Văn Tiến Dũng

In this Vietnamese name, the surname is Văn, but is often simplified to Van in English-language text. In accordance with Vietnamese custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Dũng.

Văn Tiến Dũng (Vietnamese: [van tǐən zǔŋmˀ]; 2 May 1917 – 17 March 2002) was a Vietnamese general in the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), PAVN chief of staff (1954–1974); PAVN commander in chief (1974–1980); member of the Central Military–Party Committee (CMPC) (1984–1986) and Socialist Republic of Vietnam defense minister (1980–1987).^[1]

Đại tướng Văn Tiến Dũng
Dũng in 1954
Secretary of the Central Military–Party Committee of the Communist Party
In office 1984–1986
Preceded by	Lê Duẩn
Succeeded by	Trường Chinh
6th Minister of Defence
In office February 1980 – February 1987
Preceded by	Võ Nguyên Giáp
Succeeded by	Lê Đức Anh
2nd Chief of General Staff
In office 1953–1954
Preceded by	Hoàng Văn Thái
Succeeded by	Hoàng Văn Thái
In office 1954–1978
Preceded by	Hoàng Văn Thái
Succeeded by	Lê Trọng Tấn
Member of the Politburo
In office 20 December 1976 – 18 December 1986
Personal details
Born	(1917-05-02)2 May 1917 Từ Liêm, Vietnam, French Indochina
Died	17 March 2002(2002-03-17) (aged 84) Hanoi, Vietnam
Political party	Communist Party of Vietnam (1936–1986)
Awards	Gold Star Order Ho Chi Minh Order Military Exploit Order Resolution for Victory Order
Nickname	Lê Hoài
Military service
Allegiance	Vietnam
Branch/service	Việt Minh People's Army of Vietnam
Years of service	1945–1986
Rank	General
Commands	Vietnam People's Army
Battles/wars	World War II First Indochina War Siege of Điện Biên Phủ Vietnam War Easter Offensive 1975 spring offensive Fall of Saigon Cambodian–Vietnamese War Sino-Vietnamese War

Military career

Born in Cổ Nhuế commune, Từ Liêm District, Hà Nội of Tonkin (French protectorate) to a craftsman family, Văn Tiến Dũng took part in some democracy movements and public struggles of Hà Nội workers since 1936, joined the Indochinese Communist Party in 1937. He was imprisoned by French colonial authorities three times and escaped from prisons successfully two times between 1939 and 1944.^[2]

In the August Revolution, Dũng directed the armed forces to seize power in the province of Hòa Bình, Ninh Bình and Thanh Hóa. In 1951, he was appointed as a commander commissar of the newly formed Brigade 320. By November 1953, during the First Indochina War, he rose to Chief of Staff of the Vietnam People's Army under General Võ Nguyên Giáp prior to the siege of Điện Biên Phủ in 1954.^[3]

He commanded the vital Tri-Thien-Hue Front during the 1972 Easter Offensive, replacing his mentor as PAVN commander in chief in 1974, when the Vietnam War against the Americans and South Vietnamese evolved from a guerrilla struggle into a more conventional war. ^[4][5][6][7]

Dũng planned and commanded the 1975 spring offensive, which overwhelmed South Vietnamese defenses and captured Saigon in 1975.^[8] He also directed Vietnam's invasion of Khmer Rouge Cambodia and the resulting border conflict with the People's Republic of China in 1979.^{[9][10][11][12]} He was appointed defence minister in 1980. He retired in December 1986 at the 6th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Văn Tiến Dũng died on 17 March 2002 in Hanoi, at the age of 84.^{[citation needed]}