BackStories » Vietnam » Vietnamese Hero, General Vo Nguyen Giap, Dead at 102

Vietnamese Hero, General Vo Nguyen Giap, Dead at 102

It's been all over the news this weekend but in case you missed it, General Vo Nguyen Giap, who ousted both the French and Americans from Vietnam died in Hanoi last Friday at the age of 102. Later in life, he advocated for closer economic ties with the west and warned about the environmental costs of industrialization.

At the time of his death, Giap was living legend having led the Viet Minh, and later the Vietnam People's Army, to victory against better equipped and trained French and American forces. He famously delivered the knockout blow to the French at the battle of Điện Biên Phủ (1954) and orchestrated the Tết Offensive (1968), the Easter Offensive (1972) and the final Hồ Chí Minh Campaign (1975). While military failures, the Tết and Easter offensives destroyed American military and civilian morale, leading to an eventual withdrawal and Communist victory.

Giap's life has been detailed in a number of obituaries over the weekend:

Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, Who Ousted U.S. From Vietnam, Is Dead [New York Times]

Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap dies [Tuoi Tre]

Vietnam's 'Red Napoleon' Vo Nguyen Giap dies, aged 102 [Reuters]

General Vo Nguyen Giap obituary [The Guardian]

Legendary Vietnam Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap Dies [Time]

To honor his memory, the government has declared October 12 and 13 as days of mourning and all entertainment events on these days have been canceled

Related Articles

in Vietnam

$14 Million Approved For Restoration Of Hanoi’s 112-Year-Old Long Biên Bridge

The fate of one of Vietnam’s most beloved and storied structures took another positive turn last week when the government approved a $14 million restoration package for Long Biên Bridge.

in Vietnam

10 Beautiful Photos of Sapa's Majestic Snow

Last weekend's snowstorm in Sapa drew photographers from all over northern Vietnam who jumped at the opportunity to capture some great photos of the town's snow-covered hills, roads and residents.&nbs...

in Vietnam

104-Year-Old Great-Great Grandmother Fights Off Robber

Taking advantage of the elderly will inevitably result in some bad karma, a lesson a Dong Nai man quickly learned after attempting to rob Vo Thi Bai, a 104-year-old woman.

in Vietnam

116-Year-Old Recognized As Vietnam's Oldest Man

The Vietnam Record Organization (VRO) has recognized 116-tear-old Y'N Dong of Đắk Nông Province as the country’s oldest man, reports Vietnam Net.

in Vietnam

12 Dead, 41 Injured After Illegal Bus Falls Into Gorge Near Sapa

12 people have been reported killed and 41 injured in a bus accident in the hills of Northern Vietnam’s Lao Cai province, reports VN Express.

in Vietnam

16 Dead In Hanoi Helicopter Crash

According to VNExpress, early this morning, a helicopter crashed in Village 11, Thạch Hoà, Thạch Thất District, Hanoi, injuring many people.