by President Ho Chi Minh, met to confer on Commander-in-chief Vo Nguyen Giap the military rank of general. Photo taken after the meeting.

President Ho Chi Minh with Party General Secretary Truong Chinh, General Vo Nguyen Giap and Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Central Committee Le Duc Tho read Nhan Dan Nhat Bao Trung Quoc (Chinese People's Daily).

A cozy meal at Re Pass, Dinh Hoa commune, Thai Nguyen province, in October 1948 before the day Le Duc Tho departed for Nam Bộ (Cochinchina, The South). Left to right: Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Central Committee Le Duc Tho, President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap and Party General Secretary Truong Chinh.

President Ho Chi Minh, Head of the Permanent Board of the National Assembly Ton Duc Thang, General Vo Nguyen Giap and Ministers Bo Xuan Luat, Nguyen Van Tao, Phan My, Le Van Hien, Bui Cong Trung, Ta Quang Buu in the Viet Bac resistance base, 1948.

President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap and Head of the Permanent Board of the National Assembly Bui Bang Doan in the Viet Bac resistance base, 1949.

President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap and the Nam Bo military delegation at the Military Training Conference, May 1949.

General and Commander-in-chief Vo Nguyen Giap at work in the Viet Bac resistance base, 1949

President Ho Chi Minh, Party General Secretary Truong Chinh, Deputy Premier Pham Van Dong, and General Vo Nguyen Giap in the Viet Bac resistance base, 1949.

Deputy Premier Phan Van Dong and General Vo Nguyen Giap in the Viet Bac resistance base, 1949.

General and Commander-in-chief Vo Nguyen Giap examining Dong Bac (North East) Front battle plan, 1949.

General and Commander-in-chief Vo Nguyen Giap greeting soldiers marching to the Front on the way to Dong Bac campaign, 1949

General Vo Nguyen Giap on the way across Phu Tho, 1949

The meeting of review drawing from the experience of the Dong Bac Front victory, 1949

General Vo Nguyen Giap and Comrade Hoang Quoc Viet at the Congress of Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour, January 1, 1950.

General Vo Nguyen Giap visiting a weapon manufacturing factory in the Viet Bac resistance base.

General Vo Nguyen Giap and Army Hero Tran Dai Nghia attending an exhibition of weapons, manufactured by Vietnamese engineers, at the Congress of Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, January 1, 1950.

Source: "Commander-in-chief General Vo Nguyen Giap" Book

More