Personal leadership styles in Vietnamese society: Ho Chi Minh and Ngo Dinh Diem

Leaders of Vietnam

The Vietnam War has been considered the longest and most controversial one in U.S. history since it spanned over 20 years from 1954 to 1975 and cost many lives in the way of independence. The war was actually between the anti-Communist South and Communist North Vietnam, but it was exaggerated by U.S. who supported the anti-Communist community due to its own strategic interests. The war ended as a result of fall of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam and the two parts of the same country united again, giving a huge forfeit to anti-Communist alliances. The war was led by two brilliant leaders on both sides; Ho Chi Minh in North while Ngo Dihn Diem in the Southern part of Vietnam. These two persons derived the entire population of Vietnam for a single goal, freedom, although they both differ in ideologies and orientations and were strictly opposed to each other. In this paper, the leadership styles of both the leaders will be discussed in order to understand about their influence in the Vietnamese society and into the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people.

It is unanimously believed that the personality of Ho Chi Minh was charismatic and mysterious at the same time, which he used politically for the independence of his country and people. Very little is known about his past and therefore, whatever he was, he transformed himself into a man of people. He was in the favor of independence with pride and dignity and this view of him logically inspired the people of North Vietnam. He was a man of emotions who had immense affects upon the friends and enemies as well. There was no reason to hate him or to disregard him because he had a non-controversial personality. He was a fragile, simple, humble old man who presented himself as a wise and sensible leader for the cause of his people's betterment throughout his life. Apart of becoming an independent nation from the foreign rule, Ho was a democrat himself and strongly believed upon the will of people in choosing their rulers. Vietnamese are unified in giving him the title of "father of the nation." It was his sincere and strenuous efforts that after the fall of Saigon, it was renamed as the city of Ho Chi Minh. Within the Vietnamese society, it was exceptional that any person breaks out him from the traditional bonds of family and work only for the interest of his country. This quality of Ho greatly attracted people towards him and hence he became able to create an independent nation. His trips to Europe and Asia enabled him to get enough insight into the political dilemmas of the two World Wars and the Indo-China War which separated Vietnam in parts and invited foreign invaders. Since he played his part as a great leader in eradicating the French rule over Vietnam from 1941-1955, people were highly inspired by his political tactics and he remained in limelight even during his illness in U.S.-Vietnam war and served as President of Democratic Republic of Vietnam until his death in 1969. Hence on the whole, Ho was a people's loved one, charismatic, revolutionary leader who eventually led them to freedom and made his quote true: "nothing is more precious than freedom and liberty" (Johnson 2012, Brocheux 2007).