- Just after the Japanese surrender in 1945, Ho Chi Minh, head of the Vietnamese Communist party, had declared the colony's independence.
- France rejected Ho's declaration and sent troops to reassert its authority in Vietnam. An ugly war began to unfold.
- Eisenhower subscribed to what became known as the domino theory. This belief held that if one country fell to Communists, its neighbors soon would follow, like a toppling row of dominos. By 1954 the United States was providing substantial military aid to support France in its Southeast Asian war.
- After a major defeat in May 1954, France withdrew its forces. An international conference divided Vietnam, like Korea , into a Communist north and anti-Communist south.
Credits:
Created with images by NASA Goddard Photo and Video - "Central Africa Appears to Be Completely On Fire"