The Vietnamese National Army
- 1. Tension and hostility between the independence-seeking Viet Minh and returning French colonial forces led to the outbreak of the First Indochina War in late 1946.
- 2. The Viet Minh had superior numbers but lack the weapons, munitions and technology of the French. ...
- 3. The continuation of the war and some failed military operations led to France seeking a political solution. ...
What were the causes of the First Indochina War?
- Vo Nguyen Giap. General Vo Nguyen Giap, the Viet Minh’s military leader in the First Indochina War. ...
- Viet Minh challenges. ...
- Military strategy. ...
- ‘Elephant and the Tiger’. ...
- French colonial forces. ...
- Early engagements. ...
- The French change tactics. ...
- The Vietnamese National Army. ...
How did the First Indochina War affect the world?
The First Indochina War affected the world by the fact that it led to the creation of the independent countries of North and South Vietnam. This creation then led to the Vietnam War that involved ...
Why was the war in Indochina called Dirty War?
The use of metropolitan recruits was forbidden by the governments to prevent the war from becoming even more unpopular at home. It was called the "dirty war" ( la sale guerre) by the French communists and leftist intellectuals (including Sartre) during the Henri Martin affair in 1950.
What country controlled Indochina after World War 2?
World War II Countries With Most Death Casualties. ... In September 1940, France, under its German-controlled government, ceded control of French Indochina to Japan. The majority of French Indochina's 1.6 million deaths came as a result of widespread famine under Japanese occupation. This toll mainly affected civilians. After the war ...
When did the First Indochina War start?
December 19, 1946 – August 1, 1954First Indochina War / Period
What was the original cause of the Vietnam War?
The conflict in Vietnam took root during an independence movement against French colonial rule and evolved into a Cold War confrontation. The conflict in Vietnam took root during an independence movement against French colonial rule and evolved into a Cold War confrontation.
What happened during the First Indochina War?
From 1946 to 1954, the French opposed independence, and Ho Chi Minh led guerrilla warfare against them in the first Indochina War that ended in the Vietnamese victory at Dien Bien Phu on May 7, 1954.
Which president started the Vietnam War?
The major initiative in the Lyndon Johnson presidency was the Vietnam War. By 1968, the United States had 548,000 troops in Vietnam and had already lost 30,000 Americans there.
Why America lost the Vietnam War?
Basically because the Vietnamese wanted to win more than the Americans did. There were a couple of reasons for this. First, the Americans were an invading force, and the Vietnamese were fighting on their own soil. Second, the Americans were not willing to make an all-out commitment to win.
Why did the French lose the First Indochina War?
The French lost their Indochinese colonies due to political, military, diplomatic, economic and socio-cultural factors. The fall of Dien Bien Phu in 1954 signalled a loss of French power. General Vo Nguyen Giap and his Viet Minh had triumphed on the eve of the Geneva Conference.
Who won the Indo China war?
The Indian discovery of the road and objection to the Chinese presence in the sector was one of the factors leading to sharp border clashes between the two countries in 1962. At the conclusion of the conflict, China retained control of about 14,700 square miles (38,000 square km) of territory in Aksai Chin.
What was the Indochina War and who won?
From 1946 to 1954, the French opposed independence, and Ho Chi Minh led guerrilla warfare against them in the first Indochina War that ended in the Vietnamese victory at Dien Bien Phu on May 7, 1954.
Could the US have won the Vietnam War?
In an utterly banal sense, the United States could have won the Vietnam War by invading the North, seizing its urban centers, putting the whole of the country under the control of the Saigon government and waging a destructive counterinsurgency campaign for an unspecified number of years.
Why did North and South Vietnam split?
After its defeat at Bien Dien Phu, France signed an independence agreement with the victorious Viet Minh in Geneva. Vietnam would be divided by a demilitarised zone (the DMZ), with the French withdrawing their forces from Vietnam north of the zone and the Viet Minh withdrawing their forces from the south.
What caused the Vietnam War quizlet?
Basically the reason for the Vietnam War in the first place. Belief held by America that communism was threatening to expand all over south-east Asia. Under the control of Ho Chi Minh, took control of Northern Vietnam after the Chinese pulled out. In favor of communism and the biggest threat to America.
Is Vietnam still communist?
Vietnam is a socialist republic with a one-party system led by the Communist Party.
When did the Indochina War start?
The First Indochina War (called the Indochina War in France and the French War in Vietnam) began after the end of World War II in 1946 and lasted until the French defeat in 1954.
What was the second Indochina war?
The Second Indochina War (called the Vietnam War in the West or the American War in Vietnam) began as a conflict between the United States-backed South Vietnamese government and its opponents, both the North Vietnamese-based communist Viet Cong (National Liberation Front) and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), known in the West as the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). The conflict began in 1955 and lasted until 1975 when the North Vietnamese conquered South Vietnam. The United States, which had supported France during the first Indochina war, backed the South Vietnamese government in opposition to the National Liberation Front and the Communist -allied NVA. The North benefited from military and financial support from China and the Soviet Union, members of the Communist bloc. Fighting also occurred during this time in Cambodia between the US-backed government, the NVA, and the Communist-backed Khmer Rouge (known as the Cambodian Civil War, 1967–1975) and in Laos between the US-backed government, the NVA, and the Communist-backed Pathet Lao (known as the Laotian Civil War or Secret War, 1959–1975).
What was the name of the group that led the Second Indochina War?
The Second Indochina War, commonly known as the Vietnam War, pitted the recently successful Communist Vietnam People's Army (VPA or PAVN, but also known as the North Vietnamese Army or NVA) and the National Front for the Liberation of Vietnam (Vietnamese NLF guerrilla fighters allied with the PAVN, known in America as the Viet Cong, meaning 'Communists Traitor to Vietnam') against United States troops and the United States-backed by South Vietnamese Government ARVN (Republic of Vietnam soldiers).
What was the name of the war between the French and the North?
The ensuing war, between the French-controlled South and the independent Communist-allied North, is known as the First Indochina War. It ended in a resounding defeat of the French Colonial Troops ( Troupes coloniales) by the People's Army of Vietnam at Dien Bien Phu .
What was the Sino-Vietnamese war?
The Sino-Vietnamese War was a short war fought in February–March 1979 between the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The Chinese launched a punitive expedition in revenge for the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia, and withdrew a month later to prewar positions. Skirmishes along the border would continue until November 1991.
Where did North Vietnamese transport their supplies?
During the War, the North Vietnamese transported most of their supplies via the Ho Chi Minh Trail (known to the Vietnamese as the Truong Son Trail, after the Truong Son mountains), which ran through Laos and Cambodia. As a result, the areas of these nations bordering Vietnam would see heavy combat during the war.
When did the Cambodian-Vietnamese war start?
The Third Indochina War, commonly known as the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, started on 1 May 1975 when the Kampuchean Revolutionary Army invaded the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc. Vietnamese forces quickly counter-attacked, regaining their territory and invading the Kampuchean island of Koh Wai .
What was the first Indochina war?
The First Indochina War (December 1946 to August 1954) saw the Viet Minh and French colonial forces battle for control of Vietnam. In the West, this conflict is called the First Indochina War. In Vietnam, it is referred to as the Anti-French War.
Who was the leader of Vietnam in the first Indochina war?
Vo Nguyen Giap. General Vo Nguyen Giap, the Viet Minh’s military leader in the First Indochina War. Aside from Ho Chi Minh, the Viet Minh’s most notable military leader was Vo Nguyen Giap. The beneficiary of a French education, Giap graduated from the University of Hanoi, where he had studied history and politics.
Why was the backing of the Vietnamese people important?
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”).
Why did Ho Chi Minh and Giap move men and supplies into Laos?
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. This shift would facilitate the final decisive engagement of the First Indochina War: the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. 1.
Why did Bao Dai move the capital of Vietnam to Saigon?
This was itself a tactical move because Viet Minh support was much weaker in the south, which contained higher numbers of Vietnamese middle class, Francophiles, Catholics, Confucians, Buddhists, political liberals and moderates.
What was Giap's role in the Vietnam War?
After their 1944 return to Vietnam, Giap was tasked with overseeing the Viet Minh’s military forces. His leadership had a profound effect on the outcomes of the First Indochina War and, later, the Vietnam War.
How many men were in the Viet Minh army in 1946?
By the end of 1946, Giap’s northern Viet Minh units boasted 60,000 men – but they were armed with only 40,000 rifles. In addition, Viet Minh soldiers were largely untrained and had little understanding of military organisation, discipline or strategy.
What wars were called the French Indochina War?
Assorted References. …wars are often called the French Indochina War and the Vietnam War ( q.v. ), or the First and Second Indochina wars. The latter conflict ended in April 1975.
How long did the French Indochina War last?
The French Indochina War broke out in 1946 and went on for eight years, with France’s war effort largely funded and supplied by the United States.
What was Eisenhower's role in the Indochina crisis?
In Dwight D. Eisenhower: First term as president. …the American role in the Indochina crisis between France and the guerrillas led by Ho Chi Minh to pushing for a partition of Vietnam into a communist North and a noncommunist South and to providing financial and military aid to the latter.
When did Ho Chi Minh go to France?
The agreement was unsatisfactory to extremists on both sides, and Ho Chi Minh went to France for a series of conferences (June to September 1946) and concluded a second agreement with the French government. But the peace was broken by an incident at…. …French commander of the First Indochina War (1946–54).
Who won the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?
In Vo Nguyen Gia p. In the French Indochina War, Giap’s brilliance as a military strategist and tactician led to his winning the decisive Battle of Dien Bien Phu on May 7, 1954, which brought the French colonialist regime to an end. Read More.
Background
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Timeline
" Envoys probe Indo-China rebellion " (January 16, 1947), Universal Newsreel.
Ho Chi Minh
In 1923, Ho Chi Minh moved to Guangzhou, China. From 1925–26, he organized the 'Youth Education Classes' and occasionally gave lectures at the famous Whampoa Military Academy on the revolutionary movement in Indochina. He stayed there in Hong Kong as a representative of the organization.
French domestic situation
The 1946 Constitution creating the Fourth Republic (1946–1958) made France a Parliamentary republic.
War crimes and re-education camps
The Boudarel Affair. Georges Boudarel was a French communist militant who used brainwashing and torture against French Union POWs in Viet Minh reeducation camps. The French national association of POWs brought Boudarel to court for a war crime charge.
Other countries' involvement
By 1946, France headed the French Union. As successive governments had forbidden the sending of metropolitan troops, the French Far East Expeditionary Corps (CEFEO) was created in March 1945.
Who led the Indochina War?
From 1946 to 1954, the French opposed independence, and Ho Chi Minh led guerrilla warfare against them in the first Indochina War that ended in the Vietnamese victory at Dien Bien Phu on May 7, 1954.
Which countries were involved in the Indochina wars?
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).
What was Sihanouk's position in Vietnam?
Sihanouk adopted a position of neutrality in the Vietnam conflict and tacitly permitted Vietnamese communists to use sanctuaries inside Cambodia. On March 18, 1970, however, he was deposed in a coup by right-wing elements in the armed forces.
When did Laos become independent?
Laoshad been a French protectorate since the turn of the century. It achieved independence in a series of steps between 1946 and 1954. Control of the government changed hands between rightists and neutralists several times until 1962, when a coalition governmentbetween them and the Laotian communists called the Pathet Lao(“Lao Country”) was formed under the leadership of Prince Souvanna Phouma. The coalition continued to govern while communists and noncommunists vied for control of the outlying provinces of the country. After the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, the Pathet Lao, supported by the North Vietnamese, established control over the whole of Laos.
Which country controlled Laos after the fall of South Vietnam?
After the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, the Pathet Lao, supported by the North Vietnamese, established control over the whole of Laos.
When did the South Vietnamese government collapse?
In 1975 the South Vietnamese government collapsed and was replaced (April 30) by a regime dominated by the communists. On July 2, 1976, the two Vietnams were reunited as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
When did the French conquer Vietnam?
The latter conflict ended in April 1975. In the latter half of the 19th century, Vietnam was gradually conquered by the French, who controlled it as a protectorate (1883–1939) and then as a possession (1939–45).
What was the result of the first Indochina war?
The First Indochina War Resulted In: Vietnamese Communist victory, division of Vietnam into the Communist North and non-Communist South, independence of Laos and Cambodia. Within three years, the Second Indochina War ( The Vietnam War ), would begin.
What happened to the French in Vietnam?
Following the Japanese surrender in the fall of 1945, British troops occupied Southern Vietnam, while Nationalist Chinese troops disarmed the Japanese in Northern Vietnam. After French forces returned to take control of Indochina, they soon clashed with the Viet Minh resistance forces, and the conflict grew to include all of French Indochina. The warfare eventually came to a head in 1954 with the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, in which the Communist Viet Minh defeated the French army and forced the surrender of nearly 12,000 French troops. This defeat led the French to negotiations that resulted in a peace treaty that led to the independence of Cambodia, Laos, and the eventual splitting of Vietnam into two independent states, commonly referred to as South Vietnam and North Vietnam.
Was South Vietnam a communist country?
South Vietnam was allied to the United States, while the Viet Minh became the governing body in North Vietnam and it became a Communist state allied to the Soviet Union and China. A few years after the conclusion of the First Indochina War, the Second Indochina War began as Communist rebels in South Vietnam called the Viet Cong began a campaign that would lead to direct American intervention and what would be called, in America, as the Vietnam War.
When did the Indochina War start?
For basic information see the Wikipedia pages on the First Indochina War (1792–1802) and the Vietnam War (1803–1815).
What were the two Indochina wars?
The two Indochina Wars, covering three decades, started with the First Indochina War (1946–54), an anti-colonial struggle for liberation fought by the Việt Minh, the League for the Independence of Vietnam, against Imperial France. This conflict was followed by the Second Indochina War, also known as the Vietnam War (1955–75), fought between South Vietnam and its supporters, primarily the United States of America and North Vietnam, its supporting guerilla forces in the South, the Việt Cộng (National Liberation Front), Laos and Cambodia. China and the Soviet Union supported North Vietnam. The Vietnam War was deeply embedded in the Global Cold War (1946–90) and is considered by some historians as one of its many proxy wars.
How did General Navarre see out the first Indochina war?
In that vein, General Navarre claimed that the best way to see out the First Indochina War with the Việt Minh was through the use of the hedgehog concept, particularly in regards to combating the invasion into Laos. [23] As such, General Navarre began looking into the best locations to set up a set of defensive positions to lure the Việt Minh out from Laos. He chose Điện Biên Phủ, a small town located 16 kilometers from the Laos border in the northwest of North Vietnam. Despite the town being on a flat plain and surrounded by jungle hills, General Navarre saw the advantages: a pre-existing airstrip built by the Japanese, located on a Việt Minh supply route and situated in the Tai hills, an ethnic minority still loyal to the French. On 20 November 1953, French Union forces launched Operation Castor and occupied Điện Biên Phủ via parachute drop, easily defeating the local Việt Minh garrison.
How many French casualties were there in the first Indochina War?
Kennedy visited Vietnam in 1951 and questioned America’s support for French colonialism, many regarded the war as a futile venture. The total of 90,000 French casualties at the end of 1951 also increased public pressure for the French government to cease hostilities and engage in political negotiations.
What did the French do to help the Vietnamese?
Concerned with the failed attempts of meeting the Việt Minh head-on militarily in North Vietnam, the French administration sought to combat them through political means. At the beginning of 1948, they began negotiations with the former emperor Bảo Đại to lead an autonomous government of Vietnam recognized under the French Union. [19] Despite receiving a similar set of terms from Hồ Chí Minh two years previously that also called for an autonomous Vietnamese government lead by a Head of State, the French naturally preferred Bảo Đại; a French collaborator in the past and a person of standing with no real political power in the country.
What happened to the Vietnamese in 1946?
From then on, until the end of March 1946, British and French forces clashed continually with southern Việt Minh forces over control of Saigon and South Vietnam. Codenamed Operation Masterdom by the British, the Southern Resistance War ( Nam Bộ kháng chiến) reinstalled French rule in the south, in the process officially killing the first American soldier in Vietnam. [18]
What was the Battle of Coloniale 4?
The French, however, would get no respite. On 30 September, the Việt Minh launched another full-scale assault known as the Battle of Route Coloniale 4. [21] Effectively the broader campaign for control over Vietnam’s northern border with China, the Battle of Route Coloniale 4 would give the victor full control of the DRV’s northern provinces. For the Việt Minh, it also meant the possibility of an uninterrupted flow of troops, military equipment and supplies from China.
What was the name of the army that was formed by the ICP?
All existing ICP military units were united to form the new Vietnam Liberation Army (VLA), later called the People’s Army of Vietnam ( PAVN ). Giáp was named Commander-in-Chief of the VLA and chairman of the Revolution Military Committee, later called the Central Military Party Committee (CMPC).
When did the Vietnamese independence movement start?
Officially named the League for Independence of Vietnam, the Việt Minh traced its roots back to August 1935 when Vietnamese nationalists formed the group in Nanjing, China, as a united front against imperialism in Indochina. Although it soon lapsed into inactivity, Hồ Chí Minh ’s return to Vietnam in February 1941, where he set up headquarters in a cave in Pác Bó, reiterated the struggle towards national independence at the Eight Plenum of the ICP in May. It was decided that above campaigning in favour of socialist ideology and committing to a war against class inequality, the struggle for national independence must take precedence – and the Việt Minh would be the primary tool [12].
Who was involved in the Indochina War?
The Indochina War was a conflict between the French imperialists, who sought to return Vietnam as a colony of France, versus the Vietnamese nationalists
Which country invaded Vietnam during WWII?
Japan invaded and occupied Vietnam during WWII. Forced out with allied effort by 1945. France, devastated by WWII, tried to re-occupy Vietnam (with U.S. support) from 1945-54 but was driven out. The U.S. stepped in to support “South Vietnam” .
Why did the French and Americans seek to carve out the southern region of Vietnam and turn it into “South Vietnam”?
The French and Americans sought to carve out the southern region of Vietnam and turn it into “South Vietnam” in a nation-building experiment. South Vietnam would be a pro-U.S. capitalist friend.
How long did China occupy Vietnam?
China occupied Vietnam for 1200 years (repelled in 939 AD). Vietnam independent until the 19th century. 1800’s France invaded and occupied Southeast Asia (including the southern region of Vietnam) . and for 100 years it was a French colony.
What did Asian colonies demand after WWII?
After WWII Asian Colonies demanded independence from European Nations
When did Vietnam liberate?
In 1945, Vietnam was liberated from Japanese occupation. Ho Chi Minh celebrated the Americans as liberators and sends a a letter to Truman begging him to support a Independent Vietnam. Prior to end of the war-FDR caved in to French and British demands to return Vietnam as a colony of France.
When did the Japanese surrender to the Vietnamese?
Japanese officer surrenders to an Indian officer in Saigon, 1945. The Vietnamese hoped they had finally won their independence,
Origins of The War
Vo Nguyen Giap
In the First Indochina War, the Viet Minh, supported by the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union, fought to gain their independence from the French, supported initially by the remaining troops of the Japanese Army after its surrender to Britain, also by the State of Vietnam, and later by the United States in the frame of the Cold War. This war of independence lasted from December 19…
Viet Minh Challenges
Military Strategy
‘Elephant and The Tiger’
French Colonial Forces
Early Engagements
- Aside from Ho Chi Minh, the Viet Minh’s most notable military leader was Vo Nguyen Giap. The beneficiary of a French education, Giap graduated from the University of Hanoi, where he had studied history and politics. A learned and articulate man, Giap spent most of the 1930s teaching history, while contributing to and editing several socialist newspapers. In 1939, Giap was forced …
The French Change Tactics
- During the First Indochina War, the Viet Minh encountered similar difficulties experienced by other anti-colonial forces. Despite heavily outnumbering French forces, the Viet Minh were hindered by severe weapons shortages, particularly a lack of artillery and munitions. Most Viet Minh weapons had been retrieved from the retreating Japanese or seized from captured French. By the end of 1…
The Vietnamese National Army
- Giap was not daunted by these shortcomings. A keen student of war and revolution, Giap studied the philosophy and tactics of famous leaders, from Sun Tzu to Napoleon, from George Washington to Leon Trotsky. Giap recognised the need for strategies that made use of Viet Minh strengths and exploited French weaknesses. One invaluable source of ideas was a 1936 pamphl…
Background
- Giap and Ho Chi Minh adapted Mao’s strategies to conditions in their own country. 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. Instead, the Viet Minh sought to avoid decisive battles and withdraw to the countryside, jungles and mountains. There …
Timeline
- French military units that participated in the First Indochina War were called the Corps Expeditionnaire Francais en Extreme-Orient(the ‘French Far-East Expeditionary Corps’, or CEFEO). 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. At its peak, t…
Geneva Conference and Partition
- The first two years of the war (1947-48) was marked by sporadic fighting. The CEFEO was able to quickly capture and control the major cities, while the Viet Minh followed Giap’s strategic plan and withdrew into the mountains. In late 1947, the CEFEO launched Operation Lea, an attempt to destroy the Viet Minh leadership base at Bac Can, north of Hanoi. More than 1,000 French paratr…
Ho Chi Minh
- In early 1949, the French, frustrated by a lack of progress in the war, changed tack. Paris began looking for a political solution rather than a military victory. 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. Paris began negotiating with figurehead emperor Bao Daiabout formi…
French domestic situation
- Bao Dai’s new government was encouraged to form a new military force, the Vietnamese National Army (VNA). This was done by recruiting new soldiers but also by co-opting the ‘private’ armies run by cultists, warlords and gangsters. VNA officers were given the same command training as French soldiers. Recruits were promised good pay and the opportunity to serve in France (promi…
War crimes and re-education camps
- This article does not contain any citations or references. Please improve this article by adding a …
Further information: Vietnam Expedition, French-Thai War, Second French Indochina Campaign, Empire of Vietnam, August Revolution, Vietnamese Famine of 1945, Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, French Far East Expeditionary Corps, and …
Popular culture
- 1946
Fighting broke out in Haiphong after a conflict of interest in import duty at the port between the Viet Minh government and the French. On November 23, 1946 the French fleet began a naval bombardment of the city that killed over 6,000 Vietnamese civilians in one afternoon according t…
See also
- Further information: Geneva Conference (1954) and Partition of Vietnam
The 1954 Geneva Conference. - Negotiations between France and the Viet Minh started in Geneva in April 1954 at the Geneva C…
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Notes
- Main article: Ho Chi Minh
In 1923, Ho Chi Minh moved to Guangzhou, China. From 1925–26, he organized the 'Youth Education Classes' and occasionally gave lectures at the famous Whampoa Military Academy on the revolutionary movement in Indochina. He stayed there in Hong Kong as a representative of t…
References
- The 1946 Constitution creating the Fourth Republic (1946–1958) made France a Parliamentary republic. Because of the political context, it could find stability only by an alliance between the three dominant parties: the Christian Democratic Popular Republican Movement (MRP), the French Communist Party (PCF) and the socialist French Section of the Workers' International (S…
Further reading
- The Boudarel Affair. Georges Boudarel was a French communist militant who used brainwashin…
Passage to Freedom was a Franco-American operation to evacuate refugees. Loyal Indochinese evacuated to metropolitan France