Ton Duc Thang

Related Category: Southeast Asia History: Biographies

1888–1980, Vietnamese politician. He was an early supporter of Ho Chi Minh and was imprisoned (1929–45) by the French colonial regime. After Vietnamese independence, he rose quickly in the North Vietnamese Communist party. He was vice president (1960–69) and became president of North Vietnam, a largely ceremonial position, upon Ho's death in 1969. After 1976, Ton was president of the newly reunited Socialist Republic of Vietnam.