Chapter 23.1 Background to Conflict in Vietnam Before the US got involved in Vietnam China and France both fought for it.
Chinese Occupation of Vietnam 200 BC – 939 AD China controlled Vietnam Wanted their farm land Could grow lots of rice!!!
Vietnam Rice Paddies
French Colonization 1883 France takes control of Vietnam Expanded there during European Imperialism Combined 3 countries to become French Indochina Vietnam Laos Cambodia
Vietnamese Independence Though controlled by French Vietnam hated France! Wanted independence! 1920s Ho Chi Minh Vietnamese leader who is willing to fight for independence Problem He’s Communist!!
Ho Chi Minh has a Chance 1940’s Ho Chi Minh wanted to start a revolution against French! Didn’t have too! Japanese had expanded into Vietnam during WWII! Defeated French for them! 1945 Japanese surrender in WWII Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam an independent nation!
Small Problem….. 1946 France doesn’t want to give Vietnam up! They want their rice! Have USA political support. Ho Chi Minh starts his resistance movement called Vietminh. Based on Communist principles. This is bad…
What should the USA do? Nothing….so things change in Asia. 1949 1950 Mao makes China Communist! 1950 USA invades N. Korea to stop Communism from spreading! Communism already spread to Indonesia Philippines
America has to make a choice. 1954 USA is fighting to a stalemate in Korea Cease fire called at 38th Parallel France is losing to Ho Chi Minh’s Vietminh Just lost major battle at Dien Bien Phu City in northern Vietnam May 7, 1954 France surrenders to Vietminh Domino theory If one country falls to Communism, they will all fall like dominoes! What do we do???
The Geneva Convention May 8, 1945 International conference called for in Geneva, Switzerland Need to settle conflict in Indochina. Meeting led by China, USSR, USA, and Great Britain China, USSR Wanted Communism to rule. USA, Great Britain Wanted capitalism to rule. What do you think happens?
Vietnam, 1956 Divided at 17th Parallel