Gen. Giap: a hero remembered

"Giap, the one classically trained member of Vietnam’s revolutionary cadre, with degrees in philosophy, history, law and politics, stood out in his country’s faceless collective leadership. He was a lover of orchids and French literature — even after the French tortured his wife to death. He braved Vietnam’s censors to speak the truth. No wonder hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese attended his funeral. He ushered in the modern, post-colonial world. He stood for independence and self-determination. What he said was meant to be a force for good in the world, and what he left unsaid is ours to discover. "