Ho Chi Minh

« Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom.»

Before becoming a revolutionary, the young Nguyễn Sinh Cung travelled the world as a kitchen assistant aboard a French ocean liner. He lived in London, where he is said to have worked in the kitchens of the famous Carlton Hotel, then in Paris and the United States, gaining first-hand knowledge of the great colonial powers.

In 1919, at the Versailles peace conference, he called himself “Nguyễn Ái Quốc” (Nguyễn the Patriot) and presented the leaders with a petition demanding rights for the Vietnamese people. Ignored by the powerful, the episode convinced him that independence would not be won through mere petitions.

The name “Ho Chi Minh,” which he adopted around 1942, means roughly “he who enlightens” or “bringer of light.” Throughout his life in hiding, he used dozens of pseudonyms to evade the French and British colonial police.

On 2 September 1945, in Hanoi, he proclaimed Vietnam's independence by quoting... the American Declaration of Independence of 1776: “All men are created equal.” He hoped in this way to win the support of the United States against France.

Affectionately nicknamed “Uncle Ho” (Bác Hô) by his followers, he cultivated an image of simplicity: modest clothing, rubber sandals cut from tires, and a taste for frugal living, which contrasted with the image of leaders in suits.