Born Nguyen Sinh Cung on 19th May 1890, Ho Chi Minh was and still is an important figure of North Vietnam – the then French Indo China.

During his 20s Ho Chi Minh moved to France where he served in the World War – I. During this time he emerged as an outspoken voice of his country. He was so inspired by the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia that he joined the Communist Party and traveled to the Soviet Union.

His time spent in USSR helped him found the Indochinese Communist Party in 1930 and the League for the Independence of Vietnam, or Viet Minh, in 1941. Towards the end of World War II, he started acting towards the independence of his country. On his orders, his army seized the northern Vietnamese city of Hanoi and declared a Democratic State of Vietnam (or North Vietnam).

Ho Chi Minh is considered one of the most influential leaders in the world. His thought and revolution inspired many leaders and people on a global scale in Asia, Africa, and Latin America during the decolonization movement which occurred after World War II. As a communist, he was one of the international figures who were highly praised in the Communist world.

Ho Chi Minh has been featured on various banknotes of the country. The above-shown banknote is one of the earliest issues of the country. This 50 dong banknote has been issued by the government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The banknote depicts Face of Ho Chi Minh in a vignette on the right.

Image Courtesy: Wikipedia