The North Vietnamese Army (NVA), officially known as the People's Army of Vietnam, was the military force of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Established in 1944, it played a crucial role in the conflict against the United States and the South Vietnamese Army. The NVA was known for its guerrilla tactics and conventional warfare strategies. The NVA was composed of regular troops and was supported by the Viet Cong, a communist insurgent group in South Vietnam. The army aimed to unify Vietnam under communist rule and was instrumental in the eventual fall of Saigon in 1975, leading to the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.