First Indo China War Flashcards
Vietnamese nationalism before 1900
vast majority people peasant farmers - growing rice communal
Guerilla warfare tactics perfected against Chinese
late 19th century French begin attacking Vietnam
1887 Cambodia+Vietnam+Laos under control of French - referred to as Indochina
Bao Dai - the French puppet
main reason HCM was popular was because a lack of alternatives
Bao Dai’s association with French compared unfavourably with HCM patriotism
exchanged French domination for Japanese during WW2
early 1941 HCM returned and formed vietminh to fight off Japanese/French collaberators
American ideas about Vietnam
U.S+Vietnam both at war with Japan 1941-45
Roosevelt uncertain who to back up for French Indochina after Japan defeat - State Department conflicting advice, European specialist pro-French - saw France key ally Europe - urged president to refrain any policy that may alienate French.
Ho’s early relations with the U.S - Ho and America
America got involved because of their dislike of HCM
Early relationship promising - HCM hoped could gain support for Vietnam independence
US doctors saved HCM life
HCM’s Vietminh cooperated with U.S to fight Japanese(U.S admired them)
Roosevelt died April 1945 succeeded by Truman who sided with European specialists by siding with French
Oct 1945-Feb 1946 eight messages from HCM to Washington were ignored
Ho’s early relations with the U.S - Ho and Truman
April 1945 - Roosevelt died - Truman succeeded
Truman sided with European specialist State Derpartment
Assured French he recognised their position in Indochina
expressed hope U.S would grant more self-gov. to Vietnam
Ho privately cynical about Americans.
U.S and Vietnam 1941-5: Ho’s declaration of independence
Ho flatterred U.S by enlisting their help for his 2nd sept independence speech
following Japanese surrender, Ho declared independence of Democratic Republic Vietnam
U.S and Vietnam 1941-5: U.S and return of the French
French ignored Ho’s independence declaration
compensate for humiliation during WW2 French determined not to give up colony
French+Vietminh clashed days after speech - outbreak of war
October 1945-Feb 1948 8 friendly messages from Ho to Washington ingored
U.S stopped co-operating with Ho due to rising anti-comm feeling even though S.U recognised French rule over Vietnam.
Reasons for early U.S involvement
U.S believed Comm. threatened international free trade+democratic ideals
1947 Truman admin thought Ho puppet of Stalin
1948 State department point out Ho made friendly gestures to U.S and Vietnam Comms. not subservient to Moscow
1949 Sec. State Dean Acheson - “all Stalinists in colonial areas are nationalists”,
Reasons for early U.S involvement - U.S hostility
Truman under attack from Republicans for losing to China
Truman anxienty about Comm expansion fueled by JCS conclusion world balance of power at stake in Asia
Truman anxiety increased when Ho persuaded China+S.U to recognise Democratic Republic Of Vietnam Jan 1950
U.S recognized ‘Associated state of Vietnam’ set up by French in 1949
McCarthy Hysteria and the Korean War
Truman had ‘lost’ China - McCarthy began whipping Americans into anti-Comm. hysteria Feb 1950
June 1950 N.Korea attacks South and Chinese troops pour in Oct 1950 - U.S fears Chinese expansion confirmed.
JCS concluded world balance of power at stake in S.E Asia
U.S Support for France
Before K War truman admin concluded French invaludable allie against Comm. in Indochina+Europe
Acheson+Truman aware France key for stability of West Alliance in Europe/NATO
France linked U.S coop in Europe with U.S aid in Indochina - confirmed U.S must become more involved in region
May 1950 Truman offered $10m to French war effort
end 1950 U.S aid $100m+aircraft/boats/napalm/ground combat machinery
France was increasingly unable to afford the costly conflict in Indochina and, by 1954, the United States was paying 80% of France’s war effort, which was $3,000,000 per day in 1952
End of war
Fighting continued both sides suffering heavy losses to artillery, on Vietnam side supplied by USSR.
The south Vietnamese and French position was heavily weakened when a cease fire was arranged and Vietnam was split into North and South Vietnam.
(1954) Geneva Conference
US then faciliated ‘Passage to Freedom’
Many Viet Mihn Stayed in South
Events order
After bomb on Hiroshima Viet Mihn Swiftly took over all of Vietnam
The French with the Help of the British then ceased it back
Between then and 1953 communists slowly retook it
Ending in the battle of Dien Bien Phu
Famine in Vietnam
During the Vietnamese famine of 1945, Hồ Chí Minh blamed ruthless Japanese exploitation and poor weather for up to two million Vietnamese deaths. The Việt Minh arranged a relief effort in the north, winning wide support there as a result.
“Communist Magazine”
describing Japanese atrocities like looting, slaughter and rape against the people of north Vietnam in 1945 to build support for Ho
Japans Continuing actions
The Viet Minh rejected the Japanese demands to cease fighting and support Japan, so the Japanese implemented the Three Alls policy against the Vietnamese, pillaging, burning, killing, looting, and raping Vietnamese women.
“hedgehog” tactics
setting up well-defended outposts to get the Việt Minh out of the jungle and force them to fight conventional battles instead of using guerrilla tactics.
Dien Bien Phu
By 1954, despite official propaganda presenting the war as a “crusade against communism”,[115][116] the war in Indochina was still growing unpopular with the French public. The political stagnation in the Fourth Republic meant that France was unable to extract itself from the conflict.
The final fall took two days, May 6 and 7, during which the French fought on but were eventually overrun by a huge frontal assault.
The Geneva Conference on July 21, 1954, recognized the 17th parallel north as a “provisional military demarcation line”, temporarily dividing the country into two zones, communist North Vietnam and pro-Western South Vietnam.
Outcomes
The Geneva Accords promised elections in 1956 to determine a national government for a united Vietnam.
When the elections failed to occur, Việt Minh cadres who stayed behind in South Vietnam were activated and started to fight the government
