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The 'Vietnam People's Army' ('VPA') () is official name for the armed forces of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. During the Second Indochinese War (Vietnam War) (1957–1975), the U.S. referred to it as the 'North Vietnamese Army' ('NVA'), or 'People's Army of Vietnam' (PAVN) and this term is commonly found throughout Vietnam War-related subjects. The VPA was ''not'' the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (also known as Việt Cộng) (although certain elements disguised as such occasionally and after the reunification of the country in 1976, all former Việt Cộng forces that had not been demobilized were incorporated into the VPA). During the war against the French (First Indochina War, 1946-1954), the VPA was often referred to as the Việt Minh even though Việt Minh was the name of the overall independence movement that preceded the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945. The VPA now includes the: Vietnam People's Ground Forces (including VPA Strategic Rear Forces and Border Defence Forces), Vietnam People's Navy (including VPN Naval infantry), Vietnam People's Air Force, and Coast Guard.

Contents

History

Organization

Branches

International presence

Components

Main Force

Local Forces

Manpower

External links

See also

History

The predecessor of the VPA was the Armed Propaganda Unit for National Liberation, an organization that was formed by President Hồ Chí Minh on December 22, 1944 to drive the French colonialists and Japanese occupiers from Vietnam.[1]
General Võ Nguyên Giáp was the first Commander and commander-in-chief of VPA and the fourth Minister of National Defence (after Chu Van Tan, Phan Anh, Ta Quang Buu). This force was to launch many offensives, and eventually survive counter-attacks by United States forces in what was known as the Vietnam War in the United States. During the 1968 & 1972 Invasions of South Vietnam the VPA sustained heavy losses.
In 1975 they militarily defeated the South Vietnamese government.
They would also participate in incursions into Cambodia, toppling the genocidal Khmer Rouge.
During peaceful periods, the VPA has actively been involved in Vietnam's workforce to develop the economy of Vietnam, in order to coordinate national defense and the economy. The VPA has regularly sent troops to aid with natural disasters such as flooding, landslides etc. The VPA is also involved in such areas as industry, agriculture, forestry, fishery and telecommunications.
The VPA has numerous small firms which have become quite profitable in recent years. However, recent decrees have effectively prohibited the commercialisation of the military.

Organization

Minister of National Defense oversees operations of the VPA and is the Commander-in-Chief. He also oversees such agencies as the General Staff and the General Logistics Department. However, military policy is ultimately directed by the Central Military Commission of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam.
The VPA is composed of a main force and local forces. As with most countries' armed forces, the VPA consists of standing, or regular, forces as well as reserve forces. During peacetime, the standing forces are minimized in number, and kept combat-ready by regular physical and weapons training, and stock maintenance.

Branches

The Vietnam People's Army comprises various units of the main forces (''Chủ lực''), local forces (''Địa phương'') and the People's Defence Forces (''Dân quân-Tự vệ'').
It is subdivided into the following branches and sub-branches:

★ ''Vietnam Ground Force'' (Lục quân)

★ ''Vietnam Border Defense Force'' (Lực lượng Biên phòng)

★ ''Vietnam People's Navy'' (Hải quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) consists of:

★
★ (Naval Infantry (aka Marines))

★
★ ''Vietnam People's Coast Guard'' (Bộ đội Biên phòng Việt Nam)

★ ''Vietnam People's Air Defense and Air Force'' (Phòng không-Không quân nhân dân Việt Nam).
As mentioned above, reserves exist in all branches and are organized in the same way as the standing forces, with the same chain of command, and with officers and non-commissioned officers.
See Vietnamese military ranks and insignia.
Note:''Vietnam Strategic Rear Force'' (Lực lượng dự bị chiến lược) is also a part of the ground force.

International presence

The Foreign Relations Department of the Ministry of National Defense organizes international operations of the VPA.
Apart from its occupation of half of the disputed Spratly Islands, which have been claimed as Vietnamese territory since the 17th century, Vietnam has not had forces stationed internationally since its withdrawal from Cambodia and Laos in early 1990.
There is some evidence to suggest that Vietnamese forces was sent to Laos in quell the recent rebellion.

Components

Main Force

The main force of the VPA consists of combat ready troops, as well as educational institutions for logistics, officer training, and technical training. The current number stands at 450,000 regular soldiers.

Local Forces

Local forces are an entity of the VPA that, together with the militia and "self-defense forces," act on the local level in protection of people and local authorities. While the local forces are regular VPA forces, the militia consists of rural civilians, and the self-defense forces consist of civilians who live in urban areas and/or work in large groups, such as at construction sites or farms. The current number stands at 3-4 million part-time soldiers.

Manpower

The Vietnam People's Army consists of:

★ 'Military manpower - military age:' age for compulsory service: 18-27 years old; conscript service obligation - 18 months

★ 'Military manpower - availability:'

★
★ ''males age 15-49:'' 21,341,813 (2005 est.)

★ 'Military manpower - fit for military service:'

★
★ ''males age 15-49:'' 16,032,358 (2005 est.)

★ 'Military manpower - reaching military age annually:'

★
★ ''males:'' 915,572 (2005 est.)

★ 'Military manpower - total troops:'

★
★ ''9,564,000 (2nd)''

★ 'Military expenditures:' $1 billion (FY2002)

★ 'Military expenditures - percent of GDP:' 0.5% (FY2002)

External links

★ Vietnam People's Army English Edition

See also

★ Vietnam People's Air Force

★ Vietnam People's Navy

★ Vietnam People's Coast Guard

★ Vietnamese National Army