Vietnam history

1. Vietnam history

2. French colony • Relations had started as early as 17th century • French Indochina formed in 1887 • Local rulers were in left in place, but French held the power

3. Why France wanted Indochina • Colonies important to European powers • Think “Scramble for Africa” • Valuable Resources • Rice, oil, iron ore, lumber, rubber, tin • Cheap labor

4. World War I • Colonial peoples get pulled into conflict • Start to see that Europeans are not perfect and begin to question European superiority • Ho Chi Minh tries to make case for Vietnam’s independence during Versailles Treaty • Fails

5. World War II • Japanese take over • French lose control of Vietnam • Ho Chi Minh had formed communist independence movement (Vietmihn) • This group fought Japanese occupiers • Japanese give over control to Vietmihn when Japan surrenders

6. Right After War • Ho Chi Mihn and his People’s Congress create a provisional government in 1945 • Ho declares independence of Vietnam • However, British Forces Land in Saigon • Return Authority to French • Vietmihn and French try to reach an agreement • Fails and war starts

7. First Indochina War • 1946-1954 • Russia sends weapons and supplies to the Vietnamese • America supports France • Ends with French defeat at Dien Bien Phu

8. Geneva convention • 1954 • Met to end hostilities in Indochina • a provisional demarcation line is drawn at the 17th parallel which will divide Vietnam until nationwide elections are held in 1956. • The United States does not accept the agreement, neither does the government of Bao Dai.