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France's Colonial Rule
France ruled most of Indochina which included Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. There was a lot of restrictions and unfair treatment on the citizens which led to the beginning of revolt and outbreaks. It started out with the people getting angry at the french for using their land for profits. Then, it grew toward their freedoms being taken away and their opinions. Opposition continued to grow as French rule became even more aggressive. -
Indochinese Communist Party
This was a communist revolution led by Ho Chi Minh. This group staged many revolts. Ho Chi Minh was sentence to death by France, but fled the country and continued orchestrating the Vietnamese revolts. -
Vietminh
When the Japanese took control of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh came back and formed the Vietminh. This was and organization who was working to stop foreign rule over Vietnam. This was the start of the beginning goal of gaining independence with any means possible against France. -
Vietnam Independence
Allied defeat of Japan made Japanese leave Vietnam and soon Vietnam was declared an independent nation, free from foreign rule. -
US sends aid to France
Truman decided to support France rather than the Vietminh, who were mainly communist. President Truman sent $15 million in economic aid to France and over the next few years, sent almost $1 billion to defeat Vietminh. -
Domino Theory
This was a theory talked about in a news conference with Eisenhower. Domino theory was the idea that if Vietnam became communist, other surrounding countries would eventually become communist too. -
Dien Bien Phu
Despite the US and French efforts, the Vietminh overran Dien Bien Phu in northwestern Vietnam and the French were forced to surrender. -
Geneva Accords
France, Great Britain, Soviet Union, US, China, Laos and Cambodia met in Switzerland with the Vietminh and south Vietnam's anti-communists to create a peace agreement. The Geneva accords divided Vietnam on the 17th parallel, splitting the communist north and non-communist south. -
Vietnam Reunified
An election was held to reunify Vietnam and the reunification was passed. -
Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngo Dinh Diem was the strong anti-communist South Vietnamese president who did not want to run against Ho Chi Minh. The US ended up voting to cancel the elections and promised military aid and training to Diem in return for a stable reform government in South Vietnam. However, Diem ended up running a corrupt government that did not help the people. -
Vietcong
Vietcong was a communist group in South Vietnam that attacked the corrupt Diem government. This group killed many South Vietnamese government officials. Later called the National Liberation Front. -
Ho Chi Minh Trail
Ho Chi Minh supported the Vietcong. He supplied arms to the group through a network of paths on the borders of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. As tactics increased, southern government became more unstable.
