The Vietnam Militia and Self-Defence Force (VMSF or MASDF; Vietnamese: Dân quân tự vệ Việt Nam, lit. 'Self-defence Militia of Vietnam'), known simply as the Militia (Dân quân) and also inaccurately recognized as the Vietnam Self-Defence Militia (VSDM), is the militia and reserve force of Vietnam. Placed under the political leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the executive administration of the Vietnam Ministry of National Defence, the management from the local and national governments as well as the direct command of the local military headquarters, VMSF is one of the three major components of the Vietnam People's Armed Forces, serving a signigicant role in the Vietnamese national defence strategies and cultures. Defined as the "armed force of the mass" that is organized as local-level units, VMSF's career is not meant to be "separated from production activities and work", making it a part-time, semi-professional territorial defence force.[1]
| Militia and Self-Defence Force | |
|---|---|
| Dân quân tự vệ | |
 Logo | |
| Active | As soon as 1935 |
| Country |  Vietnam |
| Allegiance |  Communist Party of Vietnam |
| Branch | Militia Military reserve force |
| Role | Mass mobilization People's War Naval militia |
| Part of | Vietnam People's Armed Forces |
| Nickname(s) | Militiamen |
| Colors | Cobalt blue (or teal) |
| Anniversaries | 28 March 1935 |
| Website | Vietnam MoD |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of the DMSF under the GS of VPA | Maj. Gen. Phạm Quang Ngân |
| Insignia | |
| Head badge & emblem |  |
| Flag & ensign |  |
| Alternative ensign & pennon |  |
Foundation and history
editIn March 1935, the Indochinese Communist Party (now succeeded by the Communist Party of Vietnam) First National Congress issued the "Resolution on Self-Defence Teams", being the formal establishment of the Vietnamese militia and the initial iteration of the Vietnam Militia and Self-Defence Force. Since then, the Militia had contribution to the Vietnamese resistance against the French and Japanese colonialists and engaged in the August Revolution of Vietnam. Since the Vietnamese independence, VMSF has participated in pretty much every conflict in Vietnam, including wars against France and the United States. In the Vietnam War, VMSF is credited for 10% of the total US planes shot down over North Vietnam.[2]
Organization
editNationally, VMSF is executively overseen by the Department of Militia and Self-Defense Forces (DMSF; Cục Dân quân tự vệ) under the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army. Structurally, the militia (dân quân) is organized as local-level defence units under the direct administration of the respective local military commands and governments, meanwhile, self-defence (tự vệ) units are organized in state-associated offices and organization such as state-owned businesses, factories and facilities.[3] Both of them together form up the Militia and Self-Defence Forces, contradicting a popular misunderstanding that "Self-Defence" is the adjective describing the nature of "Militia" in Self-Defence Militia.
Maritime militia
edit
The Government of Vietnam has legally defined maritime militia for the first time in 2009, marking the formal establishment of the Vietnamese maritime militia force (lực lượng dân quân biển).[4] Officially designated as the standing maritime militia flotilla(s) (Vietnamese: (các) Hải đội Dân quân thường trực) or simplier the maritime militiamen (dân quân biển - DQB), comparable to the casual Vietnamese militia units, they are organized as provincial-level flottillas (hải đội; also translated as platoons or squads) placed under the authorities of Vietnamese coastal subdivisions, and are also purposed to do semi-professional defensive roles while "not being detached production businesses".[5]
The General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army has projected to establish maritime militia squads operating steel-hull boats in 14 of its coastal provinces and municipalities, with the first one was officially launched in the Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province in April 2021.[6][7]
Tasks
editEven though not formally mentioned by Vietnamese officials, it is widely recognized that the Vietnamese maritime militia is established to deal with China's grey-zone tactics, directly countering the Chinese Maritime Militia and is designed defensive in nature.[8][9] It was once accused as "black holes" and "potential risks" by Beijing-backed narratives in the South China Sea disputes,[10] however, such claims were formally refuted by the Vietnamese officials while it was also being challenged by scholars.[11][8]
References
edit- ^ "Vietnam Militia and Self-Defence Force (Introduction)". Ministry of Defence (Vietnam). Government of Vietnam.
- ^ "(MASDF) Construction, combat and development". Ministry of Defence (Vietnam). Government of Vietnam.
- ^ "Organisation of the Militia and Self-Defence Force". Ministry of Defence (Vietnam).
Militia units are organized in communes, precincts or district towns (commonly called communes)...Activities of the MASDF are carried out according to the plans of commune-level military commanders, and of military command boards of offices and organizations, under the direct leadership as well as guidance of the Party's executive committees and the grassroots-level administrative authorities.
- ^ Phuong, Nguyen The (2020-05-22). "Vietnam's Maritime Militia Is Not a Black Hole in the South China Sea". Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
...look into its legal foundations: the 2009 and 2019 Laws on Civil Defense Forces (the latter will take effect in July 2020). The latter is a revised version of the former, which takes into account many circulars and decrees promulgated in the meantime. Before 2009, there was no formal entity called the "maritime militia," just militia units operating in coastal areas with no distinction between missions on land and at sea.
- ^ "Search maritime militia". en.qdnd.vn (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 2024-06-26.
- ^ Pham, Linh. "Vietnam to build maritime militias in 14 coastal provinces". VietNamNet Global. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
- ^ Pham, Linh. "Vietnam sets up more maritime militias". Hanoitimes. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
A militia squadron was established on June 9 in Vietnam's southern province of Kien Giang...is the first of its kind in the Mekong Delta and the second after the first set up in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau in April.
- ^ a b Nguyen, Khac Giang. "IP22040 | The Vietnamese Maritime Militia: Myths and Realities". S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Vietnam's maritime militia has neither the ambition, nor the power, to engage in the kinds of maritime confrontation its Chinese counterpart has undertaken. As a tactical self-defence force, Vietnam's maritime militia is also unlikely to be the country's long-term answer to China's aggressive behaviour at sea.
- ^ Phuong, Nguyen The (2020-05-22). "Vietnam's Maritime Militia Is Not a Black Hole in the South China Sea". Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
- ^ lishuhao (2020-04-30). "Vietnam's Maritime Militia: A "Black Hole" of the South China Sea". 南海战略态势感知计划. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
- ^ Vietnam (VietnamPlus) (2022-01-20). "Vietnam denies information on maritime militia building". Vietnam (VietnamPlus). Vietnam News Agency. Retrieved 2024-06-26.