“The Implications of the French
retreat from South East Asia
for political stability and the
conflict between Capitalism &
Communism.”
Aims…
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Why were the French unable to keep
control of Vietnam?
Should the US become involved in helping
the French at Dien Bien Phu?
What was agreed at the Geneva
Conference, in reference to Indochina?
What was the significance of the
agreements at the Geneva Conference?
Eisenhower inherited
Truman’s commitment
to the French in
Vietnam. He
continued to finance
their military effort
but the French
continued to lose
ground in Vietnam.
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The final battle between the
French and the Vietminh was
fought at Dien Bien Phu in
1954. The French plan was
to establish a defensive
position at a remote outpost
in North Vietnam to prevent
the Vietminh from invading
Laos and establishing bases
there from which to attack the
French. General Giap
surrounded the 13,000 French
troops with 50,000 well
armed Vietminh.
The French were defeated 55
days after the battle started
on the 7th May. It was the
last major campaign the
French would fight in
Vietnam.
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Dien Bien Phu was situated in a
valley which Giap’s forces
bombarded from the high ground.
Giap’s forces were well supplied by
20,000 porters bringing artillery
through the jungle.
The French were outnumbered.
They underestimated the Vietminh.
The Vietminh’s commander, General
Giap, had been training his army
using modern weapons from China.
French were surrounded & isolated.
They believed they could continue to
equipment themselves from the air.
The Vietminh captured the airstrips
and the French soon ran out of
supplied & food, forcing them to
surrender.
The French did not receive military
help from the US.
What was important about
Dien Bien Phu for the US?
The US avoided involvement in the battle. Eisenhower
had been elected on the basis of ending the Korean War
in 1953. Starting a new conflict in Indochina a year later
was unlikely to win him support. It would certainly
adversely affect his chances of gaining a second term in
office. At this point, the US was unwilling to commit to
Vietnam without the support and help from its allies;
therefore, its commitment remained limited to financial
aid. Nevertheless, because of the political pressure used
by the French, the US had become more heavily involved
in the region.
TASK…
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The class will be split into three groups. You
have one lesson to become an expert in one of
the following areas:
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Why the French were unable to keep control in
Vietnam?
Arguments for & against US intervention at Dien Bien
Phu?
The Geneva Conference
You need to use the information provided to find
answer to key questions.
TASK…
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You need to re-arrange yourselves to make
groups of three.
In your groups of three, you need one expert on
each of the topic.
You need to teach each other the key points that
you have found out on your topic.
The other members of your group need to make
notes.