How Were the Viet Minh Able to Defeat the French Colonialists by 1954? And, What was the Outcome?
RECOMMENDED READING:
Hoepper et al 1996 Inquiry 2. Jacaranda, pp.89-96
RECOMMENDED VIEWING:
Polygram Documentary: Battlefield Vietnam - Dien Bien Phu (from 11min.)
Introductory sub questions: Who Were the Viet Minh? And, How did WWII affect the Viet Minh's fight for independence?
i. Introductory reading - Moise 1998 VN WARS: CLICK HERE
ii. Either read page 88 (IF YOU WANT TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY) and respond to the questions for 'Briefing 2' in the text (Inquiry 2)
OR
AS WE DISCUSS THIS AS A CLASS, click through the Prezi below and note the significant members and events of the Viet Minh illustrated here.
ii. Either read page 88 (IF YOU WANT TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY) and respond to the questions for 'Briefing 2' in the text (Inquiry 2)
OR
AS WE DISCUSS THIS AS A CLASS, click through the Prezi below and note the significant members and events of the Viet Minh illustrated here.
ACTIVITY: Effects from , Motives and Arguments around the War
Watch the following three remaining parts of the Discovery Channel documentary titled 'First Indo-China War' and respond to the questions collaboratively on the ShamblesPad beneath. Be sure to copy and paste afterwards and add to your notes!
In-depth study of The Battle of DIEN BIEN PHU and its outcome - THE GENEVA CONFERENCE DECISION
Polygram Documentary: Battlefield Vietnam - Dien Bien Phu (from 11:00 - 26:20 min.)
analyse the section of the film as per table below:
Polygram Documentary: Battlefield Vietnam - Dien Bien Phu (from 11:00 - 26:20 min.)
analyse the section of the film as per table below:
analyse the section of the film as per table below:
FURTHER STUDY: Hoepper et al. 1996 INQUIRY 2. Jacaranda pp.89-96
i) Read this section of the text and respond to the questions corresponding to SOURCES B1, B5, B8 & B9
ii) ROLE PLAY: Choose a nation and role description as per page 98 of text and argue for the possible choices offered at the bottom of the page.
Bringing it all together - Revision and Extended Writing Practise
REVISION:
Revise your understanding of How the Viet Minh were able to defeat the French colonialists by 1954 by going back through your notes from the text activities (source analysis and narrative) and the collaborative activity above and HIGHLIGHT THE EVIDENCE you might use in your writing task below. (15 minutes)
EXTENDED WRITING:
Answer this section's focus question 'How the Viet Minh were able to defeat the French colonialists by 1954? And, what was the outcome? ' in an extended piece of writing using the source evidence studied above and other to support your ideas - the next installment in your preparation for the upcoming Category 1 Exam. The success criteria is below in order to guide you and allow you to self-evaluate, i.e. gauge how well you are doing. When you have finished the writing, post it in the 'Comments' at the bottom of the page for teacher and peer evaluation.
SUCCESS CRITERIA (things to include):
Silver: Analyses EXPLICIT reasons why the Viet Minh were able to defeat the French. and the outcome of the Geneva Conference. CORROBORATES secondary evidence to support your ideas. Includes evaluation of the likely RELIABILITY of evidence used in your writing.
Bronze: Describes how the Viet Minh were able to defeat the French.
The Viet Minh defeated the French in 1954 due to the strong leadership and warfare strategies of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam's sense of nationalism and the determination to rid the foreign intruder. The Viet Minh's political and military tactics were decisive and explicit factors which would contribute to their victory at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. While the strategy of pushing the Viet Minh into attacking a well-defended base in a remote party of the country at the end of their logistic trail was validated at the battle of Na San in 1952, the lack of construction materials, tanks and air cover precluded an effective defence, culminating in a decisive French defeat at the battle of Dien Bien Phu. While suffering from French oppression, the Vietnamese people had developed a strong sense of national identity and lust for independence. This sentiment built the foundation morale that essentially was the catalyst that pushed the Vietnamese through the war. This implicit catalyst was reaffirmed in an interview of General Giap’s where he stated “The Democratic Republic of Vietnam is absolutely able to undertake its defence and smash down any imperialist enemy, our army’s principle strength lies in its morale, its fighting spirit and the population’s unrestricted support”. This source is obviously bias towards the Viet Minh perspective; however it is reliable as it is from a Principle Commander and provides insight into the mindset of Vietnam at the time. This perspective was disseminated into society through propaganda and contributed to the overall determination to rid the foreign intruder. Implicit propaganda messages were concealed in many speeches and writings of the time such as “The imperialist Aggressors can never Enslave the Heroic Vietnamese People” in Selected Works on Ho Chi Minh Vol. 3. This source is explicitly aimed at informing the reader about America’s role prior to Dien Bien Phu; however it is swayed towards the Viet Minh perspective and uses emotive language to portray the USA and France in a negative light. This is evident in the excerpt where it states “The US interventionists have nurtured the French aggressors and the Vietnamese puppets, but the Vietnamese people do not let anybody delude and enslave them”. This statement is strategically fuelling sentiments of nationalism and determination at the height of the war in the minds of all Vietnamese people.
ReplyDeleteNice topic sentence which encapsulates all that is necessary to discuss in this paragraph. Interesting that you then begin at the end with Dien Bien Phu and use the language of the criteria when discussing the explicit - good work. But be sure to explain the French's miscalculation of the Viet Minh and that their method of guerrilla warfare with three stages (use source to support) is implicitly evident in this victory - and then go on to explain these and apply to the Battle.
DeleteGood use of Giap source, though accurate year and corroboration would be good. Also, when a source contains bias it is BIASED. This could then be associated to the earlier source supporting your 'three stage approach' to guerrilla warfare so that the whole paragraph is cohesive but CATEGORIZES information at the same time.
The final section of the paragraph is really well supported and synthesizes evidence well. However, you could introduce the source explaining who is stating this as it directly relates to Ho Chi Minh, the focus of the whole essay and will link with your hypothesis/argument. You could also use the language of the criteria further here in stating the MOTIVATION and ARGUMENT behind each statement which further synthesizes or links the evidence together.
The paragraph does not seem finished though. And finally, you will need to discuss the outcomes after the Battle of DBP, Ho Chi Minh's desires, and the outcomes at Geneva Conference; plus it seems to need a concluding sentence which would take you into the conclusion. But a great starting point for the revision double!
The Viet Minh were able to defeat the French colonialists by 1954 due to the morale of the Vietnamese, but breaks down into military strategy, propaganda and effective guerrilla warfare that resulted in the battle of Dien Bien Phu and an ultimate French surrender. The Viet Minh was the League for Vietnamese Independence, which was led by communists, i.e. Ho Chi Minh, but was intended to be open to those who wished to join the movement, not just those with communist ideology (Hoepper, 1996). General Giap, the commander of the Viet Minh troops, declares the high morale of the troops was fundamental to the defeat of the French, explicitly seen in the General’s own letter to the Vietnamese people in 1953: “Those victories show the firm faith of our army… and their confidence that the longterm and difficult resistance war will definitely win”. This, Giap believes, is the cause for the French to retreat and also encounter many difficulties in terms of administrating the country. However, he also claims that underlying the high morale of the troops was effective warfare tactics that allowed the Viet Minh to gain victory over the French. Through propaganda, General Giap provided to his troops a valuable scheme to win the war, as staged in three parts. These three stages were defensive – camouflage in hills, positioning armies, instilling weaponry around Viet Minh occupied areas to deflect French attacks –, equilibrium – militaristically through heavy artillery, troops and tanks – and finally, offensive – where the Viet Minh wages guerrilla warfare, harassment and finally open attacks, as Giap recalls in secondary source People’s War: People’s Army (1961). This corroborates with General Navarre, French commander of the French in Indochina, in secondary source Agonie de l’Indochine (1956), where Navarre recalls the perfection of Viet Minh camouflage covering the anti-aircraft guns, heavy artillery guns and other weaponry and the effectiveness of Giap’s strategies in undermining the French, implicitly acknowledging that the Viet Minh were successful in warfare techniques and guerrilla strategies to defeat the French. It was through the collective use of effective military strategy, propaganda and guerrilla warfare and overall encompassed by the high morale of the troops that the Viet Minh were able to defeat the French in the battle of Dien Bien Phu, as commanders from both sides of the war can agree.
ReplyDeleteFantastic synthesis of evidence in the second half of the paragraph Shelby. But the first section reads a little awkwardly in places mainly due to grammatical errors.
DeleteI like the way you are using the language of the criteria, the language of history to signpost the IMPLICIT - good work! One suggestion here might be that you note in the last corroborating source that Navarre is referring directly to the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and that the 'three stages' were illustrated in this battle strategy and ultimate victory over the French.
Finally, as I mentioned above in Amber's, you will need to then discuss the desires of Ho Chi Minh after the War and the outcomes of the Geneva Conference. Plus the differing perspectives around Ho Chi Minh's governance at this time - remember the quote from the last video clip that was of an anti-Communist, anti-Ho nature due to the fact that all were made to work like slaves in rebuilding etc.?
This said however, you have a great start for the revision session!