page_title: Nguyễn Văn Hinh
section_title: Vietnamese National Army
hierarchical_section_title: Nguyễn Văn Hinh / Biography / Vietnamese National Army
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: 1951 Indochine - Saigon - Défilé des dirigeants indochinois
context_page_description: Nguyễn Văn Hinh was the chief of staff of the Vietnamese National Army and the first Vietnamese officer in the French Armed Forces to be promoted to the rank of general. Educated in the French style, he served in the Armée de l'air and Troupes coloniales before accepting a role in the army of the new State of Vietnam within the French Union. Hinh is somewhat of an oddity in the 20th century military history of Vietnam as he attained the rank of lieutenant general in two separate countries, not unlike his North Vietnamese counterpart Nguyễn Sơn who served as a major general in both the People's Army of Vietnam and the People's Liberation Army of China.
context_section_description: Nguyễn Văn Hinh was appointed the Vietnamese National Army Chief of Staff by Emperor Bảo Đại.
caption: Hinh (left) and Prime Minister Trần Văn Hữu on parade in Saigon, 1951
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