Lê Trọng Tấn
Encyclopedia
General
Lê Trọng Tấn (October 3, 1914–December 5, 1986) was an officer of the Vietnam People's Army
who held several senior positions of the Army during his military career from 1945 to 1986. Lê Trọng Tấn participated in the Viet Minh
movement before the August Revolution
in 1945 and gradually became one of the most important figures of the Vietnam People's Army during the Second Indochina War. Being one of the key figures of the North Vietnam armed forces in Vietnam War
, Lê Trọng Tấn was Deputy Commander of the Liberation Army and second commander of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign
that effectively ended the war. Afterwards, he became Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam until his death in December 1986. Lê Trọng Tấn was appreciated by his comrades, including the general Võ Nguyên Giáp
, as one of the finest commanders of the Vietnam People's Army.
movement before retired in the village Yên Nghĩa, Hoài Đức and deceased when Lê Trọng Tố was 7 years old. In his youth, Lê Trọng Tố studied at Bưởi High School and was known for his football skill that gained him a position in the Eclair football club in Hanoi. Lê Trọng Tố was admitted to the Viet Minh
movement in late 1943 and became the military deputy of the revolution committee in his hometown Hà Đông during the August Revolution
(1945). After Viet Minh took over the authorities, Lê Trọng Tố enlisted in the National Salvation Army
(Cứu quốc quân) and changed his name to Lê Trọng Tấn.
, Lê Trọng Tấn acted as commander of the E206 Regiment (Sông Lô Regiment). In the Biên giới Campaign (1950), Lê Trọng Tấn was the deputy commander of the Vietnam People's Army at Đông Khê front, later he became the first commander of the 312th Brigade and led his brigade engaging in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
. From 1954 to 1960, Lê Trọng Tấn was appointed Director of the Vietnam Academy for Infantry Officers and Deputy Chief of the General Staff (Phó Tổng tham mưu trưởng) from March 1961 to 1962.
Lê Trọng Tấn began to directly involve in the Vietnam War
from 1962 when he was chosen as Deputy Commander of the Liberation Army. During two years 1970 and 1971, Lê Trọng Tấn was the special envoy of the Vietnam People's Army at Laos
front where he commanded troops in Plain of Jars
battlefield. In 1972 he was appointed commander of Vietnam People's Army in the First Battle of Quảng Trị, one year later he returned to the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff and held at the same time the position of commander of the 1st Corps
(Quân đoàn 1) and Director of the Military Science Academy. In 1975, Lê Trọng Tấn was commander of the Hue-Da Nang Campaign in March 1975 and second commander (Phó tư lệnh) of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign
. During the last days of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, Lê Trọng Tấn was responsible for the east wing of the Vietnam People's Army attacking Saigon. It was the 4th Company of 1st Regiment, 2nd Corps
under his command that arrived first at the Independence Palace
, the workplace of the President of the South Vietnam, and arrested the president Duong Van Minh
coincidentally it was also a unit of the 312th Brigade commanding by Lê Trọng Tấn which was first came to the French headquarters and captured general Christian de Castries
marking the end of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.
After the war, Lê Trọng Tấn continued to hold the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff and Director of the Advanced Military Academy (Học viện Quân sự cấp cao). At the beginning of the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, Lê Trọng Tấn was commander of Vietnamese armed forces in the southern border of Vietnam from December 1978 to February 1979. From June 1978 to his death in 1986, Lê Trọng Tấn was Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam and Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, succeeding general Văn Tiến Dũng. He died on December 5, 1986 at the age of 72.
(Huân chương Hồ Chí Minh, posthumously), the Gold Star Order
(Huân chương Sao vàng), the 1st and 3rd grade Military Medals (Huân chương Quân công) and the 1st grade Victory Medal (Huân chương Chiến thắng). Several streets and places in Vietnam are named in honour of Lê Trọng Tấn.
Among his comrades in the Vietnam People's Army, Lê Trọng Tấn was highly appreciated for his skill in commanding and military knowledge. The general Võ Nguyên Giáp
considered Lê Trọng Tấn one of the finest military commanders of Vietnam, Fidel Castro
once called him "the best general of Vietnam" and in Vietnam he was sometimes dubbed the "Vietnamese Zhukov
".
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Lê Trọng Tấn (October 3, 1914–December 5, 1986) was an officer of the Vietnam People's Army
Vietnam People's Army
The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...
who held several senior positions of the Army during his military career from 1945 to 1986. Lê Trọng Tấn participated in the Viet Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
movement before the August Revolution
August Revolution
On August 19, 1945, the Việt Minh under Hồ Chí Minh began the August General Uprising Tổng Khởi Nghĩa, which was soon renamed the August Revolution . Whether or not this series of events should be called a "revolution" is disputable; what is clear is that, from August 19 onwards, demonstrations and...
in 1945 and gradually became one of the most important figures of the Vietnam People's Army during the Second Indochina War. Being one of the key figures of the North Vietnam armed forces in Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Lê Trọng Tấn was Deputy Commander of the Liberation Army and second commander of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign
Ho Chi Minh Campaign
The Hồ Chí Minh Campaign was the final title applied to a series of increasingly large-scale and ambitious offensive operations by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam which began on 13 December 1974...
that effectively ended the war. Afterwards, he became Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam until his death in December 1986. Lê Trọng Tấn was appreciated by his comrades, including the general Võ Nguyên Giáp
Vo Nguyen Giap
Võ Nguyên Giáp is a retired Vietnamese officer in the Vietnam People’s Army and a politician. He was a principal commander in two wars: the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War...
, as one of the finest commanders of the Vietnam People's Army.
Early life
Lê Trọng Tấn was born on October 3, 1914 as Lê Trọng Tố, his father was a scholar who once participated in the Tonkin Free SchoolTonkin Free School
The Tonkin Free School was a short-lived but historically-significant educational institution in Hanoi that aimed to reform Vietnamese society under French colonialism during the beginning of the 20th century....
movement before retired in the village Yên Nghĩa, Hoài Đức and deceased when Lê Trọng Tố was 7 years old. In his youth, Lê Trọng Tố studied at Bưởi High School and was known for his football skill that gained him a position in the Eclair football club in Hanoi. Lê Trọng Tố was admitted to the Viet Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
movement in late 1943 and became the military deputy of the revolution committee in his hometown Hà Đông during the August Revolution
August Revolution
On August 19, 1945, the Việt Minh under Hồ Chí Minh began the August General Uprising Tổng Khởi Nghĩa, which was soon renamed the August Revolution . Whether or not this series of events should be called a "revolution" is disputable; what is clear is that, from August 19 onwards, demonstrations and...
(1945). After Viet Minh took over the authorities, Lê Trọng Tố enlisted in the National Salvation Army
Vietnam People's Army
The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...
(Cứu quốc quân) and changed his name to Lê Trọng Tấn.
Military career
At the beginning of the First Indochina WarFirst Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
, Lê Trọng Tấn acted as commander of the E206 Regiment (Sông Lô Regiment). In the Biên giới Campaign (1950), Lê Trọng Tấn was the deputy commander of the Vietnam People's Army at Đông Khê front, later he became the first commander of the 312th Brigade and led his brigade engaging in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union's French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The battle occurred between March and May 1954 and culminated in a comprehensive French defeat that...
. From 1954 to 1960, Lê Trọng Tấn was appointed Director of the Vietnam Academy for Infantry Officers and Deputy Chief of the General Staff (Phó Tổng tham mưu trưởng) from March 1961 to 1962.
Lê Trọng Tấn began to directly involve in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
from 1962 when he was chosen as Deputy Commander of the Liberation Army. During two years 1970 and 1971, Lê Trọng Tấn was the special envoy of the Vietnam People's Army at Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
front where he commanded troops in Plain of Jars
Plain of Jars
The Plain of Jars is a megalithic archaeological landscape in Laos. Scattered in the landscape of the Xieng Khouang plateau Xieng Khouang, Lao PDR, are thousands of megalithic jars...
battlefield. In 1972 he was appointed commander of Vietnam People's Army in the First Battle of Quảng Trị, one year later he returned to the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff and held at the same time the position of commander of the 1st Corps
1st Corps (Vietnam People's Army)
1st Corps or Quyết thắng Corps is one of the four regular army corps of the Vietnam People's Army. First organized in 1973 during the Vietnam War, 1st Corps had a major role in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign that ended the war...
(Quân đoàn 1) and Director of the Military Science Academy. In 1975, Lê Trọng Tấn was commander of the Hue-Da Nang Campaign in March 1975 and second commander (Phó tư lệnh) of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign
Ho Chi Minh Campaign
The Hồ Chí Minh Campaign was the final title applied to a series of increasingly large-scale and ambitious offensive operations by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam which began on 13 December 1974...
. During the last days of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, Lê Trọng Tấn was responsible for the east wing of the Vietnam People's Army attacking Saigon. It was the 4th Company of 1st Regiment, 2nd Corps
2nd Corps (Vietnam People's Army)
2nd Corps or Hương Giang Corps is one of the four regular army corps of the Vietnam People's Army. First organized in 1974 during the Vietnam War, 2nd Corps had a major role in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign that ended the war...
under his command that arrived first at the Independence Palace
Reunification Palace
Reunification Palace formerly known as Independence Palace , built on the site of the former Norodom Palace, is a landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It was designed by architect Ngô Viết Thụ and was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War...
, the workplace of the President of the South Vietnam, and arrested the president Duong Van Minh
Duong Van Minh
Minh was born on 16 February 1916 in Mỹ Tho Province in the Mekong Delta, the son of a wealthy landowner who served in a prominent position in the Finance Ministry of the French colonial administration...
coincidentally it was also a unit of the 312th Brigade commanding by Lê Trọng Tấn which was first came to the French headquarters and captured general Christian de Castries
Christian de Castries
Christian Marie Ferdinand de la Croix de Castries was the French commander at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Castries was born into a distinguished military family and enlisted in the army at the age of 19. He was sent to the Saumur Cavalry School and in 1926 was commissioned an officer but...
marking the end of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.
After the war, Lê Trọng Tấn continued to hold the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff and Director of the Advanced Military Academy (Học viện Quân sự cấp cao). At the beginning of the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, Lê Trọng Tấn was commander of Vietnamese armed forces in the southern border of Vietnam from December 1978 to February 1979. From June 1978 to his death in 1986, Lê Trọng Tấn was Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam and Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, succeeding general Văn Tiến Dũng. He died on December 5, 1986 at the age of 72.
Awards, decorations and legacy
During his military career, Lê Trọng Tấn was awarded various titles, medals and decorations lncluding the Ho Chi Minh OrderHo Chi Minh Order
The Ho Chi Minh Order is a decoration of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam that was first instituted on 6 June 1947. The creator of the order was the president Hồ Chí Minh....
(Huân chương Hồ Chí Minh, posthumously), the Gold Star Order
Gold Star Order (Vietnam)
Gold Star Order is the highest decoration awarded by the Government of Vietnam for a military or civil "personnel who completed exceptional service or organization established excellent achievement for the revolutionary cause of the Party and Nation." The order was established on June 6, 1947...
(Huân chương Sao vàng), the 1st and 3rd grade Military Medals (Huân chương Quân công) and the 1st grade Victory Medal (Huân chương Chiến thắng). Several streets and places in Vietnam are named in honour of Lê Trọng Tấn.
Among his comrades in the Vietnam People's Army, Lê Trọng Tấn was highly appreciated for his skill in commanding and military knowledge. The general Võ Nguyên Giáp
Vo Nguyen Giap
Võ Nguyên Giáp is a retired Vietnamese officer in the Vietnam People’s Army and a politician. He was a principal commander in two wars: the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War...
considered Lê Trọng Tấn one of the finest military commanders of Vietnam, Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
once called him "the best general of Vietnam" and in Vietnam he was sometimes dubbed the "Vietnamese Zhukov
Georgy Zhukov
Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov , was a Russian career officer in the Red Army who, in the course of World War II, played a pivotal role in leading the Red Army through much of Eastern Europe to liberate the Soviet Union and other nations from the Axis Powers' occupation...
".