Le Duc Anh (1920- )

Vietnamese soldier and communist politician, president 1992-97. A member of the politburo's military faction, he is regarded as a conservative, anxious to maintain tight party control over domestic policies.

A long-standing member of the Vietnamese Communist Party, he led Vietcong combat units during the Vietnam War. Later, as a politburo member, he held a succession of government posts, including internal security, foreign policy, and defence, before being elected to the new post of state president, replacing a collective presidency, in September 1992. He stepped down as president at the October 1997 communist party congress and was replaced by Tran Duc Luong.