Lesson Objectives for Today

• The students will be able to understand the prior history of Vietnamese colonialism by imperialistic powers.

• The students will be able to identify America’s foreign policy (containment) in the Cold War concerning Vietnam.

Viet Nam

General Outline

and

Early History

Earlier

• Southeast Asian jungles dominated by other Asian powers– Within the Chinese and Indian Empires– Dense tropical climate did not allow for a

large population to form a great ancient empire

1800s

• France took control of IndoChina (source of rubber) as a formal colony

1945

• End of Japanese occupation

• Viet Minh declared independence under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh– France tried to hold on….

1940s

• Independence Revolution between Viet Minh government and France

1950s

• US (as policy of containment of communism) assists France with $

• China and Soviet Union begin to help Viet Minh

1954

• Battle at Dienbienphu: France is defeated by anti-colonial forces

1954 Continued

• Geneva Conference = peace settlement in which France leaves and country is divided in half– US places Ngo Dien Diem in power in

South (ARVN)– North (DRVN) ruled by Ho Chi Minh with

Soviet backing– Free elections held in 2 years to unify land

into one country

• U.S. refuses to allow elections in the South

• “It was generally conceded that had an election been held, Ho Chi Minh would have been elected Premier.”– President Dwight D. Eisenhower

• Ho Chi Minh organizes revolution/liberation movement in the South– Viet Cong - revolutionary army in South

Vietnam– National Liberation Front - movement in

N and S for independence from all foreign influences and unification of Vietnam