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The Growth of Vietnamese Nationalism
By the early 1900s, nationalism had become a powerful force in Vietnam. Several political parties pushed for independence or for reform of French colonial rule. Among the leaders of the nationalist movement was Nguyen That Thanh—better known by his assumed name, Ho Chi Minh. After years in Europe, China, and the Soviet Union, he returned to Southeast Asia. There, he helped found the Indochinese Communist Party in 1930 and worked for independence. -
American Involvement in Vietnam
In 1940, Japan invaded Vietnam, becoming one of a series of foreign nations to rule the Asian country. The Chinese had controlled the region for hundreds of years. -
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America Aids the French
As the fighting escalated, France asked the United States for help. The request put American officials in a hard position. The United States opposed colonialism. It had pressured the Dutch to give up their empire in Indonesia and supported the British decision to give India independence in 1947. American officials, however, did not want Vietnam to be Communist.
China’s fall to communism and the outbreak of the Korean War helped convince President Truman to aid France. -
Defeat at Dien Bien Phu
The turning point came in the mountain town of Dien Bien Phu. By seizing the town, the French planned to cut the Vietminh’s supply lines and force them into open battle. Soon afterward, a huge Vietminh force surrounded Dien Bien Phu and began bombarding the town. On May 7, 1954, the French forces fell to the Vietminh. The defeat convinced the French to make peace and withdraw from Indochina.