Vũ Lập (born Nông Văn Phách) (1924–1987) was a colonel general in the

People's Army of Vietnam The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), officially the Vietnam People's Army (VPA; , , ), also recognized as the Vietnamese Army (), the People's Army () or colloquially the Troops ( ), is the national Military, military force of the Vietnam, S ...

(PAVN) active during

Laotian Civil War The Laotian Civil War was waged between the Communist Pathet Lao and the Royal Lao Government from 23 May 1959 to 2 December 1975. The Kingdom of Laos was a covert Theatre (warfare), theater during the Vietnam War with both sides receiving heavy ...

and all three Indochina Wars. He commanded PAVN forces in Campaign 139 in Laotian Civil War, and PAVN Military Region 2 in Sino-Vietnamese War.

Early years

Vũ Lập was born in

Cao Bằng province Cao Bằng is a province of the Northeast region of Vietnam. The province has borders with Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang, Bắc Kạn, and Lạng Sơn provinces within Vietnam. It also has a common international border with Guangxi province in Chi ...

of the Tonkin Protectorate,

French Indochina French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China), officially known as the Indochinese Union and after 1941 as the Indochinese Federation, was a group of French dependent territories in Southeast Asia from 1887 to 1954. It was initial ...

. Joining Vietnamese revolutionary movement since childhood, Vũ Lập was sent to attend military training in

Guangxi Guangxi,; officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People's Republic of China, located in South China and bordering Vietnam (Hà Giang Province, Hà Giang, Cao Bằn ...

at age 17, together with Hoàng Văn Thái, Đàm Quang Trung, and Vũ Nam Long in 1941.

Military career

In the

Battle of Điện Biên Phủ The Battle of Điện Biên Phủ was a climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War that took place between 13 March and 7 May 1954. It was fought between the forces of the French Union and Viet Minh. The French began an operation to in ...

, Vũ Lập was the chief of staff, together with the commander

Lê Quảng Ba Lê Quảng Ba (born Đàm Văn Mông) (1915–1988) was a major-general in the People's Army of Vietnam active during the First Indochina War. He commanded Việt Minh forces in Battle of Thập Vạn Đại Sơn. In 1941, Lê Quảng Ba together ...

and political commissar Chu Huy Mân commanded 316th Brigade besieging, attacking Eliane positions of French Central positions (Vietnamese: phân khu Trung tâm - Mường Thanh). During the Vietnam war, he was promoted to the rank of major general in 1974, then colonel general in 1984.

References

1924 births 1987 deaths Tày people People from Cao Bằng province People of the Tonkin Protectorate Viet Minh members Generals of the People's Army of Vietnam Vietnamese military personnel of the Sino-Vietnamese War {{vietnam-mil-bio-stub