Write a Review about the HO CHI MINH AND VIETNAMESE INDEPENDENCE.

Ho Chi Minh was a Vietnamese Communist and leader, prime minister from 1945 to 1955 and president from 1945 to 1969 of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Ho addressed various issues in his declaration of independence speech on 2nd September, 1945.

The Vietnamese harbored the Japanese in September 1940 and continued for the duration of World War II. Japan had an ongoing war with the China which had begun in 1937. This aimed to cut of Tokyo's supply of weaponry but also to satisfy Japanese long term goals of expanding their boundaries to a ‘Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere'. Countries like China, Korea and Vietnam would be ruled by puppet governments of which these governments would respond to requests to the Japanese industries of providing cheap land, labor and resources. In 1941, the Japanese had settled a co-existence with the colonial French government. The Japanese presence in Vietnam also attracted America's interest particularly the US who seek to reduce Japanese expansion in Asia. The US opened a military station in southern China which basically led to the passive involvement of Vietnam's in World War II. Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam declared Japanese to be an enemy when the Japanese started to retreat. In 1945 August, the Viet Minh, Ho's resistance movement had grown and became stronger and the Japanese were on the verge of defeat.

The allies of World War II promoted a united front to stop German, Japanese and Italian aggression. This was their basic principle. In Ho Chi Minh's speech he asserted that the principles of self-determination and equality of nations. By stopping Japanese spread in Asia, the allies fulfilled this principle.

The occupation of the French in Vietnam had made the citizens suffer from not only physical abuse but also starvation. Ho says that more than two million Vietnamese had perished in the North due to starvation.Apart from that they had been subjected to double yoke in terms of taxes from the two governments.

References

Corfield, J. (2014). Historical dictionary of ho chi minh city. Place of publication not identified: Anthem Press

Ray, N. (2005). Vietnam. China: Lonely Planet.

Tully, J. D., Masur, M., & Austin, B. (2013). Understanding and teaching the Vietnam War. Madison, Wisc: The University of Wisconsin Press.