Minister of Defence (Vietnam) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Minister of National Defence
Emblem of Vietnam with the MOD's banner
Incumbent Phan Văn Giang since 8 April 2021
Ministry of Defence
Style	His Excellency
Member of	Cabinet
Reports to	The President The Prime Minister
Appointer	The President
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	8 May 1945
First holder	Chu Văn Tấn
Deputy	Vice Minister of Defence
Website	www.mod.gov.vn

The Minister of National Defence (also called the Defence Minister) is a very important person in the Government of Vietnam. This person is in charge of the Ministry of National Defence. Their main job is to manage all the defense activities for the country.

The Defence Minister also holds other key roles. They are a top leader in the Vietnam People’s Army. This includes the regular army, the militia, and the self-defence forces. The current Defence Minister is Army General Phan Văn Giang. He has held this position since April 8, 2021.

What Does the Minister of National Defence Do?

The Minister of National Defence leads Vietnam's military and defense efforts. They make sure the country is safe and protected. This includes planning for national security and managing the armed forces.

The Minister works closely with other top leaders. They help make big decisions about how Vietnam's military operates. This role is crucial for keeping peace and order in the country.

Who is in Charge?

In Vietnam, there's a clear order of leadership for the military and defense. The Minister of Defence reports to even higher authorities.

Here's the chain of command, from the top:

• The General Secretary of the Communist Party
• The President
• The Prime Minister
• The Minister of Defence
• The Chief of the General Political Department
• The Chief of the General Staff
• The Deputy Ministers of Defence

Past Leaders: Ministers of Defence

Many important leaders have served as the Minister of Defence for Vietnam. They have guided the country's defense through different times. Below is a list of these ministers and when they served.

No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Rank	Prime Minister
Minister of Defence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1945 – 76)
1	—	Chu Văn Tấn (1909–1984)	May 8, 1945	March 1946	—	Ho Chi Minh
2		Phan Anh (1912–1989)	March 1946	May 11, 1946	—
3		Võ Nguyên Giáp (1911–2013)	May 11, 1946	May 8, 1947	—
4		Tạ Quang Bửu (1910–1986)	May 8, 1947	May 8, 1948	—
3		Võ Nguyên Giáp (1911–2013)	May 8, 1948	July 2, 1976	5
						Phạm Văn Đồng
					7
Minister of Defence of the Republic of South Vietnam (1969 – 76)
—	—	Trần Nam Trung (1912–2009)	June 8, 1969	July 2, 1976	—	Huỳnh Tấn Phát
Minister of Defence of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (1976 – present)
1		Võ Nguyên Giáp (1911–2013)	July 2, 1976	February 1980	4	Phạm Văn Đồng
2		Văn Tiến Dũng (1917–2002)	February 1980	February 16, 1987	6
					—
3		Lê Đức Anh (1920–2019)	February 16, 1987	August 9, 1991	6	Phạm Văn Đồng
						Phạm Hùng
						Đỗ Mười
4		Đoàn Khuê (1922–1999)	August 9, 1991	December 29, 1997	5	Đỗ Mười
						Võ Văn Kiệt
					6
5		Phạm Văn Trà (born 1937)	December 29, 1997	June 28, 2006	5	Phan Văn Khải
					11
6		Phùng Quang Thanh (1949-2021)	June 28, 2006	April 8, 2016	8	Nguyễn Tấn Dũng
					2
7		Ngô Xuân Lịch (born 1954)	April 9, 2016	April 7, 2021	—	Nguyễn Xuân Phúc
					6
8		Phan Văn Giang (born 1960)	April 8, 2021	Incumbent	—	Phạm Minh Chính
					12

See Also

• Prime Minister of Vietnam
• Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam