It's been all over the news this weekend but in case you missed it, General Vo Nguyen Giap, who ousted both the French and Americans from Vietnam died in Hanoi last Friday at the age of 102. Later in life, he advocated for closer economic ties with the west and warned about the environmental costs of industrialization.
At the time of his death, Giap was living legend having led the Viet Minh, and later the Vietnam People's Army, to victory against better equipped and trained French and American forces. He famously delivered the knockout blow to the French at the battle of Điện Biên Phủ (1954) and orchestrated the Tết Offensive (1968), the Easter Offensive (1972) and the final Hồ Chí Minh Campaign (1975). While military failures, the Tết and Easter offensives destroyed American military and civilian morale, leading to an eventual withdrawal and Communist victory.
Giap's life has been detailed in a number of obituaries over the weekend:
Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, Who Ousted U.S. From Vietnam, Is Dead [New York Times]
Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap dies [Tuoi Tre]
Vietnam's 'Red Napoleon' Vo Nguyen Giap dies, aged 102 [Reuters]
General Vo Nguyen Giap obituary [The Guardian]
Legendary Vietnam Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap Dies [Time]
To honor his memory, the government has declared October 12 and 13 as days of mourning and all entertainment events on these days have been canceled.
