Nguyen Duy Luan was born in 1920 in the district of Lam Thao in Phu Tho. He was drafted in the French army in 1942, but was later “awakened” (giac ngo) and joined the Viet Minh. He participated in the seizure of power in Lam Thao in August 1945. He then held various commune-level positions during the Indochina War.