Ho Chi Minh

Ho Chi Minh founded the Viet Minh (League for the Independence of Vietnam) in southern China. This coalition of nationalist and communist groups became the primary force for Vietnamese independence, fighting both Japanese occupation and French colonialism.

Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in Hanoi's Ba Dinh Square, citing the US Declaration of Independence. This established the Viet Minh government and began the struggle for independence from French colonial rule.

Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh forces, under General Giap, defeated the French garrison at Dien Bien Phu. This victory ended French colonial rule in Indochina and led to the Geneva Accords dividing Vietnam at the 17th parallel.

Ho Chi Minh's delegation signed the Geneva Accords, temporarily dividing Vietnam at the 17th parallel. The agreement promised nationwide elections in 1956, which were never held, leading to the permanent division of Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh's government in North Vietnam authorized armed struggle against the US-backed South Vietnamese regime. This escalated into the Vietnam War, a prolonged conflict that resulted in millions of deaths and US withdrawal in 1973.