People's Army of Vietnam

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Army_of_Vietnam
People's Army of Vietnam

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Vietnam People's Army (VPA; Vietnamese: Qun i Nhn Dn

Vit Nam), also known as the Vietnamese People's Army and the
People's Army of Vietnam, is the armed forces of the Socialist Republic
of Vietnam. The VPA includes: Ground Force (including Strategic Rear
Forces), Navy, Air Force, Border Defense Force, and Coast Guard.
However, Vietnam does not have a specific separate Ground Forces or
Army branch. All of the ground troops, army corps, military districts, and
specialized arms belong to the Ministry of Defence (Vietnam), directly
under command of the Central Military Commission, Minister of Defence,
and General Staff (Vietnam People's Army).
Vietnam People's Army

Qun i Nhn dn Vit Nam
The military flag of the Vietnam People's Army is the flag of the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam with the words Quyt thng (Determination to Win)
added in yellow at the top left.
During the French Indochina War (19461954), the VPA was often
referred to as the Vit Minh. In the context of the Vietnam War
(19591975), the army was referred to as the North Vietnamese Army
(NVA). This allowed writers, the U.S. military, and the general public, to
distinguish northern communists from the southern communists, or Viet
Cong. However, both groups ultimately worked under the same command
structure. According to Hanoi's official history, the Vietcong was a branch
of the VPA.[3] In 2010 the Vietnam People's Army undertook the role of
leading the 1,000th Anniversary Parade in Hanoi by performing their
biggest parade in Vietnam's history.
Flag of Vietnam People's Army. Slogan translates as

"Determined to win."
Founded
Service
branches
December 22, 1944

Ground Forces[N 1]
Navy
Air Force
Border Defense Force
Coast Guard
Headquarters Hanoi, Vietnam
Contents
1 History
1.1 Establishment
1.2 French Indochina War
1.3 Vietnam War
1.4 Military activities (19751990)
1.5 Peacetime
1.6 International presence
2 Front Corporations & Illegal Logging in Laos
3 Organization
4 Service branches
4.1 Vietnam People's Ground Forces
4.1.1 Structure
4.1.2 Military regions
4.1.3 Main force
4.1.4 Local forces
4.2 Vietnam People's Navy
4.3 Vietnam People's Air Force
4.4 Vietnam Border Defense Force
4.5 Vietnam Coast Guard
5 Ranks and insignia
6 Equipment
Leadership
Commander- President Trng Tn Sang
in-chief
Minister of
Defence
General Phng Quang Thanh
Chief of Staff Colonel General B T
Manpower
Military age 1825 years old
Conscription 18 months for all able-bodied men
Active
personnel
Deployed
personnel
Ground Forces: 412,000[1]

Air Forces, Navy, Border Defence
Force, Marine Police: unknown
Paramilitary: 40,000
Expenditures
Budget
US $7.8 billion (Military Balance

2013)
Percent of
GDP
5% (2013 est.)
Industry
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7 Notes
8 References
9 Notes
10 External links
Domestic
suppliers
Viettel Mobile
Hong Ha shipbuilding company
(Z173) (http://www.ckt.gov.vn
/modules.php?name=Story&
td=view_article&id=68)
History
189 Shipbuilding Company (Z189)

(http://www.189shipbuilding.com.vn/)
Establishment
Song Thu Shipbuilding Company

(Z124) (http://www.songthu.com.vn/)
Service Flight Corporation
General V Nguyn Gip in the

establishment date of VPA in
1944
Vietnam General Staff in First

Indochina War and Vietnam War,
from left: Prime Minister Phm
Vn ng, President Ho Chi
Minh, General Secretary Trng
Chinh and General V Nguyn
Gip
The Vietnam People's Army was first

conceived in September 1944 at the
first Revolutionary Party Military
Conference as "armed propaganda
brigades" to educate, recruit and
mobilize the Vietnamese in order to
create a main force to drive the French
colonial and Japanese occupiers from
Vietnam.[4] Under the guidelines of
H Ch Minh, V Nguyn Gip was
given the task of establishing the
brigades and the Armed Propaganda
Unit for National Liberation came into
existence on December 22, 1944. The
first formation was made up of thirty
one men and three women, armed with
two revolvers, seventeen rifles, one
light machine gun, and fourteen
breech-loading flintlocks.[5]
The group was renamed the "Vietnam
Liberation Army" in May 1945.[6] In
September, the army was again
renamed the "Vietnam National
Defence Army."[6] At this point, it had
about 1,000 soldiers.[6] In 1950, it
officially became the People's Army of
Vietnam.
V Nguyn Gip went on to become the first full General of the VPA on
May 28, 1948, and famous for leading the VPA in victory over French
forces at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and being in overall
command against US backed South Vietnam at the Fall of Saigon on April
30, 1975.
French Indochina War

On January 7, 1947, its first regiment, the 102nd 'Capital' Regiment, was
created for operations around Hanoi.[7] Over the next two years, the first
division, the 308th Division, later well known as the Pioneer Division
formed by the 88th Tu Vu Regiment and the 102nd Capital Regiment. By
late 1950 the 308th Division had a full three infantry regiments, when it
was supplemented by the 36th Regiment. At that time, the 308th Division
was also backed by the 11th Battalion that later became the main force of
(http://www.vnh.com.vn/en/frontend/index.asp)
Group 559
15 company
Precision Engineering 17 company
(Z117)
Ba Son trust-company
(http://basonshipyard.vn/)
Foreign
suppliers
Russia
India
Czech Republic
France
Israel
Ukraine
Romania
Sweden
Turkey
Bulgaria
Former:
Soviet Union
Related articles
History
Military history of Vietnam

World War II (Anti-Japanese
Campaign 19441945)
First Indochina War (Against
France and French-sponsored
local forces, 19461954)
Second Indochina War
(Vietnam War) (Against the
United States and South
Vietnamese forces,
19541975)
CambodianVietnamese War
(Against the Khmer Rouge,
19771989)
Sino-Vietnamese War (Against
China, 1979)
Sino-Vietnamese border
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the 312th Division. In late 1951, after launching three campaigns against
three French strongpoints in the Red River Delta, the VPA refocused on
building up its ground forces further, with five new divisions, each of
1015,000 men, created: the 304th Glory Division at Thanh Ha, the 312th
Victory Division in Vinh Phuc, the 316th Bong Lau Division in the
northwest border region, the 320th Delta Division in the north Red River
Delta, the 325th Binh Tri Thien Division in Binh Tri Thien province. Also
in 1951, the first artillery Division, the 351st Division was formed, and
later, before Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, for the first time in history, it
was equipped by 24 captured 105mm US howitzers supplied by the
Chinese People's Liberation Army. The first six divisions (308th, 304th,
312nd, 316th, 320th, 325th) became known as the original VPA 'Steel and
Iron' divisions. In 1954 four of these divisions (the 308th, 304th, 312nd,
316th, supported by the 351st Division's captured U.S. howitzers) defeated
the French Union forces at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, ending 83 years of
French rule in Indochina.
Vietnam War
conflicts (border clashes with

China, 19791990)
Vietnamese border raids in
Thailand (Against the Khmer
Rouge insurgents and
Thailand, 19791989)
ThaiLaotian Border War
(Against Thailand to defend its
ally, Laos, 19871988)
Clashes in Cambodia (Against
the co-premier Norodom
Ranariddh and the Khmer
Rouge, 1997)
Insurgency in Laos (secret war
in Laos against Hmong
separatists, 1975present)[2]
War against rebellions
19751992 (against FULRO
and several insurgent groups)
Victory in Battle of Dien Bien

Phu
Soon after the 1954 Geneva Accords,

the 330th and 338th Divisions were
formed by southern Vietminh
members who had moved north in
Ranks
Vietnamese military ranks and
conformity with that agreement, and
insignia
by 1955, six more divisions were
formed: the 328th, 332nd, and 350th in the north of the DRV, the 305th and the 324th near
the DMZ, and the 335 Division of soldiers repatriated from Laos. In 1957, the theaters of
the war with the French were reorganized as the first five military regions, and in the next
two years, several divisions were reduced to brigade size to meet the manpower
requirements of collective farms.
By 1958 it was becoming increasingly clear that the South Vietnamese government was
solidifying its position as an independent republic under Ng nh Dim who staunchly
opposed the terms of the Geneva Accord that required a national referendum on
unification of north and south Vietnam under a single national government, and North
Vietnam prepared to settle the issue of unification by force.
Vietnamese troops in Vietnam

War, 1967
In May 1959 the first major steps to prepare infiltration routes into South Vietnam were
taken; Group 559 was established, a logistical unit charged with establishing routes into
the south via Laos and Cambodia, which later became famous as the Ho Chi Minh trail. At
about the same time, Group 579 was created as its maritime counterpart to transport
supplies into the South by sea. Most of the early infiltrators were members of the 338th
Division, former southerners who had been settled at Xuan Mai from 1954 onwards.
Regular formations were sent to Southern Vietnam from 1965 onwards; the 325th
Division's 101B Regiment and the 66th Regiment of the 304th Division met U.S. forces
on a large scale, a first for the VPA, at the Battle of Ia Drang Valley in November 1965. The 308th Division's 88A Regiment,
the 312th Division's 141A, 141B, 165A, 209A, the 316th Division's 174A, the 325th Division's 95A, 95B, the 320A Division
also faced the US forces which included the 1st Cavalry Division, the 101st Airborne Division, the 173d Airborne Brigade, the
4th Infantry Division, the 1st Infantry Division, and the 25th Infantry Division. Those VPA formations were seen as extremely
brave forces by the US forces. Many of those formations later became main forces of the 3rd Division (Yellow Star Division)
in Binh Dinh (1965), the 5th Division (1966) of 7th Military Zone (Capital Tactical Area of ARVN), the 7th (created by 141st
and 209th Regiments originated in the 312th Division in 1966) and 9th Divisions (first Division of National Liberation Front
of Vietnam in 1965 in Mekong Delta), the 10th Dakto Division in Dakto Highland in 1972 south of Vietnam.
General Trn Vn Tr one-time commander of the B2 Front (Saigon) HQ confirms that even though the VPA and the NLFV
were confident in their ability to defeat the regular ARVN forces, US intervention in Vietnam forced them to reconsider their
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operations. The decision was made to continue to pursue "main force" engagements even though "there were others in the
South they were not military people who wanted to go back to guerrilla war," but the strategic aims were adjusted to meet
the new reality.
"We had to change our plan and make it different from when we fought the Saigon regime, because we now had to fight two
adversaries the United States and South Vietnam. We understood that the U.S. Army was superior to our own logistically,
in weapons and in all things. So strategically we did not hope to defeat the U.S. Army completely. Our intentions were to fight
a long time and cause heavy casualties to the United States, so the United States would see that the war was unwinnable and
would leave."[8]
During the Vietnamese Lunar New Year Tt holiday]] starting on January 30, 1968, the VPA launched a general offensive in
more than 60 cities and towns throughout south of Vietnam against the US Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam(ARVN), beginning with operations in the border region to try and draw US forces and ARVN troops out of the major cities.
In sequential coordinated attacks, the US Embassy in Saigon, Presidential Palace, Headquarters of ARVN and ARVN's Navy,
TV and Radio Stations, Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Saigon were attacked and invaded by commando forces known
as "Dac Cong".
This offensive became known as the "Tet Offensive."
The offensives caught the world's attention day-by-day and demoralized the US public and military, both at home and abroad.
The VPA sustained heavy losses of its main forces in southern military zones. Some of its regular forces and command
structure had to escape to Laos and Cambodia to avoid counterattacks from US forces and ARVN, while local guerrillas forces
and political organizations in South Vietnam were exposed and had a hard time remaining within the Mekong Delta area due
to the extensive use of the Phoenix Program and were never restored.
Although the VPA lost militarily to the US forces and ARVN in the south, the political impact of the war in the United States
was strong.[9] Public demonstrations increased in ferocity and quantity after the Tet Offensive. Onwards from 1970, the 5th,
7th, and 9th divisions had fought in Cambodia against US forces, ARVN, and Cambodian Prime Minister Lon Nol's troops but
they had gained new allies: the Khmer Rouge and guerrilla fighters supporting deposed Prime Minister Sihanouk. In 1975 the
VPA were successful in aiding the Khmer Rouge in toppling the Lon Nol's US-backed regime, despite heavy US bombing.
Nearly two years after the United States' withdrawal from Indochina in accord with the terms of the 1973 Paris Peace Accords,
the VPA launched a Spring Offensive aimed at uniting Vietnam. Without direct support of its US ally, and suffering from
stresses caused by dwindling aid, the ARVN was ill prepared to confront the highly motivated VPA, and despite numerical
superiority of the ARVN in tactical aircraft, armored vehicles and overwhelming three to one odds in regular troops, the VPA
quickly secured victory within two months and captured Saigon on April 30, 1975, effectively ending the 70 years of conflict
stemming from French colonial invasion of the 19th century and unifying Vietnam.
Military activities (19751990)

Towards the second half of the 20th century the armed forces of Vietnam would
participate in organized incursions to protect its citizens and allies against aggressive
military factions in the neighboring Indochinese countries of Laos and Cambodia, and the
defensive border wars with China.
The VPA had forces in Laos in order to secure the Hochiminh Trail and to militarily
support the Pathet Lao. In 1975 the Pathet Lao and NVA forces succeeded in toppling the
Royal Laotian regime and installing a new, and pro-Hanoi government, the Lao People's
VPA-led forces defeat Khmer
Democratic Republic,[10] that rules Laos to this day.
Rouge forces and take Phnom
Parts of Sihanouk's neutral Cambodia were occupied by troops as well. A pro US coup led
Penh in 1979
by Lon Nol in 1970 led to the foundation pro-US Khmer Republic state. This marked the
beginning of the Cambodian Civil War. The VPA aided Khmer Rouge forces in toppling
Lon Nol's government in 1975. In 1978, along with the FUNSK Cambodian Salvation Front, the Vietnamese and
Ex-Khmer Rouge forces succeeded in toppling Pol Pot's Democratic Kampuchea regime and installing a new
government, the People's Republic of Kampuchea.[11]
During the Sino-Vietnamese War and the Sino-Vietnamese conflicts 197990, Vietnamese forces would conduct cross-
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border raids into Chinese territory in order to destroy artillery ammunition. This greatly contributed to the outcome of
the Sino-Vietnamese War, as the Chinese forces ran out of ammunition already at an early stage and had to call in
reinforcements.
While occupying Cambodia, Vietnam launched several armed incursions into Thailand in pursuit of Cambodian
guerillas that had taken refuge on the Thai side of the border.
Both in Cambodia and in Laos, the heavily armed and battle-hardened Vietnam People's Army were a valuable ally to the
Pathet Lao and the Khmer Rouge forces, providing economic and military aid, also with new weapons, technologies and
intelligence. Some claimed that just like the US Army's relationship with the ARVN, Kingdom of Laos and the Khmer
Republic, the VPA was the real power standing behind them and played key roles in bringing both the Khmer Rouge and
Pathet Lao to power.
Peacetime
During peaceful periods, the VPA has actively been involved in Vietnam's workforce to develop the economy of Vietnam, to
coordinate national defense and the economy. The VPA has regularly sent troops to aid with natural disasters such as flooding,
landslides etc. The VPA is also involved in such areas as industry, agriculture, forestry, fishery and telecommunications. The
VPA has numerous small firms which have become quite profitable in recent years. However, recent decrees have effectively
prohibited the commercialisation of the military. A conscription is in place for every male, age 18 to 25 years old, though
females can volunteer to join.
International presence
The Foreign Relations Department of the Ministry of National Defense organizes international operations of the VPA.
Apart from its occupation of half of the disputed Spratly Islands, which have been claimed as Vietnamese territory since the
17th century, Vietnam has not officially had forces stationed internationally since its withdrawal from Cambodia and Laos in
early 1990.
The Center for Public Policy Analysis and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as Laotian and Hmong human
rights organizations, including the Lao Human Rights Council, Inc. and the United League for Democracy in Laos, Inc., have
provided evidence that since the end of the Vietnam War, significant numbers of Vietnamese military and security forces
continue to be sent to Laos, on a repeated basis, to quell and suppress Laotian political and religious dissident and opposition
groups including the peaceful 1999 Lao Students for Democracy protest in Vientiane in 1999 and the Hmong rebellion.[12][13]
[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Rudolph Rummel has estimated that 100,000 Hmong perished in genocide between 1975 and
1980 in collaboration with Vietnam People's Army.[23] For example, in late November 2009, shortly before the start of the
2009 Southeast Asian Games in Vientiane, the Vietnamese army undertook a major troop surge in key rural and mountainous
provinces in Laos where Lao and Hmong civilians and religious believers, including Christians, have sought sanctuary.[24][25]
Front Corporations & Illegal Logging in Laos

According to The Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA), the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), other
environmental and human rights organizations and independent journalists, Vietnam People's Army-owned corporations
continue to engage in illegal and clandestine logging in Laos with troops and military equipment, which often results in
military attacks on indigenous Hmong and Laotian highland peoples to remove them by force from the land.[26][27][28][29]
According to the CPPA, lhe lucrative trade in illegal logs and timber in Laos, including teak wood, is likely used to
supplement the military's budget, and that of key officers and corrupt Communist party officials in Hanoi and Vientiane.[30]
Organization
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VPA's structure
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is the President of Vietnam, though this position is nominal and real power is
assumed by the Central Military Commission of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam. The secretary of Central Military
Commission (usually the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam) is the de facto Commander and now is
Nguyn Ph Trng.
The Minister of National Defense oversees operations of the Ministry of Defence, and the VPA. He also oversees such
agencies as the General Staff and the General Logistics Department. However, military policy is ultimately directed by the
Central Military Commission of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam.
Ministry of Defence: is the lead organization, highest command and management of the
Vietnam People's Army.
General Staff Department: is leading agency all levels of the Vietnam People's Army,
command all of the armed forces, which functions to ensure combat readiness of the armed
forces and manage all military activities in peace and war.
General Political Department: is the agency in charge of Communist Party affairs
political work in the People's Army, which operates under the direct leadership of the
Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Central Military Party Committee.
Insignia of the General

Staff
General Military Intelligence Department: is an intelligence agency of the Vietnamese

government and military.
General Logistical Department: is the agency in charge to ensure the full logistical and military unit.
General Technical Department: is the agency in charge to ensure equipped technical means of war for the army and
each unit.
General Military Industry Department: is the agency in charge guide task to defense perform and production.
Service branches
The Vietnamese People's Army is subdivided into the following service branches:
Vietnam People's Ground Forces (Lc qun Nhn dn Vit Nam)
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Vietnam People's Navy (Hi qun Nhn dn Vit Nam)

Vietnam People's Air Force (Khng qun Nhn dn Vit Nam)
Vietnam Border Defense Force (Bin phng Vit Nam)
Vietnam Coast Guard (Cnh st bin Vit Nam)
The Vietnamese People's Army is a "triple armed force" composed of the Main Force, the Local
Force and the Border Force. As with most countries' armed forces, the VPA consists of standing,
or regular, forces as well as reserve forces. During peacetime, the standing forces are minimized in
number, and kept combat-ready by regular physical and weapons training, and stock maintenance.
Signal of Vietnam
People's Army
Vietnam People's Ground Forces

In the Vietnam People's Army, Ground Forces haven't been established as a full Command, thus all of the ground troops,
army corps, military districts, specialized arms belong to the Ministry of Defence (Vietnam), under directly command of the
General Staff (Vietnam People's Army). The Vietnam Strategic Rear Forces (Lc lng d b chin lc) is also a part of the
Ground Forces.
Structure
Infantry
Tank &
Armored
Artillery
Commando
Armored
Infantry
Sapper
Medical
Corps
Information
Transport
Technology
Chemical
Ordnance
Military
Court
Ensemble
Military
Sports
Military
Bands
Military regions
1st Military Region: command the North East of Vietnam. Headquarters: Thi Nguyn
2nd Military Region: command the North West of Vietnam. Headquarters: Vit Tr, Ph Th
3rd Military Region: command the Red River Delta. Headquarters: Hai Phong
4th Military Region: command the North Central of Vietnam. Headquarters: Vinh, Ngh An
5th Military Region: command the South Central Vietnam include the Central Highlands and Southern Central coastal
provinces. Headquarters: Da Nang
7th Military Region: command the South East Vietnam. Headquarters: Ho Chi Minh City
9th Military Region: command the Mekong Delta. Headquarters: Cn Th
High Command of Capital Hanoi: command the capital of the state. Headquarters: Ha Noi
Main force
The main force of the VPA consists of combat ready troops, as well as support units such as educational institutions for
logistics, officer training, and technical training. In 1991, Conboy et al. stated that the VPA Ground Force had four 'Strategic
Army Corps' in the early 1990s, numbering 14, from north to south.[32] 1st Corps (Vietnam People's Army), located in the
Red River Delta region, consisted of the 308th (one of the six original 'Steel and Iron' divisions) and 312th Divisions, and the
309th Infantry Regiment. The other three corps, 2 SAC, 3 SAC, and 4 SAC, were further south, with 4th Corps (Vietnam
People's Army), in what was South Vietnam, consisting of two former PLAF divisions, the 7th and 9th.
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The IISS Military Balance 2008 attributes the Vietnamese ground forces
with an estimated 412,000 personnel.[1] Formations, according to the IISS,
include nine military districts, 14 corps headquarters (10 being military's
economic corps), 10 armoured brigades, three mechanised infantry
divisions, and 67 infantry divisions whose strengths range from 5,000 to
12,500. The 2008 IISS estimate of 14 corps headquarters appears to be too
high. Vietnamese Wikipedia entries suggest that a number of other corps
headquarters, including the 5th, 14th, and 68th, have indeed existed in the
past, but now have been disbanded.
Smaller formations include 17 independent infantry regiments, one
airborne brigade, various c cng brigades and battalions of both of land
combat c cng b, urban combat c cng bit ng and
water-based combat c cng nc (special task force units with unique
high-level guerrilla offensive combat tactics, sometimes incorrectly
identified as "Sappers"; previously there had been a commando hunting
force of this branch during Vietnam war, which has now evolved into an
anti-terrorist force), more than 10 brigades of field artillery, eight divisions
and more than 20 independent brigades of engineers, and 1016 economic
construction divisions.
1st Corps Binh on Quyt thng (Corps with Determination to
Vietnam Map with eight Military Districts and four

Corps
Win):
First organized on October 24, 1973 during the Vietnam War, 1st Corps had a
major role in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign that ended the war. Stationed in Tam
ip District, Ninh Bnh. The combat forces of the corps include:
308th Division
312th Infantry Division
390th Division
367th Air Defence Division
202nd Tank Brigade
45th Artillery Brigade
299th Engineers Brigade
Vietnamese troops on Spratly Island
2nd Corps Binh on Hng Giang (Corps of the Perfume River):

First organized on May 17, 1974 during the Vietnam War, 2nd Corps had a major
role in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign that ended the war. Stationed in Lng Giang
District, Bc Giang. The combat forces of the corps include:
304th Division
325th Division
673rd Air Defence Division
203rd Tank Brigade
164th Artillery Brigade
219th Engineers Brigade
Vietnam self-produced Scud-B tactical

ballistic missiles[31]
3rd Corps Binh on Ty Nguyn (Corps of Ty Nguyn)(Corps of the

Western Plateau (Central Highlands)):
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First organized on March 26, 1975 during the Vietnam War, 3rd Corps had a major role
in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign and the CambodianVietnamese War. Stationed in
Pleiku, Gia Lai. The combat forces of the corps include:
Vietnam People's Army

31st Infantry Division
312th Air Defence Regiment
273rd Tank Regiment
675th Artillery Regiment
198th Special Force Regiment
29th Signal Regiment
545th Engineers Regiment
4th Corps Binh on Cu Long (Corps of Cuu Long (Mekong)):
First organized July 20, 1974 during the Vietnam War, 4th Corps had a major role in
the Ho Chi Minh Campaign and the CambodianVietnamese War. Stationed in D An,
Bnh Dng. The combat forces of the corps include:
Ministry of Defence
Command
General Staff
Services
Ground Force
Air Force

71st Air Defence Regiment
24th Artillery Regiment
429th Special Force Regiment
550th Engineers Regiment
Local forces
Local forces are an entity of the VPA that, together with the militia and "self-defense
forces," act on the local level in protection of people and local authorities. While the
local forces are regular VPA forces, the militia consists of rural civilians, and the
self-defense forces consist of civilians who live in urban areas and/or work in large
groups, such as at construction sites or farms. The current number stands at 34
million part-time soldiers.
Navy
Border Guard
Coast Guard
Ranks of the Vietnamese Military
Ground Force ranks and insignia
Air Force ranks and insignia
Navy ranks and insignia
Border Guard ranks and insignia
Coast Guard ranks and insignia
History of the Vietnamese Military
History of Vietnamese military ranks
Military history of Vietnam
Vietnam People's Navy

Vietnam People's Air Force
Vietnam Border Defense Force
Vietnam Coast Guard
As mentioned above, reserves exist in all branches and are organized in the same way as the standing forces, with the same
chain of command, and with officers and non-commissioned officers.
Ranks and insignia

The Highest ranks General Officers:
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Ground
Forces
Ranks
Air Force
Navy
Border
Defense
Vietnam
Coast Guard
Translation
i tng
General
Thng tng/
c
Colonel General/
Admiral (Navy)
Trung tng/
Ph c
Lieutenant General/
Vice Admiral (Navy)
Thiu tng/
Chun c
Major General/
Rear Admiral (Navy)
Equipment
From the 1960s to 1975, the Soviet Union was the main supplier of military hardware
to North Vietnam. After the latter's victory in the war, it remained the main supplier of
equipment to Vietnam. The United States had been the primary supplier of equipment
to South Vietnam; some of the equipment abandoned by the United States Army and
Army of the Republic of Vietnam came under control of the re-unified Viet Nam's
government. The PAVN captured large numbers of South Vietnamese Army (ARVN)
weapons on April 30, 1975 after Saigon was merged (integrated).
3,000+ tanks: 990 T-54/55, 220 T-62, 360 Type 59, and an unknown number of
PT-76B light tanks.
4,000+ APC: details below, ex Soviet and ex US origin
24300 Artillery
200 Helicopters
BM-21 launch vehicle (Russian:

-21 ""), (Grad) a Soviet
truck-mounted 122 mm multiple
rocket launcher
Notes
1. IISS Military Balance 2008, Routledge for the IISS, London, 2008, p.408
2. "HISTORY The Hmong" (http://www.cal.org/CO/hmong/hhist.html). Cal.org. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
3. Military History Institute of Vietnam,(2002) Victory in Vietnam: The Official History of the People's Army of Vietnam, 19541975,
translated by Merle L. Pribbenow. University Press of Kansas. p. 68. ISBN 0-7006-1175-4.
4. [1] (http://indochine54.free.fr/vm/vietminh.html#top)
5. Macdonald, Peter (1993). Giap: The Victor in Vietnam, pp. 32
6. Early Day: The Development of the Viet Minh Military Machine (http://indochine54.free.fr/vm/early.html)"
7. Conboy, Bowra, and McCouaig, 'The NVA and Vietcong', Osprey Publishing, 1991, p.5
8. "Interview with NVA General Tran Van Tra" (http://www.historynet.com/interview-with-nva-general-tran-van-tra.htm).
9. "Political lessons The Vietnam War and Its Impact" (http://www.americanforeignrelations.com/O-W/The-Vietnam-War-andIts-Impact-Political-lessons.html). Americanforeignrelations.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
10. Christopher Robbins, The Ravens: Pilots of the Secret War in Laos. Asia Books 2000.
11. David P. Chandler, A history of Cambodia, Westview Press; Allen & Unwin, Boulder, Sydney, 1992
12. Centre for Public Policy Analysis, (CPPA),(30 August 2013), Washington, D.C.,http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
13. THE HMONG REBELLION IN LAOS: Victims of Totalitarianism or terrorists? (http://members.ozemail.com.au/~yeulee/Topical
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/Hmong%20rebellion%20in%20Laos.html), by Gary Yia Lee, PhD

14. "Vietnamese soldiers attack Hmong in Laos" (http://www.factfinding.org/Past_News_Releases/page95.html). Factfinding.org.
Retrieved November 13, 2011.
15. "Joint-Military Co-operation continues between Laos and Vietnam" (http://www.factfinding.org/News_Release_2006/page4.html).
Factfinding.org. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
16. "Combine Military Effort of Laos and Vietnam" (http://www.factfinding.org/News_Release_2006/page6.html). Factfinding.org.
17. "Vietnam, Laos: Military Offensive Launched At Hmong" (http://www.rushprnews.com/2008/03/31/vietnam-laos-military-offensivelaunched-at-hmong). Rushprnews.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
18. 2008May20: Laos, Vietnam: Attacks Against Hmong Civilians Mount (http://www.cppa-dc.org/id41.html)
19. "Laos, Vietnam: New Campaign to Exterminate Hmong" (http://www.prlog.org/10060813-laos-vietnam-new-campaignto-exterminate-hmong.html). Prlog.org. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
20. "President Obama Urged To Address Laos, Hmong Crisis During Asia Trip, Student Protests in Vientiane" (http://www.pr-inside.com
/president-obama-urged-to-address-laos-r1583086.htm). Pr-inside.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
21. "Hmong: Vietnam VPA, LPA Troops Attack Christians Villagers in Laos" (http://www.unpo.org/content/view/10627/236/). Unpo.org.
January 26, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
22. "Laos, Vietnam Peoples Army Unleashes Helicopter Gunship Attacks on Laotian and Hmong Civilians, Christian Believers"
(http://nickihawj.blogspot.com/2010/02/laos-vietnam-peoples-army-unleashes.html). Nickihawj.blogspot.com. February 11, 2010.
23. Statistics of Democide (http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/SOD.TAB15.1D.GIF) Rudolph Rummel
24. "Vietnam, Laos Crackdown: SEA Games Avoided By Overseas Lao, Hmong in Protest" (http://www.onlineprnews.com
/news/13786-1260203762-vietnam-laos-crackdown-sea-games-avoided-by-overseas-lao-hmong-in-protest.html). Onlineprnews.com.
December 7, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
25. Media-Newswire.com Press Release Distribution (November 26, 2009). "SEA Game Attacks: Vietnam, Laos Military Kill 23 Lao
Hmong Christians on Thanksgiving" (http://media-newswire.com/release_1106723.html). Media-newswire.com. Retrieved
November 13, 2011.
26. Harvey, Rachel, British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC,(28 July 2011) "Vietnam: Army 'colluding' in Laos deforestation"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14328213
27. Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), (16 December 2011), "Timber smuggling from Laos to Vietnam, in a military style"
http://eia-international.org/timber-smuggling-from-laos-to-vietnam-in-a-military-style
28. Smith, Philip,The Nation,Bangkok, Thailand, (Editorial) (18 March 2011) "Lao govt must release political prisoners
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Lao-govt-must-release-political-prisoners-30151179.html
29. Politics and Government Week (31 March 2011), "Laos, Hmong Crisis: Rights Groups Make International Appeal."
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-253125241.html
30. Smith, Beaumont, Asia Times,Hong Kong, (5 October 2010) "A Tree Falls in Laos" http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia
/LJ05Ae01.html
31. http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/missiles#3
32. See also http://www.defencetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6367
References
Conboy, Bowra, and McCouaig, 'The NVA and Vietcong', Osprey Publishing, 1991.
Military History Institute of Vietnam,(2002) Victory in Vietnam: The Official History of the People's Army of Vietnam,
19541975, translated by Merle L. Pribbenow. University Press of Kansas. ISBN 0-7006-1175-4.
Tran, Doan Lam (2012). How the Vietnamese People's Army was Founded. Hanoi: World Publishers.
ISBN 978-604-7705-13-9.
Notes
1. In the Vietnam People's Army, the Ground Force hasn't been established the Command, all of the ground forces, army corps,
specialized arms belong to the Ministry of Defence (Vietnam), under directly command of General Staff (Vietnam People's Army).
External links
Ministry of Defence Vietnam (http://bqp.gov.vn)
Vietnamese People's Army English Edition (http://www.qdnd.vn/QDNDSite/en-US/72/72/Default.aspx)
Center for Public Policy Analysis, Washington, D.C. (http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org)
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Categories: People's Army of Vietnam National liberation armies Military of Vietnam
Military units and formations established in 1944 Military units and formations of the Vietnam War
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People's Army of Vietnam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Vietnam People's Army (VPA; Vietnamese: Qun i Nhn Dn

Vietnam People's Army

Flag of Vietnam People's Army. Slogan translates as

December 22, 1944

Headquarters Hanoi, Vietnam

General Phng Quang Thanh

Chief of Staff Colonel General B T

Ground Forces: 412,000[1]

US $7.8 billion (Military Balance