IB History Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam - Origins and Rise of Independence Movements Notes

Key Questions

1. Why did nationalism grow under French rule?
2. What was the impact of communist ideology on the Vietnamese independence movement?
3. What was the impact of wars against the Japanese and the French on the independence movement?
4. Why did the Cold War lead to US intervention and what impact did this have?

Why did Nationalism Grow Under French Rule?

1. French Interest and Colonisation

1. During the 19th century, French influence replaced Chinese dominance in Vietnam.
2. French traders failed to establish strong ties by 1700, but missionaries were more successful.
3. By 1800, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese had converted to Christianity.
4. The (French) East India Company supported missionaries for economic advantage.
5. When Emperors persecuted missionaries (1830s), France used it as a pretext for military intervention.
6. Weak imperial governance made conquest easier.
7. By 1887, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia formed the French Indochina Union under a French Governor-General in Hanoi.

2. Administration under French Rule

1. Cochinchina, Cambodia, Annam, and Tonkin became parts of French Indochina.
2. Cochinchina had special status, ruled as part of France, with representation in the French National Assembly.
3. Annam and Tonkin were not integrated; Annam retained a Vietnamese emperor in Hue.
4. The French suppressed violent resistance, including the Scholars’ Revolt, led by traditionalists seeking to restore Confucian systems.

3. Rise of Vietnamese Nationalism (Early 1900s)

1. Phan Boi Chau emerged as a key nationalist leader.
   1. Founded Duy Tan Hoi (Reform Association) – the first nationalist organisation in Vietnam.
   2. Initially inspired by Japanese modernisation, later by Sun Yat-sen’s Chinese Republican model.
2. His failed uprisings reflected a new educated urban class inspired by Western ideas.

4. The Impact of World War I

1. The First World War strengthened Vietnamese nationalism.
2. Ho Chi Minh attended the Versailles Peace Conference, appealing to President Wilson for self-determination under the Fourteen Points.

5. Growth of Political Movements (1920s–1930s)

1. Early moderate political parties emerged but achieved little progress.
2. Shift towards radical forces:
   1. VNQDD (Vietnamese Nationalist Party) was short-lived.
   2. ICP (Indochinese Communist Party), founded by Ho Chi Minh, became the main opposition to both French and later Japanese rule during World War II.

What was the impact of Communist Ideology on the Vietnamese Independence Movement?

1. ICP Resistance in the 1930s

1. The Indochinese Communist Party (ICP) attempted to resist French colonial rule during the 1930s, but these efforts were largely unsuccessful.
2. Despite repression, the ICP survived by going underground, maintaining its organisation and leadership networks.

2. Japanese Occupation and the Rise of Ho Chi Minh

1. During the Second World War, Japan took control of Indochina, creating a power vacuum that allowed Ho Chi Minh to re-emerge as a resistance leader.