Vietnamese general who led the 1975 spring offensive to Saigon and directed the 1979 invasion of Cambodia and border war with China
Born at Từ Liêm near Hanoi, he joined the Communist Party in 1936. He fought at Điện Biên Phủ and was chief of the General Staff in 1953–1954 and 1954–1978. He commanded the 1975 spring offensive in the field that ended with the fall of Saigon, then directed the invasion of Khmer Rouge Cambodia and the 1979 border war with China. Succeeding Võ Nguyên Giáp as defence minister in 1980, he served until 1987 and sat on the Politburo from 1976 to 1986. He died in Hanoi in 2002.
Related historical events
- 1975–1979Democratic Kampuchea and the 1979 regime changecommander of the Cambodia invasionHe directed the invasion of Khmer Rouge Cambodia.
- 1975–1976End of the Vietnam War and state reunificationfield commander of the Saigon offensiveHe commanded the 1975 spring offensive in the field, leading to the fall of Saigon.
- 1978–1979The Sino-Vietnamese WarChief of the General StaffDirected the invasion of Cambodia and the border war with China.