Le Duan

Le Duan (1908-1986) was the political heir, as leader of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) to the ailing when Ho Chi Minh. While he did not depose his internal rivals, he gained power over Vo Nguyen Giap and Truong Chinh; Truong Chinh took on the leadership only after his death.

Economically, he tended toward Maoist doctrine, rather than the Stalinist doctrine of Ho. He purged Nguyen Van Linh in 1982 for wanting market reforms. After the death of Trung Chinh, however, Linh took control and made the economic reforms in 1987. .