Vietnam - KT1: The struggle against France for independence, 1945–54

What was the main goal of the Vietminh during the First Indochina War?

1. Wage a people’s war against French imperialism

2. Become the legitimate representative of the Vietnamese people

How did the Vietminh gain support in northern Vietnam in 1945?

By providing relief during the famine that killed two million people, blamed on Japanese exploitation and weather.

What was the significance of Ho Chi Minh's Declaration of Independence in 1945?

He quoted the American Declaration of Independence, hoping for U.S. support for Vietnamese self-determination.

Why did war break out between France and the Vietminh?

Ho Chi Minh’s diplomatic messages to the U.S. were ignored and negotiations with France failed to end imperialism.

When and where did fighting first break out between the French and Vietminh?

In September 1945, in the south of Vietnam (Saigon).

What was the response of the U.S. to early Vietminh actions?

American agents reported that Vietnamese were determined to gain independence even at the cost of their lives.

How did Chinese involvement affect the power dynamics in Vietnam after 1945?

Chinese troops undermined Vietminh power and allowed the French to regain control.

What event escalated the conflict into full-scale war in 1946?

French naval bombardment of Haiphong, killing many civilians, followed by Vietminh retaliation in Hanoi.

Who was General Võ Nguyên Giáp?

A military leader of the Vietminh who led the fight against French and later American forces.

How did General Giap’s military background shape the Vietminh's strategy?

He combined guerrilla warfare and conventional tactics to defeat stronger French forces.

What early lesson did Giap learn from French attacks on Haiphong?

That conventional warfare against the French would cause heavy losses and wasn’t sustainable.

Where did Giap retreat to after initial defeats?

The hills of Tuyen Quang Province to regroup and adopt guerrilla tactics.

How did the Chinese Communist victory in 1949 support the Vietminh?

It provided military aid and money to reorganize Vietminh forces into 5 formal divisions, attacking French outposts along Viet-Ch border

Why were Giap’s initial attacks failures?

Jan. 1951: French trap 20 mi. north of Hanoi with 20,000 men

• Artillery + machine guns

  → 6,000 dead, 8,000 hurt, 500 captured

Mar. + May 1951: Same pattern

What change in strategy did Giap adopt by 1953?

He avoided direct confrontation and extended the war into Laos.

Why were Giap’s logistical skills crucial at Dien Bien Phu?

He managed the movement of troops and heavy artillery through rough terrain, enabling the Vietminh to surround and overpower French positions.

How did the Vietminh transport artillery to the hills around Dien Bien Phu?

With the help of 250,000 civilians in a major logistical operation.

What was the significance of the tunnel fortifications at Dien Bien Phu?

They protected Vietminh troops and allowed them to move undetected.

Which French outposts fell early in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?

Beatrice, Gabrielle, and Anne-Marie.

What combination of tactics did the Vietminh use in the final assaults at Dien Bien Phu?

Large troop numbers, artillery, and sappers to destroy French fortifications.

What was the date of Dien Bien Phu?

13 Mar.-7th May 1954 (surender)

What were the immediate consequences of the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu?

It led to the end of French colonial rule and the Geneva Accords, dividing Vietnam.

How did the U.S. support France in the First Indochina War?

By providing up to $500 million a year and military equipment.

What was Eisenhower’s contribution to French efforts at Dien Bien Phu?

He sent unmarked planes to deliver supplies to the French forces.

How many casualties did France suffer by 1952?

90,000 casualties in total.

What was the Battle of Route Coloniale and its significance?

1950: A French defeat with over 4,800/10,000 troops killed, captured, or missing + 2,000 hurt

What financial burden did the French Indochina War place on France?

The war cost double the $3 billion received from the U.S. for postwar recovery (Marshall Aid)

What was the political reason for France’s withdrawal after Dien Bien Phu?

The French public and government could no longer support the war.

Why was Dien Bien Phu chosen by the French for battle?

They aimed to lure the Vietminh into a decisive open battle and used it as a fortified base.

What mistake did the French artillery commander at Dien Bien Phu make?

He underestimated the Vietminh and committed suicide after their effective bombardment.

What does the fall of Dien Bien Phu illustrate about French military planning?

They lacked knowledge of the battlefield and underestimated the Vietminh’s capabilities.

How did the Vietminh's desire for independence influence the war?

It united many Vietnamese, even non-communists, in opposition to French colonialism.

How did French colonial practices contribute to their defeat?

Their exploitation and violence increased support for the Vietminh.

What role did Ho Chi Minh play in the origins of the Vietminh?

He founded the Vietminh as an umbrella nationalist resistance organization during WWII.

What international support did the Vietminh receive by 1950?

Aid from Communist China and the USSR.

What was the Geneva Accords' outcome following Dien Bien Phu?

April 26–July 21, 1954: Vietnam was divided into North and South at the 17th parallel.

What did Truman's administration believe about Vietminh in 1950?

That they were puppets of Chinese communism, leading to increased U.S. support for France.

How did the U.S. apply the Domino Theory to Vietnam?

They believed losing Vietnam to communism would trigger a regional domino effect.

How did the U.S. influence southern Vietnam after 1950?

Helped establish a non-communist government under Ngo Dinh Diem.

How many French troops died during and after Dien Bien Phu?

3,000 died in battle and 8,000 more in captivity.

Why was the Vietminh’s use of guerrilla tactics effective?

It allowed them to exploit knowledge of terrain and avoid direct confrontation.

How did Vietminh pressure the French throughout the war?

1. guerrilla strikes

2. military raids

3. popular support in rural areas

What were sappers and how did the Vietminh use them?

Combat engineers used to destroy French defenses during final Dien Bien Phu assaults.

What was the role of civilians in the Vietminh war effort?

They supported logistics, including moving artillery and building tunnels.

What did General Ridgway say about U.S. involvement in Indochina?

General Matthew Ridgway (US Army Chief of Staff) That Vietnam would defeat U.S. divisions due to the strength of the Vietminh.

What was France’s motivation for restoring colonial rule post-WWII?

To maintain its status as a major world power.

Why were Ho Chi Minh’s appeals to Truman ignored?

U.S. foreign policy favored anti-communist allies over colonial independence movements.

What was the French military strategy at Dien Bien Phu and its flaw?

To trap the Vietminh in open battle, but they underestimated Vietminh artillery and logistics.

How did the fall of Dien Bien Phu influence global opinion?

It showed that a colonial power could be defeated by a determined nationalist movement.

What message did the First Indochina War send to anti-colonial movements worldwide?

That a well-organized resistance could defeat Western imperial forces.

Fr tanks DBP

10

Fr aircraft DBP

400

Fr pilots DBP

30

Prep time DBP

6 mo. (paratroopers dropped in Nov. 1953 to build 40 mi perimeter of garrisons around airstrip, Giap ordered attacks in same month, targeting isolated Isabelle outpost)

Fr casualties DBP

• 2,200 troops killed

• 10,000 prisoners of war (2,000 out of these survived)

• 8,000 hurt

• 10% military forces lost

VM casualties DBP

• 8,000 dead in trench warfare (siege prevented airstrip use)

• 15,000 hurt

What VM-Fr conflict happened in Feb. 1950?

Fr garrison in Tonkin captured

What VM-Fr conflict happened in Sep. 1950?

Dong Khe (town) captured

How much additional aid did Truman offer to Fr?

May 1950: $10 mil. → Over-reliance on US aid

What supplies did the US give Fr overall in 1950?

$100 million

• aircraft, patrol boats, napalm bombs, ground combat machinery