The ballad of Ho Chi Minh

Far away across the ocean,
far beyond the sea’s eastern rim,
lives a man who is father of the Indo-Chinese people,
and his name it is Ho Chi Minh.

Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh,
Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh.

From Viet Bac to the Saigon Delta,
from the mountains and the plains below
young and old workers, peasants and the toiling tenant farmers
fight for freedom with Uncle Ho.

Ho Chi Minh was a deep sea sailor,
served his time out on the seven seas,
work and hardship were part of his early education,
exploitation his ABC.

Ho Chi Minh came back from sailing
and he looked out on his native land,
saw the want and the hunger of the Indo-Chinese people,
foreign soldiers on every hand.

Ho Chi Minh went to the mountains
and he formed a determined band,
heroes all, sworn to liberate the Indo-Chinese people,
drive invaders from the land.

Fourteen men became a hundred,
a hundred thousand and Ho Chi Minh
forged and tempered the army of the Indo-Chinese people,
freedom’s army of Viet Minh.

Every soldier is a farmer,
comes the evening, he grabs his hoe,
comes the morning, he swings his rifle on his shoulder,
that’s the army of Uncle Ho.

From the mountains and the jungles,
from the ricelands and the Plain of Reeds
march the men and the women of the Indo-Chinese army
planting freedom with victory seeds.

From Viêt Bac to the Saigon Delta
marched the armies of Viet Minh
and the wind stirs the banners of the Indo-Chinese people,
peace and freedom and Ho Chi Minh.