Death and funeral of Vo Nguyen Giap General Võ Nguyên Giáp , who led the Viet Minh forces during the First Indochina War and the North Vietnam ese forces during the Vietnam War , died on October 4 , 2013 , after a long stay at the 108 Hospital in Hanoi . The official Vietnamese news agency did not officially confirm it until a day later , when they announced a two - day national funeral to be held the following week , on October 12 and 13 , which would be presided by all the top government officials . His body laid in state at the National Funeral House in Hanoi on October 12 , before being buried in his home province of Quang Binh the following day . His funeral was broadcast live nationwide by the state broadcasters , VTV and VOV . Death . Giap was hospitalized at the 108 Hospital in 2009 . After his 100th birthday , Giap ' s health markedly deteriorated . In 2011 , VTV showed footage of him voting to dispel rumors of his failing health . At 6 : 09 PM on October 4 , 2013 , he passed away after a 4 - year stay at the hospital , at the age of 102 . According to East Asian age reckoning , he was 103 . Reactions . Domestic . News of Giap ' s death spread quickly through social media , especially through Facebook , before the government - controlled media began to pick it up . VnExpress , an online newspaper , reported the news more than 4 hours later , and domestic media began to report the story . However , before an official acknowledgement from the government , the media could only briefly mention the news without any commentary . Fully one day later , the official news agency acknowledged the news and announced a national funeral . There was an immediate outpouring of grief in the country where he is highly revered and many people regard him as second only to Ho Chi Minh . His family opened his residence for visitations and hundreds of thousands of people came to pay their respects before the official funeral . National funeral . Immediately after news of Giáp ' s death spread but before it was officially acknowledged , there was widespread speculation about the nature of his funeral . According to current regulations , only people who hold or held the top positions of general secretary , president , prime minister , or chairman of the National Assembly would be entitled to a national funeral ( " quốc tang " ) . Võ Nguyên Giáp , who was a former Politburo member and deputy prime minister , would automatically be entitled to a state funeral ( " lễ tang cấp nhà nước " ) . However , the regulations allowed for exceptions when the deceased ' s stature is higher than their official position . Upon acknowledging General Giáp ' s death , the government announced plans for a national funeral to be held on October 12 and 13 . The Funeral Committee consisted of 30 people , headed by General Sectetary Nguyễn Phú Trọng . The National Funeral Arrangements Committee , headed by deputy prime minister and Politburo member Nguyễn Xuân Phúc , was tasked with making the arrangements for the funeral and burial ceremonies . General Giap ' s body would lie in state at the National Funeral Hall , where mourners can pay respects beginning on October 12 . While the main ceremony happened in Hanoi , simultaneous memorials was be held at the Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City and the Provincial People ’ s Committee Office in Quảng Bình , his home province . Immediately after the funeral ceremony on October 13 , his body was flown to Quảng Bình , where he would be buried in Vũng Chùa - Đảo Yến , at a location near the coast . As his resting place is at a remote location , workers had to work quickly to pave the road to facilitate the burial .