People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam

The People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF), or Viet Cong's army was the official army of National Liberation Front of South Vietnam. The PLAF forces were independent forces to People's Army of Vietnam. The PLAF was unofficially established after 1954 and was recognized as main battle forces in South Vietnam by North Vietnam in 1961. The PLAF forces was legistimately independent on People's Army of Vietnam but politically because more than a half of troops in The PLAF forces were members of Labor Party of Vietnam, the old name of Communist Party of Vietnam.

Organisation

According to 1954 Geneva agreements, the Viet Cong was not compulsorily removed to the North because it was a political entity, not a military force. The NorthVietnamese support for the Viet Cong to establish the NLF forces was on the basis that it remained a milita in the South. The PLAF was recognized as the official force on February 15, 1961 by North Vietnam. The PLAF had missions of protecting South Vietnamese against attacks of Republic of Vietnam and the US.^[1] Most early soldiers in the PLAF were South Vietnamese. However, casuaties of war forced North Vietnam to provide volunteers for the PLAF. As the result, many people mistakenly believe that the PLAF was a part of the People's Army of Vietnam. Democratic Republic of Vietnam and other communist nations recognised the PLAF as the main militarily force in South Vietnam and considered the People's Army of Vietnam as supporter.^[2] After the reunification of Vietnam, the PLAF was merged into the People's Army of Vietnam.

Developments

January, 1961, the militia in South Vietnam became the official forces. 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 PLAF. The PLAF had 11 battalions. Generals were Trần Văn Trà, Hoàng Văn Thái, Lê Trọng Tấn, Lê Đức Anh, Nguyễn Thị Định...

The PLAF only acted in rural areas due to hostile activities of Ngô Đình Diệm's regime. 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 PLAF by voluntary mans. The number of the PLAF soldiers reached over 200,000 in December 1974, including 90,000 from the North.^[3]

The balance between the PLAF and coalition of US army and ARVN

"1959 - 1960, coalition 7, the PLAF 1 (the US had not taken part in);
1960: coalition 10, the PLAF 1;
1961: coalition 7, the PLAF 1;
1962 - 1963: coalition 5, the PLAF 1;
1965 cho đến 1968: coalition 3, the PLAF 1. (The US and People's Army of Vietnam started their intervention).

The PLAF also had forces of urban special forces, especially in Saigon. These forces had mission of carrying out non-appropriate attacks against the puppet regime of Saigon and American forces and its allies in urban areas, especially in Saigon. The urban special force of Saigon is famous in the 1968 Tet offensive.

The PLAF merged into the People's Army of Vietnam after the reunification of Vietnam by the 1976 general election.^[4]

Equipments

Viet Cong established the NLF army in order to create the status of independence with North Vietnam and People's Army of Vietnam. Forces of PAVN, that went to the South, had the only missions of support for the NLF army. The NLF army had different uniforms, flags and bagdes to those of the PAVN.

Artillery

Provided by People's Army of Vietnam

ZPU-4 quad 14.5 mm anti-aircraft machine gun
ZU-23 twin 23 mm anti-aircraft cannon
M1939 37 mm anti-aircraft gun
S-60 57 mm anti-aircraft gun
85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K)
100 mm air defense gun KS-19

The KS-19

82 mm, 107 mm, 120 mm, and 160mm mortars
122 mm Katyusha rockets
Type 63 multiple rocket launcher
BM-21 Grad
BM-25 (MRL) limited numbers
122 mm gun M1931/37 (A-19)
122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30)
D-74 122 mm Field Gun
130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)
152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1)
152 mm towed gun-howitzer M1955 (D-20)
75mm Pack Howitzer M1
105 mm Howitzer M2A1

War booty from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

Aircraft weapons

Provided by People's Army of Vietnam

War booty from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

M61 Vulcan, 20 mm (from shot down aircraft)
M39 cannon, 20 mm (from shot down aircraft)
Minigun, 7.62 mm (from shot down aircraft and helicopters)
M197 Gatling gun, 20 mm
M60 machine gun, 7.62mm (from shot down helicopters)

Small arms

People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF)troop stands beneath a Vietcong flag carrying his AK-47 rifle.

A U.S. Army M.P. inspects a Soviet AK-47 recovered in Vietnam in 1968.

Vietnamese Communist troops with PPSh-41

People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF) soldier with SKS

Handguns

Provided by People's Army of Vietnam

Tokarev TT-33 - Soviet-designed single-action 7.62×25mm semi-automatic pistol. More commonly used were the Chinese variants of the T33, known as the Type-51 and Type-54. Carried by NVA and Viet-Cong officers, it accepted an 8 round single stack box magazine.^[5]
Makarov PM - Soviet-designed double/single-action 9×18mm Makarov (9.5×18mm) semi-automatic pistol. Reproduced in China as the Type-59, this small and reliable pistol became the standard sidearm of communist forces in Europe and Asia. Utilizing a simple blow-back action, this self-loading pistol fed from an 8 round single stack box magazine.^[5]
P-64 CZAK handgun
Nagant M1895 revolver
Type 14 8 mm Nambu Pistol Pistol (Captured from the Japanese) Used By North Vietnamese officers
Stechkin automatic pistol is a Russian selective fire machine pistol.
Walther P38 German pistol captured during World War II by the Soviet Army; supplied to the Viet Cong in very limited amounts

War booty from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

Automatic and Semi-Automatic Rifles

Provided by People's Army of Vietnam

AK-47 and AKM assault rifles (from the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries)
Type 56 assault rifle (from the People's Republic of China)
Vz. 58 assault rifle (from the Czechoslovakia)
Type 63 assault rifle
Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifle (captured by the Soviets during World War II and provided to the VPA and the PLAF as military aid)
SVD-63 semi-automatic marksman rifle, also known as the "Dragunov" sniper rifle
MAS-49 rifle Captured French rifle from first Indochina War, used by NVA throughout the 1950s and up to the mid 1960s
SVT-40 Soviet rifle used in limited numbers, used in early stages of the war.
SKS semi-automatic carbine, also known as Simonov

War booty from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

A U.S. soldier with an M14 watches as supplies are dropped in Vietnam, 1967.

Bolt-Action Rifles

MAS-36 rifle Captured French rifle from first Indochina War, used by NVA in earlier stages of the Vietnam War
Mosin–Nagant bolt-action rifles and carbines (from the Soviet Union, Warsaw Pact countries, and the People's Republic of China)
Mauser Kar98k bolt-action rifle (many of the Mausers used by the VPA and the PLAF were from rifles captured from the French during the First Indochina War and rifles provided to them by the Soviets as military aid)
Type 99 Rifle captured from the Japanese during WWII

Submachine Guns

Provided by People's Army of Vietnam

K-50M submachine gun (Vietnamese edition, based on Chinese version of Russian PPSh-41, under licence)
Škorpion vz. 61 sumbmachine gun from Czechoslovakia
PPSh-41 submachine gun (both Soviet and Chinese versions)
MP-40 German sub machine captured during World War II by the Soviet Army, supplied to the Viet Cong in limited amounts
MAT-49 submachine gun - So many were captured by the North Vietnamese that they converted many to 7.62×25mm.^[6]
PM-63 Poland submachine gun.
MP-38 submachine gun (captured by the Soviets during World War II and provided to the VPA and the NLF as military aid)
PPS-43 submachine gun

War booty from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

US Marine fires his M60 machine gun at an enemy position during the Battle of Huế.

L2A1 AR - Full-automatic capable version of the L1A1 SLR used by ANZAC forces
Stoner M63a Commando & Mark 23 Mod.0 - used by U.S. Navy SEALs and tested by Force Recon ^[6]
M60 machine gun GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun) Standard General Purpose Machine Gun for the US, Australian, New Zealand, and South Vietnamese forces. ^[6]
M1918A2 - Browning Automatic Rifle Issued to troops during the early stages of the war, but was replaced by the M60 machine gun.
M1917 Browning machine gun - A .30cal heavy machine gun issued to some machine gunners in the South Vietnamese Army and also in limited use by the US Army.
M1919 Browning machine gun - Vehicle and helicopter mounted machine gun. Also fitted to Australian M113 Light Reconnaissance Vehicles.^[6]
Heckler & Koch HK21 - Used by Thai forces.
Colt CMG-2 Experimental light machinegun deployed by SEAL Team 2 in 1970.^[6]
Browning M2HB .50cal Heavy Machine Gun ^[6]

Shotguns from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

Ithaca 37

Sniper/Marksman Rifles from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

M1917 Enfield - Limited numbers were used by the South Vietnamese.
Lee-Enfield - Used by ANZAC Forces.
M1C/D Garand - Limited numbers were used by the South Vietnamese.
M1903A4 Springfield - Used by the USMC throughout the war, replaced by the M40.
M21 Sniper Weapon System - Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) used by the US Army.
M40 - Bolt-action sniper rifle meant to replace the M1903 Springfield rifle; used by the US Marines.

Machine Guns

Provided by People's Army of Vietnam

Type 99 LMG
RPD light machine gun
Degtyarev DP light machine gun
SG-43/SGM medium machine guns (including Communist Chinese copies of these guns)
RPK light machine gun
PK machine gun
MG-34 light machine gun (captured by the Soviets during World War II and provided to the VPA and the NLF as military aid)
MG-42 medium machine gun (captured by the Soviets during World War II and provided to the VPA and the NLF as military aid)
Uk vz. 59 general-purpose machine gun
DShK heavy machine gun
PM M1910 heavy machine gun

War booty from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

Grenades and other explosives

Provided by People's Army of Vietnam

F1 grenade
Type 67 ChiCom Stick Grenade
RG-42 grenade
RGD-5 grenade
9K32 Strela-2 anti-aircraft weapon
RPG-2 anti-tank weapon (both Soviet and locally produced B-40 and B-50 variants used)
RPG-7 anti-tank weapon
Type 69 RPG anti-tank weapon

War booty from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

Claymore anti-personnel mine in use in Vietnam

Flamethrowers

Provided by People's Army of Vietnam

LPO-50 Flamethrower (limited use)

War booty from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

Vehicles

Provided by People's Army of Vietnam

PT-76 amphibious tank
Type 62 light tank
Type 63 amphibious tank
BTR-40 APC
BTR-50 APC
BTR-60 APC
BTR-152 APC
BRDM-1
BRDM-2
Type 63 APC
Type 63 anti-aircraft self-propelled systems
ZSU-57-2 anti-aircraft self-propelled systems
ZSU-23-4 anti-aircraft self-propelled systems
T-34-85 medium tank, used in limited numbers
T-54/55 main battle tanks
Type 59 main battle tanks
IS-2/3/10 Heavy tank supplied by the USSR and was used in limited numbers by the NVA. Used up to the early 1960s.
SU-100 self-propelled guns in limited numbers.
Bicycles

War booty from Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, United States Army and their other allies

M38A1 1/4 ton jeep
Ford M151 MUTT 1/4 ton Military Utility Tactical Truck (jeep)
Dodge M37, 3/4 ton truck
Kaiser-Jeep M715 1¼ ton truck
Truck, cargo/troops, 2½ ton (deuce and a half)
Truck, cargo/troops, 5 ton
M520 Goer Truck, Cargo, 8-ton, 4×4
Land Rover short and long wheelbase - Australian and New Zealand forces.
M135 troop/Cargo trucks, 2 1/2 ton
M211 Cargo/troop truck, 2 1/2 ton
M24 Chaffee Light tank - Main ARVN tank early in the war, used at least as late as the Tet Offensive.
M41 Walker Bulldog Light tank - Replaced the M24 Chaffee as the main ARVN tank in 1964-1965.
M48 Patton medium tank - Main tank of the US Army and Marines throughout the war, and also used by ARVN forces late-war.
M67 "Zippo" - Flamethrower variant of the M48 Patton.
M551 Sheridan Armored Reconnaissance Airborne Assault Vehicle/Light Tank - Used by the US Army from 1969
M113 APC (Armored Personnel Carrier)
- M113 ACAV Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle
M163 Vulcan Is a self-propelled anti-aircraft tank
M3 Half-track Used by South Vietnamese forces early in the war.
M8 Greyhound Used by ARVN forces early in the war.
Cadillac Gage V-100 Commando
Mark I PBRs (Patrol Boat River)
M114 Reconnaissance vehicle
M42 Duster (M41 light tank based hull, with a twin 40 mm antiaircraft gun mounted on an open turret)
Gun trucks, 2½ and 5 ton cargo trucks with quad .50 cal machine guns mounted in the back
M3 halftracks with quad .50 cal machine guns in the back
M151A1C with M40 recoilless rifle 106 mm.
Jeeps with mounted M60 machine guns
Land Rovers with single and twin M60 machine guns mounted from Australian and NZ forces

Activities

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 People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF) and People's Army of Vietnam forces. More than a half of People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF) and People's Army of Vietnam soldiers were members of the Labor Party of Vietnam, the old name of the Communist Party of Vietnam. However, People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF) and People's Army of Vietnam forces hold different flags. The PAVN soldiers hold flags of Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF) troops hold flags of Viet Cong. The PAVN was under the leadership of Democratic Republic of Vietnam while National Liberation Front of South Vietnam army was under the leadership of Viet Cong. After the collpase of Saigon regime, the People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF) merged into 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 general election in 1976.^[7]

Flag of the People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF)

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 NLF army was comprehensively independent to the People's Army of Vietnam.

In South Vietnam, members of the Communist Party of Vietnam had membership of the People's Revolutionary Party.

Exactly, Democratic Republic of Vietnam and Viet Cong are two different governments with two different armies of theirs.

According to American documents, the main battle forces in South Vietnam is the NLF army not the People's Army of Vietnam.

Support from People's Army of Vietnam

In Vietnam, it is said that: "The North, the great rear, supports for the South, the great front".^[8] People's Army of Vietnam comprehensively support for the PLAF, including personels, weapons, logistics, advisers, commanders, political assistance, etc.^[9]

Support of personels

People's Army of Vietnam provided advisers, commanders and volutary troops for the PLAF. The PLAF and the People's Army of Vietnam had a extremely close ties.^[10]

There are two ways of supporting. Firstly, north Vietnamese volunteers directedly submited for joining the PLAF. Then, the People's Army of Vietnam would help those volunteers to be trained and to entry the South. Secondly, north Vietnamese volunteers had submited for joining the People's Army of Vietnam. Then, volunteers would be trained by the People's Army of Vietnam. After that, volunteers would submit for joining the PLAF. The People's Army of Vietnam would help those volunteers exchange identity documents. As the result, those volunteers became members of the PLAF. The People's Army of Vietnam also transfered those volunteers as the first way.^[11] However, tracing the first identity document of those volunteers is a challenging problem in the process of finding sacrificed soldiers due to the differences in documents.^[12]

Significant victories

Battle of Ap Bac; Battle of Binh Gia; Battle of Dong Xoai; Battle of Van Tuong or Operation Starlite; Battle of Nui Thanh; Battle of Ba Gia; Defeating Operation Junction City; Victories in the 1968 Tet Offensive; Victories in the 1972 Easter Offensive; Victories in the 1975 Battle of Ban Me Thuot; Victories in the 1975 Battle of Phuoc Long; Victories in the 1975 Battle of Xuan Loc; Victories in the 1975 Hue–Da Nang Campaign; Victories in the 1975 Hồ Chí Minh Campaign.

Significant leaders

Commanders

No.	Name (allias)	Period	others position
1	Trần Văn Quang (Bảy Tiến)	1961-1963	Tư lệnh kiêm Chính ủy Quân khu Trị - Thiên (1966-1973)
2	Trần Văn Trà (Tư Chi)	1963-1967	Phó Bí thư Quân ủy, Phó tư lệnh Miền (1968-1972)
3	Hoàng Văn Thái (Mười Khang)	1967-1973	Phó Bí thư Quân ủy (1967-1973), Tư lệnh kiêm Chính ủy Quân khu 5 (1966-1967)
4	Trần Văn Trà (Tư Chi)	1973-1975	Phó Bí thư Quân ủy, Phó tư lệnh Miền (1968-1972)

Political Commisars

No.	Name (allias)	Period	others position
1	Phạm Thái Bường (Ba Bường)	1961-1962	Bí thư Khu ủy 9 (1969-1974), Ủy viên thường vụ Trung ương Cục miền Nam (1965-1974)
2	Trần Nam Trung (Hai Hậu)	1962-1964	Ủy viên Quốc phòng Mặt trận Dân tộc Giải phóng miền Nam (1961-1976) Bộ trưởng Quốc phòng Chính phủ Cách mạng lâm thời Cộng hòa Miền Nam Việt Nam (1969-1976)
3	Nguyễn Chí Thanh (Sáu Di)	1964-1967	Bí thư Trung ương Cục miền Nam (1964-1967)
4	Phạm Hùng (Hai Hùng)	1967-1975	Bí thư Trung ương Cục miền Nam (1967-1975)

Chief of Staff

No.	Name (allias)	Period	others position
2	Lê Đức Anh (Sáu Nam)	1964-1969	Phó Tư lệnh Miền (1964-1969, 1974-1975), Tư lệnh Quân khu 9 (1969-1974)
3	Nguyễn Minh Châu (Năm Ngà)	1969-1970	Tư lệnh Quân khu 6 (1963-1969), Tham mưu phó Miền (1970-1974)
4	Hoàng Cầm (Năm Thạch)	1970-1974	Tư lệnh Công trường 9
5	Nguyễn Minh Châu (Năm Ngà)	1974-1975	Tư lệnh Quân khu 6 (1963-1969), Tham mưu phó Miền (1970-1974)

Others leaders

nhỏ|phải|Nguyễn Thị Định, nữ tướng của Quân Giải phóng miền Nam Việt Nam

No.	Name (allias)	Position
1	Nguyễn Thị Định (Ba Định)	Deputy chief of commander (1965-1975)
2	Đồng Văn Cống (Bảy Cống)	Tư lệnh Quân khu 3 (1964-1968) Phó tư lệnh Miền (1965-1972) Tư lệnh Quân khu 1 (1972-1975)
3	Nguyễn Hữu Xuyến (Tám Kiến Quốc)	Phó tư lệnh Miền (1965-1974)
4	Lê Trọng Tấn (Ba Long)	Phó tư lệnh Miền (1965-1971)
5	Trần Độ (Chín Vinh)	Phó chính ủy Miền (1965-1974)
6	Trần Quý Hai	Tư lệnh B5 (1968, 1971-1972)
6	Lê Quang Đạo	Chính ủy B5 (1968, 1971-1972)
7	Chu Huy Mân	Tư lệnh Quân khu 5 (1967-1975)
8	Lê Văn Tưởng (Hai Chân)	Chủ nhiệm Chính trị Miền (1961-1965, 1967-1975), Chính ủy Công trường 9 (1965-1967), Phó chính ủy Miền (1972-1975)
9	Trần Văn Nghiêm (Hai Nghiêm)	Tham mưu phó Miền (1965-1975)
10	Đàm Văn Ngụy	Tư lệnh Công trường 7 (1972-1973)
11	Nguyễn Hòa	Phó tư lệnh B5 (1967-1968), Tư lệnhCông trường 5 (1965-1966), Công trường 7 (1966-1967)
11	Dương Cự Tẩm	Cục phó Chính trị Miền (1964-1966), Chính ủy Công trường 7 (1966-1967), Phó chính ủy Quân khu 3 (1968-1969), Chính ủy Quân khu 2 (1969-1974), Chính ủy Quân khu 7 (1974)
12	Lê Tự Đồng	Chính ủy B5 (1969–1972), Chính ủy Quân khu Trị Thiên (1972-1975), Tư lệnh Quân khu Trị Thiên (1974-1975)
12	Đoàn Khuê	Phó chính ủy Quân khu 5 (1963-1975)
12	Trần Văn Phác (Tám Trần)	Chủ nhiệm Chính trị Bộ tư lệnh miền
13	Bùi Phùng	Chủ nhiệm Hậu cần Bộ tư lệnh Miền
14	Nguyễn Thành Thơ (Mười Khẩn)	Tư lệnh Quân khu 3 (1961-1964)
15	Nguyễn Văn Bé (Tám Tùng)	Chính ủy Quân khu 3
16	Nguyễn Đôn	Tư lệnh Quân khu 5 (1961-1967)

Battle forces

Division 1 (Main battle force in Central Highlands (Vietnam) area)
Division 2 (Main battle force in South Central Coast area)
Division 3 Sao Vàng (Golden Star) (Main battle force in South Central Coast area)
Division 303 (Main battle force in the South)
Division 4 (Main battle force in the South)
Division 5 (Main battle force in Mekong Delta area)
Division 325 (Main battle force in Central Highlands (Vietnam) area)
Division 6 (Main battle force in Southeast (Vietnam) area)
Division 7 (Main battle force in the South)
Division 8 (Main battle force in Mekong Delta area)
Division 9 (Main battle force in the South)
Division 10 (Main battle force in Central Highlands (Vietnam) area)

Chú thích

Template:Tham khảo

Template:Viet Cong's army-People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF)

References

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