12 Generals in the Vietnam People's Army

General is the highest military officer rank in the Vietnam People's Army, with a rank insignia of four gold stars.

According to current regulations, the rank of General in the Vietnam People's Army is conferred by a decision signed by the President of Vietnam, who is also the Chairman of the National Defense and Security Council.

To date, the Vietnam People's Army has had 12 military personnel promoted to the rank of General. Among them, two were exceptionally promoted to the rank of General without going through intermediate ranks: Comrade Vo Nguyen Giap (promoted in 1948) and Comrade Nguyen Chi Thanh (promoted in 1959).

List of 12 comrades who are Generals:

General Vo Nguyen Giap, the Elder Brother of the Vietnamese People's Armed Forces.

1. General Vo Nguyen Giap(1911-2013)

Year of ordination: 1948.

Hometown: Quang Binh.

Aliases: Văn, Sáu.

Highest positions: Deputy Prime Minister (Council of Ministers); Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People's Army; Minister of National Defence.

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Politburo, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th terms.

Other titles: The Elder Brother of the Vietnam People's Armed Forces, the first General of the Vietnam People's Army, Gold Star Medal.

2. General Nguyen Chi Thanh (1914-1967)

Year of ordination: 1959.

Hometown: Thừa Thiên-Huế.

Alias: Truong Son.

Highest position held: Head of the General Political Department.

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Politburo, 2nd and 3rd terms.

Other titles: Gold Star Order (posthumously awarded).

3. General Van Tien Dung(1917-2002)

Year of ordination: 1974.

Hometown: Hanoi.

Alias: Le Hoai.

Highest position held: Minister of Defence (1980-1986).

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Politburo (March 1972) of the 4th and 5th terms, Secretary of the Central Military Party Committee (1984-1986).

Other titles: Gold Star Medal.

4. General Hoang Van Thai (Hoang Van Xiem)(1915-1986)

Year of ordination: 1980.

Hometown: Thai Binh.

Aliases: An, Muoi Khang, Quoc Binh, Thanh…

Highest positions held: Chief of General Staff (1945-1953), Deputy Minister of National Defence (1974-1986).

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Central Executive Committee for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th terms.

Other titles: First Chief of General Staff, Gold Star Medal (posthumously awarded).

5. General Chu Huy Mân (Chu Văn Điều)(1913-2006)

Year of ordination: 1980.

Hometown: Nghe An.

Aliases: Vu Chan, Le The My, Tran Thanh Lac, Mai Hanh.

Highest position held: Vice Chairman of the State Council.

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Politburo, 4th and 5th terms.

Other titles: General with the longest Party membership (joined the Party in 1930), Gold Star Medal.

6. General Le Trong Tan (Le Trong To)(1914-1986)

Year of ordination: 1984.

Hometown: Hanoi.

Aliases: Team Tố, Ba Long.

Highest position held: Vice Minister of National Defence and Chief of the General Staff (1980-1986).

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Central Executive Committee for the 4th and 5th terms.

Other titles: Gold Star Order (awarded posthumously in 2007).

7. General Le Duc Anh(born in 1920)

Year of ordination: 1984.

Hometown: Thừa Thiên-Huế.

Alias: Six Nam.

Highest position held: President of Vietnam (1992-1997).

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Politburo in the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th terms.

Other titles: Gold Star Medal.

8. General Nguyen Quyet (Nguyen Tien Van)(born in 1922)

Year of ordination: 1990.

Hometown: Hung Yen.

Highest position held: Vice Chairman of the State Council.

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Central Executive Committee of the Party in the 4th, 5th, and 6th terms (Member of the Central Secretariat of the Party in the 6th term).

Other titles: Gold Star Medal.

9. General Doan Khue (1923-1998)

Year of ordination: 1990

Hometown: Quang Tri.

Highest position held: Minister of Defence (1991-1997).

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Politburo in the 6th, 7th, and 8th terms.

Other titles: Gold Star Order (awarded posthumously in 2007).

10. General Pham Van Tra(born in 1935)

Year of ordination: 2003.

Hometown: Bac Ninh.

Highest position held: Minister of Defence (1997-2006).

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Politburo, 8th and 9th terms.

Other title: Hero of the People's Armed Forces.

11. General Le Van Dung (Le Van Noi)(born in 1945)

Year of ordination: 2007.

Hometown: Ben Tre.

Highest position held: Head of the General Political Department.

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party, 9th and 10th terms.

12. General Phung Quang Thanh(born in 1949)

Year of ordination: 2007.

Hometown: Hanoi.

Highest position held: Minister of Defence (2006-present).

Highest position in the Communist Party of Vietnam: Member of the Politburo, 10th and 11th terms.

Other title: Hero of the People's Armed Forces.

According to the People's Army Newspaper