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The Viet Minh (abbreviated from Việt Nam Ðộc Lập Ðồng Minh Hội, "League for the
Independence of Vietnam") was formed in 1941 to seek independence for Vietnam from France. The league was led by Nguyen
Tat Thanh - better known as Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh, Le Duan, Vo Nguyen Giap, and Pham Van Dong founded the Viet Minh together.
During World War II, Japan
occupied French-held regions in Asia (commonly called Indochina). As well as
fighting the French, the Viet Minh started a campaign against the Japanese. Due to their opposition to the Japanese, the Viet
Minh received funding from the Americans and the Chinese. When Japan surrendered in August 1945, the Viet Minh tried to
take control of the country and declared independence from France. The declaration of independence was followed by nearly ten
years of war against France, with France's effort largely funded by the United States.
The French surrendered in 1954 following the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Shortly thereafter, as a result of peace accords worked out in
Geneva, Switzerland, Vietnam was divided into North Vietnam and South
Vietnam, ostensibly only as a temporary measure until unifying elections would take place in 1956. The Viet Minh took control of North Vietnam on October 11,
1954. Ho Chi Minh was appointed Prime Minister of North Vietnam, which became
a communist state.
South Vietnam and its chief supporter, the United States, reneged on the 1954 agreement and refused to hold unifying
elections, fearing that Ho Chi Minh was seen as a national hero and would thus win the elections. As a result, guerillas in South
Vietnam (including many ex-Viet Minh) who opposed the anti-communist regime there united to form the National Front for the
Liberation of Vietnam, called Viet Cong by the Americans and South
Vietnamese.
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