Tôn Đức Thắng facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tôn Đức Thắng
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| 1st President of Vietnam | |
| In office 2 July 1976 – 30 March 1980 |
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| Preceded by | Himself as President of North Vietnam Nguyen Huu Tho (as Head of State of Republic of South Vietnam) |
| Succeeded by | Trường Chinh Nguyễn Hữu Thọ (acting) |
| 2nd President of North Vietnam | |
| In office 2 September 1969 – 2 July 1976 |
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| Preceded by | Ho Chi Minh |
| Succeeded by | Himself as President of Vietnam |
| Chairman of the National Assembly | |
| In office 20 September 1955 – 15 July 1960 |
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| Preceded by | Bui Bang Doan |
| Succeeded by | Trường Chinh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 20, 1888 Long Xuyên, An Giang, French Indochina |
| Died | March 30, 1980 (aged 91) Hanoi, Vietnam |
| Political party | Communist Party of Vietnam |
| Spouse | Doan Thi Dau |
| Awards |  Gold Star Order |
Tôn Đức Thắng (born August 20, 1888 – died March 30, 1980) was an important leader in Vietnam. He was the second and last president of North Vietnam. Later, he became the first president of the united country of Vietnam. This happened after North and South Vietnam joined together in 1976.
As president, Tôn Đức Thắng's role was mostly ceremonial. This means he was the official head of the country, but the main decisions were made by others. He served as president from September 1969 until he passed away in 1980. Before becoming president, he was the vice president to Ho Chi Minh from 1960 to 1969. He was also the chairman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee from 1955 to 1960. Tôn Đức Thắng lived to be 91 years old.
Contents
Early Life and Activism
Tôn Đức Thắng was born on Ông Hô Island. This island is located along the Mekong River, near Long Xuyên in An Giang Province. From 1897 to 1901, he studied Chinese script, history, and philosophy with a private teacher. This teacher was against colonialism, which is when one country controls another. His teacher greatly influenced Thắng's early political ideas. After this, he learned French at an elementary school in Long Xuyên.
In 1906, Thắng moved to Saigon. He became involved in activities against French rule in Vietnam. He joined the Vietnamese Revolutionary Youth Association in 1927. In 1929, the French authorities arrested him. He was sent to Côn Sơn Prison, a harsh island prison. He stayed there until 1945.
After his release, Thắng quickly became active in politics again. When Hồ Chí Minh's Viet Minh group came to power in August 1945, Thắng joined the Communist Party of Vietnam. He also became a member of the National Assembly.
A Different View of History
Historians sometimes look at events from different angles. Christoph Giebel, a professor and author, studied Tôn Đức Thắng's life. He found that some stories about Thắng might not be entirely accurate. For example, a popular story said Thắng helped sailors on a French ship in 1919. They were supposedly trying to help Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia. However, Giebel's research, using ship logs, suggests Thắng was not part of this event.
This shows how historical stories can sometimes be changed. These changes might have been made to connect Vietnamese communism with the October Revolution in Russia. Giebel also noted disagreements about Thắng's involvement with a labor union in Saigon in the 1920s.
Years with North Vietnam
Becoming a National Figure
Tôn Đức Thắng was the president of the Lien Viet organization. This group was active during the fight against the French from 1946 to 1954. After the Geneva Conventions in 1954, North Vietnam gained control. The Lien Viet organization was then dissolved.
Thắng then took charge of another group called the Vietnamese Fatherland Front. This was a nationalist group that supported the Communist government. Thắng worked to gain supporters from South Vietnam for this group. For his efforts, he received the Stalin Peace Award in 1955.
His work to unite Vietnam helped him become the Vice President of North Vietnam in 1960. He served under Hồ Chí Minh. In 1967, while still vice president, Thắng won the Lenin Peace Prize. This award was similar to the Nobel Peace Prize but was given by the Soviet Union. After Hồ Chí Minh passed away in 1969, Tôn Đức Thắng became the president of North Vietnam. However, the main power was held by the Communist Party leader, Lê Duẩn.
The Fall of Saigon
On April 30, 1975, Saigon fell to the Communist forces. This event is known as the fall of Saigon. A pro-Communist government took control of the South. This led to the reunification of Vietnam. The country officially became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on July 2, 1976.
Today, April 30 is a public holiday in Vietnam. It is called Reunification Day. Even though the official reunification happened on July 2, April 30 marks the end of the war. Tôn Đức Thắng became the first president of the newly united country.
Tôn Đức Thắng as President of Vietnam
After the Vietnam War ended, Tôn Đức Thắng led the new, united nation. The country faced many challenges. Political and economic conditions were difficult. Millions of South Vietnamese people left the country, often as "boat people".
As president, Thắng worked hard on a huge reconstruction effort. He aimed to rebuild both former North and South Vietnam. Years of war had left the country devastated. Special projects focused on rebuilding industries, infrastructure (like roads and bridges), and the economy.
Removing the Khmer Rouge
In early 1978, Vietnam faced problems with the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge government was allied with People's Republic of China (PRC). Tôn Đức Thắng asked the Soviet Union for help. The Soviet Union saw this as a chance to weaken China's allies in Southeast Asia.
On December 25, 1978, the Vietnamese army invaded Cambodia. This happened after months of border conflicts. Many Cambodians also sought safety in Vietnam. By January 7, 1979, the Vietnamese army easily captured Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. They removed the Khmer Rouge government from power.
However, this victory led to more tension. The PRC, now supported by the United States, showed signs of going to war with Vietnam. The Soviets knew they could not help Vietnam if China invaded.
On February 15, 1979, China announced plans to invade Vietnam. This ended a treaty between China and the Soviet Union. China claimed the invasion was because of how ethnic Chinese were treated in Vietnam. They also claimed Vietnam was present on the Spratly Islands.
On February 17, about 200,000 Chinese troops crossed into Vietnam. They invaded cities and towns along Vietnam's northern border. Thắng had left an army of 100,000 men to defend against the Chinese. Both sides suffered many casualties. Less than a month later, on March 16, China began to withdraw its troops.
It was unclear who won the Sino-Vietnamese War. Thắng said Vietnam won, while China's leader, Ye Jianying, claimed a Chinese victory. However, one thing was certain: Thắng's Vietnam successfully removed the Khmer Rouge from power in Cambodia.
Death and Legacy
Tôn Đức Thắng passed away on March 30, 1980, in Hanoi. He was 91 years old. He died from a heart seizure and respiratory failure. He was the oldest president of a country in the world at that time. His vice president, Nguyễn Hữu Thọ, took over after him. Thắng is buried in Mai Dịch Cemetery, where other government leaders are laid to rest.
Even though Thắng was the first president of the united Socialist Republic of Vietnam, he is not remembered as much as his predecessor, Hồ Chí Minh. Thắng led the country during a very important time. North and South Vietnam became one nation under his rule.
However, it was also a time when Vietnam was tired from 30 years of wars. The People's Army of Vietnam was fighting a long and costly war in Cambodia. There were also border conflicts in the North. The economy struggled after attempts to collectivize the southern economy failed. Some important party members even left the country. Vietnam survived this difficult period under his leadership. Later, in 1986, a new policy called Renovation was introduced. This policy recognized the economic failures and opened a new chapter for Vietnam.
Images for kids
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The Gold Star Order, an award Tôn Đức Thắng received.
See also
In Spanish: Tôn Đức Thắng para niños
