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French Indochina
Five French colonies and protectorates made up French Indochina. The population were treated as second class citizens and prevented from joining trade unions or political parties. Nationalist leader, Ho Chi Minh, emerged and founded the Indochinese Communist Party in 1930. -
Japanese Occupation
Indochina was conquered by the Chinese. They united Annam, Cochinchina and Tonkin into Vietnam and treated them awful. Led to strong anti-Japanese movement (Vietminh) under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh. They engaged in guerrilla warfare against Japanese occupants. -
War with the French
Japanese surrendered to USA in August 1945. Ho Chi Minh immediately declared Vietnamese independence and united all of the nationalist groups in his government. HOWEVER, the French decided to try and return Vietnam to colonial rule. -
War with the French P2
The French declared Bao Dai as president and so hoped he would win the Vietnamese away from supporting Ho Chi Minh. However, Bao Dai was also a nationalist and refused to carry out French policies. -
War with the French P3
9 more years of war with France - USA ended up funding 75% of France's war effort. $500million a year went to French war effort and the French still struggled. French were able to capture towns by occupying it with large amount of forces but couldn't do the same in country side and mountains where the Vietminh were living with sympathetic peasants. -
War with the French P4
The French had lost 12,000 soldiers, 12,000 members of their foreign legion and 14,000 Indochinese soldiers. The war was costing 600 billion francs a year - more than the value of all of their French investments in Vietnam. -
Before Dien Bien Phu
French paratroopers set up a fortified garrison in the valley of Dien Bien Phu which was deep inside the Vietminh territory. The French commander, General Navarre, supplied his garrison by air from Hanoi using an old Japanese landing strip. General Giap captured the surrounding hills which were supplied by many labourers (many women and children) who carried materials through hundreds of miles of the jungle. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu (13 Mar 1954 – 7 May 1954)
Vietminh guerilla forces captured French outposts. The French airforce failed to destroy Giap's positions. The French airstrip was no longer in use and the Vietminh were advancing. France appealed to US for help but didn't want to directly help unless UK support. UK suggested conference to discuss the problem in Indochina.
Losses on both sides were huge:
French = lost 1142 men, 1606 'disappeared', 4500 wounded.
Vietnamese = around 22,000.
After 56 days, the Vietnamese won. -
The Geneva Settlement
The USA,Russia, France and Britain all attended the conference.
- France agreed to leave Indochina completely
- Cambodia and Laos became independent
- Vietnam was divided along the 17th parallel, into a communist North Vietnam and 'free' South Vietnam
- Free elections to be held in 1956 (USA refused to sign this part of the agreement as they feared a communist win)