During World War II, Indochina was a region controlled by Japan that was run by France. Indochina is an area that includes today’s countries of Vietnam,Thailand and Laos. After France fell to the Nazis, they signed an agreement allowing Japanese troops to be stationed in Vietnam. Since this agreement allowed the Japanese to use all of Vietnam’s airports, Indochina became the most important area of military operations in southern Asia. In March of 1945, the Japanese feared that the French would try to attack. This led the Japanese to expel the French by the end of the war. As a result of the French being expelled by the Japanese and Japan’s surrender, there was a momentary lapse of power in Indochina. Ho Chi Minh took advantage of this time by capturing the capital of Hanoi and proclaiming the independence of Vietnam. (Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
The French were not going to let go of Vietnam without a fight. With the aid of the British, French troops were able to take control of Cochinchina, the southern third of Vietnam. This caused Vietnam to be split into two parts: the communist north led by the nationalist alliance of the Viet Minh, and the noncommunist south led by the French. (Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
The French and Ho Chi Minh agreed to a peaceful resolution where Vietnam would became a free state in the French Union. The French did comply with this solution, but eventually the Viet Minh and the French changed their minds. The French troops wanted to continue their colonial rule in Vietnam, but the Viet Minh wanted complete independence. These differences caused a conflict called the First Indochina War. (Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
During the war, The French ignored the Viet Minh’s desire to have a free and independent country. Eventually in 1949, the French reunited Cochinchina with the northern section of Vietnam. They also put emperor Bao Dai back into power, but the French stilll held much of the power in Vietnam. (Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
In 1954, The French and Viet Minh signed a cease-fire to end the war and the 17th Parallel, the divide between northern and southern Vietnam. After a Geneva Conference, Laos and Cambodia won independence, but Vietnam was still split in the north and south. This made the Vietnamese angry and led to a notorious anti-colonial war called the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam War. During this war, a total of approximately 2 million lives were lost. From 1968-1973, the countries tried to end the war. They succeeded in January of 1973. In April of 1975, the French in southern Vietnam surrendered to the north and Vietnam became one truly independent country.
(Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
Declaration of Independence from UNC.edu
The French were not going to let go of Vietnam without a fight. With the aid of the British, French troops were able to take control of Cochinchina, the southern third of Vietnam. This caused Vietnam to be split into two parts: the communist north led by the nationalist alliance of the Viet Minh, and the noncommunist south led by the French. (Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
The French and Ho Chi Minh agreed to a peaceful resolution where Vietnam would became a free state in the French Union. The French did comply with this solution, but eventually the Viet Minh and the French changed their minds. The French troops wanted to continue their colonial rule in Vietnam, but the Viet Minh wanted complete independence. These differences caused a conflict called the First Indochina War. (Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
During the war, The French ignored the Viet Minh’s desire to have a free and independent country. Eventually in 1949, the French reunited Cochinchina with the northern section of Vietnam. They also put emperor Bao Dai back into power, but the French stilll held much of the power in Vietnam. (Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
In 1954, The French and Viet Minh signed a cease-fire to end the war and the 17th Parallel, the divide between northern and southern Vietnam. After a Geneva Conference, Laos and Cambodia won independence, but Vietnam was still split in the north and south. This made the Vietnamese angry and led to a notorious anti-colonial war called the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam War. During this war, a total of approximately 2 million lives were lost. From 1968-1973, the countries tried to end the war. They succeeded in January of 1973. In April of 1975, the French in southern Vietnam surrendered to the north and Vietnam became one truly independent country.
(Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
Declaration of Independence from UNC.edu