When it comes to winning wars, you would think a superpower of the world would be able to do
such however, a small country like Vietnam was able to win a war against the USA? The Vietnam war
was an extension of the Cold War struggle – fought between the capitalist USA and South Vietnam
on one side, and communist North Vietnam backed by the Soviet Union and China on the other. In
this essay, we will answer this question by looking at the struggles against colonial powers prior to
WW2, the period after world war2 in Vietnam, the Stages of the war, and how Vietnam defeated the
USA in the end.
Vietnam had long periods of Chinese domination, followed by a period of French colonialism from
the late 19th century. At the Paris peace conference at the end of World War 1, a young Vietnamese
stood up and demanded his country’s freedom. He was ignored. This man was to become known as
Ho Chi Minh. In 1930, together with his former school friend, Vo Guyen Giap, he founded the
Vietnamese Communist Party. During World War 2, the Japanese invaded Vietnam. When the
Japanese were defeated in World War 2 in 1945, Giap led his troops into Hanoi’s capital in the north.
On 2 September 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared the Democratic Republic of Vietnam independent.
The British, who occupied the south of Vietnam, now decided to hand it over to the former colonial
power, France. However, fighting soon developed between the French and Vietnam. This became
known as the first Indochina war. The USA, fearful of communism spreading in Asia, now backed the
French. The American government believed in the ‘domino theory’- the idea that if one Asian
country fell to communism, its neighbours would soon follow.
Ho Chi Minh’s guerrilla fighters occupied Hanoi and proclaimed a provisional government and he
declared himself president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The US refused to recognise his
state. After World War II: In September 1945 about 1 400 French soldiers were freed from Japanese
internment camps and went on the rampage attacking and killing many Viet Minh guerrillas as well
as innocent civilians. The Viet Minh retaliated by organising a general strike shutting down
commerce, electricity, and water supplies. In October 1945 French reinforcements helped to restore
French control. For four months Ho Chi Minh tried to negotiate full independence for the
Vietnamese but French ships bombarded and occupied the port of Hai Phong and this led to the
start of a guerrilla campaign against the French by the Viet Minh.
The first few years consisted of low-level guerrilla wars against the French. Once China was taken
over by the Communists in 1949, Ho Chi Minh’s guerrillas could count on Chinese support against
the French. The war became more conventional as the USA backed the French and the USSR assisted
Ho Chi Minh’s troops. In 1949 the French-backed Bao Dai as the leader in the South but he was
weak. The Vietnamese National Army was set up in the South. China continued to back the Viet
Minh in the North. Truman authorised $15 million to contain communism in Vietnam. Eisenhower
replaced Truman in 1953 which led to increased US military aid to the French and General Giap – a
brilliant military strategist – led the Viet Minh. The French set up a defensive complex at Dien Bien
Phu, but Genl Giap introduced a siege that lasted for 57 days before the French were forced to
surrender. The US did not get involved in rescuing the French and, as a result, French colonial rule
ended.
In 1954 the Geneva Peace Accord was signed between France and Vietnam. This Accord agreed to a
temporary division of the country along the 17th parallel and Ho Chi Minh gained control of the
North while Ba Dai controlled the South. Elections were to be held within two years to reunify the
country. Ho Chi Minh set up a ruthless Communist state in the North and imposed a cleansing of the
countryside. The land was confiscated and made into communes. Landowners were tried and
brutally executed by people’s tribunals. In 1955 Diem replaced Bao Dai as president.
such however, a small country like Vietnam was able to win a war against the USA? The Vietnam war
was an extension of the Cold War struggle – fought between the capitalist USA and South Vietnam
on one side, and communist North Vietnam backed by the Soviet Union and China on the other. In
this essay, we will answer this question by looking at the struggles against colonial powers prior to
WW2, the period after world war2 in Vietnam, the Stages of the war, and how Vietnam defeated the
USA in the end.
Vietnam had long periods of Chinese domination, followed by a period of French colonialism from
the late 19th century. At the Paris peace conference at the end of World War 1, a young Vietnamese
stood up and demanded his country’s freedom. He was ignored. This man was to become known as
Ho Chi Minh. In 1930, together with his former school friend, Vo Guyen Giap, he founded the
Vietnamese Communist Party. During World War 2, the Japanese invaded Vietnam. When the
Japanese were defeated in World War 2 in 1945, Giap led his troops into Hanoi’s capital in the north.
On 2 September 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared the Democratic Republic of Vietnam independent.
The British, who occupied the south of Vietnam, now decided to hand it over to the former colonial
power, France. However, fighting soon developed between the French and Vietnam. This became
known as the first Indochina war. The USA, fearful of communism spreading in Asia, now backed the
French. The American government believed in the ‘domino theory’- the idea that if one Asian
country fell to communism, its neighbours would soon follow.
Ho Chi Minh’s guerrilla fighters occupied Hanoi and proclaimed a provisional government and he
declared himself president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The US refused to recognise his
state. After World War II: In September 1945 about 1 400 French soldiers were freed from Japanese
internment camps and went on the rampage attacking and killing many Viet Minh guerrillas as well
as innocent civilians. The Viet Minh retaliated by organising a general strike shutting down
commerce, electricity, and water supplies. In October 1945 French reinforcements helped to restore
French control. For four months Ho Chi Minh tried to negotiate full independence for the
Vietnamese but French ships bombarded and occupied the port of Hai Phong and this led to the
start of a guerrilla campaign against the French by the Viet Minh.
The first few years consisted of low-level guerrilla wars against the French. Once China was taken
over by the Communists in 1949, Ho Chi Minh’s guerrillas could count on Chinese support against
the French. The war became more conventional as the USA backed the French and the USSR assisted
Ho Chi Minh’s troops. In 1949 the French-backed Bao Dai as the leader in the South but he was
weak. The Vietnamese National Army was set up in the South. China continued to back the Viet
Minh in the North. Truman authorised $15 million to contain communism in Vietnam. Eisenhower
replaced Truman in 1953 which led to increased US military aid to the French and General Giap – a
brilliant military strategist – led the Viet Minh. The French set up a defensive complex at Dien Bien
Phu, but Genl Giap introduced a siege that lasted for 57 days before the French were forced to
surrender. The US did not get involved in rescuing the French and, as a result, French colonial rule
ended.
In 1954 the Geneva Peace Accord was signed between France and Vietnam. This Accord agreed to a
temporary division of the country along the 17th parallel and Ho Chi Minh gained control of the
North while Ba Dai controlled the South. Elections were to be held within two years to reunify the
country. Ho Chi Minh set up a ruthless Communist state in the North and imposed a cleansing of the
countryside. The land was confiscated and made into communes. Landowners were tried and
brutally executed by people’s tribunals. In 1955 Diem replaced Bao Dai as president.
