BELLWORK: 11/29 In order to use their material advantage, the French develop a strategy…..what was it? Why was this plan problematic? How did the RC4 Battle benefit the Viet Minh? Describe the French strategy implemented by General Alessandri. Was it successful? Explain! Describe Ho and Giap’s non-military strategy for defeating the French. List the three phases of revolutionary military strategy the Viet Minh used to defeat the French.

Discuss Advantages vs. Disadvantages of the French Army

Indo-China War Strategies

French War Plan Goal: create one big engagement to defeat bulk of Viet Minh (material advantage!) Problem: still had to govern; built outposts throughout country Outcome: became easy targets for Viet Minh

Additional French Strategy: RC4 Goal: Interrupt Chinese supply routes Plan: Use 3 outposts to limit trade = danger at night so France committed supplies/extra men Outcome: Played right into Viet Minh strategy of war of attrition.

French General Alessandri Goal: destroy local support of Viet Minh (vital to their guerrilla strategy) Plan: 1. French troops push Viet Minh out of small areas and 2. local recruits destroy infrastructure Problem: French didn’t have enough resources to hold against re-infiltration of guerrillas Effects: French failed to win local support, no plan for reform

Viet Minh Commander Vo Nguyen Giap Goal: avoid direct, large scale combat Plan: establish long, drawn-out guerrilla war (based on Mao’s revolutionary warfare) Relied on two forms of strategy: Non-military Military Throughout military phases, Giap built the regular force, increased recruitment, sent soldiers to China, stockpiled weapons, spread communism and created factories to produce small arms.

Viet Minh Non-Military Strategy Goal: Impart communist and nationalist ideology by establishing political, economic, & social influence on populace Use propaganda and intimidation! Used commissars in tactical decisions Outcome: directly tied communist ideology to military effectiveness Established deeply-motivated fighting force with clear aims

Ho on communism in the colonies “You all know that today the poison and life energy of the capitalist snake is concentrated more in the colonies than in the mother countries. The colonies supply the raw materials for industry. The colonies supply soldiers for the armies. In the future, the colonies will be defenders of the counterrevolution.” “We must be victory. They must be withdrawn.

Viet Minh Military Strategy Guerilla Phase: small actions by regional force  ambushes, assassinations, booby traps, hit and runs Mobile Phase: Combo of guerrilla tactics and large-scale ops  move forces over a lot of territory to drag the French along = lengthen supply lines and isolate them! Offensive Phase: More conventional war  pitched, conventional battles to force the French into surrender (Dien Bien Phu)

Discussion What could the French have done to defeat the Viet Minh? Or were they doomed from the start? Explain!

HOMEWORK Read & annotate the “operations” section  pages 73-81

Documentary: The First Indochina War https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXtvgg-t-BQ