Geneva Conference (1954)
:''For other similar events, see
Geneva ConferenceThe
Geneva Conference (
April 26 -
July 21,
1954) was a conference between many countries that agreed to end hostilities and restore
peace in
French Indochina and
Korea. It produced a set of treaties known as the Geneva Accords, signed on behalf of
France by
Pierre Mendès-France and of
North Vietnam by
Pham Van Dong.
During the
First Indochina War, the
French had sought to re-establish
colonial rule in
Indochina, but despite
American aid, they were defeated in 1954 by forces under the leadership of
Ho Chi Minh and the
Viet Minh, notably in the
Battle of Dien Bien Phu. This was significant because it was also the first time that a western nation was defeated by a South-Eastern Communist country. It would not be the last.
On 21 July, the Conference produced a declaration which supported the territorial integrity and sovereignty of
Indochina which gained its
independence. In addition, the Conference declaration agreed upon the cessation of hostilities and foreign involvement (or troops) in internal Indochina affairs. Vietnam was
partitioned into northern and southern zones pending
unification on the basis of internationally supervised free
elections to be held in July 1956 (Article 3) (N. Tarling,
The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia, Volume Two Part Two: From World War II to the present, Cambridge University Press, p45).
An
International Control Commission was set up to oversee the implementation of the Geneva Accords, but it was basically powerless to ensure compliance. It was to consist of
India,
Canada, and
Poland.
The agreement was between
Cambodia, the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam,
France,
Laos, the
People's Republic of China, the
Republic of Vietnam, the
Soviet Union, the
United Kingdom, and the
United States. However, only France and Ho Chi Minh's DRV signed the document. The former wanted to re-establish her colonial influence while the latter was buying time to reinforce its position in the North.
Due to the partition, a massive migration took place. Most of the migration consisted of one million moving from
North Vietnam to
South Vietnam, mostly Catholics, while a smaller number went from South to North. [
1]
The conference stipulated national elections take place in two years, but Diem suppressed the advocates of the agreed-to election, and it never took place. The suppression continued, which led South Vietnamese opponents of President
Ngo Dinh Diem to form the Communist
National Liberation Front, better known as the
Viet Cong, which eventually launched guerrilla attacks against the RVN government and desired the reunification of Vietnam under Communist rule. The Viet Cong were supported by the
Vietnam People's Army (VPA) of the North.
Backed by the
United States, Diem's government refused to open consultation with the
North Vietnamese concerning general elections. The South contended it did not have to honor the agreement as it was not a signatory, and the U.S. feared that the communists would win the election.
Guerrilla activity in the South escalated, while U.S. military advisors continued to support the
Army of the Republic of Vietnam. The result was the Second Indochina War, more commonly known as the
Vietnam War.
*
Other Geneva Conferences*
Vietnam*
French Indochina War*
Vietnam War*
South Vietnam*
North Vietnam*
Indochina - History links for French involvement in Indochina, casahistoria.net
*
Vietnam - History links for US involvement in Indochina, casahistoria.net
