The Viet Minh’s use of guerrilla tactics and mobile warfare gave it an increasing advantage over the French during the First Indochina War, contributing to the downfall of the French. The Viet Minh realised they could not possibly win through conventional warfare and this forced them to adapt guerrilla tactics from the Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong. Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare which involves covert tactics such as nocturnal attacks and the use of booby traps. The Viet Minh’s guerrilla armies occupied the countryside and mountains and were able to hide away from the French in secrecy. The aim of guerrilla warfare was to gradually wear down the French troops. The French were not familiar with this type of warfare and therefore, could not effectively defend themselves from the attacks of the guerrilla armies.
Ho Chi Minh’s quote, “If the tiger ever stands still, or is trapped out in the open, the mighty elephant of France will crush him. However, the tiger of the indo-china is going to hide in the jungle by day. He will steal out at night and leap upon the back of the elephant and tear great chunks out of the back of the elephant’s hide...” emphasizes the use of guerilla tactics the Viet Minh adapted which led to the success of the Viet Minh in the First Indochina War. The effective use of guerilla tactics and mobile warfare enabled the Viet Minh to gain an advantage over the French and were important factors which lead to the defeat of the French.
Furthermore, the Viet Minh used ideological techniques such as public demonstrations and propaganda campaigns to obtain national support from the Vietnamese population. The support of the Vietnamese population was imperative for the victory of the Viet Minh as they were deeply reliant on the Vietnamese people for their intelligence and manpower to win the war. The Viet Minh used the strategy of propaganda in order to gain support from the Vietnamese population and was very successful. The people of Vietnam were united by a strong sense of nationalism which provided the Viet Minh with the determination and strength they needed to defeat the French. The Viet Minh also received assistance from other Communist nations such as China and the Soviet Union which aided them in their victory against the French.
On the other hand, the French had a declining amount of support from its national population. French suffered from immense losses in money and men and because of this, the war was unpopular in France. The massive support received by the Viet Minh was an important aspect which provided the Viet Minh with the intelligence and manpower they needed to defeat the French.
Determination, patience and enthusiasm were the driving forces for the Viet Minh’s success in the defeat of the French. These attitudes were crucial for the triumph of the Viet Minh as they provided the people with the motivation and willpower needed to accomplish the hard work involved in defeating the French.
Ho Chi Minh’s quote, “the tiger of Indochina… It may take 3 years, it may take 5, it may take 10, but that will be the war in Indo-china” emphasizes the determination and patience of the Viet Minh during the time of the Indochina war. It suggests that the Viet Minh were willing to fight for 10 years if it was necessary in order to defeat the French.
The French were defeated in the First Indochina War as a result of a combination of strategies employed by their opponent, the Viet Minh and in particularly, the underestimation of the Viet Minh by the French. The French had completely underestimated the capabilities and tactics of the Viet Minh. They certainly did not expect the Viet Minh to attack with such a large force or to attack with such superior weapons and this gave the Viet Minh an advantage for the attack on the French. French’s declining national support and the Viet Minh’s increasing support from both national and international sources strengthened the Viet Minh and also contributed to their success. In addition to these factors, the victory of the Viet Minh would not have been possible if it had not been for their persistent attitudes in defeating the French. The defeat of the French in the First Indochina War was a result of the combination of these factors and was the confirmation of the end of French military and political influence in Indochina.
Word Count: 1039
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books:
Sutherland, Ian. Conflict in Indochina. South Melbourne: Thomas Nelson Australia 1993
Wood John. Vietnam and the Indochina Conflict Revised edition: New Zealand: Macmillan 1990
Internet Sites:
Videos:
“Battle for Dien Bien Phu”
