Hanoi to name street after legendary General Giap

The Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it will submit a proposal to the city’s government to name a major street in the capital after the late General Vo Nguyen Giap to honor him.

As a general rule, a street is renamed after a celebrity only after at least 10 years have passed since their death, said Truong Minh Tien, deputy director of the department.

However, for the case of General Giap, the department will submit the proposal to the Hanoi’s People Committee soon, Tien said.

The department is considering which street is most appropriate to represent the General’s great merits to the country and nation. 

Hanoi has a number of large roads under construction such as Tran Phu - Kim Ma, Belt Road 1 from O Cho Dua to Hoang Cau, and Tran Khat Chan - Nguyen Khoai. These routes will be completed by the end of this year.

Two other large roads, the Nhat Tan - Noi Bai and extended Highway 5, are expected to be completed by 2015.
After reviewing a number of streets, the department will recommend three or four options to local authorities for selection.

General Vo Nguyen Giap, former commander-in-chief of the Vietnam People’s Army, who masterminded the defeats of France and the United States in 1954 and 1975 respectively, passed away in Hanoi on October 4 at the age of 103.

Currently, General Giap’s coffin is being held at the National Funeral House at 5 Tran Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi, where an official tribute ceremony will be conducted at 7:30 am on October 12.

A solemn memorial service for the late General will also be held there at 7:00 am on October 13, after which the coffin will be flown in Vietnam Airlines’ ATR 72 aircraft to Dong Hoi Airport in Quang Binh Province, the late General’s native land. 

After reaching the airport, the coffin will be carried to the Vung Chua- Yen Island area in Quang Dong Commune, Quang Trach District, about 60 km away, for burial services the same day.