Há» Chà Minh , Southern Vietnamese pronunciation : ; 19 May 1890 â 2 September 1969), born Nguyá» n Sinh Côn, or Nguyá» n Sinh Cung, also known as Nguyá» n Tất Thà nh and Nguyá» n Ãi Quá»c, was a Vietnamese Communist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam . He was a key figure in the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945, as well as the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viá»t Cá»ng during the Vietnam War.