General Staff () is the commanding and managing organization of the Vietnam People's Army, the paramilitary forces, militia and other activities relating to defence of Vietnam. The General Staff was established on September 7, 1945, right after the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the first Chief of the General Staff was Major General Hoàng Văn Thái. During the Second Indochina War, Vietnam War, Cambodian-Vietnamese War, Sino-Vietnamese War and other skirmishes, the General Staff always had an essential role in organizing, commanding the armed forces and planning, operating military campaigns for the Ministry of Defence and the Government of Vietnam. The current Chief of the General Staff is Lieutenant General Đỗ Bá Tỵ who also holds the position of Vice Minister of Defenc