Legendary General Giap Celebrates 99th Birthday

General Vo Nguyen Giap of the Vietnam People's Army has recently celebrated his 99th birthday. General Giap, a revolutionary journalist and military tactician, is respected throughout the world.
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Havana, Wednesday August 26, 2009. Year 13 / Number 239

Legendary General Giap celebrates 99th birthday

Susana Ugarte Soler

Hanoi, August 25 (PL) .- The Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap, hero of the Indochina campaign against French colonialism and war strategist with the United States, today celebrates its 99th birthday with deserved recognition.

Leaders of the Communist Party (PCV), the government, the State and the Vietnam People's Army visited the heroic fighter for national liberation from the decade of the 20s of last century.

CPV General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, Giap wished long life and always lucid, while highlighting their continued contribution with valuable opinions on the building and national renewal.

Born in the central province of Quang Binh, and inseparable companion of President Ho Chi Minh, Giap from adolescence joined the student protests in 1929 and founded the Indochina Communist Federation, suffered imprisonment and loss of his close to hand of the French colonialists.

In the early '40s of his encounter with the historic leader of Vietnam, Uncle Ho, marked the long road that continued until the final release in 1975 and the year after the reunification of this Asian nation.

Just to mention two notorious moments of national history tied to General Giap: Diem Bien Phu 1954, defeat of colonial France in the region, and the 1968 Tet offensive, which triggered the setback of the powerful U.S. military soon after.

http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2009/08/26/interna/artic11.html