Final answer:
Under Viet Minh rule, life improved for many North Vietnamese through collective land ownership and the fight for independence. Chi Minh was revered despite harsh tactics, whereas South Vietnam's leadership was viewed as corrupt and oppressive.
Step-by-step explanation:
Life improved for the North Vietnamese under the rule of the Viet Minh as they moved away from colonial rule and towards independence and collective land ownership. The peasants, who were predominantly impoverished Buddhists, were supportive of Chi Minh's dedication to freeing Vietnam from French and Japanese control. His policies appealed to many landless peasants, as land ownership was concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy families that collaborated with the French.
Although the Viet Minh adopted often harsh tactics to assert control, Chi Minh was still revered as a freedom fighter, contrasting with the perception of corruption and tyranny associated with the South Vietnamese president, Ngo Dinh Diem.