EXPRESSIONS OF IDENTITY – aspirations & actions

1919 founded a newspaper, ‘La Paria’, in French and ‘Soul of Vietnam’ in Vietnamese to publish his

views of colonisation and nationalism.He always hoped that the US would help to free Vietnam. -made unsuccessful approaches to Wilson and Truman.1920 he joined the French Communist Party.Never wavered from the ideal of a free and independent Vietnam.1923 – Moscow- adopted Leninism.1924 - China communist groups.

EXPRESSIONS OF IDENTITY cont’d

• 1925 - Revolutionary Youth League of Vietnam.• 1927 - nearly arrested• He travelled to persuade village peasants about his

ideas.• 1929 - Hong Kong brought rival communist groups

together as the Indochina Communist Party –the ICP.• 1930s he ‘disappeared’ - thought to be dead • By 1939 he thought the time for his nationalistic

revolution was near - made moves to return to Vietnam.

EXPRESSIONS OF IDENTITY cont’d

• 1941 founded the Vietnamese Independence League –Viet Minh.

• This was to be a guerrilla army to eject the colonisers.• Took the name Ho Chi Minh – Bringer of Light• Borrowed ideas from Lenin,• Promoted land reform, improved working conditions,

democratic rights. • 1941 he went to China to help fight against the

Japanese • Arrested as a communist.

EXPRESSIONS OF IDENTITY cont’d

• 1943 – released, walked home to Vietnam.• 1945 took control during power vacuum. • 2nd September 1945 - rally of 500,000 people

in Hanoi • Used words form the US Constitution to state

his case for independence. • Began to eliminate his opposition.• Ho asked French and President Truman for

help and to give the Vietnamese autonomy.

EXPRESSIONS OF IDENTITY cont’d

• French returned in 1946 to Vietnam.

• 1954 agreed to the division of Vietnam

• In 1965 Lyndon Johnson offered Ho a settlement which he turned down.

• Ho agreed to peace talks but he died during them 3 Sept 1969

CHARACTERISTICS

• Middle class• Considered wise• Softly spoken and benign• Considered a gentleman• Called ‘Uncle Ho’ - fostered the persona of ‘avuncular

Mandarin’• Enjoyed French songs • Humble demeanour• Smoked American cigarettes: only ever offered

Vietnamese cigarettes

CHARACTERISTICS cont’d

• Fluent speaker of English, French,

Russian and 3 Chinese dialects• Attracted important and powerful politicians • Single minded and dedicated to Vietnamese

Nationalism• Appeared to be celibate although actually not.• ‘In touch’ with the plight of the peasants• Wide appeal with his humanistic ideals.

CHARACTERISTICS cont’d

• Secretive at times - changed his name up to 19 times.

• Preferred Leninism to Marxism.• Willing to sacrifice all for his vision.• Never a committed communist but committed

nationalist.• Now regarded by the Vietnamese as their

greatest nationalist hero.• In 1975 - Saigon renamed

Ho Chi Minh City

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

• Born 19th May 1890 in Nge An to a middle class family • Youngest of three children, • Named Nguyen Sinh Cuong - changed at age 10 to Nguyen

Tat Thanh• Vietnam - colonised by the Chinese - then French from

about 1858• Ho learned Confucian philosophy • Sent to a French preparatory school.• His father was fired from his job - nationalistic tendencies -

left family.• Ho learned that the French were vindictive.• 1908 Ho sent to Hue to study • Expelled - brought to attention of French Secret Police.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS cont’d

• Aged 21 travelled to see French ‘Liberty, Fraternity, Egalite’ -first hand.

• turned down for a student.• Then travelled around.• Liked the Statue of Liberty• Impressed by US civil rights.• 1917 met the Overseas Workers Association

in London.

• Left for Paris in 1917 (Paris Peace Talks of 1919).

• He tried to get help to free Vietnam • Unable to talk to Woodrow Wilson.• Publishing gave him publicity in Vietnam.• Lived under the threat of treason.• Being Vietnamese meant always being

occupied.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS cont’d

• Year 12 Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh Poster available from www.schoolhistory.co.nz• Vietnam village photos courtesy of M. C. Kraft. Images taken between August 5 1967

through July 28th 1968.• These were taken when Kraft was assigned as a US Medic to the 1/27th Wolfhounds, 25th

Infantry Division.