Who was the leader of the Vietnamese independence movement against French colonial rule?

The leader of the Vietnamese independence movement against French colonial rule was Ho Chi Minh. He was a central figure in the push for Vietnam's independence from colonial territory, advocating for nationalist and communist ideologies. Ho Chi Minh founded the Viet Minh, an organization that played a crucial role in the struggle against French colonialism, especially during the First Indochina War. His leadership and vision helped to unify various factions in the Vietnamese independence movement and laid the groundwork for the eventual establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945.

While other figures, like Vo Nguyen Giap, played important military roles in the struggle, and Le Duc Tho was involved in diplomatic negotiations during the Vietnam War, it was Ho Chi Minh who was the primary advocate for independence and the most recognizable face of the movement against French rule. Ngo Dinh Diem, on the other hand, was not involved in the independence movement against the French; instead, he became the leader of South Vietnam, aligning with anti-communist sentiments during the Cold War.