Profile: Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969)

    Born as Nguyen Tat Thanh, Ho Chi Minh became one of the most influential people that was a part of Vietnam’s road to independence. Ho had originally travelled to many different places in life, working in places from England to the Soviet Union, strongly influenced by the communism in different areas. [F] He joined the Communist Part of France in 1920, then returned to Vietnam and founded the Vietnamese Communist Party in 1930 (later known as the Indochinese Community Party, or ICP). Modeled after the Chinese revolutionist party, Kuomintang, the ICP rallied up troops from adjacent revolutionary parties (such as the Vietnamese Nationalist Party) and created giant uprisings among the near-starvation peasants. The rebellions killed many Vietnamese officials. It took the French until the spring of 1931 to contain rebellions. The ICP, however, was not deterred, and quickly recovered from the small setback. With Allies in the Soviet Union and China, it successfully exploited all opportunities when the French extended some political freedom. Ho was then thrown in jail during the period and he made his way back to the Soviet Union after his release in 1933. After the Japanese occupied Vietnam, Ho came back to expel the foreigners. Reigniting contact with ICP leaders, Ho also founded the League of Independence of Vietnam, also known as the Vietminh. Ho was appointed president of North Vietnam when the country split in 1954. Ho was eventually reduced to a ceremonial role due to his poor health. Ho Chi Minh died in 1969 due to heart failure. The Communist forces took Saigon and renamed it Ho Chi Minh City in honor of the man who stood for Vietnam’s struggle for independence. [J]  

Leader of the People: Ho Chi Minh fought for the independece of Vietnam