Bizarre Borders - Vietnam War

Samanyu Ram

May 12, 2023

One of the few remaining communist nations of the world, Vietnam's post-World War II history shapes its route to the rise of communism. Vietnam lies in the heart of Southeast Asia and boasts a population of just under 100 million, making it the 15th most populated country. Cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are hubs for industry, tech, and fine arts. It is governed by one party, the communist party, and it has been in control ever since the victory of North Vietnam over South Vietnam in the Vietnam War.

Until 1939, Vietnam was a French colony part of French Indochina. Then, when France was getting pummeled by Germany, Japan took advantage of a weakened France and captured Indochina. After the defeat of Japan, a Vietnamese national group called Viet Minh, under the leader Ho Chi Minh, fought for independence. Still technically under French control, the US and British backed the anti-communist French leader, Bao Dai, in the South. According to the Geneva Accords, Vietnam was officially divided into two states, North and South Vietnam. After many disagreements and a "rigged" referendum, tensions burst and started the Vietnam War in 1955. 

In 1960, communist forces and anti-government groups were organized and known as Viet Cong. Many farmers and rural landowners showed their support for the Viet Cong and encouraged the influence of communist ideas. The South Vietnamese government was strictly Roman Catholic and discriminated against those holding different religious beliefs. They put many Buddhists in jail for simply believing in Buddhism. Anger filled the hearts of many officers of the South Vietnamese army. They rose up in a coup d'etat, brutally murdering many high-ranking officials of the anti-communist regime. With the assassination of John F. Kennedy, instability skyrocketed, and the need for United States troops grew. While the U.S. and South Vietnam were more technologically advanced, the North knew the lay of the land and had the support of many Southern Vietnamese. The Cu Chi tunnels were a system of underground paths that helped the North ambush the South. The North also dominated Guerilla fighting. In 1968, the North launched the T'et Offensive which saw the domination of over 100 Southern cities, including Saigon's U.S. Embassy. In the years leading up to the Paris Peace Accords in 1973, Richard Nixon steadily removed U.S. troops from Vietnamese soil, and the war was looking even more winnable for the North. Finally, in 1973, the signing of the peace accords withdrew U.S. involvement in Vietnam completely. The war officially ended in 1975 after the fall of Saigon. Reunification occurred in 1976, and since then, the government of Vietnam has been communist.