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EXPRESSIONS OF IDENTITY – aspirations & actions

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.

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EXPRESSIONS OF IDENTITY – aspirations & actions

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  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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.

  8. 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

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS cont’d • 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.

  12. 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.

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