People's Army of Vietnam

The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), officially the Vietnam People's Army (VPA; Vietnamese: Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, pronounced [kwən˧˧ ʔɗoj˧˨ʔ ɲən˧˧ zən˧˧ viət̚˧˨ʔ naːm˧˧], lit. 'Military of and for the people of Vietnam'), also recognized as the Vietnamese Army (Vietnamese: Quân đội Việt Nam, lit. 'Military of Vietnam'), the People's Army (Vietnamese: Quân đội Nhân dân) or colloquially the Troops (Bộ đội [ʔɓo˧˨ʔ ʔɗoj˧˨ʔ]), is the national military force of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the armed wing of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). The PAVN is the backbone component of the Vietnam People's Armed Forces and includes: Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard and Coast Guard. Vietnam does not have a separate and formally-structured Ground Force or Army service. Instead, all ground troops, army corps, military districts and special forces are designated under the umbrella term combined arms (Vietnamese: binh chủng hợp thành) and belong to the Ministry of National Defence, directly under the command of the CPV Central Military Commission, the Minister of National Defence, and the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army. The military flag of the PAVN is the National flag of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam defaced with the motto Quyết thắng (Determination to win) added in yellow at the canton.

During the French Indochina War (1946–1954), the PAVN was often referred to as the Việt Minh. In the context of the Vietnam War (1955–1975), the army was referred to by its opposition forces as the North Vietnamese Army (NVA; Vietnamese: Quân đội Bắc Việt), serving as the military force of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. This allowed writers, the U.S. military, and the general public, to distinguish northern communists from the southern communists, called the Viet Cong (VC), or more formally the National Liberation Front. However, both groups ultimately worked under the same command structure. The Viet Cong had its own military forces called the Liberation Army of South Vietnam (LASV). It was practically considered a branch of the PAVN by the North Vietnamese. In 1976, following the political reunification of Vietnam, LASV was officially disbanded and merged into the so-called NVA to form the existing incarnation of PAVN, serving as the national military of the unified state of Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

During the grand military parade held on April 30, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City to mark the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) played a central and highly visible role. The event featured over 13,000 participants, including military, police, and civilian formations, with prominent displays by various VPA branches such as the Navy, Air Force, Special Forces, and female military units. Aerial demonstrations involving Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters flying national and party flags further emphasized national unity. The presence of international delegations from China, Laos, and Cambodia highlighted Vietnam's regional diplomatic ties and the VPA's continued role in both national defense and international engagement.