HoOne of the most influential leaders of the twentieth century, Ho Chi Minh was founder of the Indochina Communist Party and its successor, the Viet-Minh, and was president from 1945 to 1969 of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). In exploring the life and career of Ho Chi Minh, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Halberstam provides a window into traditions and culture that influenced the American war in Vietnam, while highlighting the importance of nationalism in determining the war's outcome. As depicted by Halberstam, Ho is first and foremost a nationalist and a patriot. He was also, according to the author, a pragmatist "who was able to turn the abstract into the practical and to embody the concept of revolution to his own people." This edition includes a new preface by the author. |
Contents
Chapter 1 The Colonial Legacy of the French | 3 |
Chapter 2 Peasant Dishwasher Socialist Communist 18901917 | 12 |
Chapter 3 From Belief to Profession Hos Path to Communism 19171940 | 36 |
Chapter 4 Creating a Nationalist Movement 19411945 | 62 |
Chapter 5 Path to Dienbienphu The Tiger Defeats the Elephant 19451954 | 79 |
Chapter 6 The Americans Arrive The Second Indochina War 19551969 | 105 |
| 119 | |
About the Author | 120 |
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Common terms and phrases
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