Why Did The French Leave Indochina 1 Flashcards
Vietminh controlled the north
June 1940 french surrendered to Nazis
Japan occupied North indochina in 1940. Southern 1941
People died in famine and resources stripped
Vietnamese angry.
1941 League fo Independance of Vietname (vietminh) formed and led by Ho Chi Minh
Japan surrender 1945. Vietminh control North.
Ho captured Hanoi when they withdrew.
1945 declared new communist democratic Republic of Vietnam
He was popular.
Reason 2 Vietminh had support
Joseph stalin and USSR supports Ho.
1949 Mao and China support Ho.
They sent advisor’s and funding and arms.
French attempts to break vietminh struggled. 1946 sent 50000 troops to reclaim old colony
This is first indochina war. Early success for French as they retook Hanoi but 80,000 French troops were killed eventually as soviet chinese vietminh proved too strong.
Reason 3 defeat at dien bien phu
1953 French send in 10,000 troops for final attempt attacking dien bien phu. Viet,inh go full scale attack using guerilla tactics. 1954 ho surrounded frnech base with 50,000 vietminh fighters. In May the French surrendered.
2000 f killed and 10,000 captured and marched 500 miles to prison camp where half died on the journey.
What was the main reason French left indochina.
Vietminh having support because it meant defeating them was impossible
Vietminh controlling the North made victory difficult but French had some successes
The defeat at bien dien phu was the final blow but war was already lost.
