Question #1:

As an observer, reading the texts and internalizing the image of Ho Chi Minh, the resemblance of
the founding fathers found in him can be radical to state, but not impossible to see. With an
overwhelming rich history of proud civilized people that through the ages wanted nothing but
independence, Ho Chi Minh finally gives the hope to the people that the country always wanted.
Ho was a proud Vietnamese nationalist who strove to unify his country under any means for the
sake of liberty and independence. With the country’s rich history along with his own ideals, the
lenses through which many viewed him showed the world he was something else and generally
made his dreams an impossible one to reach.
Author George C. Herring and William J. Duiker both give great Vietnamese history of the
nation’s people opposing intruders and those who wished to exploit them. Simple put by Dr.
Herring, the Vietnamese “Fiercely resisted rule” (Herring, Pg. 4). Guerilla tactics derived from
the hate towards any type of invader that wished to impose their dreams. With China next door, it
was only natural to want what that rapidly growing country had. As that country tried to impose

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its strength on the Vietnamese people, they were fiercely fought off. Vietnamese fierce

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opposition created dishonorable ways of guerilla combat that consisted of either putting iron

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tipped spikes in a bed of a river and luring people into them or choosing death instead of capture

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in forms of drowning oneself before being oppressed (Herring, Pg. 4)(Duiker, Pg. 6). The
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Vietnamese produced proud nationalistic people that simply would do anything to preserve its
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lands and avoid oppression in order to live peacefully and take part in the race of nation building.
Everyone partook in these forms of fighting against oppression, kids and women alike in an age
where only men primarily served in battle (Duiker, Pg. 65). Such aspirations of nationalism
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eventually paved the way for Ho Chi Minh and his aspirations.
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Although the relationship with its neighbor was a complicated one, it is safe to say that the
hunger for independence gave way to someone like Ho Chi Minh that chose to focus on another
nation that generally accomplished what he ever dreamed of (Duiker, Pg. 6). One glaring
statement that is generally overlooked in Herrings books is how during the declaration of
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independence from France on September 2nd, 1945, Ho borrowed from Thomas Jefferson and
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stated “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal” and speeches were
made identifying the relationship with the United Sates being very intimate (Herring, Pg. 3).
Although ironic statements now, it’s evident to see that Ho admired the United States for having
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the same history of dealing with oppression in their lands but one overcoming its oppressors.
This explain why Ho reached out so much to the United Sates for its support throughout many
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conflicts with the French. Not because it generally wanted power on its side to exploit, but
because both nations under their rulers generally shared the same nationalistic ideals crucial to
their dreams of independence.
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Although proof shows that Ho Chi Minh’s admirations primary rested upon the United States due
to its proud nationalistic people achieving independence, the U.S. many other western countries
refused to view Ho in the same way. The lenses itself during this time were extremely tainted to
do so. With the Cold War and roots of racism still very alive, our president viewed only the threat
of communism and not the aspirations of Ho. One perfect example was how the U.S. viewed the

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 Vietnamese people as being backward humans, immature, and unready to govern themselves
(Herring, Pg.11). Although Vietnamese history proves such statement to be completely false,
western countries like the U.S. still refuse to acknowledge Ho as a proud nationalist fighting for
his people due to roots of racism and racial hierarchy. Although the U.S. generally supported the
Vietnamese in different ways trying to assure nonwestern hostility towards them, President
Truman should have questioned Ho’s true motives and maybe had a shift of mindset before only
viewing Vietnam and the world through the lenses of fear and racial hierarchy like the rest of the
world. Truman could have made a really strong ally out of Vietnam if not for prideful means of
distortion. No matter how much Ho strived to identify himself to the U.S. as someone like
themselves before with same aspirations, our lenses along with the rest of the world was unfair
viewing the nation and its ruler through the lenses of various biased factors.
Although history in Vietnam proves that it has made very proud nationalistic people willing to
fight against any form of oppression and gave rise to someone like Ho Chi Minh to take upon
ideals like the United States, the lenses to portray Ho as a nationalist were blinded due to various

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factors concerning this time. Ho Chi Minh was a Nationalist that was very proud of his country

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and his people. Ho strove to fight for independence and freedom using any means possible to get

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there. Due to many contributions tainting his image, the scare of communism and racism in all

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really hindered his image to give his dreams the push necessary to make them reality.

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rs e References
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Duiker, W. (1995). Sacred War: Nationalism and Revolution in a Divided Vietnam (1st ed., pp. 3-
52). Boston [etc]: McGraw Hill.
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Herring, G. (2014). America's Longest War: The United States and Vietnam, 1950-1975 (5th ed.,
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pp. 3-51). New York: McGraw-Hill.

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