Dien Bien Phu Flashcards
What did France want after WW2?
After WW2, France wanted to regain its former colony Vietnam.
What did the Vietminh want?
The Vietminh, led by Ho Chi Minh, wanted independence, + the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was declared.
→ Ho Chi Minh declared this once Japan surrendered in August 1945.
→ Now it was an independent country free from colonial rule.
Which group controlled which part of Vietnam?
The Vietminh had control of the North of Vietnam, while the French controlled the South.
Why didn’t Ho Chi Minh control the South of Vietnam as well?
The support for Ho Chi Minh was weak in the South.
What did the French do in the South of Vietnam?
In the South, the French troops marched in + set up the State of Vietnam, ruled by Ban Dai (who they controlled). Bad Dai was anti-communist.
What happened on 13th of May 1954?
Fighting broke out between 2 sides.
→ On 13 May 1954, a battle began between Vietnamese + French troops at Dien Bien Phu.
What were the 2 reasons for battle at Dien Bien Phu?
There were 2 main reasons for battle:
1) Vietnam was a French colony. France lost control of Vietnam when Japan occupied it during WW2. When the was ended, France wanted to regain control of its colony.
2) The Vietnamese Vietminh, led by Ho Chi Minh, wanted Vietnamese Independence.
What happened in 1949?
In 1949, China became a communist country.
What did China do + what did this lead to?
China supported the Vietminh by giving supplies, advisers + troops.
→ Fears of the spread of communism grew.
How did the USA respond to China?
The USA began to send the French supplies, military advisers + soldiers, in response to China.
Why didn’t the USA help Ho Chi Minh secure Vietnam’s independence?
Although Ho Chi Minh wanted to secure Vietnam’s independence, with the help of the USA + this was also wanted by the USA→ they did not want it to be independent as a communist country.
What percent did the USA pay of France’s war with the Vietminh?
By 1954, US support was so strong it paid for 80% of the cost of France’s war with the Vietminh.
What led to the French withdrawal from Vietnam?
The French + Vietminh fought a major battle at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.
After 55 days of fighting the French were forced to surrender due to the strength of the Vietminh. This defeat was significant in leading the French to withdraw from Vietnam.
How was peace attempted to be restored?
The Geneva Conference (1954) attempted to restore peace.
→ The Geneva Accords divided Vietnam into 2 countries along the 17th parallel, separated by a demilitarised zone where no soldiers where permitted.
Which people led which part of Vietnam?
North Vietnam ( the Democratic Republic of Vietnam) was led by Ho Chi Minh.
South Vietnam(the State of Vietnam) was led by the US-backed ruler Bao Dai until 1955, when Ngo Dinh Diem became president.
