Nguyễn+Sinh+Côn+(Ho+Chi+Minh)


 * Introduction**

“You can kill ten of my men for everyone I kill of yours, but even at those odds, you will lose and I will win” – Ho Chi Minh (Brainy Quote). This quote can easily be seen as words from a honorable person who believes strongly for what they fought for. This noble man is known for his battles with many different countries against him (BBC). Although he struggled more than a few times throughout his life, he never gave up and was soon recognizable for what he did. His people loved him and what he did so much, that they named a city after him (History Learning Site)! This man is no other than the Northern Vietnam’s, Ho Chi Minh.

Ho Chi Minh was born on May 19, 1890. He was born in a small village in the Nghe An province called Hoang Tru. Born from Nguyen Sinh Huy and Hoang Thi Loan, he was the youngest of three children. His birth name was Nguyen Sinh Cung (History Channel). He would later have other alias such as, Nguyen Ai Quoc and Nguyen Tat Thanh (Britannica). Like his father, Ho had strong beliefs nationalist views and believed the French should no longer colonize Vietnam (History Learning Site).
 * Personal Background**

Ho Chi Minh did not have the best childhood, but he did have an education. As he grew older, he was known as the schoolmaster in Phan Thiet and apprenticed at a technical institute in Saigon. Although Ho had strong beliefs against the French, he enrolled himself into a French lycee in Hue which helped him learn the French language (Britannica). After his education, he became a teacher for a short period of time (History Learning Site). In 1911, Ho Chi Minh went under the alias, Ba and became a cook on a French steamer and moved to London. From 1915 to 1917, he moved to France and found various jobs he could find. In the time that Ho was in France, he used the alias Nguyen Ai Quoc (Britannica). By 1919, Ho organized a group of Vietnamese immigrants and petitioned delegates at the Treaty of Versailles conference (History Channel). Around this time, he became Communist after reading the works of Karl Marx (History Learning Site).

After he fought many battles and organized groups, he was given the nickname Uncle Ho. In 1945, he became the president of North Vietnam and was president until 1969 (Britannica). In the 1960’s, Ho was in very poor health. He died a few years later on September 2, 1969 (BBC). He lived an honorable life and was said to have been loved by his people.

Ho Chi Minh was known to have many qualities. Many people can probably agree that he was very passionate about his views on nationalism and the fact that he had one main goal in mind: to win independence for his country (Karnow). It can also be said that he was determined and persistent to achieve his goal through all the hardships he had to face. He had great patience and tenacity which also helped him in pursuing his goal. Ho was known to love this people and would visit villages and towns. Ho Chi Minh especially was fond of going into schools and talking with the students. He was intelligent, resourceful, and dedicated. Ho Chi Minh was fluent in many languages such as Chinese, French, and English. Some said that he was friendly and likable (Whitman).
 * Personality Traits**

One thing that can probably be assumed is that he had an incredible military mind due to the fact that he was able to defeat and win against many enemies. He can even be described as being sweet because of this reaction to an interview Ho had with a reporter named Mr. Fall. Since Ho was a cook on a French ship, he was quite the chef. People also have said that he was quite sophisticated and well spoken (Whitman). He could be described as being quite inspirational. Ho Chi Minh was known to be a risk taker and sacrificed much for his country (Karnow). Although many can say much about him, one thing is for sure, he was a fighter.


 * Obstacles**

Just like any other person, Ho Chi Minh had to overcome many challenges throughout his life. Of course, without these challenges, he wouldn’t have accomplished what he did. One of these obstacles he had to tackle was living in poverty during his childhood (History Learning Site). He was kicked out from a French lycee in Vinh due to either poor grades or his views on politics. After learning of President Wilson’s Fourteen Points – series of peace propositions – he then created his own eight point program that did not call upon Vietnam’s independence, but called upon greater equality, more basic freedoms, and Vietnam’s representation in the colonial government. His purpose of this was to bring his ideas to the leaders of the great powers, but was unable to gain a hearing at Versailles (Kirkpatrick). Due to the fact that he was a part of many protests against what the French posed upon the Vietnamese, he had a record with French authorities and because of this, had to go under many aliases. Ho Chi Minh would also later have trouble going back to Vietnam because he would then get arrested for his works against the French (History Learning Site).

He had to fight the Japanese to win back Vietnam, and that is where he created Viet Minh (History Learning Site). Creating Viet Minh had its downfalls because he had to reach out for help from China and was put in jail for eighteen months by Chiang Kai-Shek’s anti-communist government (History Channel). Ho also had to fight a war against the French that lasted eight years. They were brought into war in 1946 because the French wanted to have control over Vietnam once again after losing it to the Japanese in World War II. Another fight he had to have was against American troops because he was trying to reunite North Vietnam and South Vietnam (BBC). The war against America was the infamous Vietnam War. It was said that Vietnam was fighting for their independence for more than 25 years (Whitman). Around the 1960’s, Ho Chi Minh developed many health problems (BBC). Without all these difficulties, he wouldn’t have been able to gain what he was so strongly fighting for.

Everybody knows that Ho Chi Minh was the one that successfully took over South Vietnam, but did you know he did much more than that? For instance, he was originally raised on nationalist beliefs, but was introduced to communist beliefs. Due to this, he accomplished combining both beliefs. Given that he successful combined these two political parties, it only makes sense that he bestowed this success onto his country (Whitman). Not only did he successfully combine these two, but he also was a founding member of the French Communist Party (BBC). In 1930, Ho Chi Minh founded the Indo-Chinese Communist Party and worked as a representative in the Communist International organization. By being a part of it, he impacted a lot of people throughout his journeys to other countries – even before being the founding member of the French Communist Party (History Channel).
 * Historical Significance**

As Japan swept French authority in Vietnam during WWII, Ho founded the opportunity to take action against them and overthrow the French from Vietnam (History Learning Site). He saw this opportunity to organize the Viet Minh or League for the Independence of Vietnam with his lieutenants Vo Nguyen Giap and Pham Van Dong (History Channel). During this time he fought against the Japanese for independence of Vietnam. By May of 1945, he was successful of liberating six provinces from them. Due to the fact that he was wining against the Japanese and the fact that the French was in disarray, Ho was appointed president in a provisional government. In September 1945, Ho then announced the creation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and declared them to be independent (History Learning Site). After he declared Vietnam was independent, the French wanted nothing more than to take control of it once more. They declared war against Ho which lasted eight years. Although it lasted very long, Ho Chi Minh was victorious (Kirkpatrick).

He also founded the Viet Cong, which was a Communist guerrilla force that attacked Southern Vietnam’s government. He used this group to help gain control over South Vietnam and complete his goal of reuniting the North and the South (BBC). This then marked the start of the Vietnam War and the struggle of the Communist against the anti-Communist. After some time, Ho was also victorious with this battle and was successful with uniting the country (History Channel).

In an interview, he had said that it took them over twenty-five years for them to finally gain their independence (Whitman). Since Ho Chi Minh was a strong leader and won many battles, he won the loyalty of his people (History Learning Site). His people loved and honored him so much that they renamed Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City after they conquered South Vietnam (BBC). Ho Chi Minh certainly did more than taking over South Vietnam. “Remember, the storm is a good opportunity for the pine and the cypress to show their strength and their stability” – Ho Chi Minh (Brainy Quote).


 * References**

"Ho Chi Minh". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.

Ho Chi Minh. BrainyQuote. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

"Ho Chi Minh". History.com. A + E Networks, 2010. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.

"//Ho Chi Minh".// HistoryLearningSite. 2014. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

//"Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969)".// BBC. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

Karnow, Stanley. "Ho Chi Minh." //Time Magazine//. Time Inc., 13 Apr. 1998. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.

Kirkpatrick, Charles E. "Ho Chi Minh: North Vietnam Leader". //Vietnam Magazine.// Feb. 1990. Web. 05 Mar. 2015


 * Whitman, Alden. ** "Ho Chi Minh Was Noted for Success in Blending Nationalism and Communism." //NY Times//. NY Times Newspaper, 4 Sept. 1969. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.