Unification of Germany.
Fall of Bismarck / Crowning of Wilhelm II.
- Industrial Revolution had caused urbanisation and the spread of new ideas e.g. Socialism, Nationalism, Militarism.
- Otto Von Bismarck masterminded unification. “Realpolitik” policy involved realism and opportunism. He showed deft political manoeuvring, reformed Prussian
Army and was prepared to use war to achieve his ends e.g. “Blood & Iron” speech.
- Prussia fought three wars to bring the weaker German states under her control.
- 1870 – 1871 Prussia defeated France and seized Alsace Lorraine.
- Bismarck gave Germany 20 years of peace and security.
- 1888 Wilhelm II was crowned. He clashed with the ageing, conservative Bismarck.
Bismarck favoured Germany as a land based power but Wilhelm wanted a “Weltpolitik” world policy with a large empire and navy.
Wilhelm had good cause to believe Germany was a world power e.g. economic expansion since 1871, population rose by 50% 1871 –
1914, coal production increased 800%, she produced two thirds of Europe’s steel. To continue to expand economically, Germany
- New forces began challenging the
“balance of power” in Europe and the old conservative, aristocratic system.
- Germany changed from a loose collection of states to a country under Prussian leadership. Wilhelm I became Kaiser and
Bismarck became Chancellor.
- Prussian tradition reigned, with the
Junker promoting militarism.
- Seizure of Alsace Lorraine caused French desire for revenge.
- Bismarck’s foreign policy was to form alliances to maintain the balance of power e.g. 1879 Dual Alliance with AH, which unfortunately tied Germany to AH’s problems. Bismarck’s alliances caused short term stability, but the Alliance system would eventually drag all of Europe into
WWI.
- Bismarck’s fall from power was a cause of
Europe’s slide to war.
- Bismarck’s alliances caused short term stability, but the Alliance system would eventually drag all of Europe into WWI.
- Bismarck’s fall from power was a cause of
Europe’s slide to war.
Wilhelm did not renew the Reinsurance
Treaty with Russia after 1890. Russia turned to France for an alliance instead.
Bismarck’s worst fears had come true.
Europe was in two armed camps.
- Bismarck had called the Berlin Conference in 1884 to ease tensions over dividing up
Africa. Wilhelm was spurred on in his desire
- Birth of modern Germany was a triumph of nationalism.
- Nationalism was associated with aggressive militarism.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- Nationalism inspired Bismarck’s war with
France and the German seizure of Alsace
Lorraine.
- French nationalists could not rest as long as French men were under German rule.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- Imperialism and nationalism reflected in
Wilhelm’s desperate desire for an empire.
- Imperialism and nationalism reflected in the “Scramble for Africa”. No international body existed to mediate colonial disputes.
- Imperialism and nationalism reflected in
Germany’s naval build-up under Admiral von
Tirpitz.
- Imperialism created tension. The extent to which this was a cause of WWI is a

End of British “Splendid Isolation”.
First Moroccan Crisis.
Bosnian Crisis. need to be a colonial power because colonies gave raw resources and secure markets.
- 1890 Wilhelm forced Bismarck to resign.
- For 30 years Britain had focused on her empire and had not got involved in European affairs. However, isolation was no longer safe.
- France and Russia, her two big rivals, formed the Dual Entente in 1894, so Britain needed an ally.
- 1905 Wilhelm visited Tangier in Morocco.
He declared Morocco should be independent of France because he calculated that Britain would not back France and the Triple
Entente would collapse.
- Wilhelm wanted a “Weltpolitik” world policy with a large empire and navy. Wilhelm had good cause to believe Germany was a world power e.g. economic expansion since
1871, population rose by 50% 1871 to 1914, coal production increased 800%, she produced two thirds of Europe’s steel. To continue to expand economically, Germany needed to be a colonial power because colonies gave raw resources and secure markets.
- Balkans was the “powder keg of Europe”. for Africa by e.g. Pan German League,
German Colonial League. Germany needed “a place in the sun”. However, Germany became involved in the scramble for Africa too late and her empire was nothing the size of
Britain’s.
- Germany expansion caused Britain to defend her economic, imperial and naval dominance.
- 1890s commercial rivalry between
Germany and Britain created tension.
Tariffs blocked British trade and she was no longer the leading industrial power.
- Germany seemed a good choice for an ally but she was suspicious of Britain’s motives.
This caused the 1902 Anglo-Japanese
Alliance.
- Atmosphere of “Rapprochement” created by Edward VII on a visit to Paris. Caused
1904 Triple Entente.
- 1906 Algeciras Conference, the German plan backfired because Britain and France were pushed closer together.
- Germany suffered a diplomatic defeat.
Public opinion turned against Germany.
- A weakness was exposed in the Triple
Alliance because Italy deserted Germany and backed France. Germany felt AH was her only true friend. This loyalty would cause WWI.
- Europe was divided into two armed camps.
The Alliance system pulled everyone into
WWI.
- To foil Young Turks, Austria needed historiographical debate. Colonial rivalry may not have been a fundamental cause of
WWI. Britain’s fiercest colonial rivals were
France and Russia, but they managed to settle their differences. Britain and
Germany were trade rivals, but also customers for each other.
- Nationalism reflected in Britain’s “Two
Power Standard”.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- Imperialism and nationalism reflected in
Wilhelm’s desperate desire for an empire.
- Imperialism and nationalism reflected in the “Scramble for Africa”.
- Nationalism made people willing to start

Naval Race.
Ottoman, AH and Russian empires all clashed there.
- Ottoman empire, the “sick man of
Europe”, was crumbling and was struggling to hold onto Balkan territories.
- Russian empire had designs on the Balkans because she needed warm water ports.
Direct control over the Balkans would give them control over the Straits of
Constantinople.
- 1908 radical group Young Turks seized power in Turkey. They wanted to reclaim
Bosnia and Herzegovina, part of AH.
- 1900 Second Naval Law called for the doubling of the German fleet. Caused tension with Britain.
Tirpitz set up a Navy League to encourage public interest.
- Germany used the “risk theory”, which aimed to keep the British fleet in port rather than risk damage.
- British “Two Power Standard”.
1903 Britain approved the formation of a
North Sea fleet.
1906 under First Sea Lord Fisher, Britain launched the Dreadnought, which made all other battleships obsolete e.g. 12 inch guns,
32km range, 21 knots.
- 1907 Anglo Russian Entente also fuelled
Russian support to annex Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Austrian Aehrenthal and
Russian Isvolsky made a secret deal that
Russia would support Austria and in return
Austria would support Russia get free access to the Straits of Constantinople.
- However the plan backfired because
Austria annexed immediately and the
Russian government disowned Isvolsky’s deal. Russia did this to maintain her image as the champion of the Slavs.
Russia was indignant at AH’s actions.
Narodna Odbrana.
- Germany backed AH, so Russia was forced to back down. Germany had revealed how desperate she was to retain the loyalty of her only ally.
- Russia was embittered and began to rearm.
- Serbia was incensed and war with AH seemed likely.
- Full scale naval race began when Germany and Britain increased their ship building programmes.
- 1906 Germany widened the Kiel Canal for large battleships.
- By 1914 the intensity of the race had calmed. Britain had clearly won e.g. she had
29 Dreadnoughts while Germany had 17. wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- Nationalism lay at the root of the quarrel between AH and Serbia.
- National groups within AH, Ottoman and
Russian empires wanted separate, independent nations instead of polyglot, multi-cultural empires.
- AH multi-national empire was under nationalistic pressures from radical groups.
Less than half the empire belonged to the two controlling groups: Austrians and
Magyars. 8 million Czechs and Slovaks, 5 million Poles, 4 million Ruthenians, 5 million
Serbs and Croats. Slavs were the most restless.
- Russian empire sympathised with Serbs because they shared the same orthodox religion. She saw herself as a champion of the Slavic people.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- Nationalism reflected in Britain’s “Two
Power Standard”.
- Imperialism and nationalism reflected in
Germany’s naval build-up under Admiral von
Tirpitz.
- Militarism is reflected in the belief that preparing for war was the only way to ensure peace.

Second Moroccan Crisis.
Balkan Wars.
German fears that Britain would attack. The
“encirclement” theory was a significant cause of Germany’s aggressive tendencies.
- Since the 1906 Algeciras Conference the situation had been unstable.
- 1911 the Sultan of Morocco called for
French assistance to crush a rebellion.
France saw this as an opportunity to increase her influence.
- Germany sent the gunboat “Panther” to
Agadir. This is an example of “gunboat diplomacy”. Germany demanded the French
Congo if the French were to have Morocco.
- 1912 Balkan League formed, with Russia’s encouragement.
- 1912 First Balkan War, Balkan League attacked Turkey. Five centuries of Turkish rule in Europe ended. Serbia emerged as the strongest Balkan state.
- 1913 Second Balkan War, Bulgaria quarrelled with Serbia and Greece over land gains. Bulgaria was defeated.
- Germany’s move greatly alarmed Britain because it was close to Gibraltar and British trade routes. Lloyd George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, warned Britain would rather fight than be pushed around.
- Germany climbed down and accepted a much smaller plot of land.
- Britain was convinced Germany wanted to dominate Europe.
- Germany had suffered another humiliating defeat. She felt “encircled” by enemies, not helped by Lloyd George’s fighting speech.
Tirpitz used the opportunity to put through another naval law to expand the navy.
- After the First Balkan War, AH wanted to crush Serbia. However, the Great Powers did not want to be pulled into war by the
Alliance system, so they forced a peace settlement at the London Conference.
Serbia was made even more bitter when she was denied a coastline by the creation of
Albania.
- After Second Balkan War, at the Treaty of Bucharest, Bulgaria surrendered all the lands she had won in the First Balkan War.
- Wars had a disastrous effect on Austro
Serbian relations. Serb terrorist attacks against Austrian targets were openly applauded.
- Serbia had doubled in size and was a military threat.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- Imperialism and nationalism reflected in
Wilhelm’s desperate desire for an empire.
- Imperialism and nationalism reflected in the “Scramble for Africa”.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- Nationalism lay at the root of the quarrel between AH and Serbia.
- National groups within AH, Ottoman and
Russian empires wanted separate, independent nations instead of polyglot, multi-cultural empires.
- AH multi-national empire was under nationalistic pressures from radical groups.
Less than half the empire belonged to the two controlling groups: Austrians and
Magyars. 8 million Czechs and Slovaks, 5 million Poles, 4 million Ruthenians, 5 million
Serbs and Croats. Slavs were the most restless.
- Russian empire sympathised with Serbs because they shared the same orthodox religion. She saw herself as a champion of

Schlieffen Plan.
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
/ AH “Ultimatum” to Serbia / Germany’s
“Blank Cheque” to AH.
- Every European power made plans for the event of war. These had to be detailed because the resources of the whole country would have to be utilised e.g. factories, conscripts.
- Schlieffen Plan avoided war on two fronts.
- Germany saw war with France as inevitable because of her desire for revenge over Alsace Lorraine.
- 28 June 1914 Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo in Bosnia by the
“Black Hand” Bosnian terrorists.
- 28 June was the anniversary of the Battle of Kossovo, when Serbia lost her independence in the C14th.
- 1911 creation of the “Black Hand’. Their aim was to unite all Slavs into one state.
- There was no clear proof, but no one doubted that Serbia was behind the assassination.
- AH wanted to crush Serbia but there were two obstacles. AH forces needed a month, and they questioned whether
Germany would back them if Russia came to
Serbia’s aid.
- 1900 – 1914 Germany dramatically increased the number of railway lines on her
French and Belgian borders, to ensure rapid mobilisation.
- A flaw with the plan was that there was no provision for war with Russia alone, only
France and Russia.
- Another flaw of the plan was that the invasion through Belgium risked drawing
Britain into the war.
- 5 July 1914 Germany gave a “blank cheque” to AH. Germany knew this risked a full European war, however, they could not afford to lose their only true ally. Wilhelm believed Russia would not get involved because they were recovering from 1905 war with Japan.
- 23 July 1914 AH issued Serbia with the
“ultimatum”, knowing that it was extremely harsh and no nation could really accept it.
- Serbia accepted almost all the terms of the “ultimatum” but this was not enough for
AH.
- 30 July 1914 Russia mobilised to support
Serbia.
- As a result of the Schlieffen Plan,
Germany had to mobilise.
Germany declared war on Russia and France.
Russia and France declared war on Germany.
Germany invaded Belgium. Britain declared war on Germany. The Alliance system pulled all the powers into war. the Slavic people.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- Imperialism and nationalism reflected in
Wilhelm’s desperate desire for war.
- French nationalists could not rest as long as French men were under German rule.
- Militarism is reflected in the belief that preparing for war was the only way to ensure peace.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- Nationalism lay at the root of the quarrel between AH and Serbia.
- National groups within AH, Ottoman and
Russian empires wanted separate, independent nations instead of polyglot, multi-cultural empires.
- AH multi-national empire was under nationalistic pressures from radical groups.
Less than half the empire belonged to the two controlling groups: Austrians and
Magyars. 8 million Czechs and Slovaks, 5 million Poles, 4 million Ruthenians, 5 million
Serbs and Croats. Slavs were the most restless.
- Russian empire sympathised with Serbs because they shared the same orthodox religion. She saw herself as a champion of the Slavic people.

Treaty of Versailles / Creation of the
Weimar Republic
Fall of the Weimar Republic / Hitler’s rise to power.
Weimar Republic & Nazi Germany
- Schlieffen Plan.
- Germany lost WWI.
- “War Guilt Clause”, reparations and de-
- Wilhelm fled to exile in Holland.
- Ebert took over as Chancellor and a
German Republic was set up. militarisation.
- It was a condition that Wilhelm II had to abdicate, but he refused.
- Naval commanders at Kiel sent out ships
- Germany was extremely unstable because the Social Democrats did not have total control e.g. Spartacist Rising, Kapp Putsch.
- The next problem for the Social in a suicide bid for glory but the sailors mutinied. Strikes followed and there was fear of a revolution like that in Russia in
1917. The Social Democrats, under
Freidrich Ebert, the strongest party in the
Reichstag, sent an ultimatum to Wilhelm that they would join the protests if he did not abdicate.
Democrats was to keep control and prevent the more extreme left wing revolutionaries from gaining power.
- Dolschtoss myth.
- Weaknesses of the Weimar Republic.
- Crises of 1923. The occupation of the
Ruhr. Inflation. Beer Hall Munich Putsch.
- Germany lost WWI.
- It was a condition that Wilhelm II had to abdicate, but he refused.
The Social Democrats, under Freidrich
Ebert, the strongest party in the Reichstag, sent an ultimatum to Wilhelm that they would join the protests if he did not abdicate.
- Germany was extremely unstable because the Social Democrats did not have total control e.g. Spartacist Rising, Kapp Putsch.
Social Democrats needed to mantain control and prevent the more extreme left wing revolutionaries from gaining power.
- Dolschtoss myth.
- Crises of 1923. The occupation of the
Ruhr. Inflation. Beer Hall Munich Putsch.
- Political problems due to the need for coalitions. Weak support from German people, who did not feel democracy could
- Inflation and other problems had a serious impact on the middle class. They lost their savings and despised the French and associated these problems with the newfangled idea of democracy. They wanted a party which promised strength and stability.
- 1932 Nazis become the biggest single party in the Reichstag with 230 seats.
- 1933 Hitler became Chancellor. This was the only alternative to Nazi revolt and civil war.
- After 1933 Reichstag Fire Hitler consolidated his power by getting rid of his opposition.
- 1933 Enabling Act gave Hitler the power to make laws without the approval of the
Reichstag.
- 1934 Night Of The Long Knives. Hitler eradicated the SA.
- Nationalism was reflected in the German people’s dislike for the Treaty of Versailles and the “War Guilt Clause” and the
Dolschtoss myth.
- Socialism. For the Social Democrats the abdication of the Kaiser was the end of the
Revolution because Marxist ideas were too strong for them. They were actually moderate and did not want to alienate the rich elite landowners and industrialists.
- Nationalism was reflected in the German people’s dislike for the Treaty of Versailles and the “War Guilt Clause” and the
Dolschtoss myth.
- Nationalism reflected in the failure of the experiment in democracy and the desire for a strong party.
- Nationalism is reflected in the belief in the Aryan race.
- Nationalism was associated with aggressive militarism.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to further their nation’s interests.

Death of Stresemann.
Great Depression. save them. “Proportional Representation” meant no one leader was strong enough to rule.
- Weaknesses of economy. Depended on
American loans under the Dawes Plan which could be withdrawn.
- Chancellor and Foreign Minister. Weimar’s only statesman. He believed Germany needed to regain her international esteem.
- Created stability by suppressing both the left and right e.g. mobilised army against left in Saxony and Thuringia, right in
Bavaria.
- His acceptance of reparations led
America to ease Germany’s burden with the
Dawes Plan.
- Stresemann died just days before the
Great Depression.
- Dawes Plan enabled Germany to focus on the future and restored international confidence in her. Enabled Stresemann to bring inflation under control. Industry expanded and heavy industrialists made fortunes. However, the plan was dependent on the health of the US economy.
- Wall St Crash 1929.
- “Economic Orthodoxy”.
- 1934 Hindenburg died and Hitler declared himself President.
- Main tenets of Fascism.
- Use of terror as a political tool.
Propaganda. Night Of The Broken Glass.
- Holocaust.
- The embodiment of European hopes for a peaceful future. If he had not died in 1929
Germany might have fared very differently in the Great Depression.
- Suppression of the left and right in the short term gave these groups time to refine their long term plans e.g. Hitler in prison wrote his manifesto Mein Kampf.
- Dawes Plan enabled Germany to focus on the future and restored international confidence in her. Enabled Stresemann to bring inflation under control. Industry expanded and heavy industrialists made fortunes. However, the plan was dependent on the health of the US economy. Wall St
Crash 1929.
- Great Depression. Trade contracted. 45% of the German workforce unemployed.
Hunger and strife.
- “Economic Orthodoxy”.
- Great Depression. Trade contracted. 45% of the German workforce unemployed.
Hunger and strife.
- The Depression was hard enough in established democracies. In Germany, which was already mistrustful of democracy, the collapse of compromise government was obvious as parties of the Republic bickered about how to combat the Depression.
- 1932 Nazis become the biggest single party in the Reichstag with 230 seats.
- Great Depression. In an attempt to defend their own industries nations adopted a policy of economic nationalism and raised tariff barriers on imports.
- Great Depression. In an attempt to defend their own industries nations adopted a policy of economic nationalism and raised tariff barriers on imports.
- Nationalism reflected in the failure of the experiment in democracy and the desire for a strong party.

Night of the Long Knives. - The power Hitler had attained by 1933 was not his alone. The muscle behind the
Nazi Party was the SA.
- SA symbolised the potential of the volkish soil when married to discipline and order. In practice they were thugs who beat up enemies of the state e.g. Communists.
- As head of state Hitler had acquired a respectability which association with thugs could only tarnish.
- Needed to keep the military onside and show that real power still lay with the
Junker.
- Leaders of the regular army made it clear
Hitler could have them or the SA, but not both.
- Roehm, leader of the SA, wanted to take the Nazi revolution to Socialism. However, this was too close to Communism for Hitler.
Roehm constituted a threat to industrialists and capitalists on whom Hitler’s plans for expansion depended.
- Hitler needed to get rid of the SA but they were unlikely to go quietly.
- 1933 Hitler became Chancellor. This was the only alternative to Nazi revolt and civil war. Demise of the Weimar Republic.
- 30 th June 1934 SS struck at the SA.
Brownshirts were deprived of their leaders.
By morning Hitler was supreme.
- After the Night of the Long Knives Hitler identified himself as guardian of all interests and classes.
- The action was timely because in August
1934 Hindenburg died and Hitler declared himself President and Fuhrer.
- Government through “Fuehrerprinzip”
Leader Principle, in which the will of the leader equated to the law of the land, had arrived.
- Consequences of Nazi Germany.
- Nationalism was reflected in the German people’s dislike for the Treaty of Versailles and the “War Guilt Clause” and the
Dolschtoss myth.
- Nationalism is reflected in the belief in the Aryan race.
- Nationalism was associated with aggressive militarism.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to further their nation’s interests.

August Revolution
First Indo-China War
Vietnam & The Conflict In Indo-China
- 1850s French aim for “God, gold and - 10 August Ho Chi Minh called for a glory” in Indo-China.
- France seized Indo-China because mandarins were no match for modern western ideas, Vietnamese control was weak and Tu Duc faced rebellion in the north as well as French in the south. It took 25 general uprising. Bao Dai abdicated. Viet
Minh controlled Vietnam. DRV proclaimed.
- However Britain, USA, USSR, China decided after the Japanese defeat that north of the 16 th parallel would be controlled by non-Communist nationalist years to complete the conquest. Resistance for guerrilla fighters.
- French rule meant using Indo-Chinese resources to supply the mother country.
Indo-Chinese remained poor. Village
Chinese and south by Britain.
- First Indo-China War. communal life disrupted.
- During WWII Japan moved into Indo-
China but allowed French officials to continue to run the country.
- 1941 Ho Chi Minh formed Viet Minh.
- 1945 defeat of Japan left a power vacuum.
- 1850s French aim for “God, gold and glory” in Indo-China.
- 10 August Ho Chi Minh called for a general uprising. Bao Dai abdicated. Viet
Minh controlled Vietnam. DRV proclaimed.
- However Britain, USA, USSR, China decided after the Japanese defeat that north of the 16 th parallel would be controlled by non-Communist nationalist
Chinese and south by Britain.
- By 1946 it was clear there would be a war of independence between the nationalist,
Communist Viet Minh and the Colonial
French.
- 19 December open war erupted with Viet
- Guerrilla warfare. Viet Minh were prepared to play the long game.
- France looked for ways to involve anti-
Communist Vietnam against the Viet Minh.
French use of Bao Dai.
- 1949 Communist victory in China under
Mao Zedong gave Ho Chi Minh an ally.
- Dien Bien Phu battle that ended the First
Indo-China war.
- French conquest wiped out all trace of
Vietnam as a single unified country.
- Imperialism is reflected in the European conception of “White Man’s Burden.
- Imperialism is reflected in the European
Social Darwinian belief in survival of the fittest applied to countries.
- Anti-French rebellions e.g. 1885 Scholar’s
Revolt. Traditionalists disliked the restructuring of traditional Confucian systems. Nationalists wanted an independent Vietnam.
- By the 1940s there was a clearly established nationalist tradition, which drew on failed rebellions e.g. VNQDD and Ho Chi
Minh as a leader who symbolised Vietnam’s struggle.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- French conquest wiped out all trace of
Vietnam as a single unified country.
- Imperialism is reflected in the European conception of “White Man’s Burden.
- Imperialism is reflected in the European
Social Darwinian belief in survival of the fittest applied to countries.
- American involvement during First Indo-
China war as a result of imperialistic communism.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.

Dien Bien Phu
Geneva Conference
Minh attack on Hanoi.
- 1850s French aim for “God, gold and glory” in Indo-China.
- 10 August Ho Chi Minh called for a general uprising. Bao Dai abdicated. Viet
Minh controlled Vietnam. DRV proclaimed.
- However Britain, USA, USSR, China decided after the Japanese defeat that north of the 16 th parallel would be controlled by non-Communist nationalist
Chinese and south by Britain.
- By 1946 it was clear there would be a war of independence between the nationalist,
Communist Viet Minh and the Colonial
French.
- 19 December open war erupted with Viet
Minh attack on Hanoi.
- Guerrilla warfare. Viet Minh were prepared to play the long game.
- France looked for ways to involve anti-
Communist Vietnam against the Viet Minh.
French use of Bao Dai.
- 1949 Communist victory in China under
Mao Zedong gave Ho Chi Minh an ally.
- By 1954 517,000 French forces were in
Indo-China. The French government suffered from opposition at home and needed a speedy end to the conflict.
- Dien Bien Phu. French expected the Viet
Minh to send waves of human attack, but actually the Viet Minh had more artillery than they expected. One of the worst disasters in French military history. French humiliation. Brought an end to French military rule. Triumph for Ho Chi Minh and
Giap. It was an inspiration in the following years.
- At the battle the French expected the
Viet Minh to send waves of human attack, but actually the Viet Minh had more artillery than they expected.
- One of the worst disasters in French military history. French humiliation. Brought an end to French military rule.
- Triumph for Ho Chi Minh and Giap. It was an inspiration in the following years.
- Geneva Conference.
- Shaped the Indo-China problem for the next two decades. Ingredients for future conflict were sown.
- Dividing line placed at the 17 rather than the 13 th th Parallel,
which was further south. Division was supposed to be temporary.
- Nationwide elections to be held in 1956 instead of 1954 so that non-Communists
- French conquest wiped out all trace of
Vietnam as a single unified country.
- Imperialism is reflected in the European conception of “White Man’s Burden.
- Imperialism is reflected in the European
Social Darwinian belief in survival of the fittest applied to countries.
- American involvement during First Indo-
China war as a result of imperialistic communism.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- US fear of spread of communism. “Domino
Theory”. Influence US insistence on the dating for national elections to favour non-
Communists.
- Imperialism reflected in White Man’s
Burden and Europe’s involvement in Indo-
China before First Indo-China war.

Fall of Diem
Americam military involvement
- 1954 conference. Britain, France, USSR and US.
- DRV suggested Communist and non-
Communist zones in Vietnam, Laos and
Cambodia. Laos, Cambodia and the Great
Powers rejected this.
- Opposition began in 1950s.
- 1960 army attempted a coup and military junta. Diem crushed it after 24 hours but discovered the US had known about the coup. From then on he no longer trusted the
US.
- Diem saw democracy as a western disease.
Despite this love-hate relationship, Diem and US both still needed each other at this point.
- Kennedy wanted to avoid Americanising the war, but nonetheless opened the way for greater US involvement.
- Diem’s strategic hamlet programme turned the peasants towards Communism.
- Ho Chi Minh trail.
- Buddhist Revolt. Policies of Nhu and
Madame Nhu. “Let them burn and we shall clap our hands”.
- DRV was able to wage total war. Ho Chi
Minh led a well-fed population, politically educated with an industrial base suitable for a war economy. All aspects of life were geared to the struggle. Vietnamese had been fighting for independence for a very long time.
- US commitment to the war against the VC gathered momentum after 1964. would be favoured.
- 21 July 1954 ceasefire. Viet Minh controlled north.
- No foreign military bases or forces allowed.
- Dien Bien Phu and Geneva Convention were the end of an era. The French were gone and European domination of Asia was at its twilight.
- A group of discontented South
Vietnamese generals plotted a coup. Diem and Nhu were shot coming out of a church and their bodies photographed.
- Series of military coups.
- By 1964 the Saigon government was facing defeat. The VC openly held one third of the country and dominated the other two thirds by night.
- US government was convinced the VC could be overwhelmed.
- Assassination of JFK. Lyndon Johnson had to make decisions which had serious consequences.
- Johnson’s strategy continues to be controversial today.
- 1965 First US troops landed at Da Nang.
- US transformed South Vietnam with roads, bridges, refrigerated warehouses etc.
- Use of Agent Orange.
- Khe Sanh.
- Tet Offensive. Significant shift in US war
- Communism. Diem saw democracy as a western disease.
- US fear of spread of communism. “Domino
Theory”. Influence US insistence on the dating for national elections to favour non-
Communists.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- US fear of spread of communism. “Domino
Theory”. Influence US insistence on the dating for national elections to favour non-
Communists. Johnson saw Vietnam as a struggle against aggressive Communism which was an alien force and a global

Tet Offensive
Fall of Saigon
- Johnson “if you let a bully come into your front yard one day, the next day he’ll be on your porch and after that he’ll rape your wife in your own bed”.
- General Curtis Le May Joint Chief of
Staff felt Vietnam should be “bombed back to the stone age”.
- Tonkin Gulf Incident.
- US commitment of combat troops. Tonkin
Gulf Incident. Johnson “if you let a bully come into your front yard one day, the next day he’ll be on your porch and after that he’ll rape your wife in your own bed”.
General Curtis Le May Joint Chief of Staff felt Vietnam should be “bombed back to the stone age”.
- Khe Sanh.
- Nixon. Vietnamisation.
- My Lai Massacre.
- Peace talks. Role of Henry Kissinger.
- Invasions of Laos and Cambodia caused protests in the US. Four students were shot at Kent State Uni.
- To convince the US that an agreement on their terms was the only way out, North
Vietnam launched a massive invasion.
- Linebacker II, Christmas bombing of
Hanoi and Haiphong dragged North Vietnam back to ceasefire discussions.
- 1973 ceasefire.
- Reasons why US failed to beat
Communism. Communists had a superior objective of independence. US never strategy. 1968 election year and TV reports made the war unpopular.
- Nixon and “mad-man theory”.
Vietnamisation.
- My Lai Massacre.
- Significant shift in US war strategy. 1968 election year and TV reports made the war unpopular.
- Nixon and “mad-man theory”.
Vietnamisation.
- My Lai Massacre.
- 1973 US Congress stopped funding US activity in South East Asia. 1964 Gulf Of
Tonkin Resolution was no longer in force.
War Powers Act gave Congress control over the President’s use of troops.
- Watergate spelled the end of Nixon’s time in office.
- 1975 whole of Indo-China fell to
Communism. Communist rule meant socialist transformation.
- Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. conspiracy. Joint Chiefs saw Vietnam as pivotal to America’s worldwide anti-
Communist crusade.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- US fear of spread of communism. “Domino
Theory”. Influence US insistence on the dating for national elections to favour non-
Communists. Johnson saw Vietnam as a struggle against aggressive Communism which was an alien force and a global conspiracy. Joint Chiefs saw Vietnam as pivotal to America’s worldwide anti-
Communist crusade.
- Nationalism made people willing to start wars in order to promote their nation’s interests.
- US fear of spread of communism. “Domino
Theory”. Influence US insistence on the dating for national elections to favour non-
Communists. Johnson saw Vietnam as a struggle against aggressive Communism which was an alien force and a global conspiracy. Joint Chiefs saw Vietnam as pivotal to America’s worldwide anti-
Communist crusade.

understood Vietnamese history, the nature of revolutionary war or the fact that they were in a civil war. US objective kept changing. Communists fought a total war which used all available resources. US was not prepared for an endless war. US overlooked the importance of the village.
- ARVN continued to fight.