15. Myth: The North Vietnamese were led by simple peasant farmers opposing imperialism
Not all of the myths about the Vietnam War are about the Americans and their South Vietnamese allies. During and since the war the North Vietnamese leadership presented themselves and their troops as simple peasants who had first resisted French colonialism and during the American phase of the war were resisting American imperialism. They depicted themselves as freedom fighters, determined to ensure that a unified Vietnam was established which represented Vietnamese traditions, religious beliefs, and freedoms. Hi Chi Minh was their spiritual leader and figurehead. Almost forgotten in America today is that Ho Chi Minh died in 1969 (September), years before the American withdrawal.
