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Timeline of the Vietnam War (c. 1945-1975)From Colonial Chains to Cold War…
Timeline of the Vietnam War (c. 1945-1975)
From Colonial Chains to Cold War Clashes: Vietnam's Path
Pre- Vietnam War (1887-1939)
The French were the dominant colonial power in
French Indochina for over 50 years before World War II.
They formally established the Indochinese Union, which included Vietnam, in 1887. World War II began in Europe in 1939
treated the Vietnamese populace primarily as a source of economic exploitation and political subjugation
Phase 1: The French Indochina War (1945-1954)
September 2, 1945: Ho Chi Minh Declares Independence:
1946-1954: First Indochina War:
May 7, 1954: Battle of Dien Bien Phu:
July 1954: Geneva Accords:
PHASE 1: ADVISORY PERIOD
1955: Ngo Dinh Diem Becomes South Vietnamese President; US Deepens Support:
Late 1950s: Rise of the Viet Cong (National Liberation Front - NLF)
1961-1963 (Kennedy Administration - Early Military Strategies & Evaluation)
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Event: Communist insurgents in the South, supported by North Vietnam, begin guerrilla warfare against the Diem regime. They are known as the Viet Cong (VC).
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Event: Diem consolidates power in South Vietnam with strong US backing, establishing the Republic of Vietnam (RVN). He rejects the reunification elections.
Impact: Solidifies the division of Vietnam and commits the US to supporting a potentially unpopular and autocratic regime in the South.
Event: International conference temporarily divides Vietnam at the 17th parallel into North (communist DRV) and South (non-communist State of Vietnam/RVN). Elections for reunification are promised for 1956.
Impact: Creates two distinct Vietnamese states. The US and South Vietnam refuse to sign the accords and reject the 1956 elections, fearing a communist victory, setting the stage for future conflict.
Event: The Viet Minh decisively defeats French forces at Dien Bien Phu
Impact: Forces French withdrawal from Indochina, ending colonial rule and opening the door for new arrangements.
Viet Minh are seen as the greatest heroes fighting for freedom
Event: France attempts to reassert colonial control, leading to a war against the Viet Minh. The US provides increasing financial and military aid to France, viewing it as a fight against communism.
Impact: Exhausts France; US involvement deepens as Cold War containment policy takes hold.
Viet Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh, played a crucial role in resisting the Japanese occupation within Vietnam
With Japan surrendering in 1945, and the French not there due to being under German control during WW2 the Viet Minh and Ho Chi Mihn seized power when there no one else that could stand up to them.
Impact: Marks the beginning of Vietnam's post-WWII struggle for self-determination and sets the stage for conflict with France
US Involvement: Limited to financial and military aid to the French, largely under the Cold War containment policy. The US saw French efforts as preventing communist expansion.