The%20First%20Indochina%20War%201946%20-%2054

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The First Indochina War1946 - 54

• Natalie Yeung Amanda Nardi

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Who was involved?
The Viet-minh A nationalist-communist movement
led by Ho Chih Minh.
The French Which had control over Vietnam. But
their control was weakened after WW2.
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And later on
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America
To contain the spread of communism, America
joined the war in 1950. They funded the French
with 150 million dollars. After President
Eisenhower was elected, they continued to fund
the war and by the end of the war, a total of 2.5
billion had been spent on the Indochina War.
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Open war erupted on 19 December, 1946
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The first three years
After a heavy battle, Ho Chih Minh and his army
disappeared into the mountainous north, Viet Bac
where he consolidated the support of the
peasants. It was there that he began grouping
his army into tightly equipped units and started
to use GUERILLA tactics.
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But the first three years of battle was
inconclusive, it seemed that the French, with
their superior weapons, could not defeat the
guerrillas, and vice versa.
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The Elysee Agreement
Although Ho Chih Minh was willing to negotiate
with the French, the French still looked for ways
to control the country that did not involve
communist Vietnam. They turned to the exiled
emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai.
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In 1948, the French signed an agreement with Bao
Dai which stated that Vietnam would be
independent from France, but that France would
retain control over their army.
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There are now two governments claiming to
represent the whole of Vietnam

• Ho Chih Minhs Democratic Republic
• Supported by
• Soviet Union
• China

• Bao Dais government
• Supported by
• USA
• Britain
• France

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Thenthe tables are turned
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The French public starts to oppose French
involvement in Vietnam due to the huge costs.It
became known asthe DIRTY WAR.
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Help From China
-the Viet Minh became more powerful with the help
from China - Mao Zedong They were able to
struck down defences near the northern border
near china However China eventually became too
involved with the Korean war and was not able to
continue to help Vietnam
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The French eventually did not have enough
resources to continue the war and lost control
of Vietnam gradually