Lê Quảng Ba

Lê Quảng Ba (21 April 1914 – 19 March 1988), born Đàm Văn Mông, was a Major General of Tày ethnicity in the People's Army of Vietnam active during the First Indochina War and the first individual of this ethnic group to be promoted to general officer by North Vietnam. He is famous for leading and protecting Hồ Chí Minh on his way back to Vietnam after 3 decades of living overseas.

In May 1935, following directives from higher levels, Hà Quảng Party Branch members held a conference to discuss measures to consolidate and develop the Party base; strengthen relations with the Party leadership in Longzhou and the Hòa An District Party Committee. The conference elected the first Executive Committee of the Hà Quảng District Party Committee - Lê Quảng Ba became a member of the Hà Quảng District Party Committee.

Experienced revolutionary

In the autumn of 1937, the Hà Quảng District Party Committee convened in Lũng Rường, paying particular attention to building a revolutionary base in Lục Khu. At this time, six communes in the Lục Khu region were still being ravaged by bandits from China, who were plundering, killing, and causing immense suffering to the people on both sides of the border. With the agreement of the Cao Bằng Provincial Party Committee, the Hà Quảng District Party Committee sent three key cadres: Hoàng Tô, Hoàng Sâm, and Lê Quảng Ba to the Lục Khu region to establish a base. Ba personally went to every village to mobilize locals in joining the "Anti-Bandit Association" and the "Western Resistance Association". He skillfully fought against bandits, divided them, prevented their criminal acts, while building up revolutionary forces. Hoàng Sâm (under the pseudonym "Trần Sơn Hùng") was made his deputy. Ba was a member of the local Provisional Provincial Committee and the Secretary of the Hà Quảng District Committee at the time. He also became famous for peacefully expelling the bandit chief Lỷ Síu and successfully scaring bandit groups from targeting Pác Bó. Thus, he was cemented in history as one of the key researchers and planners in this endeavor. Prior to the August Revolution, implementing the policy of expanding the revolutionary base area, Ba directly commanded an armed Propaganda unit (consisting of 54 personnel) to advance westward to Hà Giang to develop a mass base, creating opportunities for a general uprising.

Areas under the influence of Zone 12 oversaw some fighting during Operation Léa and Operation Ceinture, including a famous victory at Bông Lau Pass and attacks on Lạng Thương Prefecture. Zone 1 and Zone 12 was then merged into Inter-Region 1. When Hồ traveled to France for the Fontainebleau Conference in 1946, it was Ba, then Commander of Zone Hà Nội, who led the delegation bidding farewell to him on 31 May. to Việt Bắc to discuss mutual cooperation with the Vietnamese leadership in expelling Kuomintang remnants from Southern China, with special emphasis on the Dian-Yue-Gui area. Subsequently, a joint command was established: Lê Quảng Ba will serve as the commander; while a PLA officer named Chen Mingjiang will be the forces political commissar. The Command was designated as the Shiwandashan Area Command.

In early June 1949, Vietnamese troops set out in two directions: one from Cao Bằng and Lạng Sơn province, crossing the border into the Longzhou area; the other from Lạng Sơn and Hải Ninh (now Quảng Ninh province) to the Qinzhou and Fangcheng areas. The Shiwandashan Area Command summarized the campaign with the assessment: "The military victory was important, but [we consider] the political victory far greater."

Against French forces

On 20 August 1952, the CIA named "Lt. Colonel [...] Ba" as "a member of the DRV General Staff..." This information is consistent with reports dating back from 2 February 1952.

During the First Indochina War, Lê Quảng Ba was assigned to lead the newly formed 316th Brigade in 1951. A third of his brigade, including troops and weaponry, participated in the Upper Laos Campaign, where Việt Minh forces succeeded in taking Phongsali and Xam Neua while the rest conducted an attack on Nà Sản.

The loss of Upper Laos forced the French to withdraw from Nà Sản and abandoned their plan of linking up Xam Neua with Lai Châu and Nà Sản, extending down to Trấn Ninh, forming a continuous chain of fortified positions, a military corridor separating Laos and Vietnam, overseeing both Upper Laos and Northwestern Vietnam. Control over Mộc Châu and the province of Sơn La was fully ceded to the 316th.

In November 1953, the French command decided on evacuating the partisan forces of Lai Châu to Điện Biên Phủ. To this end, an evacuation known as "Operation Pollux" was initiated to relocate the 1st Thaï Partisan Mobile Group. The Thaïs, having to march through long stretches of jungle under pro-Việt Minh control, suffered heavy casualties on the journey to their new battlefield. They were harassed by elements of the 316th Brigade and the 148th Regiment. Lê Quảng Ba and his force occupied Lai Châu - which created a solid rear in the Northwest.. Next in command were Commissar Chu Huy Mân and Chief of Staff Vũ Lập.

After 1954, he became the Commander of Việt Bắc Military Region by decree on 6 June 1957. Thanh Phong was designated his deputy and Chu Văn Tấn the political commissar.

Later life

In January 1960, Ba retired to civilian life. It is presumed that his deputy, Thanh Phong, succeeded him in the role of Commander of the Việt Bắc Military Region.

An August 1, 1975 report from the CIA listed Lê Quảng Ba as a standing member of the Vietnamese Communist Party's Central Committee, elected in 1960, and as head of the "State Nationalities Commission".

Ba passed away in March 19, 1988. Part of the eulogy delivered by the Party Central Committee's Executive Committee read:

Decorations

Major General Lê Quảng Ba's decorations included:

Order of Ho Chi MinhResolution for Victory OrderFirst class

...along with many other prestigious orders and medals, according to author Kiều Mai Sơn.

Dates of rank Lê Quảng Ba's dates of rank were: