The History of Vietnam, from the french invasion of 1857 to the Vietnam War
A map of French Indochina from the 1800s to early 1900s.   The French Foreign Legion arrive to explore Vietnam and establish colonies.  Viet Minh Soldiers  American Soldiers arrive at Vietnam.  American Soldiers suspect common people as Viet Cong. | Early Colonization History from French to Japan The history of Vietnam's history dates back to the 1850s when Napoleon the third took the opportunity to seize Vietnam and place colonies to dominate it. France invaded Vietnam in 1857, it took major cities as its own such as Saigon and Hanoi. The French held its colonial rule until Japan invaded Vietnam and took control while the French were pushed out during World War Two. Japan soon would be fighting new enemies besides the allies, a Vietnamese leader named Ho Chi Minh created a rebellion to drive the Japanese out of their country. The United States supplied Vietnam during the Japanese Occupation of Vietnam. The Vietminh, or the rebellion that was founded by Ho Chi Minh, fought Japan until the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War Two. Japan retreated and surrendered and Vietnam gained Independence. French Enter and Exit Independence in Vietnam would not last for long, because the French returned to establish colonies all over Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to take over again. The Vietnamese were troubled by their presence. The French were interested in getting more land to make their nation bigger and industrialize agriculture in Vietnam. Vietnam slowly industrialized but struggled because it did not have machines, they were poor so their allies supplied them. Their main produce was agriculture crops, because that was their main job before the colonizers came. The French slowly gained more control in major cities and they held all of Vietnam's resources which were mostly agricultural surpluses. The Vietnamese struggled to invent anything except for revolutions and crop farming. Compared to other countries that have industrialized much and had a huge economy, Vietnam was a little blimp in the Industrial Revolution. Over time the French would be too controlling and Ho Chi Minh, leader of the Vietminh rose up and fought the French Foreigners. The war lasted many years and the French would struggle to get more supplies for their colonies, the Vietminh were overwhelming and strong from the weapons that the Chinese and Russians supplied. The conflict brought the First Indochina War to Vietnam. Northern Vietnam rose to attack French soldiers, while Laos, Cambodia, and Southern Vietnam did not want to be involved. Through years of war, the French were finally driven out of Vietnam, they gained their independence through blood and bullets. After the First Indochina war, Vietnam split into North Vietnam and South Vietnam in result of the Geneva Conference.
Shortly after the French had left, North Vietnam invaded Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam. The United Nations wanted to help the attacked countries because North Vietnam was killing random civilians of the countries. The United States went in to assist but they received many deaths upon arrival. The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soon overwhelmed the Americans and they were forced to retreat in 1972 by order of President Richard Nixon. Nixon and previous presidents were pressured by the Anti-War protest by the people in the United States. The Anti-War protest started because of heavy losses and the My Lai Massacre, which an American platoon under the command of Lt. William Calley massacred 347 South Vietnamese villagers. Life was hard for civilians during the war, because their "allies" massacred them for the accusation of them being Vietcong. Because of the Anti-War protests and killings, American forces were officially out of Vietnam in August, 1972. South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia were forced to fight on their own because the United States, Australia, and Korea pulled out. The war lasted till April 30th, 1975 when North Vietnam seized the capitol and won the war. The kingdom of Laos was overthrown, South Vietnam was seized and Cambodia surrendered, all governments were replaced by Communist governments. South Vietnam was forced to defect to North Vietnam as one country under the Communist banner. Modern Vietnam Relations and Industrialization Process Today Vietnam is still Communist but not as bad as when the Indochina conflicts occurred. They struggle to industrialize because of limited resources but the cities are far more urban today than when they were years ago, Vietnam's surplus is agricultural crops because of all the land and they are just finally building urban cities. The United States and Vietnam are friendly, but our military may never travel to Vietnam again. The Industrial Revolution was a time for when a country had a surplus of resources to sell and make new products for a growing economy, but Vietnam had just start industrializing recently because of disadvantages of war and low resources. Check Vietnam today for more information! Vietnam Edquest Questions!
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Vocabulary and Definitions of Important people, organizations and places
      | Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh was a Communist North Vietnamese leader during the Japanese and Second French occupations also fighting in the Indochina Wars. He created the Vietminh, which fought against the Japanese and French occupations. He declared Vietnam's independence in 1945 when the Japanese surrendered to the allies in World War Two. He later fought the Americans in the Vietnam War (Second Indochina War), which resulted in a North Vietnamese victory, and he died during the war in 1969. French Indochina French Indochina was a nickname for Vietnam during the French Occupation in the 1800s. The French had an interest in taking control of Vietnam by supporting Nguyen Anh, later France took control in 1802 and colonized Central Vietnam. France later surrendered Vietnam to Japan during World War Two. Japan held power against Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh till it surrendered to the allies in 1945, World War Two. France later colonized it again until the Viet Minh pushed them out which later led to the Vietnam War. Vietcong The Vietcong were a rebellion that fought under the command of Ho Chi Minh. They lived in South Vietnam and fought against the United States, as well as operating with the North Vietnamese Army, Russian spies, and other Communist allies. Their rebellion was based on the Vietminh which also fought against foreigners in their country. Communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) The Communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam or North Vietnam was the government that went to war with the United States and Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam. The government created the North Vietnamese Army or NVA. This government soon overpowered the United Nations forces, causing them to retreat and North Vietnam seized South Vietnam in 1975. It is the current government of Vietnam. Republic of South Vietnam (RSV) The Republic of South Vietnam was of course, South Vietnam. It helped supply the French with resources when the Viet Minh attacked. South Vietnam was not all loyal to the French and United States, because the Vietminh and Vietcong were from South Vietnam and North Vietnam. South Vietnam's civilians suffered much from North Vietnamese and Vietcong mass murders, but they were accused of being Vietcong by Americans and were executed such as like the My Lai Massacre. It later surrendered to North Vietnam in the Vietnam War. Hanoi Hanoi was the capital of North Vietnam, but now it is the capital of all of Vietnam. It is the second largest city in the country, and it was the capital of French Indochina as well, then South Vietnam created its own capital at Saigon. During the Indochina Wars, it became a heavy bombing site.
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Personal Narrative on the life of a Vietnamese civilian:
Vietnam: Journals from a Rebel
Dac Kien Nguyen
Journal Entry 1
I was born in a country of chaos, a country of colonization. My name is Dac Kien Nguyen, my family was killed when the French came to Vietnam. With their blue and white uniforms along with their guns and machines. They took residence in Vietnam first in eighteen fifty nine when my great grandfather lived as a boy. They ruined our country and allowed us to be slave to Japan. Today Japan was forced out of Vietnam and we were free. I looked to Ho Chi Minh, he had fought to gain freedom for many years when the Japanese and other countries had came. Besides him, China was our biggest ally in Vietnam. We would be happy for many days.
FRENCH INVASION
Dac Kien Nguyen
Journal Entry 2
We were supposed to be our own country, we were supposed to have independence. But now the French had came again. Pale, clean and trained brigands that invaded with their metal boat and their familiar blue and red flag. They have come for our resources to restore their recently conquered country. This time they came with civilians, doctors, and few soldiers. I could hear what the soldiers were saying in the background, they were saying why Vietnam was so important because it smells, its hot, and miserable and suggesting to take over the country. I learned to speak French when my grandfather taught me because his father spoke French and Vietnamese. I thought that no good can come from this invasion, and that is not a good omen. Later the French established colonies in North Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and South Vietnam. Soon they dominated the country and limited our independence. How can imposters rule us and limit us? They do not have the power to succeed and take Vietnam so easily!
RESISTANCE
Dac Kien Nguyen
Journal Entry 3
I have decided with my friends to go against the French in Ho Chi Minh’s rebellion, which is named Viet Minh. The French have gone too far, stealing our resources, limiting our freedom, treating us like rats. It is time to rebel, a change must come to Vietnam. I heard that South Vietnam has sided with the French, such fools who want their slaver to be with them. As my friends and I arrived at the Viet Minh territory, we were greeted and allowed to join. We all swore an oath to fight for Vietnam no matter what and to be loyal to Ho Chi Minh. All of Vietnam suffered, we lived in a harsh natural evironment. We were told stories of the white peoples’ cities, huge stone and metal skyscrappers. Here, it is all jungle and fields, we did not have the weapon to beat the French back to their polluted metal city. But Ho Chi Minh had some allies, soon we were supplied by Russians, then China came to help. China had helped us get Japan out, they were some of our strongest allies. I hope to survive and win my independence.
END OF THE FRENCH
Dac Kien Nguyen
Journal Entry 4
I have not written in a while, war was going nonstop. We had beat the French today, their flag was burned, their people ran. We had gained our long earned independence, but at a cost. Most of my friends had been killed, they fought for a good cause. Since South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia helped the French, we divided into North and South Vietnam. But the French were crybabies, as we started to take revenge on the Laotians, Cambodians, and South Vietnam. The United States came from the French and South Vietnam. They don’t belong here, I don’t want to fight them, but I will if I have to. The Americans were fierce, well supplied, trained force that we only heard stories not ever seen them. They will come on their metal birds, with machines and guns. Not to colonize us, but to wipe out the dominator. That is the United States’s problem, they tend to be nosy in everyone's business. Ho Chi Minh will get us out of this crisis.
VIETNAM WAR
Dac Kien Nguyen
Journal Entry 5
War has been going on a long time after the French left, the Americans came and fought hard. They flew on their blazing metal birds, but we overwhelmed them. Many are dead, I honor them well because they fight fierce and they are honorable unlike the French. My division has killed many plus traitors in Laos, Cambodia, and South Vietnam. Our allies have been great, they have supplied us, they have sent troops and spies. This war is going good for North Vietnam.
VIETNAM IS ONE
Dac Kien Nguyen (KIA)
Journal Entry Five
Commander Chi
I have been alongside Dac for many years when the wars had started. He was killed when saving another soldier when an American chopper shot them both. Dac will be remembered, he was honorable, believed in a rightful cause, and died a free Vietnamese man. The day he died was the day we pushed the United States out and burned South Vietnam’s flag. We unified South Vietnam with our country under North Vietnam’s flag years later in 1975. If he was alive, he would be overjoyed. I only wish that his family will be alright after hearing of his death, his actions earned him the highest medal of Vietnam, sort of like a medal of honor. If he was alive, he would have been in my position. These journals should be read by everyone to learn our story of Vietnam.
Sincerely,
Commander Xing Chi
Videos of Vietnam Indochina Wars
For additional information, click on these links!
Click Here for the list of Medal of Honor Recipients
Click Here to see the timeline of the Vietnam War! | Click Here to see leaders and important people during the Vietnam conflicts! |
Click Here for an interactive map of Vietnam!
