YIJC Second and Third Indochina War Notes

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 1 H1 History (8838/01) Theme III: The Cold War and Southeast Asia Theme 3: The Cold War and Southeast Asia, 1945-1991 1. Manifestation of the Cold War in Southeast Asia (1959-1991) 2. ASEAN and the Cold War (1967-1991) 3. Singapore and the Cold War (1965-1991)

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 2 Theme 3: The Cold War and Southeast Asia, 1945 – 1991 Topic 1: Manifestation of the Cold War in Southeast Asia The Second Indochina War (1959 - 1975) 1. Background and Context 2. The Second Indochina War (Vietnam War) 3. Role of North and South Vietnam, the US, USSR and China

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 3 1. Background and context Overview Vietnam underwent a long and continuous experience of wars against various opponents for many decades since WW2. Vietnam was a French protectorate since 1887 until WW2 when the Japanese occupied and exercised authority over Vietnam. During this period, the Vietnamese built arms and forces with the aid of Allied intelligence to weaken the Japanese. Later, the return of the French i n Vietnam following Japanese withdrawal at the end of WW2 was met with strong local resistance to a continuation of colonial rule. This conflict between the French and Vietnamese was known as the First Indochina War. After the First Indochina War ended in 1954, Vietnam was divided along the 17th parallel as concluded in the Geneva Peace Conference; to demarcate territories for the communist North led by Ho Chi Minh, and the U.S. backed local ruling body in the South. H owever, the ceasefire in 1954 was short - lived and expansionistic ambitions from the communist North soon ensued along with the South’s refusal to partake in nationwide elections in 1956 as advised by the 1954 Geneva Accords. This escalated into the Vietnam War and involved various parties in an increasingly bipolar world, divided by the Cold War. While the North was powered by local Vietnamese, USSR, and Chinese communist forces, the South was primarily armed by the U.S. and supporters of the old Vietnamese aristocratic regime. The Vietnam War left lasting legacies to all involved parties in its conclusion. On the one hand, th e Vietnam War was a resounding failure for the U.S. in many aspects as communist forces ended the war with their defeat of U.S. forces and conquer of Saigon. Beyond the billions spent, the U.S. lost the lives of American soldiers with many other survivors suffering the psychological trauma of war. U.S. participation in the war also raised many questions over the morality of its leadership and overseas troops that leaves a p