Post WWII Vietnam

French Indochina From the late 1800s until WWII France ruled Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as part of French Indochina. They exported rice and rubber at the expense of Vietnamese peasants. 1

Ho Chi Minh The Vietnamese never accepted French rule and frequently staged revolts. The communists led by Ho Chi Minh formed the ICP (Indochinese Communist Party) and called for independence. Ho Chi Minh admired the United States and asked them to support Vietnam in their struggle for independence but the U.S. refused. The French arrested suspected communists and executed communist leaders fueling Vietnamese anger against French rule. 2

WWII During WWII Japan took control of Indochina. The communists and other nationalists joined together to form the Viet Minh and fight the Japanese. Because the U.S. was fighting Japan they aided Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh. After the war the French tried to reclaim Vietnam even though Ho Chi Minh had declared Vietnam independent. A war soon broke out. 3,4

U.S. Aid As France was fighting for control of Vietnam the Cold War was in full swing. The U.S. sent $10 million dollars in 1950 to help the French and fight communism. Both Truman and Eisenhower aided the French. 5

Domino Theory After China fell to communist forces in 1949 the U.S. feared that other countries would be lost as well. Truman believed in the Domino Theory which stated if a country fell to communism nearby countries would fall as well, like a row of dominos. 6

French Defeat In 1954 at the battle of Dien Bien Phu the French were soundly defeated and forced to sign a treaty. Even with U.S. aid the French could not defeat the Viet Minh (communists). 7

Divided North and South In May 1954, in Geneva, Switzerland the French and the Viet Minh sign the Geneva Accords. Vietnam is temporarily divided at the 17 th parallel. Surrounding that line is a DMZ. 8

Vietnam The two sides agree to hold reunification elections in Ho Chi Minh leads the communist North. Ngo Dinh Diem an anti-communist leads the South. 9,10