On October 5, 2013, the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee (CPVCC), the National Assembly, the President, the Government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and the CPV CC’s Military Commission announced the death of the legendary General Vo Nguyen Giap. The General, 103, passed away at 18:09 at the Central Military Hospital 108. On the same day, the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee (CPVCC) released a special communiqué, announcing that a funeral will be held for General Vo Nguyen Giap.
General Vo Nguyen Giap – National Hero Passes Away
Legendary General Vo Nguyen Giap. Photo: VNA
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General Vo Nguyen Giap, 103, has passed away in Hanoi due to old age, said a special communiqué released by the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee (CPVCC), the National Assembly, the President, the Government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and the CPV CC’s Military Commission on October 5.
The communiqué said the General passed away at the Central Military Hospital 108 at 6:09 PM on October 4, 2013.
General Vo Nguyen Giap, real name Vo Giap (alias Van), was born in Loc Thuy commune, Le Thuy district, the central province of Quang Binh on August 25, 1911. He served as a Politburo member, Secretary of the CPVCC’s Military Commission, Standing Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence, Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnamese People’s Army and a National Assembly deputy from the first to seventh tenure.
During his revolutionary life spanning over 80 years, the General rendered significant services to the Party and the nation. As an eminent student close to President Ho Chi Minh, the first General and Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnamese People’s Army, he was loved and respected by the people and international friends and was the pride of generations of officers and soldiers nationwide.
General Vo Nguyen Giap was awarded the Party and State’s Golden Star Order, the Ho Chi Minh Order, the 70-year Party membership badge and many other noble orders and medals both at home and abroad.
His death is a great loss to the Party, the State, people and army, the communiqué said, adding that a State funeral will be held for the General.
The Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee (CPVCC) of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee.
The CPV CC’s Military Commission.
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Biography of General Vo Nguyen Giap
 General Vo Nguyen Giap was a Politburo member, Secretary of the CPVCC’s Military Commission, Standing Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence and Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnamese People’s Army. General Vo Nguyen Giap (real name Vo Giap, alias Van) was born on August 25, 1911 , in Loc Thuy Commune, Le Thuy District, the central province of Quang Binh. From 1925-1926, he joined the students’ movement in Hue. In 1927, he participated in the Tan Viet (New Vietnam) Revolutionary Party (a predecessor of the Dong Duong Communist Party and now the Communist Party of Vietnam). In 1930, he was arrested and imprisoned two years by the enemy. After being released, he continued to be involved in revolutionary activities and developing revolutionary bases among the youth. In 1936, he worked as an editor for the Party’s newspapers, including Lao Dong (Labour), Tieng noi chung ta (Our Voice), Tien len (Advance), and Thoi bao Co Giai phong (Liberation Flag Times). He was appointed as the chair of the Bac Ky (North) Press Committee. In June, 1940, he was admitted to the Dong Duong Communist Party and sent to China to meet Nguyen Ai Quoc (President Ho Chi Minh). In 1941, he returned to the country and took part in activities to prepare for an armed uprising in the Cao-Bac-Lang revolutionary base. In December, 1944, Nguyen Ai Quoc assigned him the task of setting up the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army (now the Vietnam People’s Army). In April 1945, he was appointed to the Bac Ky (North) Military Committee. From May 1945, he was commander of the new armed revolutionary forces (then they were merged into the Vietnam liberation army). In June 1945, he was assigned by Nguyen Ai Quoc to set up the provisional Commanding Committee of the liberated area. In August 1945, he was appointed to the Party Central Committee and the National Uprising Committee. At the Tran Trao National People’s Congress, he was elected to the Vietnam National Liberation Committee and Minister of Interior Affairs in the provisional government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. In March 1946, he was military chairman and member of the coalition government. Then he became Secretary of the Central Military Commission when the commission was formed. In October 1946, he was Minister of Defence and authorised by President Ho Chi Minh to be Commander in Chief of the Vietnam People’s Army and Militia. In January, 1948, he was conferred the highest ranking of General, Commander in Chief of the Vietnam People’s Army. In February, 1951, he was elected to the Party Central Committee at the second National Party Congress and the Party Central Committee then elected him to the Political Bureau. From September 1955 to December 1979, he was Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister. At the third National Party Congress in September 1960 and the fourth National Party Congress in December 1976, he was re-elected to the Party Central Committee and the Political Bureau. At the fifth and sixth National Party Congresses, he was re-elected to the Party Central Committee. From January 1980, he served as Standing Deputy Prime Minister. From April 1981 to December 1986, he was Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers. He was a deputy of the National Assembly from the first to seventh tenures. In recognition of his great contributions to the Party and country’s revolutionary cause, General Vo Nguyen Giap was conferred with the Gold Star Order, the Ho Chi Minh Order, the 70-year Party membership badge and other noble orders and medals of Vietnam and foreign countries and organizations. |
Two-day State Funeral To Be Held for General Vo Nguyen Giap
According to the announcement released by the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee (CPVCC) on October 5, 2013, a state funeral will be held for General Vo Nguyen Giap.
The announcement about the memorial and burial services for General Vo Nguyen Giap, a Politburo member, Secretary of the CPVCC’s Military Commission, Standing Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence and Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnamese People’s Army was sent with a special communiqué on the General’s biography and the Funeral Committee.
According the announcement, the General’s coffin will lie in state at the National Morgue at No. 5, Tran Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi.
Mourners will pay respect to General Giap at the morgue as from 7:30 am on October 12, 2013 and a memorial service will be held at the site as from 7:00 am on October 13, 2013.
He will be buried the same day in his home province of Quang Binh, in line with the wish of the General and his family.
The memorial and burial services will be broadcast live by Vietnam Television and Radio and the Voice of Vietnam.
Respect-paying and memorial services will also be held at the office of the Quang Binh provincial People’s Committee and the Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City.
During the two-day funeral, October 12-13, 2013, all State offices and public facilities will fly the national flag at half-mast and all entertainment activities will be stopped.
The announcement about the memorial and burial services for General Vo Nguyen Giap, a Politburo member, Secretary of the CPVCC’s Military Commission, Standing Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence and Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnamese People’s Army was sent with a special communiqué on the General’s biography and the Funeral Committee.
According the announcement, the General’s coffin will lie in state at the National Morgue at No. 5, Tran Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi.
Mourners will pay respect to General Giap at the morgue as from 7:30 am on October 12, 2013 and a memorial service will be held at the site as from 7:00 am on October 13, 2013.
He will be buried the same day in his home province of Quang Binh, in line with the wish of the General and his family.
The memorial and burial services will be broadcast live by Vietnam Television and Radio and the Voice of Vietnam.
Respect-paying and memorial services will also be held at the office of the Quang Binh provincial People’s Committee and the Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City.
During the two-day funeral, October 12-13, 2013, all State offices and public facilities will fly the national flag at half-mast and all entertainment activities will be stopped.
List of Funeral Committee for General Vo Nguyen Giap
A funeral committee including 30 members, led by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, has been established to organise the State funeral for General Vo Nguyen Giap. Following are members of the committee:
2. Truong Tan Sang, Politburo member and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
3. Nguyen Tan Dung, Politburo member and Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
4. Nguyen Sinh Hung, Politburo member and Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
5. Le Hong Anh, Politburo member and Standing member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Secretariat.
6. Nguyen Thien Nhan, Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee.
7. To Huy Rua, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC)’s Organisation Commission.
8. Ngo Van Du, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission.
9. Dinh The Huynh, Politburo member, Secretary of the CPVCC and head of the CPVCC's Communications and Education Commission.
10. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister.
11. General Phung Quang Thanh, Politburo member and Minister of National Defence.
12. General Tran Dai Quang, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security.
13. Pham Quang Nghi, Politburo member and Secretary of Hanoi municipal Party Committee.
14. Le Thanh Hai, Politburo member and Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City's Party's Committee.
15. Ha Thi Khiet, Secretary of the CPVCC and head of the CPVCC’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation.
16. Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich, Secretary of the CPVCC and Chief of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People’s Army.
17. Truong Hoa Binh, Secretary of the CPVCC and Chief Judge of the Vietnamese People’s Supreme Court.
18. Tran Quoc Vuong, Secretary of the CPVCC and head of the Party Central Committee Office.
19. Luong Ngoc Binh, member of the CPVCC, Secretary of Quang Binh provincial Party's Committee and Chairman of Quang Binh provincial People's Council.
20. Hoang Binh Quan, member of the CPVCC, and head of the CPVCC's Commission for External Affairs.
21. Nguyen Thai Binh, member of the CPVCC and Minister of Home Affairs.
22. Pham Binh Minh, member of the CPVCC and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
23. Vu Duc Dam, member of the CPVCC, Minister and Chairman of the Government Office.
24. Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of the Vietnam War Veterans’ Association.
25. Dang Ngoc Tung, member of the CPVCC and President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour.
26. Nguyen Quoc Cuong, member of the CPVCC and Chairman of the Vietnam Farmers' Association.
27. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, member of the CPVCC and Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women's Union.
28. Nguyen Dac Vinh, alternate member of the CPVCC and First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee.
29. Dang Vu Minh, Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA).
30. Nguyen Quoc Trieu, head of the Central Committee on Health Care for Senior Governmental Officials.
VNP/VNA
