Although the accords stipulated that the line “should not in any way be interpreted as constituting a political or territorial boundary,” the rest of the agreement was not carried out, and the 17th parallel became the practical political boundary between North and South Vietnam.
What was the importance of the 17th parallel in the Vietnam War?
The accords established the 17th parallel (latitude 17° N) as a temporary demarcation line separating the military forces of the French and the Viet Minh. North of the line was the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, or North Vietnam, which had waged a successful eight-year struggle against the French.
Why was Vietnam divided at the 17th parallel?
Vietnam would be temporarily divided at the 17th parallel, pending elections within two years to choose a president and reunite the country. … They were convinced that national elections in Vietnam would result in an overwhelming victory for Ho, the man who had defeated the French colonialists.
What role did the 17th parallel play in the Vietnam War quizlet?
The 17th parallel was buffered by a demilitarized zone, or DMZ, between the two countries. A chemical herbicide and defoliant that U.S. forces sprayed extensively in order to kill vegetation in the Vietnamese jungle and expose Viet Cong hideouts.
What does the 17th parallel line separate?
The 17 parallel is located where the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is The line that divided North Vietnam and South Vietnam.
What is the importance of 17th parallel?
The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone was a demilitarized zone established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam as a result of the First Indo-China War. During the Vietnam War, it became important as the battleground demarcation separating North from South Vietnamese territories.
How long did the 17th parallel last?
Under the terms of the Geneva Accords, Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallel for a period of two years. Free elections were scheduled for July 1956 to decide the government of reunified Vietnam.
What is the 17th parallel Vietnam War?
Seventeenth parallel, the provisional military demarcation line established in Vietnam by the Geneva Accords (1954). … Extending for 3 miles (5 km) on either side of the demarcation line was a demilitarized zone (DMZ), also called for by the Geneva agreement.
Is Vietnam still communist?
Government of Vietnam
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a one-party state. A new state constitution was approved in April 1992, replacing the 1975 version. The central role of the Communist Party was reasserted in all organs of government, politics and society.
Is Vietnam still divided?
The Vietnam War’s north-south division officially ended 31 years ago. … Vast cultural differences divide the former republics of North and South Vietnam. Hanoi is as far from Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon, as New York City is from Atlanta.
What marked the end of the Vietnam War?
Having rebuilt their forces and upgraded their logistics system, North Vietnamese forces triggered a major offensive in the Central Highlands in March 1975. On April 30, 1975, NVA tanks rolled through the gate of the Presidential Palace in Saigon, effectively ending the war.
What was the credibility gap during the Vietnam War?
Credibility gap is a term that came into wide use with journalism, political and public discourse in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. At the time, it was most frequently used to describe public skepticism about the Lyndon B. Johnson administration’s statements and policies on the Vietnam War.
Who was winning the Vietnam War in 1968?
North Vietnam Shocks America
February 11-17, 1968: This week records the highest number of U.S. soldier deaths during the war, with 543 American deaths. February-March 1968: Battles at Hue and Saigon end with American and ARVN victory as Viet Cong guerillas are cleared from the cities.
What divided Vietnam along the 17th parallel?
The conference issued the Geneva Accords, which divided Vietnam officially into North Vietnam and South Vietnam along the 17th parallel as a temporary measure and promised free Vietnam-wide elections for 1956 (although these elections never occurred).
What country did the Vietnamese people want to be free from?
Hours after Japan’s surrender in World War II, Vietnamese communist Ho Chi Minh declares the independence of Vietnam from France.
Where is the 17th parallel north located?
The 17th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 17 degrees north of the Earth’s equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, Central America, the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. The parallel is particularly significant in the history of Vietnam (see below).