Đoàn Khuê (; Triệu Phong, 29 October 1922 – 16 January 1999) was a Vietnamese Army general and

Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

from 1992–1997.Đại tướng Đoàn Khuê Vịên lịch sử quân ṣư Vịêt Nam - 2002 Reminiscences of General Đoàn Khuê, 1923-1999; Includes biographical sketch; collection of articles. Đoàn Khuê was born on 29 October 1922 in

Triệu Phong District Triệu (; ) is a Chinese-language surname, it is the Vietnamese translation of the Chinese surname Zhao (趙). It is commonly found in Vietnam among its Chinese diaspora. Individuals with the surname, Triệu, likely migrated to Vietnam from t ...

in Quảng Trị Province, joined the

Communist Party of Vietnam The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) is the founding and sole legal party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Founded in 1930 by Hồ Chí Minh, the CPV became the ruling party of North Vietnam in 1954 and then all of Vietnam after the col ...

in 1945, and served as the military Commissioner of the provincial Party Committee.

Military career

Đoàn held various positions during the resistance against French rule (

First Indochina War The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam, and alternatively internationally as the French-Indochina War) was fought between French Fourth Republic, France and Việ ...

) which was Political Commissar. Other positions which he held include: * Political Commissar of the 351st Division Artillery of the

Viet Minh The Việt Minh (, ) is the common and abbreviated name of the League for Independence of Vietnam ( or , ; ), which was a Communist Party of Vietnam, communist-led national independence coalition formed at Pác Bó by Hồ Chí Minh on 19 May 1 ...

* Deputy Political Commissar of 3rd Military Region (Vietnam People's Army) *

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...

of 5th Military Region (Vietnam People's Army) (1977–80) * Commander of volunteer Army of Vietnam in Cambodia From 1987 to 1992, he was the Chief of the

General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army The General Staff (GS; ) is the Staff (military), commanding and managing organisation of the Vietnam People's Army, the paramilitary forces, militia and other activities relating to defence of Vietnam. The General Staff was established on 7 Se ...

Promotions

* Major General, 1975 *

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

, 1980 *

Colonel General Colonel general is a military rank used in some armies. It is particularly associated with Germany, where historically General officer#Old European system, general officer ranks were one grade lower than in the Commonwealth and the United States, ...

, 1985 *

Army General Army general or General of the army is the highest ranked general officer in many countries that use the French Revolutionary System. Army general is normally the highest rank used in peacetime. In countries that adopt the general officer fou ...

, 1990

Political career

Đoàn served as Minister of Defense from 1991 to 1997 under Prime Ministers

Đỗ Mười Đỗ Mười (; 2 February 1917 – 1 October 2018) was a Vietnamese communist politician. He rose in the party hierarchy in the late 1940s, became Chairman of the Council of Ministers in 1988 and was elected General Secretary of the Central ...

and

Võ Văn Kiệt Võ Văn Kiệt (; 23 November 1922 – 11 June 2008"E ...

Awards

* State of Vietnam Gold Star (posthumously) * Vietnam Medal of Honor * 2 first-class Victory Medal * Order of Victory, first class * Order of the Resistance

Personal

He has two other siblings: * Đoàn Chương, Minister of military strategy * Đoàn Thúy, Army Captain

References