| Republic of Vietnam Military Forces | |
| Native Name: | Quân lực Việt Nam Cộng hòa |
| Motto: | "Tổ Quốc – Danh Dự – Trách Nhiệm" ("Homeland – Honour – Duty") |
| Founded: | 13 April 1949/30 December 1955 |
| Disbanded: | 30 April 1975 |
| Branches: | |
| Headquarters: | Saigon, Central-South region of Vietnam |
| Commander-In-Chief: | Ngo Dinh Diem (1955 - 1963) Nguyen Van Thieu (1967 - 1975) |
| Commander-In-Chief Title: | Commander-in-Chief |
| Chief Minister Title: | Prime Minister |
| Minister Title: | Minister of Defense |
| Commander: | See list |
| Commander Title: | Chief of Joint General Staff |
| Active: | 586,838 |
| Deployed: | 1,000,000 in 1972 |
| Foreign Suppliers: |  United States Australia New Zealand Philippines Thailand |
| History: | Military history of Vietnam |
| Ranks: | Ranks and insignia of the Republic of Vietnam |
The Republic of Vietnam Military Forces (RVNMF; – QLVNCH), were the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam and were responsible for the defence of the country from 26 October 1955 to 30 April 1975. Its predecessor, the Vietnamese National Army, was the armed forces of the State of Vietnam and established on 13 April 1949.[1] The Republic of Vietnam Military Forces day has been celebrated in June 19 every years since 1965.
The QLVNCH (also known as the RVNMF) was formally established on 26 October 1955 when the State of Vietnam became a republic after a rigged referendum.[2] Created out from ex-French Union Army colonial Indochinese auxiliary units (French: Supplétifs), gathered earlier in April 1949 into the French-led Vietnamese National Army or VNA (Vietnamese: Quân Đội Quốc Gia Việt Nam – QĐQGVN), Armée Nationale Vietnamiènne (ANV) in French, the armed forces of the new state consisted in the mid-1950s of ground, air, and naval branches of service, respectively, the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces day is also celebrated (mostly by the overseas Vietnamese people) every years in 19 June
Their roles were defined as follows: to protect the sovereignty of the Vietnamese nation and that of the Republic; to maintain the political and social order and the rule of law; to defend the newly independent Republic of Vietnam from external (and internal) threats; and ultimately, to help reunify Vietnam – divided since the Geneva Accords in July 1955 into two transitional states, one at the north ruled by Ho Chi Minh’s Lao Dong Party regime and the other in the south under Ngo Dinh Diem's authoritarian regime.
The Republic of Vietnam Military Forces consisted of four military corps (Quân đoàn) as follows:
I Corps headquartered in Da Nang, included five provinces:Tactical zone 11, including 2 provinces Quang Tri and Thua ThienTactical zone 12, including 2 provinces Quang Tin and Quang NgaiQuang Nam Special Zone, including Quang Nam Province and Da Nang City
II Corps headquartered in Nha Trang, but the 2nd Army Corps Command is located in Pleiku (had to move to Nha Trang from mid-March 1975), included 12 provinces:Tactical Zone 22, including 3 provinces Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Phu BonTactical Zone 23, including 7 provinces Darlac, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Tuyen Duc, Quang Duc, Lam Dong and Cam Ranh citySpecial area 24, including 2 provinces Kon Tum and Pleiku
III Corps headquartered in Bien Hoa, include 10 provinces:Tactical Zone 31, including 3 provinces Tay Ninh, Hau Nghia, Long AnTactical zone 32, including 3 provinces Phuoc Long, Binh Long, Binh DuongTactical Zone 33, including 4 provinces Binh Tuy, Phuoc Tuy, Long Khanh, Bien Hoa and Vung Tau cityCapital Military District of Saigon - Gia Dinh
IV Corps headquartered in Can Tho, included 16 provinces:Dinh Tuong tactical zone, including 4 provinces Kien Tuong, Dinh Tuong, Go Cong, Kien HoaTactical Zone 41, including 7 provinces Kien Phong, Chau Doc, Vinh Long, Vinh Binh, An Giang, Kien Giang, Sa DecTactical Zone 42, including 5 provinces Phong Dinh, Chuong Thien, Ba Xuyen, Bac Lieu, An Xuyen
On July 1, 1970 the four Corps were redesignated as Corps Tactical Zones (CTZs).
The ARVN always had problems keeping men in the ranks, but during 1973–75, the problem reached epidemic proportions. During 1974, for example, only 65 percent of authorized manpower was present for duty at any time.[3] The nation's officer corps still suffered from the promotion and retention of generals due to their political loyalties, not their professional abilities. Corruption and incompetence among officers was endemic, with some "raising it almost to an art form."[4]
In 1972, General Creighton Abrams fumed at ARVN complaints that they lacked arms and equipment. He said: “The ARVN haven’t lost their tanks because the enemy tanks knocked them out. The ARVN lost their tanks because goddamn it, they abandoned them. And, shit, if they had the Josef Stalin 3 [tank], it wouldn’t have been any better.” He likewise harangued President Nguyen Van Thieu and chief of staff General Cao Van Vien: “Equipment is not what you need. You need men that will fight... You’ve got all the equipment you need... You lost most of your artillery because it was abandoned.”[5]