Shira Woolf Matric 2022 1
VIETNAM CASE STUDY FOR MATRIC
1954-1976
• The Cuban Missile Crisis DID NOT reduce the fear of communism.
• USA got involved in a very costly war in Vietnam.
• USA was defeated and forced to withdraw.
à this made people quesHon the policy of containment.
NB INFO
Please take note that there is colour coding as sides can be confusing.
PINK = COMMUNISM, North Vietnam and everything related
BLUE = CAPITALISM, South Vietnam and everything related
ORIGINS OF CONFLICT (BACKGROUND)
• 19th century Vietnam ruled by France.
àThe country was called Indochina (not Vietnam)
1940: France defeated in WW2 by Vietnam
Japan (Germany’s allies) took control of main resources.
àcoal, rice, rubber, railway, roads
Viet Minh arose.
àanH-Japanese resistance movement
àlead by Ho Chi Minh (1930 he founded the communist party). He was inspired by the
Vietnamese people to fight for an independent Vietnam.
End WW2: Viet Min controlled NORTH of county.
àwanted to control the whole country.
• 1945: Viet Minh entered Hanoi (capital of Vietnam) and the independence of the
DemocraHc Republic of Vietnam was declared
• Ho Chi Minh became president.
1945: French came back wanHng to rule the colony again
àwar broke out between French and Viet Minh
• To try get help from the USA during this war against French, Ho Chi Minh hid that he
was a communist.
àUSA began to support Ho Chi Minh
1949: communists took over in China
à leader of China gave Ho Chi Minh aid.
• lost USA’s supportà USA feared communism dominaHon of Southeast Asia
, Shira Woolf Matric 2022 2
•USA began to support France à gave $500 million per year: money used for war
effort + to set up a noncommunist government.
1946-1954: War with France
• French controlled towns
• Viet Minh had support of peasants in the countryside + guerilla tacHcs cannot be beat.
• When French raided villages the support for the Viet Minh increased
ENDING EVENT: 1954 at the badle of Dien Bien Phu
à armed forces of French paratroopers were defeated.
Viet Minh defeated French with the help from USSR + China’s weapons.
• A small Asian state had defeated a rich Asian state.
à effecHve leadership
à determinaHon
GENEVA CONFERENCE
WHEN: 1954- aeer badle of Dien Bien Phu (26 April – 20 July)
WHERE: Geneva Switzerland
WHO: Britain, France, China, USSR, USA, Vietnam
WHY: discuss Vietnams future
AGREEMENT: 1. Laos + Cambodia= Independent
2. Vietnam divided into 2 along the 17th parallel
àNorth= communist Gov. lead by Ho Chi Minh
àSouth= capitalist (they don’t have a poliHcally stable government yet)
• Supposed to be a TEMPORARY division à 1956 elecHons were supposed to be held
BUT USA and South Vietnam did not sign the agreement.
à elecHons did not happen.
• Vietnam sHll lacks independence.
à controlled by other countries and powers.
SOUTH VIETNAM LEAD BY NGO DIEN DIEM
Ngo Dien Diem ruled South Vietnam
à tyrant + corrupt
REASONS HE WAS CORRUPT:
1. Catholic à he hated + persecuted Buddhist majority.
2. Refused to introduce reforms.
3. Didn’t help peasants (70%) own land, only some owned (30%) *
4. Refused to hold elecHons in the south àUSA supported this.
*TIP FOR EXAMS: IEB loves to see sta8s8cs in extended wri8ng and discursive essays
VIETNAM CASE STUDY FOR MATRIC
1954-1976
• The Cuban Missile Crisis DID NOT reduce the fear of communism.
• USA got involved in a very costly war in Vietnam.
• USA was defeated and forced to withdraw.
à this made people quesHon the policy of containment.
NB INFO
Please take note that there is colour coding as sides can be confusing.
PINK = COMMUNISM, North Vietnam and everything related
BLUE = CAPITALISM, South Vietnam and everything related
ORIGINS OF CONFLICT (BACKGROUND)
• 19th century Vietnam ruled by France.
àThe country was called Indochina (not Vietnam)
1940: France defeated in WW2 by Vietnam
Japan (Germany’s allies) took control of main resources.
àcoal, rice, rubber, railway, roads
Viet Minh arose.
àanH-Japanese resistance movement
àlead by Ho Chi Minh (1930 he founded the communist party). He was inspired by the
Vietnamese people to fight for an independent Vietnam.
End WW2: Viet Min controlled NORTH of county.
àwanted to control the whole country.
• 1945: Viet Minh entered Hanoi (capital of Vietnam) and the independence of the
DemocraHc Republic of Vietnam was declared
• Ho Chi Minh became president.
1945: French came back wanHng to rule the colony again
àwar broke out between French and Viet Minh
• To try get help from the USA during this war against French, Ho Chi Minh hid that he
was a communist.
àUSA began to support Ho Chi Minh
1949: communists took over in China
à leader of China gave Ho Chi Minh aid.
• lost USA’s supportà USA feared communism dominaHon of Southeast Asia
, Shira Woolf Matric 2022 2
•USA began to support France à gave $500 million per year: money used for war
effort + to set up a noncommunist government.
1946-1954: War with France
• French controlled towns
• Viet Minh had support of peasants in the countryside + guerilla tacHcs cannot be beat.
• When French raided villages the support for the Viet Minh increased
ENDING EVENT: 1954 at the badle of Dien Bien Phu
à armed forces of French paratroopers were defeated.
Viet Minh defeated French with the help from USSR + China’s weapons.
• A small Asian state had defeated a rich Asian state.
à effecHve leadership
à determinaHon
GENEVA CONFERENCE
WHEN: 1954- aeer badle of Dien Bien Phu (26 April – 20 July)
WHERE: Geneva Switzerland
WHO: Britain, France, China, USSR, USA, Vietnam
WHY: discuss Vietnams future
AGREEMENT: 1. Laos + Cambodia= Independent
2. Vietnam divided into 2 along the 17th parallel
àNorth= communist Gov. lead by Ho Chi Minh
àSouth= capitalist (they don’t have a poliHcally stable government yet)
• Supposed to be a TEMPORARY division à 1956 elecHons were supposed to be held
BUT USA and South Vietnam did not sign the agreement.
à elecHons did not happen.
• Vietnam sHll lacks independence.
à controlled by other countries and powers.
SOUTH VIETNAM LEAD BY NGO DIEN DIEM
Ngo Dien Diem ruled South Vietnam
à tyrant + corrupt
REASONS HE WAS CORRUPT:
1. Catholic à he hated + persecuted Buddhist majority.
2. Refused to introduce reforms.
3. Didn’t help peasants (70%) own land, only some owned (30%) *
4. Refused to hold elecHons in the south àUSA supported this.
*TIP FOR EXAMS: IEB loves to see sta8s8cs in extended wri8ng and discursive essays
