The
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam , known as
First Secretary from 1951 to 1976, is the highest office within the
Communist Party of Vietnam. The General Secretaryship was the second-highest office within the party when
Hô Chí Minh was Chairman, a post which existed from 1951 to 1969. The general secretary is also the Secretary of the
Central Military Commission, the leading Party organ on military affairs. For a period in its history, the position of general secretary has been synonymous with leader of Vietnam. The current general secretary is
Nguyễn Phú Trọng, and he is ranked eighth in the
Political Bureau (Politburo) ranking.