The first-ever major biography of one of the most towering and least understood figures in modern history. <BR> To grasp the complicated causes and consequences of the Vietnam War, one must understand the extraordinary life of Ho Chi Minh, the man generally recognized as the father of modern Vietnam. Because of the inaccessibility of vital sources on his life and career, until now there has been no full-length biography of this significant world leader. Now, William Duiker, a world-renowned authority on Vietnam, delivers an immensely captivating portrayal of Ho. His compelling narrative tells an epic story of a renaissance man -- his early years of poverty and rebellion, his wild days as an expatriate in the United States, in France, and in the Soviet Union, his interaction with world leaders ranging from Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson to Stalin and Mao Zedong, and his ultimate commitment to the success of the Vietnamese revolution and the reunification of his country under Communist rule. With unprecedent