Hồ Chí Minh's Life and Cause

by Commission for Research on the Party History

This is a biographical sketch of the work and revolutionary activities of President Hồ Chí Minh from his early days of leading the Vietnamese revolution until his death in 1969

Genres: History, Biography

243 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up a copy of this book as a souvenir in Vietnam not to actually learn anything about Ho Chi Minh in reality, but to hear straight from the lion’s mouth what the VCP wants to portray about Ho’s life to an English-reading audience. This book is extremely obvious in its characterizing of Ho’s life events and words. Inconvenient and uncomfortable things are omitted to create a cohesive narrative of what they want to make of their patriot uncle. His relations to Mao, the Chinese language, the CCP, and the PRC are completely absent. His connection is Stalin is greatly muted. The rest of Indochina and the communist world go unnamed for convenience sake. This book is not a good summary of Ho’s actual life. It’s more a primary source to see what the VCP is saying right now about him. It’s published by the state’s official foreign propaganda publishing wing, by the way, although you wouldn’t know it from just seeing “World Publishers” on the cover. Quotes showing Ho’s anti-capitalism are ironic when considered alongside the realities of Vietnam today.

[Zuckerjunge · Rating 2 out of 5]

Herausgegeben vom Ministerium für Geschichtsschreibung lol.

Ist natürlich reine Propaganda, unkritisch und liest sich dementsprechend dröge. Ist aber als Quelle doch ganz cool.

Dafür, dass ich es mit für meine letzten paar viet Dong am Flughafen gekauft habe, ist es völlig in Ordnung. Der Verkäufer hat es mir sogar ein bisschen günstiger gegeben, weil ich nicht mehr genug Geld hatte. Dieser Verkäufer lebt wie Onkel Ho - bescheiden und immer die Revolution im Hinterkopf!

[Griffin Rahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up as a souvenir. While the book is inconspicuous in its bias, it serves as an interesting read due to its unique perspective within gouvernement propaganda. Sometimes repetitive, I thoroughly enjoyed the learning about Ho Chi Minh’s ascension to becoming a world leader and the tenets he lived by. A good tourist pick up that sheds light onto the reality the government wants you to see.

[Linh Sa Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative but dry and repetitive at times.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing and direct biography.