Ho Chi Minh was the leader of Vietnam during its struggle for independence from French colonial rule. Born Nguyen Sinh Cung in 1890, he became immersed in communist ideology after spending time in Europe and the United States. In 1941, he founded the Viet Minh, a nationalist and communist-led organization aimed at freeing Vietnam from colonial oppression. Following the end of World War II, he declared Vietnam's independence in 1945. His leadership during the subsequent First Indochina War against France (1946-1954) ultimately led to Vietnamese independence and influenced subsequent conflicts and the Vietnam War, where he served as the symbolic figure of the struggle.