Viet Minh | History & Definition - Britannica

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Viet Minh, organization that led the struggle for Vietnamese independence from French rule. The Viet Minh was formed in China in May 1941 by Ho Chi Minh. Although led primarily by communists, the Viet Minh operated as a national front organization open to persons of various political persuasions.

Discover how the United States worked with the communist Viet Minh against the Japanese in World War II
Discover how the United States worked with the communist Viet Minh against the Japanese in World War IIDuring World War II the communist Viet Minh were the only effective Vietnamese force resisting the Japanese occupation of French Indochina. From Vietnam Perspective (1985), a documentary by Encyclopædia Britannica Educational Corporation.(more)See all videos for this article

In late 1943, members of the Viet Minh, led by General Vo Nguyen Giap, began to infiltrate Vietnam to launch guerrilla operations against the Japanese, who occupied the country during World War II. The Viet Minh forces liberated considerable portions of northern Vietnam, and after the Japanese surrender to the Allies, Viet Minh units seized control of Hanoi and proclaimed the independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Vietnam (1954–76)1 of 2
Vietnam (1954–76)(more)
Note how the Viet Minh's guerrilla tactics confined French troops to the cities in the First Indochina War2 of 2
Note how the Viet Minh's guerrilla tactics confined French troops to the cities in the First Indochina WarFrom 1946 to 1954, the communist Viet Minh battled the French in what is often called the First Indochina War. From Vietnam Perspective (1985), a documentary by Encyclopædia Britannica Educational Corporation.(more)See all videos for this article

The French at first promised to recognize the new government as a free state but failed to do so. On November 23, 1946, at least 6,000 Vietnamese civilians were killed in a French naval bombardment of the port city of Haiphong, and the first Indochina War began. The Viet Minh had popular support and was able to dominate the countryside, while the French strength lay in urban areas. As the war neared an end, the Viet Minh was succeeded by a new organization, the Lien Viet, or Vietnamese National Popular Front. In 1951 the majority of the Viet Minh leadership was absorbed into the Lao Dong, or Vietnamese Workers’ Party (later Vietnamese Communist Party), which remained the dominant force in North Vietnam.

Quick Facts In full: Viet Nam Doc Lap Dong Minh Hoi (Show more) English: League for the Independence of Vietnam (Show more) Date: May 1941 - 1951 (Show more) Areas Of Involvement: national liberation movement (Show more) Related People: Ho Chi Minh Vo Nguyen Giap Le Duc Tho (Show more) See all related content U.S. trooops of the 7th. and 9th. divisions wade through marshland during a joint operation on South Vietnam's Mekong Delta, April 1967. Britannica Quiz Pop Quiz: 19 Things to Know About the Vietnam War

Elements of the Viet Minh joined with the Viet Cong against the U.S.-supported government of South Vietnam and the United States in the Vietnam War (or Second Indochina War) of the late 1950s, the ’60s, and the early ’70s. After the reunification of the country (1976), Viet Minh leaders continued to take an active role in Vietnamese politics.

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