Vietnam War beginning
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Transcript Vietnam War beginning
Vietnam War
Long term causes
History of Vietnam
Long History of Conflict with China
China Ruled from about 100 BC to 900 AD
Confucianism and Buddhism major
influence
Many revolts and history of resistance to
Chinese domination
First Europeans Arrived around 1500
Portugese establish trading post at Da Nang
Catholicism introduced
French Arrival
French Jesuit priests arrive in the late
sixteenth century
Create romanized alphabet for vietnamese
In 1802 a local warlord unites warring
clans with French assistance founding
the Nguyen Dynasty
In exchange for help Catholicism is spread
Anti-Christian policy prompts French to
use force to protect citizens and
investments in 1843
By 1887 they had consolidated their rule
over Vietnam as well as Cambodia and
Laos – it was called French Indochina
Resistance to French rule continued
sporadically until France was defeated
by Germany in 1940
Japanese Occupation
Japan occupied French Indochina in
1940
They kept the French colonial
government intact until 1945 when they
instituted direct rule
The Viet Minh
Established in 1941 by Ho Chi Minh to
fight Japanese occupation and French
Colonialism
Received aid from US and China
throughout war
FDR opposed return of French colonies
When Japan surrendered in 1945 Ho Chi
Minh declared the Democratic Republic
of Vietnam on Sept 2.
Ho Chi Minh
Born in 1890 in Vietnam
Traveled abroad until 1917 ended up in
France
Appealed to Wilson for help achieving
independence – was ignored
Embraced communism and was
founding member of French Communist
Party – traveled to Moscow.
From 1923 until returning to Vietnam in
1941 he traveled from USSR to China
representing the Comintern
From 1941 on he remained pretty much
in Vietnam
The 1st Indochinese War
After declaring independence the
Chinese occupied Northern Vietnam
French Government officials return to reestablish French rule
An agreement to establish a “free”
Vietnam within a French Union made in
march 1946 broke down following the
withdrawal of Chinese Army
The Viet Minh purge non communist
nationalists from their ranks - begin
fighting French forces
France asks for and receives aid from the
US in 1946 to fight communist insurgency
Early efforts by Viet Minh are largely
unsuccessful
Vo Nguyen Giap emerges as the Viet Minh
military leader
Inexperience and lack of equipment hinder
effort
In 1949 China becomes communist
Viet Minh begin receiving aid and training
from Chinese Communists as well as
sanctuary for attacks against French forces
Begin to build up forces and begin inflicting
defeats against the French by 1950
Captured border forts
France received major infusion of US aid
after the Korean War began
Fighting continues until 1954
Dien Bien Phu
The French established a base deep
inside Viet Minh controlled territory in
northern Vietnam at Dien Bien Phu
Intended as a base to lure Viet Minh
guerilla forces into attacking then
destrying the with superior firepower
The Viet Minh Under Giap had
transformed into a more conventional
force with artillery
Giap cuts off French and begins siege
The french unable to re-supply by air
With artillery support Viet Minh forces
over run the fench and capture surviving
fecnh forces
France decides to cut losses and talks
begin in Geneva
Geneva Accords
1. Vietnam provisionally divided along 17th
parallel
2. Elections are to be held within 2 years
Viet Minh are in North
French retain control of south until country is reunited
Country to be united under whichever type of
government the people decided
Respective Militaries are separated and no
outside assistance s to be recieved