China controlled Vietnam for nearly 1000 years until 939. After independence from China, Vietnam thrived as an advanced culture until the late 1800s when France colonized it. The end of WWII marked the beginning of Vietnam's fight for independence from France under Ho Chi Minh. It took 8 years of fighting but the French were defeated in 1954. The US then entered to fight on the side of South Vietnam against Ho Chi Minh's North Vietnam, but ultimately withdrew in 1975 after failing to contain the spread of communism.

1. The Fight for Independence in Vietnam

2. Vietnam has fought for independence for many centuries.
Vietnam was once ruled by China for a thousand years until
939 !

3. Which nation controlled Vietnam
for nearly one thousand years?
1. India
2. China
3. US
4. Korea

4. After its independence from China, the country spent many
years thriving as one of the most advanced cultures of
Southern and Eastern Asia until the late 1800’s when France
took over the region as one of its colonies.
11th century
Buddhist Temples
in Vietnam

5. Why did France most likely colonize
Vietnam?
1. Wealth
2. Religion
3. Disease
4. Vacation

6. The end of WWII was the beginning of Vietnam’s fight
for independence from France.

7. The desire to have a nation independent
from foreign rule:
1. Civil war
2. Culture
3. Nationalism
4. Communism

8. In 1954, Ho Chi Minh , a communist leader, declared
Vietnam’s independence from France.
•It would take many years of fighting
for Minh’s dream of independence to
become reality.
•Ho Chi Minh was a nationalist who
committed his life to fighting for
independence.
* It took eight years of fighting before
the French were defeated at the
battle of Dien Bien Phu.

9. As a communist, Ho Chi Minh
supported the idea of:
25% 25% 25% 25%
1. Market economy
2. Capitalism
3. Command Economy
4. Traditional Economy
1 2 3 4

10. Vietnam-A Country Divided
Communist leader Ho Chi Minh could only gain
control of the Northern half of Vietnam.
The Southern half of Vietnam was controlled by
a monarch named Boa Dai.
Minh wanted to control all of Vietnam and
fought to unite the country under one
communist government.

11. Do you think the US supported North
Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh or anti-
communist South Vietnam?
1. North Vietnam 50% 50%
2. South Vietnam
1 2

12. United States Enters the Fight
• In 1964, The United States officially went to war
with North Vietnam to protect the anti-communist
South Vietnam and prevent the spread of
communism.

13. The War Drags On
• For almost 10 years, Ho Chi Minh’s forces
fought against the United States.
• American troops began to pull out of Vietnam
in 1969, the same year that Ho Chi Minh died.
• In 1975 the last American troops left Vietnam
and communist forces from the North invaded
and conquered South Vietnam.
• Today, Vietnam is one united communist
nation.

14. Was the US successful in stopping
(containing)the spread of Communism
in Vietnam?
50% 50%
1. No
2. Yes
1 2

15. US Losses
• 58,220 U.S. service members died in the conflict.

16. Vietnam Today
It is estimated that Vietnam lost between one
and two million lives in the War.
Since 1975, the country has had some strong
economic growth and improved its situation
by allowing some private ownership of
business.