Nguyễn Thị Định facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Her Excellency Major General Nguyễn Thị Định
Vice President of Vietnam
In office 19 April 1987 – 19 July 1992
Preceded by	Lê Quang Đạo
Succeeded by	Nguyễn Thị Bình
Personal details
Born	15 March 1920
Died	26 August 1992 (aged 72)
Political party	Communist Party of Vietnam
Awards	Hero of the People's Armed Forces Lenin Peace Prize
Military service
Allegiance	Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam Vietnam
Branch/service	People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam
Years of service	1965-1975
Rank	Major General
Commands	Deputy Commander of the People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam

Nguyễn Thị Định (born March 15, 1920 – died August 26, 1992) was a very important leader in Vietnam. She was the first woman to become a general in the Vietnam People's Army. She also became the first female Vice President of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, she was a deputy commander for the National Liberation Front. People often called her "the most important Southern woman revolutionary" of the war. She even led a special group of all-female fighters called the "Long-Haired Army." They worked to gather information and fought against enemy forces.

Her Early Life and Fight for Freedom

Nguyễn Thị Định grew up in a farming family in Bến Tre Province, Vietnam. She joined the Viet Minh forces, a group fighting for Vietnam's independence from French rule. Between 1940 and 1943, the French colonial government arrested and imprisoned her. During this time, she sadly lost her first husband while he was also in prison.

Leading Rebellions

After her release, Nguyễn Thị Định helped lead a rebellion in Bến Tre in 1945. Later, in 1960, she led another uprising. This time, it was against the government of Ngô Đình Diệm. She was also a founding member of the National Liberation Front (NLF). This group played a big role in the Vietnam War.

The Long-Haired Warriors

In 1965, Nguyễn Thị Định was chosen to be the chairwoman of the South Vietnam Women's Liberation Association. The famous Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh gave the women in this group a special name: the "long-haired warriors." Many women joined the National Liberation Front because they hoped for changes in how women were seen and treated in society.

After the War

After the Vietnam War ended and Vietnam became one united country, Madame Định continued to serve her nation. She became a member of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party. She also made history as the first female major general in the Vietnam People's Army.

A National Leader

From 1987 until her death, she served as one of the Deputy Chairmen of the Council of State. This was a very high position in the government. Along with Madame Nguyễn Thị Bình, she is known as one of the most important female communist leaders in Vietnam's history.

Awards and Recognition

Nguyễn Thị Định received the Lenin Peace Prize in 1967 for her efforts towards peace. In 1995, after she passed away, she was given the title Hero of the People's Armed Forces. This is a very high honor for bravery and service.

Her Legacy

Her life story and experiences were written down in her memoirs, which were translated and published in 1976. She was also interviewed for a documentary called Vietnam: A Television History. In 1984, she contributed a piece called "The braided army" to a book about women's movements around the world, titled Sisterhood Is Global: The International Women's Movement Anthology.

Images for kids

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  Nguyen Thi Dinh memorial.

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  Memorial temple to Nguyen Thi Dinh