The Chief of the Joint General Staff (Vietnamese: Tổng Tham mưu trưởng) was the highest-ranking military officer of in the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, who was responsible for maintaining the operational command of the military and its three major branches.
| Chief of the Joint General Staff | |
|---|---|
| Tổng Tham mưu trưởng (Vietnamese) | |
 Emblem for the Joint General Staff | |
 Flag of the Joint General Staff | |
 Ministry of Defense | |
| Status | Abolished |
| Member of |  Republic of Vietnam Military Forces |
| Reports to | Minister of Defense |
| Residence | Camp Trần Hưng Đạo |
| Seat | Joint General Staff |
| Appointer | President of South Vietnam |
| Formation | March 1952 |
| First holder | Nguyễn Văn Hinh |
| Final holder | Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh |
| Abolished | 30 April 1975 |
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History
editThe position was established with the creation of the General Staff of the Vietnamese National Army, in 1952. Following Vietnam's independence from France in October 1955, the title was changed to Chief of the Joint General Staff.
List of commanders
editVietnamese National Army
edit| No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lieutenant General Nguyễn Văn Hinh (1915–2004) | March 1952 | 29 November 1954 | 2 years, 8 months | [1] | |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Lê Văn Tỵ (1903–1964) | 29 November 1954 | 23 March 1958 | 3 years, 3 months | [2] |
Republic of Vietnam Military Forces
edit| No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Army General Lê Văn Tỵ (1903–1964) | 23 March 1958 | December 1962 | 4 years, 8 months | . | |
| - | Lieutenant General Trần Thiện Khiêm (1925–2021) Acting | December 1962 | August 1963 | 8 months | [3] | |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Trần Văn Đôn (1917–1998) | August 1963 | 10 January 1964 | 5 months | . | |
| 3 | Lieutenant General Nguyễn Khánh (1927–2013) | January 1964 | February 1964 | 5 months | . | |
| 4 | Lieutenant General Trần Thiện Khiêm (1925–2021) | February 1964 | October 1964 | 8 months | . | |
| (3) | Lieutenant General Nguyễn Khánh (1927–2013) | October 1964 | February 1965 | 4 months | . | |
| 5 | Lieutenant General Trần Văn Minh (1923–2009) | February 1965 | July 1965 | 5 months | [4] | |
| 6 | Lieutenant General Nguyễn Hữu Có (1925–2012) | July 1965 | October 1965 | 3 months | . | |
| 7 | General Cao Văn Viên (1921–2008) | October 1965 | 26 April 1975 | 9 years, 6 months | [5][6] | |
| 8 | Lieutenant General Đồng Văn Khuyên (1927–2015) | 27 April 1975 | 28 April 1975 | 1 day | . | |
| 9 | Lieutenant General Nguyễn Phước Vĩnh Lộc (1923–2009) | 29 April 1975 | 29 April 1975 | 0 days | . | |
| 10 | Brigadier General Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh (1926–2019) | 30 April 1975 | 30 April 1975 | 0 days | . |
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References
edit- ^ Vo, Nghia M. (2011). Saigon: A History. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 128.
The newly-formed 30,000-man South Vietnamese army (SVA) was led by Lieutenant-General Nguyễn Văn Hinh, a naturalized French citizen and a Bảo Đại admirer. Hinh, son of former Prime Minister Nguyễn Văn Tâm, ...
- ^ Luận, Nguyễn Công (2012). Nationalist in the Viet Nam Wars: Memoirs of a Victim Turned Soldier. Indiana University Press. p. ?.
General Lê Văn Tỵ was appointed joint general chief of staff, replacing General Nguyễn Văn Hinh. The remnants of the French supporters lost their foothold in the nationalist army.
- ^ Hammer, Ellen J. (1987). A Death in November: America in Vietnam, 1963. New York City: E. P. Dutton. p. 133. ISBN 0-525-24210-4.
- ^ FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES, 1964–1968, VOLUME II: VIETNAM, JANUARY-JUNE 1965
- ^ Butterfield, Fox. "The Communists Were Stunned, Too" The New York Times May 12, 1985
- ^ Holley, Joe. "Cao Van Vien, South Vietnam 4-Star General" The Washington Post January 30, 2008