Causes and Consequences of Dien Bien Phu

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Examine the causes and consequences of a significant historical event that affected many people’s lives over a long period of time (e.g. Ten years or more) During the historical setting of the Conflict in Indochina a large force used was nationalism. Nationalism is the devotion and patriotism that people feel towards their culture and nation and the desire of an independent nation-state. One group of people that benefitted greatly from their strong nationalism were the Vietnamese people who used this force to great effect in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954 which was a significant event in the history of Indochina. The battle was caused by the Chinese, French and Japanese occupations of Vietnam. The emergence of Ho Chi Minh, a nationalist leader, was also a cause of the battle. The Battle of Dien Bien Phu affected many people’s lives over a long period of time. Many people lost their lives and the battle also led to the Geneva Accords which affected many people politically and economically. One of the earliest causes of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu were the Chinese occupations of Vietnam from approximately 200BC – 938AD and then again from 1407AD - 1427AD. The Vietnamese originated in China and brought many Chinese traditions and methods with them such as the concept of the xa (village). The Vietnamese adopted the xa values of family, religion and mutual sharing in all aspects of life. The attitudes of the Vietnamese were also greatly influenced by the Chinese philosophers Confucius, Buddha and Lao Tzu who taught them to act morally and be mentally strong. This heritage and culture that was shaped helped to bring the Vietnamese together and make them more nationalistic. Because of this nationalism, the Vietnamese rebelled many times against the Chinese rule. None of the rebellions were successful but they strengthened the identity and cultural values of the
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