Đàm Quang Trung

Colonel General Đàm Quang Trung
Vice President of Vietnam
In office 1987–1992
President	Võ Chí Công
Personal details
Born	Đàm Ngọc Lưu (1921-09-12)12 September 1921 Hà Quảng, Cao Bằng, Tonkin (French protectorate)
Died	3 March 1995(1995-03-03) (aged 73) Việt Nam
Political party	Communist Party of Vietnam
Alma mater	Whampoa Military Academy
Military service
Allegiance	Democratic Republic of Vietnam and later Vietnam
Branch/service	People's Army of Vietnam
Rank	Colonel General
Battles/wars	First Indochina War Battle of Điện Biên Phủ Vietnam War Sino-Vietnamese War

Đàm Quang Trung (born Đàm Ngọc Lưu) (12 September 1921 – 3 March 1995) was a colonel general in the People's Army of Vietnam, active during the First Indochina War, Vietnam War and Sino-Vietnamese War. He commanded PAVN Military Region 1 in Sino-Vietnamese War.

Early years

Đàm Quang Trung was born in Cao Bằng province of the Tonkin Protectorate, French Indochina. He joined the Indochinese Communist Party in 1939. In May 1940 he was imprisoned by French colonial authorities, but was released in March 1941 after interrogation without result. After that, he was sent to study at the Whampoa Military Academy. In September 1944, he began building a guerrilla warfare on the northern border of the country to China. In December, he joined the communist guerrilla movement.

Military career

During the August Revolution in 1945, he served as a company commander of Việt Minh in the seizure of power in Thái Nguyên. After the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) he took over again a command of a company but was also the chief officer for the Special Zone Hanoi.

During the First Indochina War, he was deputy commander of the Inter-zone V from 1946 to 1954, deputy commander of the 312th Infantry Division from 1953 to 1954.

During the Vietnam war, he was promoted to the rank of major general in 1974, then lieutenant general in 1980.