Liberation Army of South Vietnam


The Liberation Army of South Vietnam, or Viet Cong's army, was the official army of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, or more commonly known in the West as Viet Cong. The LASV forces were independent of the People's Army of Vietnam of North Vietnam, but were closely allied with each other in war against the US forces and South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam. The LASV was unofficially established after 1954 and was recognized as main battle forces in South Vietnam by North Vietnam in 1961. The LASV appeared to be outside of the control of the People's Army of Vietnam, but under the command of the Central Office for South Vietnam, politically and militarily controlled by Hanoi and functioned as a branch of the North Vietnamese Army.

Organization

According to 1954 Geneva agreements, the Viet Cong were not compulsorily removed to the North because it was a political entity, not a military force. North Vietnamese support for the Viet Cong to establish the NLF forces was allowed on the basis that it remained a militia in the South. The LASV was recognized as the official force on February 15, 1961 by North Vietnam. The LASV originally carried out operations ostensibly to protect South Vietnamese citizens from offensives by the Republic of Vietnam and the United States. Most early soldiers in the LASV were South Vietnamese. However, casualties of war forced North Vietnam to provide volunteers for the LASV. As a result, many people mistakenly believed that the LASV was a part of the People's Army of Vietnam. North Vietnam and other communist nations recognised the LASV as the main militarily force in South Vietnam and considered the People's Army of Vietnam as supporter.
After the reunification of Vietnam in 1975, the Liberation Army of South Vietnam was merged into the People's Army of Vietnam in 1976.

Developments

In January 1961, the militia in South Vietnam became the official force there. On February 15, 1961, North Vietnam recognized it as the main battle force in South Vietnam. At the end of 1961, there were 24,500 soldiers and 100,000 militants in the LASV. The LASV had 11 battalions, with commanding generals Trần Văn Trà, Hoàng Văn Thái, Lê Trọng Tấn, Lê Đức Anh, Nguyễn Thị Định, and others.
The LASV initially confined its operations to rural areas due to Ngô Đình Diệm's tough crackdown on Communist sympathizers. However, the number of soldiers still went up to 64,000 in 1963. As the result, regiments were established. Since 1964, North Vietnam started providing soldiers for the LASV by voluntary mans. The number of the LASV soldiers reached over 200,000 in December 1974, including 90,000 from the North.
The South Vietnamese and United States forces outnumbered the PAVN by at least 7 to 1 until 1965; even after 1965 the coalition forces still outnumbered the PAVN by 3 to 1.
The LASV also included urban fighting forces, especially in Saigon. These forces had mission of carrying out cover attacks against South Vietnam and American forces and its allies in urban areas, especially in Saigon. The urban special force in Saigon is famous in the 1968 Tet offensive.
The Liberation Army of South Vietnam merged into the People's Army of Vietnam after the reunification of Vietnam by the 1976 general election.

Equipment

The Viet Cong established the NLF in order to help create a Communist state in South Vietnam. PAVN forces that went to the South were sent with the express mission to aid the NLF. The NLF army had different uniforms, flags and badges to those of the PAVN.

Artillery

Handguns

The Viet Cong established the NLF army in order to create the status of independence with North Vietnam and People's Army of Vietnam. PAVN forces that were sent south had the express mission of supporting NLF operations in the south. The NLF forces had different uniforms, flags and badges to those of the PAVN. The People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam was recognized as the main battle force of the communist coalition in the Vietnam war by North Vietnam and other communist nations.
In Vietnam war, members of the NLF army had different uniforms. Their uniforms were up to circumstances.
There are not many traits to distinguish between Liberation Army of South Vietnam and People's Army of Vietnam forces. More than a half of LASV and PAVN soldiers were members of the Labor Party of Vietnam, the old name of the Communist Party of Vietnam. However, Liberation Army of South Vietnam and People's Army of Vietnam forces held different flags. The PAVN soldiers carried flags of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The LASV troops held flags of National Liberation Front. The PAVN was under the leadership of the North while LASV was under the leadership of the NLF. After the collapse of South Vietnam, the Liberation Army of South Vietnam merged into the People's Army of Vietnam. The event marked the end of the Vietnam War and the start of a transition period to the formal reunification of Vietnam under the Socialist Republic by the elections controlled by the government in 1976.
Flag of the Liberation Army of South Vietnam
Flag of the People's Army of Vietnam
For propaganda purposes of dividing forces of enemies, the ARVN and the US army always said that the LASV was comprehensively independent to the People's Army of Vietnam.
In South Vietnam, members of the Communist Party of Vietnam held membership of the People's Revolutionary Party.
According to American documents, the main battle forces in South Vietnam were the NLF army, not the People's Army of Vietnam.

Significant victories

[Commanders]

Political Commissars

No.Name Periodothers position
1Phạm Thái Bường 1961–1962Bí thư Khu ủy 9, Ủy viên thường vụ Trung ương Cục miền Nam
2Trần Nam Trung 1962–1964Ủy viên Quốc phòng Mặt trận Dân tộc Giải phóng miền Nam
Bộ trưởng Quốc phòng Chính phủ Cách mạng lâm thời Cộng hòa Miền Nam Việt Nam
3Nguyễn Chí Thanh 1964–1967Bí thư Trung ương Cục miền Nam
4Phạm Hùng 1967–1975Bí thư Trung ương Cục miền Nam

Chiefs of Staff

Other leaders

Battle forces

If a LASV unit has the same name with a PAVN unit, the LASV name will be added the letter of B after the number.