Events Leading to Vietnam War

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  • France colonized Indochina

    Indochina was made up of Vietnam, Tonkin, Annam, Cochin China, Cambodia, and Laos.
  • Period: to

    Ho Chi Minh receives western, Marxist training

    Is trained in the Soviet Union as an agent of the Communist International

  • Ho Chi Minh founds the Indochinese Communist Party

  • Nazi Germany takes control of France

  • Japanese troops invade Vietnam

    The Japanese successfully occupy Vietnam and faced very little French resistance.

  • Viet Minh movement is formed

    The movement, formed by Ho Chi Minh and other communists, was meant to resist French and Japanese occuptation.

  • Japanese troops carry out a coup against the French in Indochina

    Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia become independent as a result

  • Japan is defeated by allied powers in WWII

  • Ho Chi Minh declares an independent North Vietnam

    Models a declaration similar to the Declaration of Independence in a bid to gain US support, which fails.

  • Viet Minh begins guerilla war against the French

  • Truman Doctrine

    President Harry Truman says that US foreign policy is to help countries whose stability is threatened by communism.

  • People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union formally recognize the Democratic Republic of Vietnam

    Both also begin to aid Vietnam with economically and militarily.

  • President Eisenhower's "domino theory"

  • Geneva Accords

    Vietnam is divided along the 17th parallel. Unifying elections are supposed to be held in 2 years, when the country will then unify. The elections are never held.