Today, we honour Ho Chi Minh: anti-colonialist, leader of the Vietnamese Communist movement, and the driving force behind Vietnam’s victory over French colonial rule. 
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Born on 19 May 1890, in the village of Kim Liên, Annam, Ho Chi Minh grew up in a family deeply engaged in anti-colonial activities.

At 21, he began work as a cook…
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on a French steamship, travelling between London and Paris where he immersed himself in radical politics. He played a key role in founding the French Communist Party in 1920 and, a decade later, also assisted in founding the Indochinese Communist Party.
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When Japan occupied Vietnam in 1941, Ho helped establish a new independence movement: the Viet Minh. Under his leadership, the Viet Minh drove out Japanese rule in August 1945, declaring the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, with Ho as its first president.
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The French proved reluctant to give up control of their colonies, however, leading to an eight-year war of national liberation against the French, led by Ho and the Viet Minh.
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The defeat of France was soon followed by a 21-year resistance war against the United States, with Ho continuing to play a central role until his death from heart failure on this day in 1969.
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The Vietnamese Communists’ victory over the US not only demonstrated to the world that any nation, big or small, can overcome even the most formidable imperialist power, but also brought about huge transformations within Vietnam.
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Over the past three decades, the Communist Party of Vietnam has lifted more than 35 million people out of poverty, transforming the nation into an upper-middle-income economy.
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These achievements are a testament to Ho Chi Minh, the man who laid the foundation for these changes with his simplicity, integrity, and unparalleled determination.
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