Mention the challenges faced by the ‘New Republic of Vietnam’ after 1945.
The new Vietnamese Republic faced a number of challenges:
(i) The French tried to regain control by using the emperor, Bao Dai, as their puppet. The Vietminh were forced to retreat to the hills.
(ii) In the peace negotiations in Geneva that followed the French defeat, the Vietnamese were persuaded to accept the division of the country. North and South were split.
(iii) A civil war broke out between the two parts of Vietnam. This war brought death and destruction to its people as well as the environment.
(iv)Worried about the communists gaining power in Vietnam, the USA decided to intervene decisively, sending in troops and arms. This was proved costly for Vietnam and America as well.
