Đàm Quang Trung

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.^[1][3]

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.^[1]

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.^[3]

During the Vietnam war, he was promoted to the rank of major general in 1974, then lieutenant general in 1980.^[3]