On Revolution: Selected Writings, 1920-1966

by Hồ Chí Minh, Bernard B. Fall (Editor & Contributor)

Book by Ho Chi Minh

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Theory, Politics

389 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Vietnamese Communist revolutionary and statesman who was Prime Minister and President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam).

Reviews

[lexluvsb00ks · Rating 5 out of 5]

ho chi minh i love u

(this is a completely random book of excerpts lol not for everyone!)

[Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Far less theoretical than works from his comrades and predecessors, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao, this book does an excellent job of conveying the perspective of Ho and the Vietnamese people’s struggles for independence from the French, the Japanese, the French again, and finally the Americans. Though the book’s contents end before the complete victory over the American imperialists, the main points remain clear. Ho was a consummate diplomat throughout, appealing directly to the working peoples of imperialist nations while condemning unequivocally the evils of the colonialists, imperialists, and capitalists who he rightfully calls out as the aggressors in each conflict in Vietnam.

He expresses a deep admiration of the common people, especially in his homeland, but internationally as well. Dozens of mentions are made to the need for the Party and government to practice self criticism, and avoid mistakes of leading through decree without thorough explanation to, and feedback from, the masses. He recognizes how much the Party asks of its members, as well as the Vietnamese as a whole, stressing discipline as an absolute need that be practiced rigorously.

Gives greater understanding of the Vietnamese struggle to the uninitiated, and of Ho’s charisma and personableness, but is in no way a replacement for a critical history of the conflicts or the theoretical writings (Marxism-Leninism as well as inspiration from Mao) he refers to often throughout.

[Cole Constant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ho Chi Minh has a very deliberate yet playful, often comedic manner of speaking.

collection of first-hand accounts lays bare the realities which many western narratives ignore. Includes lots of helpful statistics

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ho Chi Minh was a truly incredible figure who never aimed to become an icon, yet through his simple and direct thoughts, and his constant care for the oppressed, he showed the world how the masses recognize a man who deserves to be remembered.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writings of Ho Chi Minh, famous foil and fighter of men like LBJ, William Westmoreland, and William McNamara. In this book, he gives away the way that the Vietnamese people were willing to fight the French and then, American "colonizers" and "invaders". Ho speaks of "freedom" and "democracy", but it reads as something simply used as a wartime measure, used to stoke passions and feed a starving country's yearnings against foreign armies.

Ho stresses that Vietnamese history had a long past of repelling such armies, and that the Vietnamese people would bear whatever difficulty necessary, and that they would fight for decades if necessary.
In the face of such tenacious defense, it seems that Westmoreland and McNamara would have done well to study a little history before engaging in such loss of American fighting forces for no gain, and an eventual withdrawal from the country.

[Liam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not much fun to read, but interesting as a means of studying the development of Ho Chi Minh's political thought over the course of many years, through an extremely eventful period of history in which he was an individual of great influence.