THE%20THREE%20INDOCHINA%20WARS

1
THE THREE INDOCHINA WARS

1. Historical background of Indochina
2. First Indochina War
3. Second Indochina War
4. Third Indochina War

2
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF INDOCHINA

• Colonial occupation by French
• Japanese Occupation during World War II
• Home to indigenous insurgent movements
• Indochina Communist Party (ICP) launches war of
  liberation
• French fight communists after 1945
• Communist struggle gets linked to Cold War

3
FIRST INDOCHINA WAR

• Communist insurgency against French
• Insurgency led by Ho Chi Minh
• Communists supported by China
• French supported by United States
• Major French defeat at Dien Bien Phu
• Geneva Accords signed in 1954
• Division of Vietnam at 17th parallel

4
SECOND INDOCHINA WAR (1)

• Continuation of insurgency
• Fight between North and South Vietnam
• North Vietnam supported by China
• South Vietnam supported by United States
• Cambodia and Laos become involved
• American use of indiscriminate bombing
• Large casualty list

5
SECOND INDOCHINA WAR (2)

• Direct U.S. involvement in 1960s
• Resistance to War grows in U.S.
• Peace talks begin in 1970s
• North Vietnam wins war in 1975
• Vietnam becomes reunited
• Country renamed Socialist republic of Vietnam
  (SRV)

6
THIRD INDOCHINA WAR

• Begins in December 1978
• Khmer Rouge harass Vietnam(ese)
• Vietnam invades and occupies Cambodia
• Khmer Rouge supported by China
• Vietnam supported by Soviet Union
• Conflict part of Sino-Soviet rift
• Vietnam withdraws troops in 1989