President Ho Chi Minh was born on May 19, 1890, and given the name Nguyen Sinh Cung. He later changed his name to Nguyen Tat Thanh. His birthplace was Kim Lien or Sen village. His childhood home has been preserved as a special national historical site.

On June 5, 1911 at Nha Rong Wharf, the patriotic young man Nguyen Tat Thanh embarked on the ship Admiral Latouche Treville to begin a quest for national salvation.(Archived photo)

During his years building a revolution, Ho Chi Minh used many pen names. This photo captures 30-year-old Nguyen Ai Quoc in France on his quest for national salvation.

Ho Chi Minh attended the 18th Congress of the French Socialist Party in Tours in December, 1920.

On September 2, 1945, at historic Ba Dinh square, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence that gave birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

President Ho Chi Minh made an appeal in 1946 to all Vietnamese to rise up for national salvation after peace negotiations with France to recognize Vietnam as an independent country failed. The appeal was a turning point for Vietnam that began its struggle against the French colonialists.

President Ho Chi Minh visited and gave Tran Quoc Tuan University a flag that said “Loyal to the Party, dutiful to the people” at a ceremony on May 26, 1946.

President Ho Chi Minh on his way to attend the second National Party Congress in the Viet Bac war zone in February, 1951.

Uncle Ho talked to Nguyen Thi Thanh, the youngest delegate to attend the first National Patriotic Emulation Congress in Tuyen Quang in May, 1952.

Uncle Ho gave talks at a class for Party members with central agencies in Viet Bac in 1953.

President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap discussed plans for the Dien Bien Phu campaign in 1954.

President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap visited a military unit stationed in a secret place in 1954.

President Ho Chi Minh with President of the German Democratic Republic Wilhelm Pieck in 1957.

President Ho Chi Minh attended a conference to review the Party's inspection work in Hanoi on July 29, 1964.

President Ho Chi Minh passed away at 9.47AM on September 2, 1969. The photo is of his funeral at historic Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi.