1. The Indo-Chinese War

2. Hồ Chí Minh Established Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam)
August 29, 1945
Communist
Capital: Hanoi
Administrative center
Capital of French Indochina ( )
Tonkin’s (northernmost part of Vietnam) proximity to southern China
Mineral resources
Created Viet Minh (League for the Independence of Vietnam)
Established in 1941
Resistance against French colonial rule and occupying Japanese forces
Commanded by Võ Nguyên Giáp
Former history professor
Military strategist (General of Vietnam People’s Army)
Unifies Vietnam into communist state (1975)
democratic republic: ultimate power is derived by the people, government run by elected officials

3. The Indochinese War (1946-54)
Japanese Occupation (1940)
Administered by French officials
Complete control (March 1945) after Viet Minh opposition
Surrender and defeat (August 1945)
British troops occupied southern Vietnam
Chinese Nationalists controlled northern Vietnam
Allied Powers
Britain
Released and rearmed interned French troops from Japan
Supported French control of Indochina
USSR
Little interest in conflict
United States
Advocated general decolonization of Asia
Did not challenge France over Vietnam

4. Sino-French Agreement (February 1946)
Chinese Nationalists remove troops and hand over control of northern Vietnam to France
Loss of French economic rights in China
France and Viet Minh
Compromise between Hồ Chí Minh and French government
Vietnam to be self-governing state within French Indochina (semi-independent)
France bombards Viet Minh forces on Haiphong port (November 1946)
China and Viet Minh
Help from Chinese Communist Party guerillas
Mao believed People’s Republic of China should lead communist revolution through east Asia
Anti-imperialist struggle against US, Britain, France
Mao helps Viet Minh (April 1950)
Military campaign along Vietnamese-PRC border organized by general Chen Geng
Viet Minh troops seize north-western Vietnam after French loss of border territories (December 1952)
General Henri Navarre
New French commander (1953)
Three-year strategy
Elimination of Viet Minh guerrillas in southern Vietnam
Launch of campaign to drive off Viet Minh from Red River Delta
Financial and military assistance from US after Korean War

5. Điện Biên Phủ
Viet Minh advanced across north-western Vietnam into Laos.
Laos- neighboring country of Vietnam
Pathet Lao (independence movement in Laos) supported this, so the Viet Minh were able to conquer Cambodia and Saigon (the largest city in South Vietnam)
France tried to fortify the village of Dien Bien Phu
November larger force of French paratroopers dropped.
Viet Minh managed to overtake them.
French troops surrendered May 7, 1945 as they were confined to a 2 square km space.

6. US and the Indochinese War
US dilemma in Vietnam
Support anti-colonialism?
Support anti-communism?
Solution: find a non-communist rival that could appeal to and unite the people to be against communism.
This could be done by setting up a strong, patriotic, and capitalist government.
June 1949 US & France persuaded Vietnamese Emperor to become Head of State of Vietnam.
Bao Dai was a failure.
He had no ideology and very little support from Vietnamese people.
Since Vietnam was still under France’s power, he had very little power to begin with.
April 1954, US Sec. of State recommended air strikes on Viet Minh positions at the fall of Dien Bien Phu.
If this failed, tactical nuclear weapons would be used to stop the Viet Minh.
Ideas were opposed and abandoned

7. Planning the Geneva Conference
Both the PRC and the USSR wanted to end the Indochinese war before the US became involved
China wanted to focus on domestic issues and initiate the first 5 year plan
USSR wanted to have peace after Stalin’s death and focus on internal affairs before the war escalated into another World War
On September 28th, 1953, the USSR called for international conference to solve Indo Chinese and Korean issues
British and France supported a conference, the US hesitantly agreed
US stressed that they still refused to recognize the PRC as a legitimate state

8. The Conference Conference began April 26th, 1954
On May 6th, the the French lost badly in a battle against Viet Minh
Both the French, under the new leadership of Pierre Mendes-France, and the Viet Minh wanted a peace settlement despite the US’ want to continue fighting

9. The Geneva Accords Laos and Cambodia were made independent
All forces withdrawn
Vietnam divided on the 17th parallel
Democratic elections for united Vietnam in 2 years
No foreign alliances/bases allowed in N. or S. Vietnam
US did not formally agree, but acknowledged in a formal declaration what had taken place