The Vietminh

What was the Vietminh?

The Vietminh was a Vietnamese resistance group. It was founded in 1941 during Japanese occupation in the Second World War.

Who created the Vietminh?

The Vietminh was created and led by 2 communists, Ho Chi Minh and Nguyen Vo Giap.

Why was the Vietminh created?

The Vietminh was created to drive all foreign rule out of Vietnam.

What actions did the Vietminh take when it was first created?

From the Second World War until 1954, the Vietminh took a number of key actions in an effort to drive foreign rule from Vietnam.

• ❖ It fought with Japan and, by 1945, had taken control of most of northern Vietnam.
• ❖ After being defeated, Japan left Indochina, including Vietnam.
• ❖ The Vietminh was keen to build on its success against Japan. In September 1945 they declared Vietnam an independent country, with Ho Chi Minh as president. France was unhappy about this.
• ❖ France sent troops to fight the Vietminh, as it did not intend to allow Vietnam to be an independent country.
• ❖ The Vietminh fought against France until 1954.