Conflict Between North and South Vietnam

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Conflict between North and South Vietnam The geography of the region in which it occurred: The Vietnam War lasted from 1955 to 1975. It was fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was supported by the USSR, China and North Korea, while South Vietnam was supported by the United States with its allies, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines. This conflict between pro-communist and pro-capitalist countries was part of the Cold War. What happened during this event: Before World War II, Vietnam was part of the French colony of Indochina. During World War II, the Japanese occupied Indochina. At the end of World War II, the Japanese surrendered. After this, the French attempted to take back control. But the French were opposed by a Vietnamese army called the Viet Minh. The Viet Minh had been founded in 1941 by the communist party and was led by Hồ Chí Minh. In July 1954, France and the Viet Minh signed the Geneva Peace Accord. The Viet Minh became the gov ernment of North Vietnam while anti-communist Vietnamese, especially Catholics, "regrouped" in the South under the leadership of Bao Dai, a former emperor of Vietnam who had abdicated in 1945. What impact this period of time had on the environment: Vietnam was temporarily partitioned at the 17th parallel, and under the terms of the Geneva Accords, civilians were to be given the opportunity to move freely between the two provisional states for a 300-day period. Elections throughout the country were to be held in 1956 to establish a unified government. Around one million northerners, mainly minority Catholics, fled south, fearing persecution by the communistsfollowing an American propaganda campaign using slogans such as "The Virgin Mary is heading south", and aided by a U.S. funded $93 million relocation program, which included ferrying refugees with the Seventh Fleet. It is
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