The tide of U.S. support receded when the hopelessness of a full-scale occupation of Indochina against the Viet Minh was realized in 1953. The Viet Minh retaliated by attacking French positions in Haiphong and Hanoi, though these attacks were repelled by French artillery and naval guns. This war unfolded after the Japanese surrender in August 1945, which left Vietnam without a single national government. The Second Indochina War is a remarkable little book. While in exile in China, Giap joined up with Ho Chi Minh and other Viet Minh rebels. France was economically devastated by World War II so the French government had to mobilise the CEFEO on a shoestring budget. Due to political pressure from anti-communist Republican Joseph McCarthy and others in Washington, D.C., against Democrats who were seen as soft on communism’s spread throughout the world, President Harry S. Truman stepped up America’s involvement in the French re-colonization of Indochina under the Truman Doctrine. By mid-December, the two sides were openly at war. Fighting between French forces and their Việt Minh opponents in … French Indochina was the collective name for the French colonial regions of Southeast Asia from colonization in 1887 to independence and the subsequent Vietnam Wars of the mid-1900s. The Indochina Wars are generally numbered as three: the first being France's unsuccessful eight-year conflict with the Vietminh nationalist forces (1946–1954); the second being the war for control of South Vietnam, featuring an unsuccessful American-led intervention, ending in 1975; finally, the conflict in Cambodia, sparked by the Vietnamese invasion in 1978. Meanwhile, Viet Minh cadres would move among the peasants, working to build up political support. Ho Chi Minh seized the opportunity to declare Vietnamese independence on September 2nd 1945 – but the arrival of Chinese and British troops, tasked with overseeing the Japanese withdrawal, undermined the Viet Minh and its grip on power. The beneficiary of a French education, Giap graduated from the University of Hanoi, where he had studied history and politics. “They were determined to go on h… In Vietnam War: French rule ended, Vietnam divided. The wars are often called the French Indochina War and the Vietnam War (q.v. Thus ended the conception that these states were united to form “French Indochina.” It was a composite military force containing native Frenchmen, pro-French Vietnamese and troops from other French colonies in Africa, as well as units of the French Foreign Legion. The United States involvement in the struggles of French Indochina began in 1945 at the Potsdam Conference and continued through many phases, culminating in a final withdrawal from Vietnam in 1975. In early 1949, the French, frustrated by a lack of progress in the war, changed tack. After France's defeat by the Vietnamese in the First Indochina War, the U.S. became embroiled in a second war, which Americans call the Vietnam War . Having traveled to France to sign a cease-fire agreement and to negotiate eventual freedom for the Vietnamese people, Ho Chi Minh felt betrayed by the French government when the puppet government of Bao Dai was established in his absence in 1947. Jan 15, 2020 - Explore Hung Huynh's board "French Indochina War", followed by 412 people on Pinterest. After their 1944 return to Vietnam, Giap was tasked with overseeing the Viet Minh’s military forces. Ho Chi Minh compared this to a struggle between two powerful animals: “It is the fight between tiger and elephant. Hoping to undermine the Viet Minh’s supporter base, France set up an alternative Vietnamese government, more moderate and pro-French than the Viet Minh. The term "Indochina" originally referred to French Indochina, which included the current states of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. This shift would facilitate the final decisive engagement of the First Indochina War: the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The Indochina Wars (Vietnamese: Chiến tranh Đông Dương) were a series of wars fought in Southeast Asia from 1945 to 1991, between communist Indochinese forces against mainly French, South Vietnamese, American, Cambodian, Laotian and Chinese forces. In a speech given on September 2, 1945, Ho announced the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence, modeled nearly verbatim after the American Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, to half a million people assembled in Ba Dinh Square. ), or the First and Second Indochina wars. The French also had requested an additional $400 million in assistance but, due to pressure from Washington for the French to make good on their promise to cooperate in Europe, they received only $385 million. The First Indochina War (also known as the French Indochina War), was a major conflict in the Asian region known as Indochina, which is made up of the modern nations of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The part of the conference on the Korean question ended without adopting any declarations or proposals, so is generally considered less relevant. Recruits were promised good pay and the opportunity to serve in France (promises that were later broken). Citation information In these bases, they planned to train and prepare Viet Minh soldiers for future campaigns. It contains 184,073 words in 261 pages and was updated last on June 11th. Maintaining the partitioning of North and South Vietnam by the 17th parallel that was first established at the Potsdam Conference, Ho Chi Minh was given the territory north of the 17th parallel while Emperor Bao Dai was given the area south of the 17th parallel. It presents to a wide readership the best new scholarship prompted by the recent archival openings in Southeast Asia, the former USSR, China, and the West. Indochina wars, 20th-century conflicts in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, with the principal involvement of France (1946–54) and later the United States (beginning in the 1950s). He knew that the United States would benefit significantly b… The backing of the Vietnamese people was important because they could supply food, information and cover for Viet Minh troops (Giap often cited Mao Zedong’s saying: “A guerrilla soldier swims through the people like a fish swims through the sea”). French Medal for Indochina / Vietnam War 1945-1954. Vietnam War memory quiz – events 1946-1964, Vietnam War memory quiz – events 1965-1975, Vietnam War memory quiz – terms and concepts (I), Vietnam War memory quiz – terms and concepts (II). Once Hanoi fell, the Viet Minh declared its independence, established the provisional government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV), and made Ho president and minister of foreign affairs. Dec 22, 2020 - Explore Pete Owen's board "Indochina and The Siege of Dien Bien Phu" on Pinterest. Covert operations involving Special Forces (Green Berets) moved the United States closer to an open conflict with North Vietnam and the Vietcong (communist guerillas fighting in South Vietnam). It ended with the French defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phuand French withdrawal from Vietnam. In current usage , it applies largely to a geographic region, rather than to a political area. In 1939, Giap was forced to flee Vietnam because of his anti-French political activities. Secretary of State Dean Acheson stated that France’s demand was nothing short of "blackmail." Buy Vietnam War: A Captivating Guide to the Second Indochina War by History, Captivating (ISBN: 9781981608386) from Amazon's Book Store. The article titled First Indochina War describes the war between the Việt Minh and the French in more detail. For more information, visit Alpha History or our Terms of Use. Sold. During the colonial era, French Indochina was made up of Cochin-China, Annam, Cambodia, Tonkin, Kwangchowan, and Laos. Despite heavy Viet Minh losses (around 9,000 men), most of their soldiers proved too elusive. Meanwhile, a 15,000-strong CEFEO force was positioned to outflank the retreating Viet Minh and rout them in battle. The latter three later united to form Vietnam. A drama where amorous passion and political engagement mingle, carried by two young idealists at the heart of the First Indochina War. The medal on offer is an original full-size French campign medal die struck at the Paris Mint and described below: - France: Indochina Campaign Medal 1945-1954. When these attacks were unsuccessful, Ho Chi Minh and Giap decided to move men and supplies into Laos – Vietnam’s western neighbour and another French colony – to further stretch CEFEO resources. In November, French naval vessels bombarded the northern port city of Haiphong, killing large numbers of civilians. The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. When the news of Japan’s surrender in World War II arrived, the local Japanese military command turned over governance to the local authorities. United Action From Indochina to Vietnam: Revolution and War in a Global Perspective. .. $19.90. See more ideas about first indochina war, war, vietnam war. In the West, this conflict is called the First Indochina War. HANOI, Vietnam - HANOI, Vietnam - A maps showing the military campaigns of the First Indochina War against the colonial French armies. The Indochina Wars were a series of conflicts in Southeast Asia from 1946 to 1989.. It was a major conflict in the Asian region known as Indochina, which is composed of the modern nations of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Roosevelt understood that Indochina was rich in natural resources; it was also a strategic location in Southeast Asia. France had been a long-time occupier of Vietnam before 1954. Second Indochina War: A military conflict known commonly in the United States as the Vietnam War and in Vietnam as Resistance War Against America or the American War, that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1955 (with some sources citing 1956 or 1959 as the starting date) to the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. The Indochina war was quickly followed by France's Algerian debacle, a far more consuming conflict in which the French public was more involved -- and in which many draftees served. Aside from Ho Chi Minh, the Viet Minh’s most notable military leader was Vo Nguyen Giap. The beginning of the First Indochina War was marked by an outbreak of fighting as a result of a violation in the cease-fire agreement when Viet Minh soldiers refused a French demand to leave Haiphong. Citizens were often held in prison for long periods without being charged, or they died from malaria, tuberculosis, or malnutrition. This Vietnam War website is created and maintained by Alpha History. Ho’s attempt to garner support from the United States was useless because, unknown by him, the fate of Indochina had already been decided at the Potsdam Conference. Paris began looking for a political solution rather than a military victory. 3. The decision not to allow free elections fueled the Viet Minh’s resolve to re-unify Vietnam. The aim of the Manila Pact was to find peaceful means to resolve differences in Southeast Asia by establishing a council to determine how to implement the treaty and to provide consultation for military and other planning within the treaty area. The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War (also known colloquially as Vietnam or Nam as well as the American War to the Vietnamese) By: Ann Anderson . Anxious to re-establish their colony of 60 years, the French brought in forces in 1946 that included soldiers from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. See more ideas about war, first indochina war, vietnam war. The war was fought by France, the long-time colonial ruler in the Indochina, and Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian Communist rebel forces. Though Mao was writing of the situation in his own country, his pamphlet had lessons for Giap and the Viet Minh: “The principal characteristics of China’s revolutionary war are: a vast semi-colonial country which is unevenly developed politically and economically… a big and powerful enemy… and a small and weak [revolutionary] army… These characteristics determine the line for guiding China’s revolutionary war as well as many of its strategic and tactical principles. Turley, a leading expert on Vietnamese communism, combines original research, thorough knowledge of the literature, his own insight from several trips to Vietnam during and since the war, and sound interpretation into an amazingly succinct and well-crafted 200-page narrative which provides balanced treatment of both Vietnamese and … Giap was not daunted by these shortcomings. See more ideas about first indochina war, vietnam war, french army. The Vietnam War (also known as Second Indochina War or American War in Vietnam) lasted from 1 November 1955–30 April 1975, (19 years, 5 months, 4 weeks and 1 day). It is clear that we must [recognise] the guerrilla character of our operations; oppose protracted campaigns and a strategy of quick decision… and instead uphold a strategy of protracted war and campaigns of quick decision; oppose fixed battle lines and positional warfare, and favour fluid battle lines and mobile warfare; oppose fighting merely to rout the enemy, and uphold fighting to annihilate the enemy; oppose the strategy of striking with two fists in two directions at the same time, and uphold the strategy of striking with one fist in one direction at one time.”. Paris sought to undermine the Viet Minh by establishing the independent republic of Vietnam. In early 1946, the French landed a military force at Haiphong, and negotiations took place about the future for Vietnam as a state within the French Union. Increasing United States involvement over the years culminated in a major war from 1965 to 1973 – the effects of which are still felt today. He remained in exile for five years, during which French authorities arrested and executed most of his family. By the end of the First Indochina War, 75,867 French soldiers had lost their lives and $3 billion had been spent in a war that led to the withdrawal of French troops after the 1954 Geneva Accords were signed. Covering a broad history from the arrival of the French in the second half of the nineteenth century through the so-called First, Second, and Third Indochina Wars of the twentieth and beyond, the series focuses on revealing interdisciplinary approaches and original conceptual frameworks to situate the struggles for Vietnam newly in a global context. With hostilities ended, Laos and Cambodia were recognized as independent countries, and Vietnam was partitioned along the 17th parallel. Vietnam was temporarily divided, but an agreement had been reached for free elections to be held in July 1956 to unify the two regions. At the Geneva Conference in Switzerland in July 1954, not only did the Geneva Accords effectively end French control over Indochina, but Cambodia and Laos were also granted independence from France, thus bringing an end to French Indochina. In Vietnam, it is referred to as the Anti-French War. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, and in Vietnam as the Resistance War Against America or simply the American War, was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. In July 1954, after one hundred years of colonial rule, a defeated France was forced to leave Vietnam. Finally, with their shattering defeat by the Viet Minh at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in May 1954, the… Read More; role of. The Vietnam War is also known as the Second Indochina War. When the Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 27, 1973, America’s participation in the Second Indochina War officially ended. In late 1947, the CEFEO launched Operation Lea, an attempt to destroy the Viet Minh leadership base at Bac Can, north of Hanoi. After the March 1945 coup d'état orchestrated by the Japanese against the French in Indochina, Roosevelt proclaimed that France was not competent enough to maintain its colonial possessions. Authors: Jennifer Llewellyn, Jim Southey, Steve Thompson Most Viet Minh weapons had been retrieved from the retreating Japanese or seized from captured French. It is the only work to avoid nationalist, colonialist, and anticolonialist historiographies in order to fully explore the ambiguity of the French colonial period. First Indochina War Covering a broad history from the arrival of the French in the second half of the nineteenth century … Copyright: The content on this page may not be republished without our express permission. See more ideas about First indochina war, French foreign legion, Vietnam war. Paris began negotiating with figurehead emperor Bao Dai about forming a government. It was impossible for the Viet Minh to win large-scale battles against the French; they could not withstand French artillery or match French air support or supply lines. The United States had funded approximately one third of France’s attempt to retain control of Indochina. In addition, Viet Minh soldiers were largely untrained and had little understanding of military organisation, discipline or strategy. Led by General Giap, they retreated to remote areas to train, gather support and instigate a protracted war. Increasing United States involvement over the years culminated in a major war from 1965 to 1973 – the effects of which are still felt today.