Vietnam War - Chapter Three

Who was Trieu Au and when did she live?

A female warrior (3rd c. AD) who resisted Chinese domination.

To whom is Trieu Au often compared?

Joan of Arc.

At what age was Trieu Au defeated and how did she die?

At 23; she committed suicide.

How is Trieu Au remebered in Vietnam?

As a sacred, worshiped figure.

What crop formed the economic foundation of Vietnam?

Rice.

What were the key requirements for rice cultivation?

Abundant water and manual labor.

From where did rice cultivation spread to Vietnam?

China.

How did agriculture shape Vietnam’s society?

It fostered village-based life and communal labor systems.

Which hotel symbolized French luxury in Saigon?

The Continental Palace Hotel.

How did French “native affairs officers” interact with villages?

By attending rituals, often superficially.

What commodity did the French traffic to raise colonial revenue?

Opium.

Why was opium trade important to the French?

It was highly profitable.

Who was Paul Doumer in colonial Vietnam?

Governor-General who exploited resources; later French president.

How did Paul Doumer die in 1932?

He was assassinated.

How did wealthy Vietnamese adapt to French rule?

Adopted Western clothing, villas, and styles.

Who were often educated in French schools?

A small elite, many of whom became nationalists.

How did French schools shape Vietnamese nationalism?

Educated elites who later resisted colonialism.

What influence did French teachers have on Vietnamese artists?

They trained students in Western techniques.

Why did modernization benefit mainly elites?

Peasants remained excluded, fueling resentment.

How were Westernized Vietnamese caricatured in nationalist cartoons?

As tennis players or imitators of French styles.

What did nationalist cartoons celebrate?

Peasants defeating imperialists and corrupt landlords.

What happened to the 1907 anti-French uprising?

It was uncovered, leading to mass executions and imprisonments.

How were Vietnamese prisoners punished by the French?

They were placed in stocks and photographed.

What did French repression of plots lead to?

Greater resentment and energy for nationalism.

Which mandarin-poet resisted French rule by leading guerrilla fighters?

Truong Cong Dinh.

Where was guerrilla sanctuaries later used by the Viet Minh and Viet Cong?

The Plain of Reeds and Ca Mau peninsula.

What was Ho Chi Minh’s birth name?

Nguyen Sinh Cung.

What alias did Ho adopt meaning “Nguyen the Patriot”?

Nguyen Ai Quoc.

What international event did Ho petition at in 1919?

The Versailles Peace Conference.

What did his Versailles petition demand?

Reforms for Vietnamese rights (not full independence).

How did Woodrow Wilson respond to Ho’s petition?

It was ignored.

Where did Ho Chi Minh join the French Communist Party?

At the Tours Coongress in 1920.

What age was Ho when he joined the Communist faction?

30.

Where did Ho study revolutionary theory in the mid-1920s?

Moscow.

Which languages did Ho master?

Vietnamese, French, English, Russian, and Chinese.

How did Ho survive in Paris in his early years?

He lived in poverty, worked as a photo retoucher.

Which authors influenced Ho Chi Minh’s intellectual life?

Shakespeare, Hugo, Zola.

What personal qualities did Ho show in Paris?

Earnest, witty, reserved yet intense.

Which dynasty was strong under Le Thanh Tong?

The Le dynasty.

What weakened the Le dynasty after him?

Court intrigues, family conspiracies, and regional revolts.

Which rival groups fought for power after the 16th c.?

Mac, Trinh, and Nguyen factions.

Which regions did the Trinh and Nguyen control?

Trinh = north; Nguyen = south/central.

What later political division resembled this partition?

The 17th parallel after Geneva (1954).

Which Nguyen leader sought French aid in the 18th century?

Nguyen Anh.

Who helped Nguyen Anh obtain French support?

Missionary Pigneau de Behaine.

What dynasty did Nguyen Anh found in 1802?

The Nguyen dynasty.

What pattern plagued Vietnam’s history of unification?

Persistent regional rivalries.

How did these divisions influence the 20th century?

They resurfaced in North vs. South conflicts.