American journalist and historian Stanley Karnow (1925 – 2013) has been present in Vietnam since 1959, and is the author of the famous book `Vietnam: A History` published in 1983. He is responsible for the content

In his work, Stanley Karnow wrote: `General Giap is a special person. He is both a policymaker and an officer on the battlefield. The French once called him `a volcano covered by fire.`

Karnow said that General Giap’s strategic talent placed him in the `pantheon of great military leaders` such as Wellington, Ulysses S. Grant or Douglas MacArthur.

`After Ho Chi Minh, he is the most important figure in the history of Vietnam in the 20th century… He is like a saint. Nothing forced him to accept defeat,` Karnow concluded.

Also following her father’s path, Mr. Stanley Karnow’s daughter, journalist Catherine Karnow, after many years of research on Vietnamese history also commented: `General Giap was the `brain` of the famous battle of Dien Bien Phu.

General Vo Nguyen Giap and journalist Catherine Karnow in Hanoi in 1994.

Austrian-born international journalist and historian Benard Fall (1926-1967), who also spent many years following news about the Indochina region in the 50s and 60s of the 20th century, had an assessment from

`The greatest legacy he left behind is his role in the resistance war against the French and the people’s war strategy. It is a symbol of the weak force opposing the strong force politically and militarily,` Giao Duc said.

Professor Cecil B. Currey used to teach history at the University of South Florida, USA.

In `Victory at All Costs`, Cecil B. Currey commented that, although he had not attended any military training school other than battlefield practice and studying books, General Vo Nguyen Giap recorded heroic victories.

British military history researcher, Peter Mac Donald, assessed: `From 1944-1975, Vo Nguyen Giap’s life was associated with combat and victory, making him one of the most famous generals in the world.

In 1992, Peter McDonald published the work `Vo Nguyen Giap – An Assessment`, which quoted the comments of French general Marcel Bigéard (1916-2010), who once criticized

The book also quotes US General William Westmoreland – one of General Giap’s opponents, commenting: `Vo Nguyen Giap was a determined man, a great general.`

Meanwhile, Professor Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam at the University of New South Wales, Australia, assessed: `He is a legendary figure and hero of Vietnam.`

In the eyes of Mr. Daniel Roussel, a French director, former resident reporter for Humanitarian newspaper (L’Humanité), who spent 7 years (1980-1986) as a resident reporter in Vietnam, and had many interviews.

In the French Encyclopedia, the entry on Vo Nguyen Giap writes: `As the organizer of the people’s army, Mr. Giap has achieved a unique synthesis of Marxist military doctrines that combine smoothly.