Viet minh, also called the League for the Independence of Vietnam, was founded by Ho Chi Minh in 1941. It was established to fight for the independence of Vietnam against Japan and France. It defeated the french in 1954 and started to gain power in north Vietnam, but was dissolved in 1960.

Viet Cong, which was also called the National Liberation Front and founded in 1960, included former Viet Minh fighters and south vietnamese guerrillas that fought for the north against the South Vietnam government and the United States. It was dissolved in 1976 after the North and South Vietnam finally unified under the control of a communist government.

North Vietnamese army is a regular army of north vietnam fought side by side with the Viet Cong against South Vietnamese and the Americans.