Ho Chi Minh - The Leader of North Vietnam

Check my other channel Highlight History: / @highlighthistory
Ho Chi Minh, father of independent Vietnam, was a man of contrasts. Standing at just four foot, eleven inches and weighing less than a hundred pounds, he appeared to pose no threat to anyone. Yet, through the force of his personality and the steely determination of his will he defeated two of the world’s mightiest nations. He portrayed himself as a simple man of the people yet he ruled over a repressive regime that committed terrible atrocities. While many viewed him as the bringer of light to a repressed people, to others he was simply a Communist spy planted by the Soviets. In today’s Biographics, we discover the truth about the real Ho Chi Minh.
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Visit our companion website for more: biographics.org
Credits:
Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Steve Theunissen
Producer - Jennifer Da Silva
Executive Producer - Shell Harris
Business inquiries to [e-mail]
Other Biographics Videos:
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Source/Further reading:
Pierre Brocheux: Ho Chi Minh: A Biography
William J. Duiker: Ho Chi Minh
• Ho Chi Minh Documentary

[@markusdee6136]

Most Vietnamese fighters during the Vietnam War didn't believe or didn't fight for communism... They were fighting for Independence, freedom, and one Vietnam.

[@robfl100]

What about the hundreds of thousands that fought for South Vietnam?

[@command_unit7792]

@@robfl100 Eh it was a very corrupt and mostly christian regime...It wasnt popular it mostly survived because of US support...

[@robfl100]

@@command_unit7792 it was Ngo Dinh Diem that was unpopular, many Vietnamese still rallied to fight the communist insurgency trying to take over the country. Look into the casualties during the entire war. Over 3 times as many South Vietnamese troops died than American troops, proving that they did most of the fighting. They North Vietnamese just claimed it was an anti-colonialist struggle for propaganda purposes. Even Ngo Dinh Diem (who was removed in 1963 because of his unpopularity) was strongly in favor of an independent Vietnam during French rule, they just didn't want a communist government.

[@tacob0]

@@robfl100 I dont think the americans using the vietnamese to take most casualties for thier war is a good look at all nor an argument for their populairity. The Vietnamese where poor so they would have taken service if paid well obviously. Its not like the US has a history of supporting regimes that will advance thier interest regardless of populairity with all kinds of tactics to make them seem more populair with things like bribes and the demonize the other side with propaganda including false flag attacks.

[@robfl100]

@@tacob0 I don't really care about the ethics of US involvement in Vietnam, I just commented to refute the idea that the Vietnamese were fighting for "freedom" and "independence" like the lead coment suggests. Most people think it was just the Vietnamese fighting Americans, when it was really just a civil war in South Vietnam, where the rebels were backed by the North. The South was backed by the US, but that's not really an argument because the North was backed heavily by China, and somewhat by the USSR. China even sent about 300k troops to fight in the war. While the South Vietnamese government was pretty corrupt the North was pretty bad as well. Many people fled to the south after the partition in 1954, and at least 10k people were killed in "land reform" programs. They also assinated about 100k people during the war of independence against the french. So that shows that the people who fought for the South Vietnamese army may have been somewhat more sincere than you're giving them credit and weren't necessarily just a bunch of cucks under US control.

[@Andrew-ub5yc]

0:05 “I’m not Vietnamese, I do not speak Vietnamese, but the trees do”

[@roosterboxgaming1150]

Vladimir Vsevolodovich this needs to be pinned

[@trongnhantran1561]

” Hey guy I have seen that tree was moving. I swear. And then my teammate shocked like he heard the calling of hell.” A veteran tells his story

[@anhhaobuiphong5933]

We not talking with the losers

[@nguyenquynhthuytruc6199]

@@anhhaobuiphong5933 WhAt Do YoU mEaN?

[@coolskeleton2767]

and then they said : "DITME BON XAM LUOC HAY CUT RA KHOI DAT NUOC TAO " :)

[@OG2958]

The French and Americans failed to see that the NVA and VCs main driving goal wasn't communism. Instead it was independence.

[@SaraH-jn5db]

It almost always is

[@nguyenkhanh3762]

yes finally someone understand

[@shibadoggo3650]

We just want independence

[@sebastiantetsuya6879]

The capitalistic, corrupted bureaucrats and their dictatorship would fall! Vietnamese working people, arise and unite! Down with the fake "communist" ruling class!

[@loc878]

@@sebastiantetsuya6879 👍👍

[@EmpressMermaid]

His early life and beliefs demonstrate the old truth: "Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent revolutions inevitable."

[@noticemesenpai69]

US should take note

[@Gun_Metal_Grey]

@@noticemesenpai69 But this was cause of the French

[@noticemesenpai69]

@@Gun_Metal_Grey lol you don’t get it

[@thanhhoangnguyen4754]

@@noticemesenpai69 Also the French what was their problem they are not the same like they were during napoleon III. They just came out of ww2 barley alive and they have the time make us a colony again? I mean the british can barley hold their

[@dinuxplay8003]

Bruh, that is literally a quote from JFK

[@captainphilippines8461]

His country defeated 4 of the most powerful nations back then USA, Japan, China and France respectively

[@Jack-he8jv]

seriously u think they could have handled france or japan if they weren't totally destroyed/exhausted in war?

[@inuriie4370]

Jack Crowder And that’s why he is smart. Because he knew how to seize the opportunity, wars aren’t won with pure force alone otherwise history would’ve been very different. Defeat and victory is decided by wisdom and cunning.

[@samuelademeso9041]

Captain Phillipianes your wrong about the China one: he died before the country was United and didn't leave through the sino-vietnamese war

[@lethutrang4912]

@@samuelademeso9041 In the long history of Vietnam, they defeated Chinese troops many times, even Mongolian empire' army were defeated three times in one century. Vietnam never fear China at all.

[@samuelademeso9041]

@@lethutrang4912 I know that, but I wasn't talking about ancient history. I'm saying ho chi min, live during the conflict with the Japanese, French and American. But he didn't live during sino-vietnamese war, because he was dead by the time the country became unifed in 1970. I wasn't talking about Vietnam ancient history of fighting with the Chinese

[@wrathofsocrus]

That ship leaving in 1931 and arriving in 1911 must have been pretty amazing!

[@blacktiger19143]

LOL!!!

[@glenncunningham6397]

Had a flux capacitor...

[@Babarudra]

Philadelphia Project.

[@neilmoore7194]

Re-edit this vid to fix this mistake pls.

[@kknives36]

That’s how he won the war. He went back in time and knew everyone’s moves before they even made them.

[@tnminhkhoi1398]

French: We have the most heavily armed fortress in Indochina Vietnamese: We have the high ground

[@sentryward8744]

this is actually accurate.... lmao

[@huyquoc6098]

Not again

[@nguyenuctrung3814]

that ... actualy true weird

[@linhle8294]

Star Wars references 😂😂😂😂

[@charlesroberts3650]

AND the MORAL high ground.....

[@Akk-1203]

“Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom”

[@baochi456]

@@teatarou that's a bit of a mismatch ngl, Ho was gentle, same can't be said about birdie boi.

[@user-eg8zz6dw8l]

@@teatarou He was better than Eren a lot.

[@Stryfe52]

@@teataroufeels more like Erwin. I don’t think Eren has a proper real life equivale

[@longdang1119]

The fact that both North and South Vietnamese governments called him "uncle" and "father of the Nation" told it all.

[@therockbat]

Wait, don't the South Vietnamese government (Republic of Vietnam) use every chance they have to take cheap shots at Ho?

[@yuujio5455]

@@therockbat The South love Uncle Ho but South Vietnamese governments made him like a tyrian

[@lucassmith4847]

I believe only North calls him that way. South doesn't speak much about him.

[@yuujio5455]

@@lucassmith4847 WWTf man? iam from the south , Binh phuoc. We love him so much

[@hoanglinhle4468]

@@lucassmith4847 Do you live in South Vietnam ? Because i do. And i call him that way.

[@mioszolszewski3583]

Best wishes for an outstanding leader and revolutionary - Ho Chi Minh! Regards from Poland!🇵🇱 Long-life friendship with Vietnam!🇻🇳

[@NamNguyen-jr3lw]

Thank you I love polish people ❤️❤️❤️

[@djzrobzombie2813]

What's best polish vodka ?

[@thanhhoangnguyen4754]

Thank you and love from us too. Btw love your country and culture, your country history is also the same as us. Being the target of grabing by other major power neighbor . But you still stand up again. [ really love your polish Lancer , the greatest calvary in all of europe ]

[@djzrobzombie2813]

@@thanhhoangnguyen4754 bla bla bla let's talk about vodka

[@jackd1667]

@@djzrobzombie2813 wtffff

[@cs7725]

One of the things I love about this channel is you get to see and learn about other country’s perspectives and history. As an American I only knew of the US involvement in Vietnam. This really helped paint a broader picture of Vietnam’s history. Thank you for putting out so many awesome videos!

[@thefrenchtaunter2757]

Facts. I grew up thinking that Ho Chi Minh was the Vietnamese Stalin. I love how FactBoy's channels open my mind to new perspectives.

[@1-hourrelaxationmusic257]

Ho President lives with Vietnamese people forever. He led all the patriotic hearts of Vietnamese people to defeat the two mightiest nations in the 20th century. His life and his devotion to Vietnam could not be verbalized in words. Not only Vietnam but also other oppressive countries in the world had recognized him as an immortal symbol to fight against imperialism, to fight for national independence. The greatest man ever. Must say that he lives permanently in my heart as well as all Vietnamese patriots.

[@ItsLunaRegina]

he's garbage

[@uptowngeorgiaave900]

💪🏿✊🏿

[@ItsLunaRegina]

@@uptowngeorgiaave900 nig emojis?

[@AccipiterSmith]

Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam was the person i look up to next to Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore and Miriam Defensor Santiago of the Philippines.

[@goofymoofy8101]

he shot my grandpa…

[@albertsamuel3336]

Wow I'm from Indonesia and seeing that the struggle for Vietnamese independence is very similar to ours astonished me. Nice video as always.

[@nguyenhoangphucluan8059]

Nah shut up indon

[@nguyenhoangphucluan8059]

@@eistran2347 we lost the culture and lost the people too

[@quangnguyen4551]

We are the Southeast Asian people who share similar painful colonial past. In our region, only Thailand with outstanding foreign policy did not have to suffer colonialism.

[@jurtra9090]

@@nguyenhoangphucluan8059 dude stfu

[@Sheyl3319]

Well, that said atleast the Dutch weren't bombing the crud out of everything, lucky you mate.

[@puppetguy8726]

"US sent advisors", yeah "advisors", few of those 20000 or so were anything else but a military force.

[@xephren6557]

"advisors" were sent there to advise the south and their military plans a few years before actual american soldiers were there, they're not the same thing lol

[@puppetguy8726]

@@xephren6557 According to the US there were never any American soldiers present until the invasion, there were however "military advisors" present and when war broke out these "advisors" numbered 20.000. The rest of the world knows fully well that they weren't "advisors" but rather a thinley veiled military force. Don't let US propaganda deceive you.

[@andrewsutherland133]

The military sent in the 50s literally were just there for stability Then Kennedy pursued militart operations and finally lbj was given permission by congress to direct how he saw fit, which really made the Vietnam war people remember

[@minhmeo1209]

The date of Ho Chi Minh's death is Sep. 2, which is also the day he declared independence for Vietnam on Sep. 2, 1945.

[@RandomKuteness]

Nguyễn Sinh Cung Dù tên thật của m là gì, m mãi mãi vẫn là thằng thất bại :))) Những đầu óc tầm thường chỉ dừng lại ở việc lập acc fake tên và chế vài bài thơ mất dạy, hả hê trên sự ngu dốt của bản thân :))). Wonder why Ho Chi Minh managed to get the support of the majority, ‘cause he was wise and a man of his words, unlike some south vietnam “leaders” who were the first to run and abandon their people. So shut up and bow down losers, you did not and will not stand a chance to win, as I can see that the stupidity is something in your blood

[@nguyenuctrung3814]

@@SucSinhCung trước khi comment như thế phiền bạn đổi tên cho đỡ nhục

[@inuriie4370]

Nguyễn Sinh Cung Way to go, you now have every Vietnamese Literature teacher on your heels. Good luck man:

[@phanhnguyen1693]

@@SucSinhCung Xin bạn hãy cẩn thận lời nói của bạn và bạn thay luôn cái tên cho đỡ nhục:)

[@t-34onsnow47]

@@SucSinhCung in the US, if you're poor, you're the dead man. You just hate the government because they cant help you with your (how can I say it correctly) mental problem, right? If you are one of the people think that only the communist countries's government are corrupted, well, your mind, you should have someone check it regularly, and I meant EVERY SECOND, brother.

[@elviejodelmar2795]

I was a Special Forces officer and the speaker at my graduation, was the god father of Special Forces, Col. Aaron Bank. After an illustrius career in the OSS in Europe, he was sent to Vietnam and met and traveled with Ho Chi Minh. As he looked out on the CIBs in the classroom, he said, "Guys, I hate to have to tell you this, but the Vietnam War wasn't necessary. Ho Chi Minh was more nationalist than Communist and we could have worked with him. I wrote a report and sent a copy to Truman. He ignored it." Who knows what would have happened if Vietnamese Independence had been recognized in 1954. Lé Duán -- much more of an ideologue than Ho -- wouldn't have assumed so much power during the 1960s as Ho's health failed and the aftermath of US defeat might very well have been more democratic.

[@Danovio]

it was actually about geographical power, even if they were admitted not to be communists, they would still be a threat that could make USA lose power against the communists. It never matterd actually, it never does, you think USA actually cared if the guerilla of latin america was communist or not? its about control as always. As soon as someone want independence from everyone INCLUDING USA then they get pissed off and either poisons or flat out destroys the country.

[@Danovio]

Andrew Olson thats your opinion what i said is facts, USA dident care if Vietnam was commie or not they still dident want to lose the controll

[@longdang1119]

Yes. The crossroads of destinies was surely tragic. Things coulda been better for both countries. But we can't change the pass. We can change the future though.

[@hemming57]

Truman never got it

[@trananh4415]

@Andrew Olson It doesn't really matter if one country turn to communists or capitalists. Both North and South Korea was under the dictatorship in their early days and the South was backed by the US. What matters is can one country achieved relatively good democracy.

[@adibpathan5742]

Simon you should oil up your beautiful bald head so it shines like a star

[@OzGeologyOfficial]

lmfao this is an amazing comment

[@akhandbharatiya2493]

Good one

[@shaldar44]

It could actually be a neutron star. He will reveal that some day.

[@acefreak9561]

This was also gay

[@adibpathan5742]

The Overlander So you have a problem with that?

[@justinlabrosse8506]

I have huge respect for the Vietnamese people the determination and resilience it took to keep fighting and defeat the worlds most powerful nations is the highest example of the fight for freedom.

[@GigaChadh976]

“Freedom.”

[@Lone432345]

When has any communist country every really been free. If you not free to say what you want without government reprisal. Than your not free.

[@minhle-wq3cy]

Ho Chi Minh is a living image of revolutionary morality. A special feature in him is modesty, sincere simplicity. The late Chilean President Salvador Allende said about Uncle Ho: "Behind his soft appearance is a strong, brave, indomitable spirit ... At first, the people from the West laughed at his clothes, then after a while, many of them realized that his special clothes proved that wherever he was, among the elites or among the masses, he never forgot that he was one of the Vietnamese people that he loved so much ... If anyone wants to find a word that can sum up all of President Ho Chi Minh's life, that word is “simplicity and utter modesty”. In an article entitled "Ho Chi Minh - Winning a Vision" published in German magazine In Asien, author Dierk Szekielda once wrote that his admiration for President Ho Chi Minh and for the vitality of Vietnamese poeople had inspired him to write the article. Dierk Szekielda praised President Ho Chi Minh as a patriot and a man who enlightened the revolutionary struggle of the Vietnamese people, a man of extraordinary quality. The Manila Times (Phillippines) once called President Ho Chi Minh a symbol of Asia for succeeding in his leadership role with a exemplary, wholeheartedly, whole-heartedly serving the interests of the people, making a modern history, and so, he is one of the "most noble and most respected figures of the time"

[@titi-ul3tb]

Có lẽ trên thế gian nầy không có ai tàn ác hơn người cộng sản, đày khổ sai, bỏ đói, luôn làm nhục người tù cải tạo nhưng bắt phải khen họ tốt, nhân đạo, nếu than dù không chống cũng không được, là có tội nặng. Người dân sống với chế độ cai trị của họ, chịu không nổi, trốn bỏ đi tỵ nạn cũng không được, bị mang tội phản quốc, bị tù bất kể đàn bà trẻ con, người già.

[@nguyenthianhthu112]

We, the young generation of Vietnam never forget the sacrifice of our father's generations leading by President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap and many other leaders. In the day when our beloved General died, I went directly to his house to pay tribute to him. Our nation cried in the day that Uncle Ho died and that day. I will never forget that day.

[@anhtuan7977]

Khi xem tư liệu về Bác Hồ tôi khóc luôn luôn khóc, khi Bác Giáp mất tôi ko dám xem ti vi nhiều vì tôi khóc ko ngừng. Đời đời này ko bao giờ quên công ơn to lớn của Bác!

[@slavicemperor8279]

Respect to Uncle Ho and Vietnamese freedom fighters from Montenegro!

[@meatballsnacker-sitregald6919]

Interesting fact: Ho Chi Minh's death was the same day as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam's declaration of independence day, thus news of his death were delayed from the North Vietnamese people to about more than a day after the people celebrated (also his passing date was changed for a while until after the end of the war) as to not affect national morale.

[@Shinden23]

Oh man, I was waiting for this! Thank you! Very well presented!

[@bardigan1]

Coming from the perspective of a draft eligible American man born in the 1950's, this is the best Biographics video ever presented. If you were born anywhere else in the world in any other decade I can understand how you might feel differently, but this video spoke to me to my bones. Many many thanks for putting this together.

[@allencollamore8052]

dude, I'm really getting into these bios you do!!! really well done, informative AND entertaining!!

[@MrElm0O]

Wow, from a pastry chef, to a revolutionary, to leader of his country. Really interesting guy.

[@luuhuuduong6085]

Remember,Uncle Ho is a nationalist,not communjst.He always fights for our freedom,our independence,and his national interest.He sent a letter to Roosevelt to call a help,but he refused,so our Uncle chose the communist...

[@giaopx]

where did you read that, please tell me the source of it? I really need to know that. that would end a massive argument in my family

[@jasong6789]

Maybe U Don't Know it was Truman not Roosevelt

[@kietack1203]

@@giaopx In a Vietnam War documentary film by PBS episode 1 or 2. It is available on youtube

[@samuelademeso9041]

Actually he wrote a letter to Woodrow Wilson that was rebuff not roosevelt

[@millardwashington6216]

Wilson

[@jpmnky]

Thanks for this one in particular. Been waiting for one on this guy.

[@yesimhuman]

I was just earlier wondering if you had done one of these on Ho Chi Minh, Awesome timing!

[@Wardner213]

Could you please do a bio on Ip Man? Thank you :)

[@Lawliet734]

@Burnin' How about you read his bio on Wikipedia?

[@FacelessDeviant]

@@Lawliet734 You could say this to literaly every biography video ever. Wouldnt be a very interesting channel then, would it?

[@cyborgchicken3502]

I think a bio on another obscure chinese legend Wong Fei Hung would be better or Huo Yian Jia

[@BSKX17]

@@cyborgchicken3502 I would suggest Li Shuwen

[@Leftyotism]

@drdavid Who does Hitler can also do Caligula, I think : >

[@PlanetZoidstar]

Who will win? The World's Only Ultrapower? OR One Pastry Boi?

[@sebastiantetsuya6879]

I hate the reactionary Hanoi regime now... they are capitalists

[@danielkron2513]

There was never "only ultrapower"

[@GiffysChannel]

Great video! Thank you Simon, Steve, Jennifer and Shell.

[@kathleenstewart409]

Great job on this. I learned more here than in any classroom. Thanks for doing this one :-)

[@norikazuoshiro6324]

how about Vo Nguyen Giap for another video?

[@songbiendong3021]

jasian lerice u,uneducated

[@nissan_skylinegtr2794]

Пшсж нз

[@nissan_skylinegtr2794]

Пшсж нз

[@Jin-Jin16]

​@@TrungPurpVN joke, I don't think funny, here we respect him and don't make him as a joke, u are vietnamese but u are ...

[@johnkannon7359]

@@Jin-Jin16 why waste time arguing with a donkey ?

[@2121KJW]

Best and shortest doc You guys are awesome Keep it up 👍

[@mr_fox8066]

Whistler my man! dropping some knowledge, that was very informative!

[@justinle8787]

One of the greatest leaders of our nation. The man traveled the world, combined different things into his own ideology. People call us communist cause they don't know us. The beginning of our Constitution of Independence written by Uncle Ho is inspired by that of America:"Independence, Freedom and Happiness". The man didn't follow Capitalism, Communism or Maozism whatever you call it, he created Ho Chi Minh ideology which we still study to this day.

[@keeplearning4L]

he is a leninist? he wrote it in his book “the revolutionary path”

[@666joemetal]

Yeah hcm was a revolutionary communist.

[@AceFromGorillaz]

Ho was a Marxist leninist. Yeah his ideology had differences as Vietnamese culture and goals at the time were different than marx and even Lenin but he was a communist

[@tridinh1011]

@@AceFromGorillaz if you actually read any of his writings and visions, you can see that he really hates what the ussr and china have done in their country and how his vision of a sustainable and improved Vietnam was basically what the country is today

[@KendrixD]

@@AceFromGorillazut he was more of a nationalist than a communist tho. Before turning to communism for help from the communist block (Soviet and China), Ho Chi Minh actually wanted to create an alliance with the US. Ho Chi Minh and his fellow Vietnamese nationalists petitioned US president Woodrow Wilson when he came to France for the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919. They wanted help to get their freedom from France, but were completely ignored.

[@zivojinpopovic1363]

I love this bald boy.Cant sleep without this. Love your chanell, keep up the good work!

[@blksheep176]

Zivojin Popovic u cant sleep without another man?

[@CarlosRamirez-ns7qw]

@@blksheep176 is that a problem

[@nicholasturbide4677]

“Bald Boy” 😂😂😂

[@acefreak9561]

Thats gay

[@charlesarinze1290]

I have learnt more from Simon than I did in my entire years studying history in school.

[@JohannPachelbel81]

Try Kent Burn ' document on PBS "Vietnam war"

[@divinesan7786]

1954: *exists* Vietnam: It is over France bois, we have the high ground.

[@orgonsolo6291]

You knocked this one out of the ballcourt Simon, Bravo! I actually knew exactly zilch about Ho Chi Minh, other than he was a communisr, then I learn on american patriot radio, he adapted an american style constitution, and now the US back down because of french and british colonial interests... I literally had to pick my jaw off the floor several times at the ineptitude to the highest degree,.. Thanks,

[@michaellynes3540]

When the Japanese declared Vietnam an independent nation, Ho Chi Minh wrote Vietnam's Declaration of Independence, copying the famous quote from the American Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

[@pamelamays4186]

I always look forward to new videos!

[@agrometers9503]

Wow this one was great Simon! Keep it up!

[@WICKEDMAN85]

As a Brit, I went to Ho Chi Minh City last year and was amazed by the people and food of Vietnam. Yes they have plenty of work to do in building up their country and getting the country cleaner too. I recommend any westerner and especially American to visit the War Museum and see the evils that was done to the Vietenamese people by the United States, it would shock many Westerners to the core that we in the West are just as capable of doing Evil than just good!!

[@blueskyalchemist623]

WICKED MAN I live in Vietnam man. What you see here is basically like what North Korean would show a visitor about American atrocities Winners write the history and have the right to sweep their crimes under the carpet. Sure you can visit our museums, but take it as one side of opinion only.

[@angquangnguyenthac2833]

Honestly, the countryside are....kinda the same, just chiller in Vietnam. People don't really need that much besides food and a place of their own to stay. Everything else is just convenience. If you want social interaction? Neighbors. You want to sell your food to and else? Go ahead. Understand that first is probably the first step to built democracy in any way. The US people just missed it because of the illusion of wealth status.

[@_meiso__hune_5811]

@@blueskyalchemist623 The winner writes history? So why when we tried to gain independence from the division caused by you, did you try to cover up in the media that this was a civil war? We have freedom in cyberspace, we can use Google and other foreign information sources. If the Government wanted to, it couldn't cover up anything! If you say Vietnam tries to blame the US, then what is Agent Orange? The number of Napalm bombs used by the Americans in Vietnam was 25 times more than the number of bombs the US used in World War II. What is it? What was the My Lai massacre? What is Operation Linebacker II? The whole of Vietnam had to fight for independence with a military strength not equal to even a small corner of America's, and the whole world saw that... Why is it that Vietnam preserves clear and real evidence of history, so that reactionaries who cannot defame the country's history are "the victors who write history"? If so, you can also make a museum about Vietnam's crimes... Please don't insult Vietnam and our previous generations like that... History has proven that America should not support France's colonization of Vietnam, nor should it prevent our quest for independence... *If you were truly Vietnamese, you would never make such absurd statements...*

[@shamuscraft9259]

Love your work! I was wondering if you'd ever do an alan watts biographic?

[@cpoole5298]

Thank you so much for the great history lesson. :)

[@huongspy1626]

Thank you for this wonderful video. I’m Vietnamese and though we did learn a lot about him in history class, but it seem that I could never actually remember any thing about Ho Chi Minh. He was such a great leader in my country, and you help me remember more about him than any of my history teachers ever did.

[@alexanderhamilton9891]

But he is a communist

[@mcguire2038]

Yknow the early biographics videos were horribly inaccurate as well as most of the toptenz videos, but over time they've become brilliant. I used to hate them, now I love them. Talk about progress

[@eddyguizonde401]

@The Legend of Texas give credit to his staff, too. they read the comments, and they strive to improve themselves, judging by their polls and interaction with the viewers.

[@bearbyboy5183]

As a Vietnamese, I saw that there are some biases when we talked about communists in VietNam, this video taught me about Ho Chi Minh far more than I could ever learn in my own school from an unbias standpoint, thank you a lot !. Much love from VietNam

[@Ashley-1917]

As am American, to me this video sounds like it has anti-communist bias. For example, when he said that a million people escaped communism, its very likely that they were only leaving to find better economic prospects in an area that was less ravaged by war. Capitalism is not the liberating economic model its made out to be in the west.

[@digbick1241]

@@Ashley-1917 Coming from someone that came from a family of south vietnamese migrants, no, we left to escape communism. We didnt wanna stay with the people that held families hostage to forcefully conscript us into terrorist militias for the sake of reunification and starvation.

[@Ashley-1917]

@@digbick1241 Alright, but to be fair, the US did the same thing to us. *we* were forcibly conscripted into a terrorist military, only to have our soldiers return and be discarded, many went hungry, many went untreated for medical issues. As a matter of fact, more US veterans of the war in Vietnam died of suicide after the combat than died of bullets.

[@davidmoss2576]

As an American, I can tell you these type of videos are full of lies, and Western propaganda. It is very sad to me when I see young people being brainwashed to hate their own. You think the US cares about freedom for Vietnamese people?? Go ask people on Okinawa how Americans treat them on their own land. We still have control of their government even after 70 years. Wake up please!

[@NBrioDaZueraRules]

@@digbick1241 i see why pol pot hated your people so much

[@docongtuannghia]

Thank you so much for making this vid. Thank you for spending time for ours country history

[@chadtep7571]

One of the best channels on KZbin. I love it.

[@jackwhturnbull]

Interesting factoid I learned on "Jeopardy" recently - Ho Chi Minh worked at the Omni Parker Hotel in Boston from 1912-1913. Malcom X also worked there in the 1940s.

[@Clin7Walker]

Malcom x dosent hold a candle to this man

[@shermansaxton3651]

And they share the same birthdays

[@iago110]

@@Clin7Walker Uncle was inspired by the black rights movement, said movement was also a great opposer of the vietnam war and a large advocate for peace

[@HistoryOfRevolutions]

As a Muslim, I respect Ho Chi Minh and his Bravery in the face of American Invasion. He was a Hero who humilated the Tyrannical American empire.

[@laskarrianto7629]

Thank you for delivering another inspiring video.

[@jacobsanders4899]

One of the greatest channels. Keep at it

[@unknownplayer3095]

Right on time! My class just started studying the 🇻🇳 war

[@therebelfrogy9287]

Try to read documents from both sides of war. In Vietnam, students have to read the full story to understand why the North had to end the war immediately

[@succwizard1746]

Taught me more than my history teacher ever would. 🙏🙏

[@sablahedning]

i really enjoy your videos ,cheers

[@markusdee6136]

Wow thanks. I've requested Uncle Ho!!!!

[@Huyrrou]

One of the things that only Vietnamese knows is when we was in a great famine, Uncle Ho almost die of starvation because he refused to eat food, insisting in sharing his portion with the people.

[@OhElvira]

Hahahaha. That’s because you’re fed propaganda

[@DarkFawful]

@@OhElvira The Irony in your Statement.

[@penguin5989]

@@OhElvira History is history, believe it or not. You are not Vietnamese, so you cannot know everything. The problem is not propaganda, but your brain is too small to understand what it means.

[@OhElvira]

@@penguin5989 ah yeah. I’m Vietnamese, my dad and his entire family escaped Vietnam. Fuckwit.

[@dinuxplay8003]

Bruh, always take stuff you hear from the internet with a grain of salt.

[@deathdude191]

Another interesting fact for those who like culinary history, Ho Chi Minh was a pastry chef for Auguste Escoffier at the Ritz-Carlton in England. A key figure in french cooking who developed the recipes and the kitchen brigade system.

[@AuroraPolkka]

Is it bad that I would try his food

[@KendrixD]

@@AuroraPolkkaliterally hundreds of people have tried his meals. He is known to be very friendly with his guards, and there were many stories about how he would relieved them from their duty of guarding his residence all day and invited them to have a meal that he prepared all by himself. He also personally went into the kitchen every time a minister or foreign government official visit Hanoi.

[@youtub369]

He was a pastry chef in Boston as well

[@peatta]

As a Vietnamese, TIL that in his 30 years around the world, he was a chef(I only knew he was an assistant chef or sth on that 1911 ship)

[@hdmonster3327]

@@AuroraPolkka of course not. Ho Chi Minh is a chad.

[@agentlord3423]

Its amazing how you achieve to publish these videos on a daily scale.

[@nickmauldin8825]

Thank y’all for this one. Being American I’ve seen many docs on the war but not on him. Thanks for putting this one together. 👍👍

[@gus2747]

Good history! I like the last sentence especially.

[@fintanin7827]

Dammit Simon, I just finished a project about him yesterday.

[@TranNgocAnh1607]

Thanks for sharing this information

[@blackblurable]

Yay another new video thank you very much!

[@robertciochon5990]

Do a bio on Jose Rizal! He's a very similar figure to Ho Chi Minh - a national hero who helped inspire a successful anti-colonial revolution that, in turn, resulted in a subsequent US invasion. Neither lived long enough to see their countries truly independent. He also happens to be one of the most dapper revolutionaries in history. He's woefully underrepresented in Western media and his story deserves to be heard.

[@longdang1119]

Such a great man. Which country did he come from?

[@robertciochon5990]

@@longdang1119 born in the Phillipines (under Spain at the time), although he lived in Europe and Hong Kong at various points.

[@huuduyvu9714]

He is taught in Vietnamese history textbook too.

[@therebelfrogy9287]

Hữu Duy Vũ he's a great man with big dream for his people. That's why teacher teaches us in class

[@huuduyvu9714]

@@therebelfrogy9287 yeah sure, but America is no better than Spain when it comes to invading Philippines. And Vietnam is also luckier that we fought them when USSR and China were already strong enough. Of course, we rely on our own in manpower and don't let them meddle in our affairs with USA even during Vietnam War, but their supportances are important to us, though just 1/4 that of which American puppet South regime received from them.

[@mosquitobight]

Vilifying Ho Chi Minh was probably the toughest job American propaganda ever faced. He had every admirable quality in a leader.

[@kampfer91]

@Andrew Olson They kill ( insert number ) billion of people ! There , very easy to vilify them .

[@Mackzodroginstomp]

@@kampfer91 By that standard, it is also incredibly easy to vilify the vast majority of past and present governments. Broaden your one-dimensional understanding of the world and you'll realize humanity has always vilified itself.

[@bigboab5898]

These bios are great good work

[@irvin5839]

Again your videos have thought me so much in 30 minutes then 14 years of education please keep up the good work.

[@rock.entity]

When you try to do something new next what about a biographical overview of the Vietnam conflict

[@davidk7212]

Way to go Ho! The thriving, safe, uncorrupt, and wealthy country of modern day Vietnam is a glowing testament to your legacy.

[@Nao_Poy]

😂 cái gì cũng được nhưng tham nhũng ở đâu không có . Tôi chẳng bao giờ nói sai sự thật về tham nhũng ở Việt Nam 🇻🇳 ( Thông Tin Chính Phủ ) có nói chứ đâu phải không nói

[@tongtrankhanhchi7890]

Interesting for some students like me! Very useful. Thank you very much

[@titi-ul3tb]

Có lẽ trên thế gian nầy không có ai tàn ác hơn người cộng sản, đày khổ sai, bỏ đói, luôn làm nhục người tù cải tạo nhưng bắt phải khen họ tốt, nhân đạo, nếu than dù không chống cũng không được, là có tội nặng. Người dân sống với chế độ cai trị của họ, chịu không nổi, trốn bỏ đi tỵ nạn cũng không được, bị mang tội phản quốc, bị tù bất kể đàn bà trẻ con, người già.

[@Heavywall70]

I do believe I’ll go all the way to the beginning of your videos

[@phinguyenvan708]

I was born in the same village as HCM. My home is about 2 km from Hoang Tru. My great grandfather is some of the very first Vietcong soldiers in the period of Indochina war, later being killed by a Vietnamese traitor because he didn't betray his comrades, it is a little funny that now I mostly work with Japanese and Western people, who once invaded our country last century. Currently, HCM's house is preserved for tourists to visit and listen to his whole lifetime storyline, it is almost the same condition as when HCM left for seeking freedom, very recommend to visit if you have time in Vietnam ( but I not sure whether there is an English speaking local guide or not).

[@alexisfuentes466]

I needed this last week for my quiz. Where were you?

[@michaelbatts5655]

Another great presentation, Prof. Whistler!

[@honghanhnguyen7746]

Bac Ho said: "Freedom for my people! Independence for my country! That's all I want and everything I understand!"

[@minhhieucao6901]

Ho Chi Minh is the greatest leader ever of Viet Nam, he spent all his life to fight for the independence of Viet Nam. But now, so many stupid kid got brain erased by some reactionaries and they began to spread bad words about Ho Chi Minh. Such stupidity

[@thegrayyernaut]

@@minhhieucao6901 A man who dedicated his life for Indepedence, Freedom, and Liberty didn't live long enough to witness his life's work desecrated by an incompetent communist government.

[@hoanghieu1650]

@@thegrayyernaut Yeah sure, the communist government is saving your people from nCovid for free, not like Japan or Korea

[@thegrayyernaut]

@@hoanghieu1650 It's *our* people. I was referring to the pre-Doi-Moi era government. The current one is alright. Welfare is nice. Military is nice. Diplomacy is nice. Only exception is their handling of money.

[@anhdinhlamduc5700]

@@thegrayyernaut you mean pre Doi Moi?

[@perspii2808]

Great video tbh, a Biographic on Freidrich Ebert could be interesting too

[@budy2941]

Ho Chi Minh -The Leader of Vietnam. No North or South, only one Vietnam.

[@anhtuan7977]

Đúng rồi! Nước Việt Nam là một, dân tộc Việt Nam là một!

[@kknives36]

Great video! Better than any other video on KZbin covering the man himself. A few small critiques however - Do not mistake this as disappointment, merely observations from a man who is a Historian of the mans life. 1. You didn’t mention Phan Boi Chau at all. The previous successful Confucian Vietnamese Nationalist who Ho had previously looked up to and then betrayed to secure his own freedom. Those in Phans faction would later face the choice of execution or assimilation into Ho’s faction. 2. There was no mention of the Indochinese Workers Party. That was a major stepping stone in his political career and to this day Viet Nam has de facto control over Laos and Cambodia despite the party being dismantled officially. 3. There were about 10,000 Japanese who stayed behind as advisors to the Viet Minh and greatly drilled and modernized Vietnamese guerilla tactics. 4. He was certainly married to a woman in Shanghai, and most likely had a romance with a French woman during his time in Paris. The Communist government has however strongly denied these claims despite the former having certificates on record and numerous anecdotes on the latter that even predate his acceptance of Communism. 5. His body is on display to this day for all to see like those of Lenin, Mao, and Kim Il-Sung despite his wishes being for cremation. 6. You absolutely butchered some of the Vietnamese names (Bao Dai and Ngo Dinh Diem in particular). I understand though, I’m a white American who used to not pronounce the proper tones myself when I first began studying Vietnamese. They are hard to do and even consonants have their own tones. Some however you got almost completely correct. To this day I have trouble pronouncing some words that begin with ‘Ng’ and my exes parents would always tease me for it. All very minor issues though and as I’ve said, I would nitpick just because I’m a historian of his life. All in all I give it as just an overview and summary a 9/10 with the only major offenders being that you didn’t mention Phan’s betrayal and Ho’s ultimate embalming. As always though great work.

[@longnguyenquynh2347]

Spot on man. Despite Minh's wrongdoings, he led quite a successful yet impossible career.

[@kknives36]

Long Nguyen Quynh I cannot at all view him as a villain the way I do Stalin or Mao. There are shades of gray in history. His measures were extreme in some areas but I chock that up to him being treated harshly so many times when he came forward with pure intentions. He was a good man with only the well being and independence of his people in mind but he was not in any way xenophobic and would happily meet with people of all nationalities and spoke out only against America and France for impeding reunification. Again while I think he took harsh measures he is still more of a hero than a villain in my eyes.

[@longnguyenquynh2347]

@@kknives36 I wholeheartedly agree. I would've taken similar measures in exchange for freedom and liberty.

[@baotrinh3052]

kknives your no.3 is very interesting to me. Could you give me more info about it plz.

[@kknives36]

Bảo Trịnh During WW2 Japan occupied French Indochina sort of with implicit Nazi support and the Vichy and French resistance were both kind of powerless to do anything about it. The Japanese were essentially planning to make French Indochina into a new Manchukuo (a state they had set up in Northeast China) under Prince Cuong De of Viet Nam. The Japanese did not view their actions as colonizers, rather as Liberators and some even went on to sire families in Viet Nam or identify strongly with the locals there or even just wanted to continue the fight against the allies. These men numbered around 10,000 most likely. Some say it was as few as 5,000 and others have said it was as high as 30,000 but in all likelihood it was at about 10-15,000. These Japanese would be instrumental in training and drilling new Viet Minh recruits in the earliest days of the conflict with France. The Viet Minh also had Soviet and believe it or not French advisors as well, with Soviets training their Air Force and French soldiers with Vietnamese wives joining the cause for an Independent Viet Nam. Ho Chi Minh welcomed all of these people with open arms and supposedly for several years his closest friend was a former French soldier and dedicated Socialist.

[@TheTurajj]

Thank you very much for this brilliant, informative feed 👍🏻 appreciate it a lot. Seeing several of your bio graphics, I just wonder why it all needs to be told so fast? why do you speed-talk as if it was an elevator-speech?

[@chadcox9311]

Turaj Hafezi because he needs views, hour long videos don’t get many views. Elementary my dear Watson.

[@nathansansom8518]

Congrats on 1 million subs simon👍👍

[@awc6007]

Thank You! I've been waiting so long for this ☭

[@ucebuflash]

Wow...his parents named him after the city....that was a really cruel thing to do

[@ericviston]

are you kidding :D the city was named after him

[@ucebuflash]

@@ericviston I am not kidding. That's what my friend Dave Garden told me.....Dave Madison Square Garden

[@linkh1435]

@@ucebuflash Well then he's wrong. It's the other way around. The city was originally named Sai Gon, but was changed to Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh also wasn't his real name. His parents named him Nguyen Sinh Cung. During his life and his journey to find the way to free his country, he changed his name into many other names for the sake of hiding his identity or other reasons. Ho Chi Minh is just one of the more famous ones. I hope that clears things out for you.

[@Sigh679]

@@linkh1435 So he's a fraud. Typical commie.

[@winstonhong4948]

Black Death typical commies that America were allies with. Is that how you treat your past friends? When did communists ever attack America?

[@Aragorn...]

Love your channel! One thing though, where did you read that he was 4'11? The man was at least 5'5 to 5'8 . Just look at the pics with Mao, who was officially listed at 5'11.

[@strumbley]

Nice one! Thanks.

[@quantrinh9824]

"You mention that atrocities were committed on Ho Chi Minh's part but treat it as something only committed by him or by communism. If deaths are an atrocity then the capitalist landowners and colonialists re far far more guilty. When one is considering the scale if social, political and economic change taking place, there will be capitalist forces trying to stop it, so there must be a degree if control to protect the revolution. In white Europe, the revolutions that introduced the free market and democracy wee similarly violent during and after, but they get a free pass. This million people who moved south to "escape communism", why did they need to leave, you give no reason. These were wealthy capitalists who saw that they would lose their stolen and corrupt wealth under Ho Chi Minh and saw a way of keeping it under the corrupt, exploitative system if south Vietnam." - Ed Skeateds, the guy below - The Vietnamese people will judge their leader whether his regime commit actrocities or not , no need a guys reading imperialist propaganda judge their leader. We Vietnamese( the majority 95 milions) respect and always remember him as the great leader of our country.

[@trangthuta5120]

well said ! 🇻🇳

[@TranNhatKim]

There weren't capitalist land owners. They were feudal landlords. Capitalist is based on free trade and voluntarily exchange. Only communists and Feudal landlords would force you to give them wealth and work for them.

[@TranNhatKim]

And no, the millions of people who fled northern vietnam weren't landowners or people who worked with the french. They were ordinary peasants affected by the disastrous economic policies by the north vietnamese government and us bombings.

[@quantrinh9824]

@@TranNhatKim Suggest read the defintion of communism again, feudal landlord and capitalist are barely the new name for the old ruling class that you have to work for their wealth and you fucking starve while they take away surplus value.

[@quantrinh9824]

@@TranNhatKim Capitalist is based on the exploitation of the working class, and of course, "voluntarily not want to starve to death". The ones that you call peasants, were Catholics peasants who was trained and used by French force for sabotage VietMinh force. Either way, Ho Chi Minh will win the election and the America so feared that they have to rigged it, set up a puppet Saigon goverment and install a military dictatorship.

[@JohnSmith-lo1pz]

Why Ho Chi Minh disappeared in the 1930's ?? He was called back to Soviet Unions and locked there. In 1930, he was ordered by the USSR to form the Indochina Communist Party. But he disobeyed them to form only Vietnam Communist Party. To this point, USSR realized that Ho Chi Minh is not an extreme-communist but a nationalist, so they called him back and told him to “study more” while giving another total-communist to run the VCP so Moscow can control it. But HCM was right, VCP could not function properly as they followed the USSR’s policies - which are unrealistic in Việt Nam. So USSR “released” him to see what he can do with a cautiuos eye. That was why when Việt Nam claimed independence in 1945, USSR did not support - they knew HCM is not really a communist, if not at all and they could not control him like the ones in Eastern Europe.

[@phuctrinh2589]

Thats some profound knowledge

[@longhuang5791]

Thank you so much! He was indeed a nationalist. I grew up in Vietnam, I had a feeling everything he did was for the good of the people, and that it had nothing to do with Communism. However, I couldn't exactly describe his ideology until now.

[@hopha1403]

Pls give me your books, links or sources,.. I need to learn

[@briandoss9232]

Gonna level. I knew nothing about Ho Chi Minh other than his name before I watched this video. Very informative.

[@QuasiTraction]

Love this channel. Would like to see one about William Mulholland.

[@revan2549]

Back in the days, young boys, especially at their 20s, volunteered to the battlefield. So many of them, just want to see the day that their country sees its independence

[@SirCopernicusJones]

How can you talk about Dien Bien Phu without mention the man who made it possible Vo Nguyen Giap, he gets so little credit for the role he played in the Viet Minh. He was the made that made most of Ho Chi Minh's military victories possible.

[@luciusaurelian312]

I agree he should have mentioned Giap because he was the Military mastermind who defeated both the Americans and the Franch.

[@nguyenvanky2610]

Wow great video 👍👍💖💖👏👏

[@jackwood8307]

Learned a few things, thanks.

[@SMRMUSICATX]

As a companion to this, do a bio on Lt. Colonel A. Peter Dewey. When assigned to Indochina with the O.S.S, he sent his superiors a warning that the U.S should get out of Indochina years before the full US phase of the Vietnam Conflict.

[@jackmcdaniel1548]

Simon, I watch most of your videos on all of your channels and they are always interesting and entertaining. Please take this comment in the helpful spirit intended. Please be less concerned on pronunciation of words from a foreign language and be more attentive to correct pronunciation and grammar in English either British or American. Thank you.

[@poulomi__hari]

Amazing man. Very very inspirational

[@muralimohandammu8077]

Extraordinarily Fantastic Narration 🌹