North Vietnam
Vietnam, 1945–1976. Draft, not yet reviewed
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam was a country in Southeast Asia from 1945 to 1976, and it became commonly known as North Vietnam after sovereignty was recognized in July 1954. Hồ Chí Minh declared independence on 2 September 1945, proclaiming the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. North Vietnam launched a successful military offensive against South Vietnam in 1975 and was formally reunified with the South the following year.
Seat of power: Hanoi
Rulers
Ho Chi Minh
President of Vietnam, 1945–1969
He led the August Revolution and proclaimed the independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945. After the French returned to power, his government retreated to the countryside and began guerrilla warfare from 1946. He remained president and party leader during the Vietnam War, overseeing the transport of troops and supplies on the Ho Chi Minh trail until his death from heart failure in 1969.
Portrait of Ho Chi Minh: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
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Huynh Thuc Khang
President of Vietnam, 1946–1946
He had joined the Việt Minh-led coalition government as an independent and was appointed Minister of Home Affairs on 2 March 1946. From 31 May to 21 October 1946, he was the Acting President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam while Hồ Chí Minh was negotiating in France.
Portrait of Huynh Thuc Khang: Unknown author, Public domain, file
Tôn Đức Thắng
President of Vietnam, 1969–1980
The position of president was ceremonial, and Tôn was never a major policymaker or even a member of the Politburo. He served as president, first of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from September 2, 1969, and later of a united Vietnam, until his death in 1980.
Portrait of Tôn Đức Thắng: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Culture
- Land reform was carried out from 1953 to 1956 and distributed much land to poor and landless peasants.
- By 1960 there were 40,000 cooperatives covering nearly nine-tenths of all farmland.
- The mausoleum was inspired by Lenin's Mausoleum in Moscow but has distinct Vietnamese architectural elements, such as the sloping roof.
Picture
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi is the resting place of President Ho Chi Minh and was formally inaugurated on August 29, 1975.
Image: NKSTTSSHNVN, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.