Born into a poor family in central Vietnam, Ho left home at an early age and travelled to France, where he became involved in communist politics. He returned to Vietnam in 1925 and helped found the Vietnamese Communist Party. He was arrested by French authorities in 1931 and spent the next 11 years in prison or exile.
Following his release in 1945, Ho returned to Vietnam and led the Viet Minh in their struggle against French colonial rule. The First Indochina War lasted until 1954, when the Viet Minh defeated the French at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. As a result, Vietnam was partitioned, with Ho Chi Minh becoming President of North Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh continued to lead North Vietnam during the Second Indochina War, which lasted from 1955 to 1975. He died in 1969, shortly before the end of the war. North Vietnam eventually emerged victorious, and the country was reunited under communist rule in 1976.
Ho Chi Minh was a controversial figure, both during his lifetime and after his death. He is revered in Vietnam as a national hero, but he has also been criticized for his authoritarian rule and for his role in the Vietnam War.