When historians write about the Vietnamese Revolution, they write about its founding father, Ho Chi Min. However, there is some disagreement about Min's character and his accomplishments. On one side, he is a patriotic figure who used Communist doctrine and strategy as a method of freeing his people. On the other side, Min is characterized as a scheming radical who pretended to be well meaning and concerned about his country and its people, but manipulated peers and rivals alike in order to establish a totalitarian regime. In order to understand Ho Chi Min, a closer look must be placed on his beginnings and how the war with France set the stage for his legendary move to presidency of Vietnam.
Accuracy about Ho's early life waivers back and forth due to varied and conflicting documentation about both actual date of birth and place of birth. Beginning with his birth, Ho Chi Min, is shrouded with inaccuracies.
Rizières inondées à la frontière entre le Viet...
Min and Buster
English: Scene of Jade Emperor Pagoda Ho Chi Min C...Different sources report that Min was born in 1890 and 1898. Min's exact place of birth is also unknown. In his memoirs, Min claims to be from the village of Kim-Lien in the Nghe-An province. While Jean Sainteny, claims he was born in the village of Chua in the Nam-Dam province. Ho's child hood name was Nguyen Sinh Cung, but according to Vietnamese custom, he recived a new name, Nguyen Tat Thanh, at the age of ten. Ho's childhood was very turbulent due to the high educational goals his father had established for him.
Ho's father was a poor country scholar with an expertise in Mandarin, which helped him achieve a position as an official of the Vietnamese Imperial Court. As the only son, Ho was obligated to follow in his father's footsteps. While attending a French-run school, Ho was expelled for rebellious activities,