Geneva Conference of 1954 – History Wars Weapons About Geneva Conference of 1954 The Geneva Conference of 1954 was a diplomatic conference in which representatives of the United States, France, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China, the Associated States of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, North Korea, and South Korea met in Geneva, Switzerland, to deal with two complicated international issues: the Indochina War in South East Asia and the unification of South Korea and North Korea after the war. The part of the conference on the Korean question ended without a solution and no declarations or proposals were made. On the French Indochina War issue, the Geneva Conference produced a set of documents known as the Geneva Accords. Geneva Accords The Geneva Accords of 1954 arranged a settlement which brought about an end to the French Indochina war. This agreement was reached at the end of the Geneva Conference. A ceasefire was signed and France agreed to withdraw its troops from the region. French Indochina was split into three countries: Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

The Geneva Accords divided Vietnam in half at the 17th parallel, with Ho Chi Minh’s Communists in the North, and the Emperor Bao Dai’s was granted the South. The accords also provided for national elections to be held in all of Vietnam within two years to reunify the country. Nevertheless, these elections were never held due to repeated refusals to hold free nationwide elections by both Ho Chi Minh and Bao Dai’s regimes. Thus, the Viet Minh, under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh, established a communist state in North Vietnam. The United States gave Ngo Dinh Diem, who was the president of South Vietnam after the fall of Emperor Bao Dai, considerable support in the form of financial aid. However, due to the corruption evident in his regime, and the question of the depth of support for him in Vietnam, there was a certain amount of reluctance in doing so. The Geneva Accords, 1954 The Geneva Accords, 1954 US Foreign Policy Expert By Steve Jones The Geneva Accords of 1954 were an attempt to end eight years of fighting between France and Vietnam. They did that, but they also set the stage for the American phase of fighting in Southeast Asia.

Background Vietnamese nationalist and communist revolutionary Ho Chi Minh expected that the end of World War II on September 2, 1945, would also be the end of colonialism and imperialism in Vietnam. Japan had occupied Vietnam since 1941; France had officially colonized the country since 1887. Because of Ho's communist leanings, however, the United States -- which had become leader of the western world after World War II -- did not want to see him and his followers, the Vietminh, take over the country. Instead it approved France's return to the region. In short, France could wage a proxy war for the U.S. against communism in Southeast Asia. The Vietminh waged an insurgency against France which culminated in the siege of the French base in northern Vietnam at Dienbienphu . continue reading below our video Profile of Ho Chi Minh A peace conference at Geneva, Switzerland, sought to extricate France from Vietnam and leave the country with a government suitable to Vietnam, Communist China (a Vietminh sponsor), the Soviet Union, and western governments.

Geneva Conference On May 8, 1954, representatives of Democratic Republic of Vietnam (communist Vietminh), France, China, the Soviet Union, Laos, Cambodia, the State of Vietnam (democratic, as recognized by the U.S.), and the United States met in Geneva to work out an agreement. Not only did they seek to extricate France, but they also sought an agreement that would unify Vietnam and stabilize Laos and Cambodia (which had also been part of French Indochina) in the absence of France. The United States -- committed to its foreign policy of containment of communism, and determined not to let any part of Indochina go communist and thereby put the domino theory in play -- entered the negotiations with doubt. It also did not want to be a signatory to any agreement with the communist nations. Personal tensions were also rife. U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles reportedly refused to shake the hand of Chinese Foreign Minister Chou En-Lai . Main Elements Of The Agreement By July 20, the contentious meeting had agreed that: Vietnam would be divided in half along the 17th Parallel (in the the thin "neck" of the country).

The Vietminh would control the northern section, the State of Vietnam would control the south. General elections would occur in both north and south on July 20, 1956, to decide which Vietnam would govern the whole country. The agreement meant the Vietminh, who occupied significant territory south of the 17th Parallel, would have to withdraw to the north. Nevertheless, they believed that the 1956 elections would give them control of all Vietnam. A Real Agreement? Any use of the term "agreement" with respect to the Geneva Accords must be done loosely. The U.S. and the State of Vietnam never signed it; they simply acknowledged that an agreement had been made between other nations. The U.S. doubted that, without United Nations supervision, any election in Vietnam would be democratic. From the outset, it had not intention of letting Ngo Dinh Diem , president in the south, call the elections. The Geneva Accords got France out of Vietnam, certainly. However they did nothing to prevent an escalation of discord between free and communist spheres, and they only hastened American involvement in the country. Published Sources: Guenter Lewy. America In Vietnam.

New York: Oxford University Press, 1978. George Herring. America's Longest War: The United States and Vietnam, 1950-1975. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979. Geneva Accords AGREEMENT ON THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN VIET-NAM, JULY 20, 1954 (The Genera Agreements theoretically ended the war between French Union forces and the Vietminh in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. These states were to become fully independent countries, with the last-named partitioned near the 17th parallel into two states pending reunification through "free elections" to be held by July 20, 1956.

The United States and Vietnam are not signatories to these agreements.) CHAPTER I-PROVISIONAL MILITARY DEMARCATION LINE AND DEMILITARIZED ZONE Article 1 A provisional military demarcation line shall be fixed, on either side of which the forces of the two parties shall be regrouped after their withdrawal, the forces of the People's Army of Viet-Nam to the north of the line and the forces of the French Union to the south. The provisional military demarcation line is fixed as shown on the map attached (omitted). It is also agreed that a demilitarized zone shall be established on either side of the demarcation line, to a width of not more than 5 kms. from it, to act. as a buffer zone and avoid any incidents which might result in the resumption of hostilities. Article 2 The period within which the movement of all the forces of either party into its regrouping zone on either side of the provisional military demarcation line shall be completed shall not exceed three hundred (300) days from the date of the present Agreement's entry into force.

Article 3 When the provisional military demarcation line coincides with a waterway, the waters of such waterway shall be open to civil navigation by both parties wherever one bank is controlled by one party and the other bank by the other party. The joint Commission shall establish rules of navigation for the stretch of waterway in question. The merchant shipping and other civilian craft of each party shall have unrestricted access to the land under its military control. Article 4 The provisional military demarcation line between the two final regrouping zones is extended into the territorial waters by a line perpendicular to the general line of the coast. All coastal islands north of this boundary shall be evacuated by the armed forces of the French union, and all islands south of it shall he evacuated by the forces of the People's Army of Viet-Nam. Article 5 To avoid any incidents which might result in the resumption of hostilities, all military forces, supplies and equipment shall be withdrawn from the demilitarized zone within twenty-five (25) days of the present Agreement's entry into force. Article 6 No person, military or civilian, shall be permitted to cross the provisional military demarcation line unless specifically authorized to do so by the Joint Commission.

Article 7 No person, military or civilian, shall be permitted to enter the demilitarized zone except persons concerned with the conduct of civil administration and relief and persons specifically authorized to enter by the Joint Commission. Article 8 Civil administration and relief in the demilitarized zone on either side of the provisional military demarcation line shall be the responsibility of the Commanders-in-Chief of the two parties in their respective zones. The number of persons, military or civilian, from each side who are permitted to enter the demilitarized zone for the conduct of civil administration and relief shall be determined by the respective Commanders, but in no case shall the total number authorized by either side exceed at any one time a figure to be determined by the Trung Gia Military Commission or by the Joint Commission. The number of civil police and the arms to be carried by them shall be determined by the Joint Commission. No one else shall carry arms unless specifically authorized to do so by the joint Commission.

Article 9 Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed as limiting the complete freedom of movement, into, out of or within the demilitarized zone of the Joint Commission, its joint groups, the International Commission to be set up as indicated below, its inspection teams and any other persons, supplies or equipment specifically authorized to enter the demilitarized zone by the Joint Commission. Freedom of movement shall be permitted across the territory under the military control of either side over any road or waterway which has to be taken between points within the demilitarized zone when such points are not connected by roads or waterways lying completely within the demilitarized zone. CHAPTER II-PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURE GOVERNING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRESENT AGREEMENT Article 10 The Commanders of the Forces on each side, on the one side the Commander-in-Chief of the French Union forces in Indo-China and on the other side the Commander-in-Chief of the People's Army of Viet-Nam, shall order and enforce the complete cessation of all hostilities in Viet-Nam by all armed forces under their control, including all units and personnel of the ground, naval and air forces.

Article 11 In accordance with the principle of a simultaneous cease-fire throughout Indo-China, the cessation of hostilities shall be simultaneous throughout all parts of Viet-Nam, in all areas of hostilities and for all the forces of the two parties. Taking into account the time effectively required to transmit the cease-fire order down to the lowest echelons of the combatant forces on both sides, the two parties are agreed that the cease-fire shall take effect completely and simultaneously for the different sectors of the country as follows: Northern Viet-Nam at 8:00 a. m. (local time) on 27 July 1954 Central Viet-Nam at 8:00 a. m. (local time) on 1 August 1954 Southern Viet-Nam at 8:00 a. m. (local time) on 11 August 1954 It is agreed that Pekin mean time shall be taken as local time. From such time as the cease-fire becomes effective in Northern Viet-Nam, both parties undertake not to engage in any large-scale offensive action in any part of the Indo-Chinese theatre of operations and not to commit the air forces based on Northern Viet-Nam outside that sector.

The two parties also undertake to inform each other of their plans for movement from one regrouping zone to another within twenty-five (05) days of the present Agreement's entry into force. Article 12 All the operations and movements entailed in the cessation of hostilities and regrouping must proceed in a safe and orderly fashion (a) Within a certain number of days after the cease-fire Agreement shall have become effective, the number to be determined on the spot by the Trung Gia Military Commission, each party shall be responsible for removing and neutralizing mines (including river- and sea-mines), booby traps, explosives and any other dangerous substances placed by it. In the event of its being impossible to complete the work of removal and neutralization in time, the party concerned shall mark the spot by placing visible signs there.

All demolitions, mine fields, wire entanglements and other hazards to the free movement of the personnel of the Joint Commission and its joint groups, known to be present after the withdrawal of the military forces, shall be reported to the Joint Commission by the Commanders of the opposing forces; (b) From the time of the cease-fire until regrouping is completed on either side of the demarcation line: (1) The forces of either party shall be provisionally withdrawn from the provisional assembly areas assigned to the other party. (2) When one party's forces withdraw by a route (road, rail, waterway, sea route) which passes through the territory of the other party (see Article 24), the latter party's forces must provisionally withdraw three kilometres on each side of such route, but in such a manner as to avoid interfering with the movements of the civil population.

Article 13 From the time of the cease-fire until the completion of the movements from one regrouping zone into the other, civil and military transport aircraft shall follow air-corridors between the provisional assembly areas assigned to the French Union forces north of the demarcation line on the one hand and the Laotian frontier and the regrouping zone assigned to the French Union forces on the other hand. The position of the air-corridors, their width, the safety route for single-engined military aircraft transferred to the south and the search and rescue procedure for aircraft in distress shall he determined on the spot by the Trung Gia Military Commission.

Article 14 Political and administrative measures in the two regrouping zones, on either side of the provisional military demarcation line: (a) Pending the general elections which will bring about the unification of Viet-Nam, the conduct of civil administration in each regrouping zone shall be in the hands of the party whose forces are to be regrouped there in virtue of the present Agreement (b) Any territory controlled by one party which is transferred to the other party by the regrouping plan shall continue to be administered by the former party until such date as all the troops who are to be transferred have completely left that territory so as to free the zone assigned to the party in question. From then on, such territory shall be regarded as transferred to the other party, who shall assume responsibility for it. Steps shall be taken to ensure that there is no break in the transfer of responsibilities. For this purpose, adequate notices shall be given by the withdrawing party to the other party, which shall make the necessary arrangements, in particular by sending administrative and police detachments to prepare for the assumption of administrative responsibility. The length of such notice shall he determined by the Trung Gia Military Commission. The transfer shall he effected in successive stages for the various territorial sectors.

The transfer of the civil administration of Hanoi and Haiphong to the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam shall be completed within the respective time-limits laid down in Article 15 for military movements. (c) Each party undertakes to refrain from any reprisals or discrimination against persons or organizations on account of their activities during the hostilities and to guarantee their democratic liberties. (d) From the date of entry into force of the present agreement until the movement of troops is completed, any civilians residing in a district controlled by one party who wish to go and live in the zone assigned to the other party shall be permitted and helped to do so by the authorities in that district. Article 16 The disengagement of the combatants, and the withdrawals and transfers of military forces, equipment and supplies shall take place in accordance with the following principles: (a) The withdrawals and transfers of the military forces equipment and supplies of the two parties shall be completed within three hundred (300) days, as laid down in Article 2 of the present Agreement; (b) Within either territory successive withdrawals shall be made by sectors, portions of sectors or provinces.

Transfers from one regrouping zone to another shall be made in successive monthly installments proportionate to the number of troops to be transferred; (c) The two parties shall undertake to carry out all troop withdrawals and transfers in accordance with the aims of the present Agreement, shall permit no hostile act and shall take no step whatsoever which might hamper such withdrawals and transfers. They shall assist one another as far as this is possible (d) The two parties shall permit no destruction or sabotage of any public property and no injury to the life and property of the civil population. They shall permit no interference in local civil administration; (e) The Joint Commission and the International Commission shall ensure that steps are taken to safeguard the forces in the course of withdrawal and transfer: (f) The Trung Gia Military Commission, and later the Joint Commission, shall determine by common agreement the exact procedure for the disengagement of the combatants and for troop withdrawals and transfers, on the basis of the principles mentioned above and within the framework laid down below: 1.

The disengagement of the combatants, including the concentration of the armed forces of all kinds and also each party's movements into the provisional assembly areas assigned to it and the other party's provisional withdrawal from it, shall be completed within a period not exceeding fifteen (15) days after the date when the cease-fire becomes effective. The general delineation of the provisional assembly areas is set out in the maps annexed to the present Agreement. In order to avoid any incidents, no troops shall be stationed less than 1,500 metres from the lines delimiting the provisional assembly areas. During the period until the transfers are concluded, all the coastal islands west of the following lines shall be included in the Haiphong perimeter: -meridian of the southern point of Kebao Island -northern coast of the Ile Rousse (excluding the island), extended as far as the meridian of Campha-Mines -meridian of Champha-Mines. 2. The withdrawals and transfers shall be effected in the following order and within the following periods (from the date of the entry into force of the present Agreement) Forces of the French Union........ Days Hanoi perimeter.......

80 Forces of the People's Army of Viet-Nam.......Days Ham Tan and Xuyeninec provisional assembly area....... 80 Central Viet-Nam provisional assembly area-first instalment..... 80 Plaine des Jones provisional assembly area....... 100 Point Camau provisional assembly area........ 200 Central Viet-Nam Provisional assembly area-last installment.. 300 CHAPTER III-BAN ON INTRODUCTION OF FRESH TROOPS, MILITARY PERSONNEL, ARMS AND MUNITIONS, MILITARY BASES Article 16 With effect from the date of entry into force of the present Agreement, the introduction into Viet-Nam of any troop reinforcements and additional military personnel is prohibited.

It is understood however, that the rotation of units and groups of personnel, the arrival in Viet-Nam of individual personnel on a temporary duty basis and the return to Viet-Nam of individual personnel after short periods of leave or temporary duty outside Viet-Nam shall be permitted under the conditions laid down below: (a) Rotation of units (defined in paragraph (c) of this Article) and groups of personnel shall not be permitted for French Union troops stationed north of the provisional military demarcation line laid down in Article l of the present Agreement, during the withdrawal period provided for in Article 2. However, under the heading of individual personnel not more than fifty (50) men, including officers, shall during any one month be permitted to enter that part of the country north of the provisional military demarcation line on a temporary duty basis or to return there after short periods of leave or temporary duty outside Viet-Nam.

(b) "Rotation" is defined as the replacement of units or groups of personnel by other units of the same echelon or by personnel who are arriving in Viet-Nam territory to do their overseas service there; (c) The units rotated shall never be larger than a battalion-or the corresponding echelon for air and naval forces; (d) Rotation shall be conducted on a man-for-man basis, provided, however, that in any one quarter neither party shall introduce more than fifteen thousand five hundred (15,500) members of its armed forces into Viet-Nam under the rotation policy. (e) Rotation units (defined in paragraph (c) of this Article) and groups of personnel, and the individual personnel mentioned in this Article, shall enter and leave Viet-Nam only through the entry points enumerated in Article 20 below: (f) Each p arty shall notify the Joint Commission and the International Commission at least two days in advance of any arrivals or departures of units, groups of personnel and individual personnel in or from Viet-Nam. Reports on the arrivals or departures of units, groups of personnel and individual personnel in or from Viet-Nam shall be submitted daily to the Joint Commission and the International Commission.

All the above-mentioned notifications and reports shall indicate the places and dates of arrival or departure and the number of persons arriving or departing. (g) The International Commission, through its Inspection Teams, shall supervise and inspect the rotation of units and groups of personnel and the arrival and departure of individual personnel as authorized above, at the points of entry enumerated in Article 20 below. Article 17 (a) With effect from the date of entry into force of the present Agreement, the introduction into Viet- Nam of any reinforcements in the form of all types of arms, munitions and other war material, such as combat aircraft, naval craft, pieces of ordnance jet engines and jet weapons and armoured vehicles, is prohibited. (b) It is understood, however, that war material, arms and munitions which have been destroyed, damaged worn out or used up after the cessation of hostilities may be replaced on the basis of piece-for-piece of the same type and with similar characteristics. Such replacements of war material, arms and munitions shall not he permitted for French Union troops stationed north of the provisional military demarcation line laid down in Article 1 of the present Agreement during the withdrawal period provided for in Article 2.

Naval craft may perform transport operations between the regrouping zones. (c) The war material, arms and munitions for replacement purposes prov ided for in paragraph (b) of this Article, shall be introduced into Viet-Nam only through the points of entry enumerated in Article 20 below. War material, arms and munitions to be replaced shall be shipped from Viet-Nam only through the points of entry enumerated in Article 20 below; (d) Apart from the replacements permitted within the limits laid down in paragraph of this Article, the introduction of war material, arms and munitions of all types in the form of unassembled parts for subsequent assembly is prohibited; (e) Each party shall notify the Joint Commission and the International Commission at least two days in advance of any arrivals or departures which may take place of war material, arms and munitions of all types. In order to justify the requests for the introduction into Viet-Nam of arms, munitions and other war material (as defined in paragraph (a) of this Article) for replacement purposes, a report concerning each incoming shipment shall be submitted to the Joint Commission and the International Commission. Such reports shall indicate the use made of the items so replaced.

(f) The International Commission, through its Inspection Teams, shall supervise and inspect the replacements permitted in the circumstances laid down in this Article, at the points of entry enumerated in Article 20 below. Article 18 With effect from the date of entry into force of the present Agreement, the establishment of new military bases is prohibited throughout Viet-Nam territory. Article 19 With effect from the date of entry into force of the present Agreement, no military base under the control of a foreign State may be established in the regrouping zone of either party; the two parties shall ensure that the zones assigned to them do not adhere to any military alliance and are not used for the resumption of hostilities or to further an aggressive policy. Article 20 The points of entry into Viet-Nam for rotation personnel and replacements of material are fixed as follows: -Zones to the north of the provisional military demarcation line: Laokay, Langson, Tien-Yen, Haiphong, Vinh, Dong-Hoi, Muong- Sen; -Zone to the south of the provisional military demarcation line: Tourane, Quinhon, Nhatrang, Bangoi, Saigon, Cap St.

Jacques, Tanchan. CHAPTER IV-PRISONERS OF WAR AND CIVILIAN INTERNEES Article 21 The liberation and repatriation of all prisoners of war and civilian internees detained by each of the two parties at the coming into force of the present Agreement shall be carried out under the following conditions: (a) All prisoners of war and civilian internees of Viet-Nam, French and other nationalities captured since the beginning of hostilities in Viet-Nam during military operations or in any other circumstances of war and in any part of the territory of Viet-Nam shall be liberated within a period of thirty (30) days after the date when the cease-fire becomes effective in each theatre. (b) The term "civilian internees" is understood to mean all persons who, having in any way contributed to the political and armed struggle between the two parties, have been arrested for that reason and have been kept in detention by either party during the period of hostilities. (c) All prisoners of war and civilian internees held by either party shall be surrendered to the appropriate authorities of the other party, who shall give them all possible assistance in proceeding to their country of origin, place of habitual residence or the zone of their choice.

CHAPTER V-MISCELLANEOUS Article 22 The commanders of the Forces of the two parties shall ensure that persons under their respective commands who violate any of the provisions of the present Agreement are suitably punished. Article 23 In cases in which the place of burial is known and the existence of graves has been established, the Commander of the Forces of either party shall, within a specific period after the entry into force of the Armistice Agreement, permit. the graves service personnel of the other party to enter the part of Viet-Nam territory under their military control for the purpose of finding and removing the bodies of deceased military personnel of that party, including the bodies of deceased prisoners of war. The Joint Commission shall determine the procedures and the time limit for the performance of this task. The Commanders of the Forces of the two parties shall communicate to each other all information in their possession as to the place of burial of military personnel of the other party. Article 24 The present Agreement shall apply to all the armed forces of either party.

The armed forces of each party shall respect the demilitarized zone and the territory under the military control of the other party, and shall commit no act and undertake no operation against the other party and shall not engage in blockade of any kind in Viet-Nam. For the purposes of the present Article, the word "territory" includes territorial waters and air space. Article 25 The Commanders of the Forces of the two parties shall afford full protection and all possible assistance and co-operation to the Joint Commission and its joint groups and to the international Commission and its inspection teams in the performance of the functions and tasks assigned to them by the present Agreement. Article 26 The costs involved in the operations of the Joint Commission and joint groups and of the International Commission and its inspection Teams shall be shared equally between the two parties. Article 27 The signatories of the present Agreement and their successors in their functions shall be responsible for ensuring and observance and enforcement of the terms and provisions thereof. The Commanders of the Forces of the two parties shall, within their respective commands, take all steps and make all arrangements necessary to ensure full compliance with all the provisions of the present Agreement by all elements and military personnel under their command.

The procedures laid down in the present Agreement shall, whenever necessary, he studied by the Commanders of the two parties and, if necessary, defined more specifically by the Joint Commission. CHAPTER VI--JOINT COMMISSION AND INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SUPERVISION AND CONTROL IN VIET-NAM 28. Responsibility for the execution of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities shall rest with the parties. 29. An International Commission shall ensure the control and supervision of this execution. 30. In order to facilitate, under the conditions shown below, the execution of provisions concerning joint actions by the two parties, a Joint Commission shall be set up in Viet-Nam. 31. The Joint Commission shall be composed of an equal number of representatives of the Commanders of the two parties. 32. The Presidents of the delegations to the Joint Commission shall hold the rank of General. The Joint Commission shall set up joint groups the number of which shall be determined by mutual agreement between the parties. The groups shall be composed of an equal number of officers from both parties. Their location on the demarcation line between the regrouping zones shall he determined by the parties whilst taking into account the powers of the Joint Commission. 33.

The Joint Commission shall ensure the execution of the following provisions of the Agreement on the cessation of hostilities: (a) A simultaneous and general cease-tire in Viet-Nam for all regular and irregular armed forces of the two parties. (b) A re-groupment of the armed forces of the two parties. (c) Observance of the demarcation lines between the regrouping zones and of the demilitarized sectors. Within the limits of its competence it shall help the parties to execute the said provisions, shall ensure liaison between them for the purpose of preparing and carrying out plans for the application of these provisions, and shall endeavor to solve such disputed questions as may arise between the parties in the course of executing these provisions. 34. An International Commission shall be set up for the control and supervision over the application of the provisions of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Viet-Nam. It shall be composed of representatives of the following States: Canada, India and Poland. It shall be presided over by the Representative of India. 35. The International Commission shall set up fixed and mobile inspection teams, composed of an equal number of officers appointed by each of the above-mentioned States.

The fixed teams shall be located at the following points: Laokay, Langson, Tien-Yen, Haiphong, Vinh, Dong-Hoi, Muong-Sen, Tourane, Quinhon, Nhatrang, Bangoi, Saigon, Cap St. Jacques, Tranchau. These points of location may, at a later date, he altered at the request of the Joint Commission, or of one of the parties, or of the International Commission itself, by agreement between the International Commission and the command of the party concerned. The zones of action of the mobile teams shall be the regions bordering the land and sea frontiers of Viet-Nam, the demarcation lines between the re-grouping zones and the demilitarized zones. Within the limits of these zones they shall have the right to move freely and shall receive from the local civil and military authorities all facilities they may require for the fulfilment of their tasks (provision of personnel, placing at their disposal documents needed for supervision, summoning witnesses necessary for holding enquiries, ensuring the security and freedom of movement of the inspection teams etc. . .). They shall have at their disposal such modern means of transport, observation and communication as they may require.

Beyond the zones of action as defined above, the mobile teams may, by agreement with the command of the party concerned, carry out other movements within the limits of the tasks given them by the present agreement. 36. The International Commission shall be responsible for supervising the proper execution by the parties of the provisions of the agreement. For this purpose it shall fulfill the tasks of control, observation, inspection and investigation connected with the application of the provisions of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities, and it shall in particular: (a) Control the movement of the armed forces of the two parties, effected within the framework of the regroupment plan. (b) Supervise the demarcation lines between the re-grouping areas, and also the demilitarized zones. (c) Control the operations of releasing prisoners of war and civilian internees. (d) Supervise at ports and airfields as well as along all frontiers of Viet-Nam the execution of the provisions of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities, regulating the introduction into the country of armed forces, military personnel and of all kinds of arms, munitions and war material. 37.

The International Commission shall, through the medium of the inspection teams mentioned above, and as soon as possible either on its own initiative, or at the request of the Joint Commission, or of one the parties, undertake the necessary investigations both documentary and on the ground. 38. The inspection teams shall submit to the International Commission the results of their supervision, their investigation and their observations, furthermore they shall draw up such special reports as they may consider necessary or as may be requested from them by the Commission. In the case of a disagreement within the teams, the conclusions of each member shall be submitted to the Commission. 39. If any one inspection team is unable to settle an incident or considers that there is a violation or a threat of a serious violation the international Commission shall be informed; the latter shall study the reports and the conclusions of the inspection teams and shall inform the parties of the measures which should be taken for the settlement of the incident, ending of the violation or removal of the threat of violation. 40. When the Joint Commission is unable to reach an agreement on the interpretation to be given to some provision or on the appraisal of a fact, the International Commission shall be informed of the disputed question.

Its recommendations shall be sent directly to the parties and shall be notified to the Joint Commission. 41. The recommendations of the International Commission shall be adopted by majority vote, subject to the provisions contained in article 42. If the votes are divided the chairman's vote shall be decisive. The International Commission may formulate recommendations concerning amendments and additions which should he made to the provisions of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Viet-Nam, in order to ensure a more effective execution of that agreement. These recommendations shall be adopted unanimously. 42. When dealing with questions concerning violations, or threats of violations, which might lead to a resumption of hostilities, namely: (a) Refusal by the armed forces of one party to effect the movements provided for in the regroupment plan; (b) Violation by the armed forces of one of the parties of the regrouping zones, territorial waters, or air space of the other party; the decisions of the International Commission must be unanimous. 43. If one of the parties refuses to put into effect a recommendation of the International Commission, the parties concerned or the Commission itself shall inform the members of the Geneva Conference.

If the International Commission does not reach reach unanimity in the cases provided for in article 42, it shall submit a majority report and one or more minority reports to the members of the Conference. The International Commission shall inform the members of the Conference in all cases where its activity is being hindered. 44. The International Commission shall be set up at the time of the cessation of hostilities in Indo-China in order that it should lie able to fulfill the the tasks provided for in article 36. 45. The International Commission for Supervision and Control in Viet-Nam shall act in close co-operation with the International Commissions for Supervision and Control in Cambodia and Laos. The Secretaries-General of these three Commissions shall be responsible for co-ordinating their work and for relations between them. 46. The International Commission for Supervision and Control in Viet-Nam may, after consultation with the International Commissions for Supervision and Control in Cambodia and Laos, and having regard to the development of the situation in Cambodia and Laos, progressively reduce its activities. Such a decision must be adopted unanimously. 47.

All the provisions of the present Agreement, save the second sub-paragraph of Article 11, shall enter into force at 2400 hours (Geneva time) on 22 July 1954. Done in Geneva at 2400 hours on the 20th of July 1954 in French and in Viet-Namese, both texts being equally authentic. For the Commander-in-Chief of the French Union Forces in Indo-China Brigadier-General DELTEII. For the Commander-in-Chief of the People's Army of Viet-Nam TA-QUANG BUU, Indo-China Vice-Minister of National Defence of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam Source: U.S. Congress, Senate, Committee on Foreign Relations, 90th Congress, 1st Session, Background Information Relating to Southeast Asia and Vietnam (3d Revised Edition) (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, July 1967), pp.

50-62 hum3bg - 1954_Vietnam Split at the 17th Parallel hum3bg Vietnam Splits at the 17th Parallel Shows where the 17th parallel is, dividing Vietnam in two. The North being communist, the South Anti-Communist. Division in Vietnam: During the time of the Vietnam War there was conflict between South Vietnam (allied with the U.S) and North Vietnam. South Vietnam fought to prevent being united with the communist leadership of North Vietnam. The Agreement: In the early 1950’s the United States became involved with what was going on in Vietnam. Vietnam had been in the middle of a civil war, between the Vietnamese communists, the Vietnamese nationalists, and the French. The war ended after the French military disaster in 1954 and after the conference in Geneva. At this conference the French signed a cease-fire agreement. An agreement was also made to split Vietnam at the 17th parallel and forbid foreign troops. This agreement, that separated the two sides until free elections were held(in 1956), was called the Geneva Accords. The U.S.

refused to sign the Geneva Accords, continuing to be the primary supporter of the anti-communist efforts in South Vietnam. Connection: This connects to the Cold War because the whole war was about democratic countries fighting communist countries. Vietnam's Independence Video "Vietnam War." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 08 Apr. 2011. < __** >. Trân Thi, Liên. "The Catholic Question in North Vietnam: From Polish Sources, 1954–56." Cold War History 5.4 (2005): 427. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 4 Apr. 2011. BBC ON THIS DAY | 21 | 1954: Peace deal ends Indo-China war About This Site | Text Only 1954: Peace deal ends Indo-China war The major world powers have reached agreement on the terms for a ceasefire in Indo-China, ending nearly eight years of war. The war began in 1946 between nationalist forces of the Communist Viet Minh under leader Ho Chi Minh and France, the occupying colonial power.

But there is no lasting agreement on peace in Korea, the main subject of the talks in Geneva, Switzerland between France, Britain, the USA, the USSR, China and countries of Indo-China. The news of a ceasefire has come as a great relief in Europe and the United States. The newly appointed French Prime Minister, Pierre Mendes-France, had set a deadline for an agreement that was finally signed in the early hours of this morning. This afternoon he told the French Parliament he had achieved his aim of "an honourable settlement" to end a war that has cost at least 300,000 lives. However, there is concern that the terms of the Geneva Accord concede too much to the Viet Minh - not least in the United States which gave $385m to equip the Vietnamese Army. President Dwight D Eisenhower said in a statement from Washington the agreement contained elements which he did not like - such as the division of Vietnam between north and south - and a great deal depended on how they worked in practice. Senate leaders from both parties went one step further and expressed their alarm at what is widely regarded as a victory for Communism.

"We may regret that such an agreement has been forced upon the French," said Senator William Knowland, Republican and Senate Majority Leader. The conference was the first international meeting at which the Communist government of China took part. The main provisions of the Geneva Accord are: Vietnam will be divided between north and south along the 17th parallel a Communist government under Viet Minh leader Ho Chi Minh will control the north and a nationalist one in the south under Emperor Bao Dai and prime minister Ngo Dinh Diem ; the capitals will be Hanoi in the north and Saigon in the south; elections will be held in 1956 with the aim of creating a unified government; prisoners of war will be released on both sides; French forces will withdraw from the north and the Viet Minh from the south; the Communists will recognise Laos and Cambodia as independent countries and agree to the withdrawal of their forces from both. In Saigon, Supreme French Commander General Paul-Henri-Romuald Ely promised the Vietnamese Army that "in peace, as in war, we will remain at your sides". In a message to the Vietnamese people he said France would pay for transportation of all those who wanted to leave Communist-controlled Vietnam.

Since the Geneva conference opened on 26 April the French have suffered major defeats at the hands of the Viet Minh, the last and most humiliating being the fall of Dien Bien Phu on 7 May after a 55-day siege. It signalled the end of French rule in Indo-China. Last month France began a major retreat giving up the south zone of Tonkin's Red River delta leaving behind 2.5 million people and a fertile rice-growing region. Geneva Conference begins - Apr 26, 1954 - HISTORY.com Geneva Conference begins Publisher A+E Networks In an effort to resolve several problems in Asia, including the war between the French and Vietnamese nationalists in Indochina, representatives from the world’s powers meet in Geneva. The conference marked a turning point in the United States’ involvement in Vietnam. Representatives from the United States, the Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China, France, and Great Britain came together in April 1954 to try to resolve several problems related to Asia. One of the most troubling concerns was the long and bloody battle between Vietnamese nationalist forces, under the leadership of the communist Ho Chi Minh, and the French, who were intent on continuing colonial control over Vietnam.

Since 1946 the two sides had been hammering away at each other. By 1954, however, the French were tiring of the long and inclusive war that was draining both the national treasury and public patience. The United States had been supporting the French out of concern that a victory for Ho’s forces would be the first step in communist expansion throughout Southeast Asia. When America refused France’s requests for more direct intervention in the war, the French announced that they were including the Vietnam question in the agenda for the Geneva Conference. Discussions on the Vietnam issue started at the conference just as France suffered its worst military defeat of the war, when Vietnamese forces captured the French base at Dien Bien Phu. In July 1954, the Geneva Agreements were signed. As part of the agreement, the French agreed to withdraw their troops from northern Vietnam. Vietnam would be temporarily divided at the 17th parallel, pending elections within two years to choose a president and reunite the country. During that two-year period, no foreign troops could enter Vietnam. Ho reluctantly signed off on the agreement though he believed that it cheated him out of the spoils of his victory.

The non-communist puppet government set up by the French in southern Vietnam refused to sign, but without French support this was of little concern at the time. The United States also refused to sign, but did commit itself to abide by the agreement. Privately, U.S. officials felt that the Geneva Agreements, if allowed to be put into action, were a disaster. They were convinced that national elections in Vietnam would result in an overwhelming victory for Ho, the man who had defeated the French colonialists. The U.S. government scrambled to develop a policy that would, at the least, save southern Vietnam from the communists. Within a year, the United States had helped establish a new anti-communist government in South Vietnam and began giving it financial and military assistance, the first fateful steps toward even greater U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Related Videos The Geneva Accords of 1954 The Geneva Accords of 1954 Delegates to the 1954 Geneva conference In April 1954 diplomats from several nations - including the United States, the Soviet Union, China, France and Great Britain - attended a conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Geneva gathering was convened to discuss two Cold War hotspots, Berlin and Korea - but by the time it began the Viet Minh had overrun the French base at Dien Bien Phu , forcing Vietnam onto the agenda. By the start of May, Paris had announced its intention to withdraw from Indochina and dismantle the colonial administration there. The French withdrawal would leave Vietnam without an established national government, placing it at risk of a communist takeover. The Geneva conference was given the unenviable task of arranging for Vietnam's reunification and self government. The conference produced a set of resolutions known as the Geneva Accords, a road map for Vietnam's transition to independence. The Accords were not supported by major players, however, so had little chance of success. The delegates at Geneva noted similarities between Vietnam and post-war Korea, a country also left divided after World War II. Until 1945 Korea had been occupied by the Japanese. After their withdrawal, the Korean peninsula was divided at the 38th parallel. This division was intended to be temporary, however the region soon firmed into two separate states: communist-controlled North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union and China; and South Korea, backed by the United States and its Western allies.

The rulers of both states thought themselves the rightful rulers of the entire peninsula. In 1950 North Korean troops launched an invasion of the South, triggering an international response. A United Nations military coalition led by the United States intervened to prevent South Korea from being overrun. A ceasefire ended the Korean War in July 1953 with the peninsula still divided. US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles (right) with President Eisenhower The Geneva conference adopted a similar approach in Vietnam. Vietnamese territory would be divided temporarily into north and south, then given a road map to free elections, self government, reunification and independence. But the plan hatched at Geneva was undermined and sabotaged by a lack of support. American delegates attended the Geneva summit but scarcely participated. US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, a vehement anti-communist, refused to recognise, shake hands with or speak directly to Chinese or Viet Minh delegates. There was also division and disagreement in the communist bloc. Both China and the Soviet Union, for their own strategic reasons, refused to back the Viet Minh claim to govern all of Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh's chief negotiator, Pham Van Dong , chose not to align too closely with Moscow or Beijing, preferring that North Vietnam remain in charge of its own destiny. British delegate Sir Anthony Eden later remarked that he had "never known a conference of this kind... the parties would not make direct contact and we were in constant danger of one or another backing out the door". The Geneva conference took until July 21st before it produced a formal agreement. Among the terms of the Geneva Accords were the following: Vietnam would become an independent nation, formally ending 75 years of French colonialism. The former French colonies Cambodia and Laos would also given their independence. Vietnam would be temporarily divided for a period of two years. The temporary border was fixed at the line of latitude 17 degrees north of the equator, also known as the 17th parallel. The border was intended to "settle military questions with a view to ending hostilities ... the military demarcation line is provisional and should not in any way be interpreted as constituting a political or territorial boundary". Nationwide elections were scheduled for July 1956. They would be conducted under international supervision.

The election result would determine the political system and government in the newly independent Vietnam. During the two year transition period, military personnel were instructed to return to their place of origin: Viet Minh soldiers and guerrillas to North Vietnam, French and pro-French troops to South Vietnam. Vietnamese civilians were free to relocate to either North or South Vietnam. During the transition period both North and South Vietnam agreed not to form any foreign military alliances or authorise the construction of foreign military bases. A 1954 cartoon critical of US and French policies in Vietnam On the surface, the Geneva Accords appeared a sensible solution to a difficult problem. The Accords generated some optimistic press coverage and hope that Vietnam could be stabilised and eased into independence. In reality, the Accords were almost certainly doomed to fail. They were hastily drafted and rushed into existence barely two months after the fall of Dien Bien Phu. The Geneva conference was an acrimonious affair, undermined by Cold War tensions and mistrust. The Accords were not negotiated in good faith: many stakeholders either refused to sign or signed under pressure. Both South Vietnam and its main benefactor, the United States, "acknowledged" the Accords but refused to sign them or commit to honouring their terms.

The Viet Minh delegates did not wish to sign: they sceptical about the scheduled 1956 elections and reluctant to agree to the 17th parallel border, which would mean surrendering territory to the South. In the end the Viet Minh representatives signed on the instructions of Ho Chi Minh, who was himself under pressure from the Soviet Union and China. "That the end envisioned by the 1954 accords (peace) proved elusive was not due to the means by which peace was to be attained. The fatal defect was to be found in the fact that the accords were not confirmed or assented to by all of the parties to the conflict. The US and the South are not bound by the accords, since they not only refused to sign... or endorse orally the declaration, but also stated affirmatively their opposition." Roger H. Hull, US lawyer The Geneva Accords also provided a 300 day grace period, so that civilians could relocate to North or South Vietnam. The United States began providing assistance to those Vietnamese who wanted to move south. A joint US-French naval task force was assembled near Haiphong harbour, while US personnel and aid workers organised refugee camps, food and medical supplies in South Vietnam.

This process - pointedly titled Operation Passage to Freedom - was part humanitarian mission, part propaganda ploy. American politicians described it as the generous act of a benevolent superpower, fulfilling its moral obligation to help freedom loving people. Approximately 660,000 Vietnamese chose to relocate from North Vietnam to the South; almost half of them did so aboard American ships. Many southbound refugees were frightened by rumours that the North intended to slaughter Catholics. Around 140,000 Vietnamese also moved in the opposite direction, south to north, with little or no assistance. 1. The Geneva Accords refer to series of agreements pertaining to the future of Vietnam. They were produced during multilateral discussions in Geneva between March and July 1954. 2. The discussions at Geneva were marred by Cold War paranoia and mistrust. Delegates from some nations refused to negotiate directly, while the United States and South Vietnam refused to sign the Accords. 3. 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. 4.

Both soldiers and militia from North and South Vietnam were instructed to return to their place of origin, while Vietnamese civilians were free to relocate to the north or south. 5. In 1954-55 the United States launched Operation Passage to Freedom to assist Vietnamese civilians with relocating from north to south. It was part humanitarian mission, part propaganda exercise. © Alpha History 2016. Content on this page may not be republished or distributed without permission. For more information please refer to our Terms of Use . This page was written by Jennifer Llewellyn, Jim Southey and Steve Thompson. To reference this page, use the following citation: J.

Llewellyn et al, "The Geneva Accords of 1954", Alpha History, accessed [today's date], Geneva Accords | history of Indochina | Britannica.com history of Indochina United Kingdom Geneva Accords, collection of documents relating to Indochina and issuing from the Geneva Conference of April 26–July 21, 1954, attended by representatives of Cambodia , the People’s Republic of China , France , Laos , the United Kingdom , the United States , the Soviet Union , the Viet Minh (i.e., the North Vietnamese ), and the State of Vietnam (i.e., the South Vietnamese). The 10 documents—none of which were treaties binding the participants—consisted of 3 military agreements, 6 unilateral declarations, and a Final Declaration of the Geneva Conference (July 21, 1954). Following intensive negotiations, beginning on May 8, 1954, the day after the fall of the French garrison at Dien Bien Phu, agreements were finally signed on July 21 between the French and Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian representatives.

The principal provisions were for a cease-fire line along the 17th parallel (effectively dividing Vietnam in two); 300 days for each side to withdraw its troops to its side of the line; and communist troops and guerrillas to evacuate Laos and Cambodia , where free elections would be held in 1955 and where French troops could be stationed if the Laotian or Cambodian governments should so request. It was stipulated explicitly that the partition line “should not in any way be interpreted as constituting a political or territorial boundary.” Execution of the agreements was to be supervised by a commission of representatives from India, Poland, and Canada. A provision that was known as the Final Declaration stipulated that all-Vietnamese elections were to be held under the supervision of the committee before July 1956 to reunify the country. This was a matter of great importance in inducing the Viet Minh to accept the temporary regrouping of its forces in the northern half of the country, because on the eve of the conference it controlled three-quarters of Vietnam. Most of the nine participating countries pledged themselves to guarantee the agreements, but the United States made it clear that it was not bound by them.

The South Vietnamese also withheld approval, and the Final Declaration was left unsigned by all parties. The U.S. government undertook to build a separate anticommunist state in South Vietnam and in 1956 supported South Vietnam’s refusal to hold nationwide elections in consultation with North Vietnam. Learn More in these related articles: Vietnam The Beginning of the War In 1954, Vietnam was divided by a Geneva agreement which split the country at the 17th parallel. The settlement further stipulated that free elections were to be held in 1956 which would unify the country. However, Premier Ngo Dinh Diem cancelled the elections and brought order to South Vietnam with strong United States backing. Vietnam had been known as French Indo-China for a hundred years. Wile the Indo-Chinese had sought freedom, they had continued to be dominated by French Forces. In 1940 the countrywas overrun by the Japanese who then occupied it. The first American involvement came in 1945 when a United States military officer was sent as a representative of the Allies, fighting in WWII, to establish contract with Indo-Chinese leaders to harass the Japanese and find escape routes for Allied pilots who had been shot down in the area.

Th eFrench continued control over Indo-China at the end of WWII. However, a communist Vietnamese resurgent group, the Viet Minh led by Ho Chi Minh, staged an uprising and declared independence in 1945. War broke out between Ho Chi Minh's government and the French. The fighting lasted until 1954 when the Geneva agreement that was reached. The Diem government that was in place was challenged by Ho's guerilla group, The Viet Cong, in 1957. North Vietnam gained support of communist China and the Soviet Union. The South Vietnamese government was aided by the United States. The administration of president Dwight D. Eisenhower sent money, arms, and military advisors to aid the South Vietnamese. This aid was part of Eisenhower's program to contain the spread of communism in the world. Eisenhower feared that if South Vietnam fell to communism soon the rest of Southeast Asia would follow; in other words, there would be a domino effect. In 1961, the U.S. government, under president John F. Kennedy, continued the aid that Eisenhower had begun. More military advisors were sent.

In 1962, the first group of special forces, commonly called the Green Berets, were sent. In 1963, President Diem was assassinated. Fighting continued but the government was in turmoil. What was the first American contact with the Vietnamese government? Who controlled Indo-China from 1940-1945? Who took control of Indo-China after World War II? Who led the Vietnamese uprising against the established government? What U.S. president sent aid th South Vietnam in the late 1950s? why? Who led the South Vietnamese in the late 1950s?

Question: Which country was divided at the 17th parallel by an agreement made in 1954 in Geneva?
Answer: Vietnam