Lê Trọng Tấn
General Lê Trọng Tấn (3 October 1914 – 5 December 1986) was an officer of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) during 1945 to 1986. During this period of his military career, Lê Trọng Tấn held several senior positions of the Army. 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 Viet Cong (VC) and second commander of the 1975 Spring Offensive 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 widely appreciated by his comrades, whom of which include general Võ Nguyên Giáp, as one of the finest commanders of the Vietnam People's Army.
Lê Trọng Tấn | |
|---|---|
| 3rd Chief of General Staff | |
| In office 1978–1986 | |
| Preceded by | Văn Tiến Dũng |
| Succeeded by | Lê Đức Anh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 October 1914 Hoài Đức, Tonkin |
| Died | 5 December 1986 (aged 72) Hanoi, Vietnam |
| Political party | Communist Party of Vietnam (1943–1986) |
| Awards | Gold Star Order (posthumously) Ho Chi Minh Order Military Exploit Order Resolution for Victory Order (2) Resistance Order |
| Nickname | "The Vietnamese Zhukov" (Giu-cốp của Việt Nam) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Viet Minh Vietnam |
| Branch/service | Vietnam People's Army Viet Cong |
| Years of service | 1945–1986 |
| Rank | Army General |
| Commands | Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam Chief of the General Staff Deputy Commander of the Viet Cong Director of the National Academy of Defence |
| Battles/wars | Second Indochina War Vietnam War Cambodian–Vietnamese War |