Liberation Army of South Vietnam

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Liberation Army of South Vietnam Quân Giải phóng miền Nam Việt Nam
The flag of the LASV, variant of the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, inspired by the flag of the People's Army of Vietnam
Active	January 1961 – July 2, 1976
Country	Republic of South Vietnam
Allegiance	Central Office for South Vietnam
Type	Irregular military Light infantry
Role	Asymmetric warfare Unconventional Warfare
Size	24,000 (1961) 64,000 (1963) 290,000 (1974)
Engagements	Vietnam War
Insignia
Emblem

The Liberation Army of South Vietnam (LASV), or People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam (PLAF), also referred as the Liberation Army (Vietnamese: Giải phóng quân), was the official army of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLF), or more commonly known in the West as the Viet Cong (VC). The LASV forces were independent of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 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 (ARVN). 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.^[1]

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.^[2] 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 primary militarily force in South Vietnam and considered the People's Army of Vietnam to be its parent organization.^[3] 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 290,000 in December 1974, including 90,000 from the South.^[4]

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.^[2]

Equipment[]

A selection of weaponry in NLF service

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.

Uniform and personal arms of an NLF guerrilla

Small arms[]

A Liberation Army of South Vietnam (LASV) soldier carrying his AK-47 rifle, standing beneath an NLF flag.

Viet Minh troops with PPSh-41

Liberation Army of South Vietnam (LASV) soldier, armed with SKS rifle

Handguns[]

• 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 PAVN 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

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles[]

• 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 PAVN and the LASV as military aid)
• SVD-63 Very limited use semi-automatic marksman rifle, also known as the "Dragunov" sniper rifle
• MAS-49 rifle Captured French rifle from first Indochina War, used by PAVN throughout the 1950s and up to the mid 1960s
• M16A1 American assault rifle captured from U.S and ARVN forces.
• SKS semi-automatic carbine, also known as Simonov

Bolt-action rifles[]

• MAS-36 rifle Captured French rifle from first Indochina War, used by PAVN 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 PAVN and the LASV 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 World War II

Submachine guns[]

• K-50M submachine gun (Vietnamese edition, based on Chinese version of Russian PPSh-41, produced under license)
• 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 – Captured from the French by the North Vietnamese, many were converted to 7.62×25mm.^[6]
• PM-63 Polish submachine gun
• MP-38 submachine gun (captured by the Soviets during World War II; provided to the PAVN and the NLF as military aid)
• PPS-43 Russian submachine gun

Machine guns[]

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

Grenades and other explosives[]

• F1 grenade
• Type 67 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

Flamethrowers[]

• LPO-50 flamethrower (limited use)

Artillery[]

• 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

KS-19 air defense gun

• 82-PM-41 82mm mortar
• 107 mm M1938 mortar
• M1938 120mm mortar
• M1943 160mm mortar
• Type 63 107mm rocket launcher
• BM-21 Grad 122mm rocket launcher
• 122 mm Katyusha rockets
• 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)

Aircraft weapons[]

• Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23
• Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30
• Nudelman N-37
• Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23

Activities[]

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 differing and irregular uniforms, depending on circumstances.

There are few traits to distinguish between Liberation Army of South Vietnam (LASV) and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces. Over half of LASV and PAVN soldiers were members of the Labor Party of Vietnam, the old name of the Communist Party of Vietnam. However, LASV and PAVN forces used different flags. PAVN troops carried the North Vietnamese flag, while LASV troops carried the National Liberation Front flag. The PAVN was under the leadership of the Northern government, 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, followed by the formal reunification of Vietnam under the Socialist Republic through government-controlled elections in 1976.^[7]

Flag of the National Liberation Front of South 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 force in South Vietnam was the NLF, not the People's Army of Vietnam.

List of military victories[]

• Battle of Ap Bac - 2 January, 1963
• Battle of Hiep Hoa - 22 November, 1963
• Attack on USNS Card - May 2, 1964
• Battle of An Lão - December 7–9, 1964
• Battle of Binh Gia - December 28, 1964 - January 1 1965
• Attack on Camp Holloway
• Battle of Ba Gia
• Battle of Dong Xoai
• Operation Starlite (both sides claimed victory)
• Battle of Gang Toi
• Battle of Dak To (both sides claimed victory)
• Battle of Xa Cam My
• Attack on the SS Baton Rouge Victory
• Battle of Ong Thanh
• Battle of Snuol
• Battle of FSB Mary Ann
• Battle of Loc Ninh
• Battle of Phước Long
• Ho Chi Minh campaign
• Battle of Ban Me Thuot
• Hue–Da Nang Campaign
• Fall of Saigon

Significant leaders[]

Commanders[]

Political Commissars[]

Chiefs of Staff[]

Other leaders[]

Battle forces[]

If a LASV unit has the same name with a PAVN unit, the LASV name will have the letter "B" added after the unit number.^[3]

• Tây Nguyên Corps (Main battle force in Central Highlands area)
• Cửu Long Corps (Main battle force in Mekong Delta area)
• (Main battle force in Central Highlands area)
• (Main battle force in South Central Coast area)
• Sao Vàng (Golden Star) (Main battle force in South Central Coast area)
• (Main battle force in the South)
• (Main battle force in Mekong Delta area)
• (Main battle force in Southeastern area)
• (Main battle force in the South)
• (Main battle force in Mekong Delta area)
• (Main battle force in the South)
• (Main battle force in Central Highlands area)
• Division 31
• (Main battle force in the South)
• (Main battle force in Central Highlands area)
• Special forces Division 305

References[]