Ministry of Defence (Vietnam)
Encyclopedia
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 ancient Hanoi Citadel
. The ministry is operated under the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
as well as other various laws.
and other paramilitary units. The command organization of the ministry is composed of the central office, the General Staff (Bộ Tổng tham mưu), the General Department of Politics (Tổng cục chính trị) and other general departments, departments. The General Staff is the commanding and coordinating institution of the Vietnam People's Army and other paramilitary units, it is currently directed by the Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of Defence, Col. Gen. Nguyễn Khắc Nghiên who would be also acting minister during the absence of the minister in office. The General Department of Politics, presently headed by Gen. Lê Văn Dũng, takes charge of political, moral and other activities in the military forces related to the Communist Party of Vietnam
, the Department of Politics also operates the system of military court and procuracy. Other general departments (tổng cục) of the ministry are General Department of Technique (Tổng cục Kỹ thuật), General Department of Logistics (Tổng cục Hậu cần), General Department of Military Industry (Tổng cục Công nghiệp quốc phòng) and General Department of Military Intelligence (Tổng cục Tình báo quốc phòng or Tổng cục 2). Directly under the ministry are also the Department of Maritime Police (Cục Cảnh sát biển), Rescue Department (Cục Cứu hộ, cứu nạn) and Department of Foreign Relations (Cục Đối ngoại). The command structure of the ministry is coordinated by the Central Office (Văn phòng Bộ) which acts at the same time as office of the Central Party Committee of the military forces (Đảng ủy quân sự Trung ương).
Following is the structure of the central organization of the Ministry of Defence:
which contains several arms and army corps, the Vietnam People's Ground Force, the Vietnamese People's Navy, the Vietnamese People's Air Force and Air Defence, the Vietnam Border Defence Force and the Vietnam Marine Police. To organize the military activities and units, the territory of Vietnam is divided into 7 military regions and the High Command of Capital which contains the region of Hanoi
.
The principal and core military force of Vietnam is the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) with a regular force of 450,000 soldiers and officers and the reserve force of about 5 million. The land-based units of the VPA consists of four army coprs (quân đoàn): 1st
, 2nd
, 3rd
and 4th
; six arms (binh chủng): Artillery, Tank and Armoured Warfare, Sappers, Signals, Engineers and Chemical; seven military regions (quân khu) and one command (bộ tư lệnh): 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th and the High Command of Capital Hanoi
. The border guard, coast guard, air force-air defense and the navy are organized as arms of the VPA, the navy in particular is divided in five naval regions (vùng hải quân) (from 1st to 5th).
Besides, the Ministry of Defence also manages a system of academies, universities and research institutes with a total number of 21 academies (học viện), universities (trường đại học) and one college (trường cao đẳng). The principal academy of the ministry if the Vietnam Academy of Defence (Học viện Quốc phòng), it is the only institution for training strategical officers. The Ministry of Defence has its own branch of economic organizations which contains the Viettel Mobile
, one of the leading mobile network operator in Vietnam.
Hanoi Citadel
The central old citadel of Hanoi was the former residence of Vietnamese monarchs dating back to Đại Việt, when the city was known as Thăng Long.- History :...
. The ministry is operated under the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the current constitution of Vietnam, adopted on April 15, 1992 by the Eighth National Assembly, and amended by the National Assembly in December 2001.-Current constitution:...
as well as other various laws.
Command structure
According to the 1992 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Ministry of Defence holds the supreme command of the Vietnam People's ArmyVietnam 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...
and other paramilitary units. The command organization of the ministry is composed of the central office, the General Staff (Bộ Tổng tham mưu), the General Department of Politics (Tổng cục chính trị) and other general departments, departments. The General Staff is the commanding and coordinating institution of the Vietnam People's Army and other paramilitary units, it is currently directed by the Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of Defence, Col. Gen. Nguyễn Khắc Nghiên who would be also acting minister during the absence of the minister in office. The General Department of Politics, presently headed by Gen. Lê Văn Dũng, takes charge of political, moral and other activities in the military forces related to the Communist Party of Vietnam
Communist Party of Vietnam
The Communist Party of Vietnam , formally established in 1930, is the governing party of the nation of Vietnam. It is today the only legal political party in that country. Describing itself as Marxist-Leninist, the CPV is the directing component of a broader group of organizations known as the...
, the Department of Politics also operates the system of military court and procuracy. Other general departments (tổng cục) of the ministry are General Department of Technique (Tổng cục Kỹ thuật), General Department of Logistics (Tổng cục Hậu cần), General Department of Military Industry (Tổng cục Công nghiệp quốc phòng) and General Department of Military Intelligence (Tổng cục Tình báo quốc phòng or Tổng cục 2). Directly under the ministry are also the Department of Maritime Police (Cục Cảnh sát biển), Rescue Department (Cục Cứu hộ, cứu nạn) and Department of Foreign Relations (Cục Đối ngoại). The command structure of the ministry is coordinated by the Central Office (Văn phòng Bộ) which acts at the same time as office of the Central Party Committee of the military forces (Đảng ủy quân sự Trung ương).
Following is the structure of the central organization of the Ministry of Defence:
Components
The Ministry of Defence is the supreme command of the Vietnam People's ArmyVietnam 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...
which contains several arms and army corps, the Vietnam People's Ground Force, the Vietnamese People's Navy, the Vietnamese People's Air Force and Air Defence, the Vietnam Border Defence Force and the Vietnam Marine Police. To organize the military activities and units, the territory of Vietnam is divided into 7 military regions and the High Command of Capital which contains the region of Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
.
The principal and core military force of Vietnam is the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) with a regular force of 450,000 soldiers and officers and the reserve force of about 5 million. The land-based units of the VPA consists of four army coprs (quân đoàn): 1st
1st Corps (Vietnam People's Army)
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...
, 2nd
2nd Corps (Vietnam People's Army)
2nd Corps or Hương Giang Corps is one of the four regular army corps of the Vietnam People's Army. First organized in 1974 during the Vietnam War, 2nd Corps had a major role in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign that ended the war...
, 3rd
3rd Corps (Vietnam People's Army)
3rd Corps or Tây Nguyên Corps is one of the four regular army corps of the Vietnam People's Army. First organized in 1975 during the Vietnam War, 3rd Corps had a major role in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign and the Cambodian–Vietnamese War...
and 4th
4th Corps (Vietnam People's Army)
4th Corps or Cửu Long Corps is one of the four regular army corps of the Vietnam People's Army. First organized in 1974 during the Vietnam War, 4th Corps had a major role in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign and the Cambodian–Vietnamese War...
; six arms (binh chủng): Artillery, Tank and Armoured Warfare, Sappers, Signals, Engineers and Chemical; seven military regions (quân khu) and one command (bộ tư lệnh): 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th and the High Command of Capital Hanoi
High Command of Capital Hanoi
Command of Capital Hanoi of Vietnam People's Army, is directly under the Ministry of Defense of Vietnam, tasked to organize, build, manage and command armed forces defending the capital of the state. The predecessor of Command of Capital Hanoi was established in October 1945. By November 1946, the...
. The border guard, coast guard, air force-air defense and the navy are organized as arms of the VPA, the navy in particular is divided in five naval regions (vùng hải quân) (from 1st to 5th).
Besides, the Ministry of Defence also manages a system of academies, universities and research institutes with a total number of 21 academies (học viện), universities (trường đại học) and one college (trường cao đẳng). The principal academy of the ministry if the Vietnam Academy of Defence (Học viện Quốc phòng), it is the only institution for training strategical officers. The Ministry of Defence has its own branch of economic organizations which contains the Viettel Mobile
Viettel Mobile
Viettel Group is a Vietnamese major mobile network operator headquartered in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is a state-owned enterprise wholly owned and operated by the Ministry of Defence...
, one of the leading mobile network operator in Vietnam.
Budget
The annual budget of the Ministry of Defence occupies approximately 2% of the GDP of Vietnam. The principal portion of the budget is used in maintaining the life of officers, sub-officers, soldiers and their readiness for action. Following are the ministry's budgets of recent years:| Year | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| GDP of Vietnam | 839,211 | 973,791 | 1,143,442 | 1,490,000 |
| Ministry's budget | 16,278 | 20,577 | 28,922 | 27,024 |
| % per GDP | 1,872% | 2,194% | 2,529% | 1,813% |
| Unit: billion VND | ||||
List of Ministers
- Chu Văn Tấn (1945–1946)
- Phan Anh (1946)
- Võ Nguyên GiápVo Nguyen GiapVõ 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...
(1946–1947) - Tạ Quang Bửu (1947–1948)
- Võ Nguyên GiápVo Nguyen GiapVõ 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...
(1948–1980) - Văn Tiến Dũng (1980–1987)
- Lê Đức Anh (1987–1991)
- Đoàn Khuê (1991–1997)
- Phạm Văn TràPham Van TraPhạm Văn Trà was Minister of Defense of Vietnam. He was previously Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnamese Army and Vice-Minister of Defense , and a four-star General. He replaced Doan Khue as minister of defense in September 1997.-References:...
(1997–2006) - Phùng Quang ThanhPhùng Quang ThanhPhùng Quang Thanh is currently Vietnam's minister of defense and is ranked as the No. 2 leader in the country's Communist Party."", BaoOnline.vn, January 20, 2011. Includes pictures of the entire leadership. He is an officer of the Vietnam People's Army and a member of the Politburo of the...
(2006–Present)