Organizers of the state-level funeral for Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap have proposed including the military legend in history textbooks following criticism in local media.

The state committee that organized the high-profile funeral for General Giap on October 12 and 13 convened on Monday to review what they had done during the two important days, when millions of Vietnamese grieved over his death at 103.

It suggested that lessons about Gen. Giap should be added to history textbooks used by students in elementary through to high school, as this would “satisfy the expectations of the people.”

Local media have reported on complaints that history books fail to address Gen. Giap and his role in the liberation of Vietnamese people from foreign invaders.

Experts have said in the press that it is a huge mistake not to teach students about Gen. Giap and his biography.

A newspaper even pointed out that the general is not mentioned in lessons about the battle of Dien Bien Phu against the French, which he masterminded, or the 1975 Spring Offensive (leading to the reunification of Vietnam) in which he played an important part.

The committee, led by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, also recommended relevant government agencies consider naming streets after Gen. Giap and building memorials in honor of the national hero.

Gen. Giap passed away on October 4 at a Hanoi military hospital after 1,559 days of hospitalization.

He was regarded by late professor of military history Cecil Currey as standing “with the great giants of military leadership back 2,000 years,” measuring “up to Alexander the Great,” and surpassing Napoleon and “all of our generals.” 

French news agency AFP once remarked that Gen. Giap’s was “Vietnam's biggest state funeral in decades.”

Gen. Giap was laid to rest in his hometown Quang Binh Province in central Vietnam.