Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969) fought for half a century to free Vietnam from foreign domination, and the story of his epic life helped shape world history. But until now, there has never been a definitive biography of this immensely important and elusive figure. Finally, William Duiker, a world-renowned authority on Vietnam, has filled this gap with an astonishing work of history that takes full advantage of information and archives only recently available. It is impossible to understand modern Vietnam and the roots of its lengthy conflicts without examining Ho Chi Minh's life. By accessing original documents in five languages, Duker has been able to shed fascinating new light on Ho's early childhood and the influence of his father, a poor but brilliant scholar. It also examines the question of Ho's primary motivation - was he simply a patriot bent on achieving Vietnamese independence, or a chameleon who constructed a Communist image solely to win support, at home and abroad, for global proletarian revolution? The book also reveals details of Ho's role in planning the battle of Dien Bien Phu, the Tet Offensive, and other crucial engagements, and the extent of his involvement in the horrific land reform campaigns of the 1950s.