1st Corps (Vietnam People's Army)
Encyclopedia
1st Corps or Quyết thắng Corps is one of the four regular army corps of the Vietnam People's Army
. First organized in 1973 during the Vietnam War
, 1st Corps had a major role in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign
that ended the war. Today the corps is stationed in Tam Điệp District, Ninh Bình
.
after its 21st conference issued a resolution of strengthening the armed forces in order to unify the country. In executing the issue, three months later the Ministry of Defence
and the Military Commission of the Central Committee approved the plan of organizing regular army corps for the Vietnam People's Army. On October 24, 1973, General Võ Nguyên Giáp
, Minister of Defence, signed the edict No. 142/QĐ-QP that led to the establishment of the 1st Corps in Tam Điệp, Ninh Bình
. The first headquarters of the corps was composed of party committee secretary (bí thư) Lê Quang Hòa and commander (tư lệnh) and deputy secretary Lê Trọng Tấn
.
After the victory of the Vietnam People's Army in Tây Nguyên Campaign in March 1975, 1st Corps was ordered to move to the South Vietnam and participate in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign
. During the last days of the war, 1st Corps had a major role in the attack on Saigon in which it was assigned the mission of capturing the headquarters of the ARVN's General Staff. The corps was awarded the title Hero of the People's Armed Forces (Anh hùng Lực lượng vũ trang nhân dân) in 1985.
, 312th Infantry Division, 320 Infantry Division
, 367th Division of Air Defence, 202nd Tank Brigade, 45th Artillery Brigade and 299th Brigade of Engineers.
Vietnam People's Army
The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...
. First organized in 1973 during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, 1st Corps had a major role in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign
Ho Chi Minh Campaign
The Hồ Chí Minh Campaign was the final title applied to a series of increasingly large-scale and ambitious offensive operations by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam which began on 13 December 1974...
that ended the war. Today the corps is stationed in Tam Điệp District, Ninh Bình
Ninh Bình
Ninh Bình is a city in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam. It is the capital of Ninh Binh province.-Geography:Ninh Binh city located in the southernmost plains north Vietnam...
.
History
In July 1973, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of VietnamCentral Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam established 1930, is the highest authority within the Communist Party of Vietnam elected by the Party National Congresses...
after its 21st conference issued a resolution of strengthening the armed forces in order to unify the country. In executing the issue, three months later the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Vietnam)
Ministry of Defence is the governmental ministry of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam that manages, coordinates and supervises military affairs, including all military units, paramilitary units, and similar agencies in the country. The major office of the Ministry of Defence is located within the...
and the Military Commission of the Central Committee approved the plan of organizing regular army corps for the Vietnam People's Army. On October 24, 1973, General Võ Nguyên Giáp
Vo Nguyen Giap
Võ Nguyên Giáp is a retired Vietnamese officer in the Vietnam People’s Army and a politician. He was a principal commander in two wars: the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War...
, Minister of Defence, signed the edict No. 142/QĐ-QP that led to the establishment of the 1st Corps in Tam Điệp, Ninh Bình
Ninh Bình
Ninh Bình is a city in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam. It is the capital of Ninh Binh province.-Geography:Ninh Binh city located in the southernmost plains north Vietnam...
. The first headquarters of the corps was composed of party committee secretary (bí thư) Lê Quang Hòa and commander (tư lệnh) and deputy secretary Lê Trọng Tấn
Lê Trọng Tấn
General Lê Trọng Tấn was an officer of the Vietnam People's Army who held several senior positions of the Army during his military career from 1945 to 1986...
.
After the victory of the Vietnam People's Army in Tây Nguyên Campaign in March 1975, 1st Corps was ordered to move to the South Vietnam and participate in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign
Ho Chi Minh Campaign
The Hồ Chí Minh Campaign was the final title applied to a series of increasingly large-scale and ambitious offensive operations by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam which began on 13 December 1974...
. During the last days of the war, 1st Corps had a major role in the attack on Saigon in which it was assigned the mission of capturing the headquarters of the ARVN's General Staff. The corps was awarded the title Hero of the People's Armed Forces (Anh hùng Lực lượng vũ trang nhân dân) in 1985.
Organization
The command structure of 1st Corps consists of the High Command (Bộ tư lệnh), the Staff of 1st Corps (Bộ tham mưu), the Political Department (Cục chính trị), the Department of Logistics (Cục hậu cần) and the Department of Technique (Cục kỹ thuật). The combat forces of the corps include the 390th Division, 308 Division308 Division (Vietnam)
The 308th Division is an infantry division of the People's Army of Vietnam, first formed in 1948-49.As early as January 1947, the first regiment of the PAVN, the 308 'Capital' Regiment, was created for operations around Hanoi...
, 312th Infantry Division, 320 Infantry Division
320 Division (Vietnam)
The 320th Division is a formation of the Vietnam People's Army.During the Vietnam War it was a well trained division of the North Vietnamese Army that operated in the DMZ area of South Vietnam. The division battled U. S. Marines in and around Dong Ha and Leatherneck Square. One of the major battles...
, 367th Division of Air Defence, 202nd Tank Brigade, 45th Artillery Brigade and 299th Brigade of Engineers.
Commanders
| Time | Commander | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1973–1974 | Maj. Gen. Lê Trọng Tấn Lê Trọng Tấn General Lê Trọng Tấn was an officer of the Vietnam People's Army who held several senior positions of the Army during his military career from 1945 to 1986... |
Later promoted to General and Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army. |
| 1974–1975 | Maj. Gen. Nguyễn Hòa | Later promoted to Lieutenant General and Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. |
| 1979–1983 | Maj. Gen. Lê Nam Phong | |
| 1983–1988 | Maj. Gen. Nguyễn Kiệm | |
| 1988–1995 | Maj. Gen. Nguyễn Huy Hiệu Nguyễn Huy Hiệu Colonel General Nguyễn Huy Hiệu is an officer of the Vietnam People's Army and current Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam. Enlisted in 1965, Nguyễn Huy Hiệu fought in various battlefields during Vietnam War, especially the Battle of Quảng Trị where he was appointed commander of battalion at the... |
Later promoted to Colonel General and Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam. |
| 1995–1997 | Maj. Gen. Đỗ Trung Dương | Later promoted to Lieutenant General and Deputy Chief of the General Staff. |
| 1997–1998 | Maj. Gen. Nguyễn Khắc Nghiên | Later promoted to Colonel General and Chief of the General Staff. |
| 1998–2002 | Col. Nguyễn Xuân Sắc | Later promoted to Major General and Deputy Director of the Military Academy of Politics. |
| 2002–2005 | Maj. Gen. Phan Khuê Tảo | |
| 2005–2007 | Maj. Gen. Tô Đình Phùng | |
| 2007–present | Maj. Gen. Trần Quốc Phú |