Legendary Vietnamese leader Vo Nguyen Giap started his career as a history teacher. He later became a politician and the Commander in Chief of the Vietnam People’s Army. To many generations of Vietnamese, General Giap is a symbol of strong will and national pride.
Here are some archive images depicting historic milestones in the life of General Giap:
Legendary Vietnamese leader Vo Nguyen Giap started his career as a history teacher. He later became a politician and the Commander in Chief of the Vietnam People’s Army. To many generations of Vietnamese, General Giap is a symbol of strong will and national pride.
General Vo Nguyen Giap, whose real name is Vo Giap, was born on August 25, 1911, in An Xa village, Loc Thuy commune, Le Thuy district, in the central province of Quang Binh. In 1930, at the age of 19, he was arrested and imprisoned in Thua Phu prison in Hue province during the Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Uprising against the colonial French regime.
On December 22, 1944 in Cao Bang, the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army was established with 34 members led by Vo Nguyen Giap.
On August 26, 1945, Vo Nguyen Giap, commander of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army, reviewed his troops in Hanoi for the first time since seizing back control.
September 2, 1946 marked the first anniversary of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Here, Secretary of the Central Military Commission Vo Nguyen Giap reads aloud the Army Party Committee’s order of the day.
In 1948, at the age of 37, Vo Nguyen Giap was made the highest ranking general and became the first Commander in Chief of the Vietnam People’s Army. In this photo, General Vo Nguyen Giap is at work in the Northernmost Vietnam Base.
Late president Ho Chi Minh and Võ Nguyên Giáp are pictured at the command post of the Battle of Route Coloniale 4 in 1950.
General Vo Nguyen Giap is pictured inspecting the liberated Cao Bang commune in 1950.
General Vo Nguyen Giap and Souphanouvong Prince of Laos are pictured discussing a plan to launch the Upper Laos Campaign in 1953, a remarkable turning point in their victory against the colonial French regime.
Late President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap are pictured discussing the plan to launch the Dien Bien Phu campaign in 1954. General Giap is the mastermind of the historic Dien Bien Phu campaign victory. Before the general’s departure, the President asked: “You are going quite a long way, will you have any difficulty commanding?" The General answered: "Sir! The only problem is the distance. May I have permission to ask for your opinions and those of the Party Politburo?” President Ho Chi Minh said: "You are entitled to decide for yourself and report back later". Before saying goodbye, the President instructed: "This battle is very important, fight if you are certain of victory, don’t fight if you aren’t"
General Vo Nguyen Giap and Lt. General Song Hao, Chairman of the General Department of Politics of Vietnam’s Army Forces, are pictured observing Regiment 6 of the Dong Da artillery unit training during the 1968 Lunar New Year.
General Vo Nguyen Giap is pictured with the General Staff and the Southern Commander of the Truong Son soldiers Dong Sy Nguyen, discussing tactics to prepare for the Road 9 campaign – Southern Laos in Truong Son forest, 1971.
The general approved a plan to fight B51 bomber strikes launched by the US Army Force against Hanoi in 1972 at the air force and air defense command center.
During his visit to the Quang Ninh maritime area in 1973, General Vo Nguyen Giap claimed: “We are determined to protect national sovereignty over the seas and islands". 
The general is pictured studying the strategic transportation map of Truong Son soldiers during his visit to unit 559 in March 1973.
From December 1974 to January 1975, the Party Politburo gave the order to liberate southern Vietnam to reunify the country. General Vo Nguyen Giap was then a member of the standing committee of the General Staff in the general offensive and spring uprising in 1975. In a secret telegram on April 7th, 1975 to all military units heading to Sai Gon, the general wrote: “Faster, faster and faster. More aggressive, more aggressive..."
The Central Military Party Committee observed the Ho Chi Minh campaign in 1975. In this photo, from right to left: Colonel Le Huu Duc (head of the Tactics Department), Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Van Thai (Deputy head of the General Staff), Major General Vu Xuan Chiem (deputy head of the Logistics Department), Lieutenant General Song Hao (Head of the General Department of Politics), General Vo Nguyen Giap (Commander in Chief, Minister of National Defense, Secretary of the Central Military Party Committee), Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao (Deputy head of the General Department of Politics)
In 2010, local officials and residents of Thuong village, Bao Ly commune, Phu Binh district in the northern province of Thai Nguyen sent General Giap a poem in praise of his finest qualifications and talents.
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