0.00 — 1.55

The opening minutes of the programme set out the position of Vietnam as one of the defining conflicts of the 20^th century. It looks at the remarkable ability of Ho Chi Minh to mobilise and unite an entire people against overwhelming odds.

1.55 — 6.45

This section provides some background on the French colonisation of Indo-China and the exploitation of its rubber resources. The programme describes Ho’s distaste for French rule and his desire for education and to see the world. Ho’s admiration for the Russian Revolution emerges, as does his training in political ideas and revolutionary methods by the USSR. Ho’s great abilities as an organiser are described, as is his rise to become the chief Communist agent in the South East Asia region. The section also covers the collapse of France in the Second World War. Ho’s Communist guerrillas fought the Japanese, who then invaded Indo-China. By fighting the Japanese they gained the support of the peasants and when the war ended Ho declared Indo-China’s independence. The section closes on an anticlimactic note, however, as the part of Indo-China which becomes Vietnam is turned over to French rule.

6.45 — 10.00

This section of the programme explains how tensions between the French and Ho’s supporters soon exploded into warfare. Students may be surprised at the revelations that the French were even offered nuclear weapons by the Americans, along with a vast quantity of conventional support. At the time, the real surprise was the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu. Ho and his supporters looked forward to a free and independent Vietnam.

11.20 — end

However, this was not to be. In the final settlement, the USA insisted on a divided Vietnam. It continued to prop up the regime in the South which was deeply unpopular with much of the population. At the time the USA feared a spread of Communism, a fear which with hindsight seems exaggerated. This may help to explain the hatred of Ho in some circles even today. Ho did not see things that way of course. He felt that the Americans were the invaders and his people had to be led to freedom. The rest of this section covers the Vietnam War and the way in which Ho mobilised the people of Vietnam in that war. It may be important to remind students of the viciousness and brutality of this war, as it does not fully come across in this programme. The programme concludes with Ho’s death and an outline of the events which lead to the eventual victory of the Communist forces and the fall of Saigon. However, just before that we see Ho calling for the US to withdraw from Vietnam. We also see some support for his position from certain sections of society in Britain and the USA. This is remarkable, given the state of hostility between these countries.