Jojin V. John General Vo Nguyen Giap : Petras, J., and H. Veltmeyer. 2001. Globalization Unmasked: Imperialism in the The National Hero Par Excellence 21st Century. London: Zed. M. Prayaga * Rossi, I. ed. 2008. Frontiers of Globalization Research. Theoretical and Methodological Approaches. New York: Springer. Scholte, J.A. 2005. Globalization - a critical introduction. 2nd ed. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan. General Vo Nguyen Giap, one of the eminent generals to Susan Strange.1996. The Retreat of the State: The Diffusion of Power in the World champion the national cause in Twentieth century, left an Economy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. indelible mark in the country's history, thanks to his immense The Korea Times.2006. “Ban Nominated as Next UN Leader.” The Korea battlefield accomplishments in Vietnam. Gen. Giap's name looms Times, October 9. large in Vietnam's political and military milieu as he dedicated Yoon, Esook. 2006. “South Korean Environmental Foreign Policy.” Asia- himself to the achievement of independence and reunification of Pacific Review. 13( 2): 74-96. the country. Giap's military genius was acclaimed especially after the victories against the vastly superior forces of the French and the United States and his name became uppermost in Vietnamese peoples' mind, evidently next to the Vietnamese legendary, Ho Chi Minh. Giap showed deep respect for Ho Chi Minh, who, having inspired the very liberation movement, took it to fruitful heights in Vietnam and encouraged Giap to take up the military task in fulfilling the long-cherished national goals. Giap, the most trusted lieutenant of Ho Chi Minh, discharged entrusted duties to him with at most devotion and dedication. His unparalleled successes, inspired the western authors to name him as 'Red Napoleon' and to place him in the galaxy of military generals par excellence of Twentieth century. During his supremacy spanning five decades (1940-1990), Giap held powerful positions. Having become a centenarian who registered memorable victories, Giap passed away on 4 October 2013 in a military hospital in Hanoi. Giap, a born revolutionary, was a master architect of guerrilla war * Dr. M. Prayaga, Assistant Professor, Centre for Southeast Asian & Pacific Studies, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, 517502, E-mail: [email protected] Acknowledgments : The author would like to thank Prof. A. Lakshmana Chetty and Prof. K. Raja Reddy, Former Directors and most beloved teachers, Centre for Southeast Asian & Pacific Studies, S.V. University, Tirupati, for their contributory inputs in this article. 28 Area Studies Area Studies, Vol.7(2), July - December 2013, pp. 29-47 29 M. Prayaga General Vo Nguyen Giap : The National Hero Par Excellence and an impassioned writer. He showed his moral courage and Giap's determination to fight for national cause made him a uprightness in being critical of his own governmental errors and member of Indochina Communist Party (ICP) which was human lapses. founded by Ho Chi Minh, the renowned leader of Vietnam. While On the occasion of his demise, it is appropriate to recall the valid ICP was outlawed by the French for its revolutionary activities, 3 contributions made by Giap to the national cause of Vietnamese Giap along with another revolutionary Pham Van Dong jointly independence and reunification. formed the Indochinese Democratic Front to sustain the revolutionary activities in the country. With the fall of popular Early Life government in France in 1939, the police repression was Vo Nguyen Giap was born on 25 August 1911 in a peasant family intensified against the revolutionaries in Vietnam and thus forced in An Xa, a village in Quang Binh province. He had a good grasp many revolutionaries to flee the country in the name of self-exile. of heroic Vietnamese history and the Chinese classics. He also Giap, his wife Nguyen Thi Minh Giang, and his sister Minh Khai drew excellent training from his father, Vo Quang Nghiem, who being members of ICP became targets of the French police. In had vehemently opposed the French regime in Vietnam. After 1940, Giap and Pham Van Dong fled to Kunming, China, to meritorious schooling Giap joined the Quoc Hoc, or Lycee Nation continue the struggle against the French colonial rule. While in Hue, a French-language school (founded by Ngo Dinh Kha, a Giap was in exile, his wife and his sister were arrested and high court official and father of Ngo Dinh Diem, former President guillotined by the French police. Despite these ghastly tragedies of South Vietnam). Some of the alumni of Lycee Quoc Hoc such in the domestic front, he showed his fortitude and went ahead to as Ho Chi Minh, Pham Van Dong and Ngo Dinh Diem later work with other nationalist revolutionaries. At the outbreak of became prominent figures in Vietnamese national history. While the Second World War, Vietnam came under the sway of Japan. studying at Quoc Hoc, Giap came under the influence of a famous The exiled life of Giap in China brought far reaching changes in revolutionary nationalist, Phan Boi Chau and thereupon resolved his career as well as in the Vietnam's national resistance firmly to work for the liberation of the Vietnamese from foreign movement. Ho Chi Minh, who had emerged from his hibernation domination. At young age he joined Tan Viet, one of the secret launched the Vietnam Independence League (Viet Nam Doc Lap societies fighting for the independence of Vietnam.1 Being a Dong Minh Hoi), popularly known as Viet Minh in May 1941.4 member of the society, he actively participated in student political When the Viet Minh was established, it had aimed at two goals, agitations that led to his expulsion from the school. In 1930, Giap first to liberate the country from Franco-Japanese authority and organized student protests in Hue that led to his arrest and he was second, to get hold of the power to administer the country. sentenced to hard labour. After a brief period, he was released. Engrossed in Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary policies of On his release, he took up the teaching of history for livelihood independence struggle, Giap took part in the movements against and also worked as journalist for several newspapers. In order to the exploitative policies of the French and Japan. Giap helped get his zeal for higher education gratified, Giap joined the School organize resistance to Japanese occupation in Vietnam during the of Law, University of Hanoi, studied earnestly for his degree and Second World War. On 22 December 1944, Viet Minh started its received a Degree in Law in 1937 and Doctorate in Political military organ called the "Armed Propaganda Brigade for the economics in 1938. 2 Liberation" the forerunner of the present Vietnam People's Army 30 Area Studies Area Studies 31 M. Prayaga General Vo Nguyen Giap : The National Hero Par Excellence and an impassioned writer. He showed his moral courage and Giap's determination to fight for national cause made him a uprightness in being critical of his own governmental errors and member of Indochina Communist Party (ICP) which was human lapses. founded by Ho Chi Minh, the renowned leader of Vietnam. While On the occasion of his demise, it is appropriate to recall the valid ICP was outlawed by the French for its revolutionary activities, 3 contributions made by Giap to the national cause of Vietnamese Giap along with another revolutionary Pham Van Dong jointly independence and reunification. formed the Indochinese Democratic Front to sustain the revolutionary activities in the country. With the fall of popular Early Life government in France in 1939, the police repression was Vo Nguyen Giap was born on 25 August 1911 in a peasant family intensified against the revolutionaries in Vietnam and thus forced in An Xa, a village in Quang Binh province. He had a good grasp many revolutionaries to flee the country in the name of self-exile. of heroic Vietnamese history and the Chinese classics. He also Giap, his wife Nguyen Thi Minh Giang, and his sister Minh Khai drew excellent training from his father, Vo Quang Nghiem, who being members of ICP became targets of the French police. In had vehemently opposed the French regime in Vietnam. After 1940, Giap and Pham Van Dong fled to Kunming, China, to meritorious schooling Giap joined the Quoc Hoc, or Lycee Nation continue the struggle against the French colonial rule. While in Hue, a French-language school (founded by Ngo Dinh Kha, a Giap was in exile, his wife and his sister were arrested and high court official and father of Ngo Dinh Diem, former President guillotined by the French police. Despite these ghastly tragedies of South Vietnam). Some of the alumni of Lycee Quoc Hoc such in the domestic front, he showed his fortitude and went ahead to as Ho Chi Minh, Pham Van Dong and Ngo Dinh Diem later work with other nationalist revolutionaries. At the outbreak of became prominent figures in Vietnamese national history. While the Second World War, Vietnam came under the sway of Japan. studying at Quoc Hoc, Giap came under the influence of a famous The exiled life of Giap in China brought far reaching changes in revolutionary nationalist, Phan Boi Chau and thereupon resolved his career as well as in the Vietnam's national resistance firmly to work for the liberation of the Vietnamese from foreign movement. Ho Chi Minh, who had emerged from his hibernation domination. At young age he joined Tan Viet, one of the secret launched the Vietnam Independence League (Viet Nam Doc Lap societies fighting for the independence of Vietnam.1 Being a Dong Minh Hoi), popularly known as Viet Minh in May 1941.4 member of the society, he actively participated in student political When the Viet Minh was established, it had aimed at two goals, agitations that led to his expulsion from the school.