Geopolitics

How did these following events contribute to the rise of the Independence Movement? WWI WWII
 * France sought to maximize Indochina's manpower and production of natural resources to help fight WWI
 * As a result, cracked down on all nationalist mass movements in Vietnam
 * Over 1 million Vietnamese were forced to draft and join the war effort in Europe to fight WWI
 * In Europe, those forced to fight in WWI were exposed to new political ideals (e.g. national autonomy), returning to the colonial occupation of their own country with changed attitudes towards French authorities. Many joined the Vietnamese nationalist movement in order to overthrow the French
 * Vietnam initially colonized by the French but occupied by the Japanese during WWII
 * As a reaction to Japanese occupation, Viet Minh (communist, nationalist liberation movement) led by Ho Chi Minh rose up against the 'invaders'
 * Drove out the Japanese and Viet Minh declared independence in September of 1945
 * When provisional French government sent forces to reclaim Vietnam as its colony, Viet Minh rose up against the French since national independence was already proclaimed
 * Defeated the French at major battle at Dien Bien Phu
 * Geneva Conference of 1954 led to the partition of Vietnam along the 17th Parallel, with Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh leading the North and the U.S. occupying the South

Cold War
 * Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh were Communists - received recognition of the Soviet Union and China, while other Western nations of the "Free World" recognized South Vietnam ruled by Diem
 * Tension was high between the two states, and when 1956 came for the national elections to reunite Vietnam came, the US did not comply with the agreement
 * U.S. feared that entire Vietnam would turn Communist, furthering the domino effect where Vietnam was only the beginning of the spread of Communism in Asia
 * Lead to the Second Indochina War, or, the Vietnam War
 * Decisive battles and operations include the Tet Offensive in 1968, Operation Rolling Thunder (U.S. bombing and obliterating North Vietnam), etc.