There are many similarities between Pol Pot and Ho Chi Minh. For a start, they are not known by their actual names. Pol Pot is Saloth Sar and Ho Chi Minh is Nguyen Sinh Cung. Also, they both have the same birth date – May 19th and the same cause of death. Another similarity is that both the leaders were influenced by people who were protesting against their leader. A greater part of their influence however, came when they were abroad, whether studying or being part of an anti-government movement. Another and perhaps the greatest similarity is that both Pol Pot and Ho Chi Minh wanted their countries to be independent. There are also some differences between the two leaders. For example, Ho Chi Minh did not want to recreate an ancient civilization like Pol Pot. All he wanted was his country’s freedom from colonialism. Also, Pol Pot tried to achieve his goal in a very radical and extreme way whereas Ho Chi Minh preferred making treaties and becoming allies with other people with the same goal. Pol Pot however, wanted to cut off Cambodia from the outside world. One way he did this was to cease trade in and out of Cambodia. The starkest difference between the two leaders is how they are viewed in the eyes of their people today. Ho Chi Minh is considered “The Father of the Nation” for Vietnam and there is even a city named after him. Pol Pot on the other hand, is viewed as a mass murderer and is despised by most Cambodians today for his part in making Cambodia one of the most impoverished nations in the world.
