What was important to note was that the elections were never held
because it was obvious to the US and to Pres. Eisenhower that Ho Chi
Minh who had led the fight to oust the French and was immensely popular
both in the North and South would easily defeat Diem who had been
installed by the French to rule the South and this was something that
the US with its post-war policy of containing communism would not accept.
Jeff Blankfort
Joe McDonald wrote:
> In July 1954 The Geneva Agreement was signed. French and Democratic Republic of Vietnam met at an international conference of Great Britain, United States, Soviet Union, and China plus State of Vietnam, Kingdom of Cambodia, Kingdom of Laos (called Three Associated States of Indochina). They agreed to divide Vietnam at the 17th parallel. Both side were to evacuate troops. Truce was declared.
>
> The people of Vietnam were given 300 days to decide whether to live in the North or the South. Now there is a hard decision to make! It split up families.
>
> Elections to be held in 1956 to reunify the country. They were never held.
>
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