Hoàng Văn Thái

Hoàng Văn Thái (May 1915 – 2 July 1986), born Hoàng Văn Xiêm, was a Vietnamese communist military and political figure. His hometown was Tây An, Tiền Hải District, Thái Bình Province. During the Tết Offensive, he was the most senior North Vietnamese Officer in South Vietnam. He was Chief of Staff in the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ.

Service in military

 * In 1938, he joined the Communist Party of Indochina.

From 1967 to 1973, he was assigned to the South, made Commander of the South Vietnam Liberation Army and Deputy Secretary of COSVN. The US army called him as "3 legged tiger"
 * In 1941, commander of the squad National Salvation Army Bac Son (Lạng Sơn). After military school joined the resistance against Japan and then joined the August Revolution against France in 1945. He also was one of 34 soldiers led by Vo Nguyen Giap that met on 22 December 1944 to found the Armed Propaganda Unit for National Liberation that later became the Vietnam People's Army.
 * 7 September in 1945, assigned as the first Chief of General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army. (1945–1953), by President Ho Chi Minh of the Provisional Government
 * Month 1 Year 1948, he was promoted to one of the first generals of Vietnam, along with: General Võ Nguyên Giáp, Lieutenant General Nguyen Binh, and Major Generals: Nguyen Son, Chu Van Tan, Hoang Sam, Tran Dai Nghia, Le Hien Mai, Văn Tiến Dũng, Tran Tu Binh, Le Thiet Hung, Duong Van Duong (died in 1946).
 * In 1950, he was Chief of Staff of Borders campaign and the Commanding Officer in the Battle of Dong Khe, which opened the campaign.
 * In 1954, he was Special Campaign Chief of Staff Điện Biên Phủ, Assistant to the Commander in Chief Võ Nguyên Giáp.
 * On 31 August in 1959, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.
 * In 1960 to 1965, part-time chairman of the Committee for Physical Training and Sports of the Government.
 * In 1966, he was assigned as Commander, Political Commissar cum Military Region V.
 * Battle of Loc Ninh Commanding Officer (October 27, 1967 – December 10, 1967)
 * 30 January 1968, he was the commander of events during the Tet offensive throughout South of Viet Nam
 * From April the year 1974 to 1986, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel General and was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense, and First Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Standing Member of the Central Military Committee.
 * Month 1 Year 1980, he was promoted to full General.
 * He was a member of III, IV, and V Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and a member of the VII Congress.
 * On 2 July in 1986, he died suddenly of a heart attack at the Army Medical Institute 108.

Awards and honours

 * Vietnam State: Gold Star Medal (the most prestigious medal in Vietnam, awarded posthumously in 2007), Order of Ho Chi Minh City, 2 Military Medal class, Victory Medal class, Order of Resistance first class and many decorations and medals others.
 * Street titled Hoang Van Thai'in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi and District 7, Ho Chi Minh City,...

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 * General Thai's widow is Dam Thi Loan, a former Lieutenant Colonel in the People's Army of Vietnam. She was one of three female soldiers in the original Vietnam Propaganda Teams Liberation Army and was in the honor guard in the Independence ceremony held at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945.