Vo Nguyen Giap, the first four-star general and the former commander-in-chief of the Vietnam army, died at 6:00pm today at the 108 Army Hospital  in Hanoi, more than a month after he celebrated his 103rd birthday.

>> Unpublished photos of General Vo Nguyen Giap>> Leaders congratulate General Giap on 102nd birthday The general has been in the hospital for medical care since 2009.

He was born on August 25, 1911 in Le Thuy District, Quang Binh Province in the central region of Vietnam.

He started his career as a history teacher before joining the army to become the legendary general, who led the Vietnam Army to defeat the French and US invaders in 1954 and 1975 respectively.

He directly commanded major operations including the Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and Ho Chi Minh in 1975.

General Giap served as Deputy Prime Minister and National Defense Minister since the national reunification in 1975 till 1980. From 1981-1991, he was Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers.

The General is credited as one of the great men in the world in encyclopedias of many countries, including the US.