The Ultimate Pie-Eating Contest

   Pie eating contests are an American-classic. The idea is simply whoever eats the most pie will achieve the pride to rule as a supreme pie eating king and receive the monetary prize. Likewise, these contests can also relate to the colonization periods of both colonialism and imperialism. A small, unknown country is “eaten” by a country looking to prove its “championship” nationalism compared to other countries as well as improve its economic profit. Similar trends in motives lead to analogues treatment of the seized country, and that eventually leads to comparable fights for independence that can be seen from all colonizing and colonized countries.

    Many of the colonizing countries circled around the same general motives to colonize countries, mostly focusing on trade profit and nationalism. During a time where nationalism reigned supreme, everyone wanted to grab the greatest and best countries to colonize not only for its economic profit, but also to stay in the race for global power. Nearly all of the colonizing countries conquered for the main purpose to fulfill a national pride; nobody wanted to be left behind in the race to global power. Therefore, they had spread out and conquered just as many other colonies as other countries to stay in power. In the Philippines, the Spanish conquered the area for its spice trade, just as the British conquered Jamaica for its abundance in cash crops. Nearly all of the African colonies, from Rwanda to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, were colonized during Europe’s “Scramble for Africa,” where everyone wanted a piece of African “pie,” both for its raw materials and prime trading resources. The motives of economic profit and national pride spurred countries to colonize in different areas.

   Due to the motives of the colonizing countries, all conquering countries would take advantage of their colonies as best as possible, meaning that many of the colonized countries were not treated well by their conquistadors. Jamaicans was mainly used for a labor force to harvest cash crops such as sugar, indigo, and cacao to the Spanish economy; similarly, under French rule, Haitians were exploited to clear forests for more plantations and had to endure long workdays, with many dying from starvation, poor nutrition, and overwork. Halfway across the world, Indians were not only traded for slaves, but they also had to suffer through a poor economy and severe unemployment created by the British textile mills. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, King Leopold II cut off the hands of men who refused to work for his rubber harvest under hard hours and poor conditions. With powerful motives fueling all possible exploitations, the colonized countries were put under harsh conditions and unfair laws.

   Since many of the colonized countries were ruled with an iron fist, the conquered peoples would fight for the independence. Under harsh labor laws, such as those in Jamaica and Haiti, and unfair exploitation of trade, such as India, people would stand up against authority to attain what was rightfully theirs: freedom. All around the world, the colonized people would stage rebellions, revolts, protests, and demonstrations, such as the Second Afghan War that would help Afghanistan achieve its independence from Britain or the bloodshed during the Vietnam War that eventually gained Vietnam its independence from France.  Sometimes, independence was achieved in peaceful ways, such as Ghandi’s peace movements helped influence Britain to grant India its independence. More often than not, however, many of the suppressed countries had accomplished in complete independence through more violent movements.

   All across the world, strong conquering countries, whether it was England, France, or Spain, had comparable motives for expansion, treatment of the subjugated countries, and the fight to control the oppressed countries. It is no coincidence either; the reason that all conquering countries behaved similarly was because that was a massive flow chart. Similar motives flowed into parallel treatments of defeated countries which sparked many of identical fights for independence. From Latin America to Europe to Asia, the parallels in motivations, treatment, and fights can be found due to the fact that it all stemmed from the same main motivation: to eat the most pie.

Reunification & Independence

Part III: The Aftermath

Recap: Saigon falls into the hands of the North Vietnam Army (NVA) and the country is finally reunified.

The unification of the two Vietnams resulted in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, with a capital at Hanoi, which was officially proclaimed on July 2, 1976. But even though the two sides had reconciled, the country of Vietnam still had tons of problems after the war. Both sides suffered many fatalities in addition to the destruction of the country’s natural environment. While Vietnam had a long recovery path ahead of them due to foreign affair & economic issues, the country had finally reunified and attained its official independence after a long struggle. [C] 

Vietnam War: Part II

Part II: The War

When America goes to war with Northern Vietnam alongside South Vietnam, it wanted to fight a limited war due to the fact that the U.S. thought victory was guaranteed. What America did not anticipate was the passion and the pure want for independence that the North Vietnam communists had for their country. The conflict ended up lasting for 7 years, from 1965-1973.

Timeline [H]:

Time	Event
1964	The Gulf of Tonkin resolution is passed by Congress
1965	Operation “Rolling Thunder,” or sustained American bombing raids of North Vietnam, is deployed.
	The first Marines are stationed at Danang.
	Ia Drang Valley – the first conventional battle of the Vietnam War
1966	B-52s are first used to bomb Northern Vietnam
	South Vietnam takes Hue and Danang
1967	Operation Cedar Fall launches: Large number of troops are sent out to destroy a system of weapons that supply the Vietcong, the massive system of tunnels called the “Iron Triangle”
1968	North Vietnam begins Tet Offensive, considered the turning point in the war, where an onslaught of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong take over major cities of South Vietnam, including its capital, Saigon. While Communists suffered heavy losses, it was still considered a psychological victory for them.
	The Battle for Hue: 26 days as South Vietnam tries to re-attain areas lost during the Tet Offensive. The city Hue is left to the dust.
March 16	My Lai Massacre: American soldiers enter the village of My Lai and start killing
	Peace talks are scheduled to be held in Paris, May 10
1969	Nixon allows secret bombing of the Operation “Breakfast”, which targeted the supply routes and base camps in Cambodia
	Laird announces the process of “Vietnamization,” where the U.S. would slowly leave the war and leave the fighting between the two Vietnams
1972	B-52s bomb Hanoi and Haiphong
1973	Cease fire is signed by countries
1975	Hue falls to the Communists
	Communists target Saigon
April 30	U.S. troops pull out as Saigon falls to the Communists
	Saigon is renamed Ho Chi Minh City
July 2, 1976	Pham Vat Dong is named prime minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Road to Independence: The Second Indochina War (or more commonly known as the Vietnam War)

Due to the sheer amount of the information on the Vietnam War, the blog posts will be split up into three different sections (it's easier to read than one ginormous block of text).

Part I: Reasons

   In May 1950, President Truman sent aid to the French in Vietnam, who were fighting to control their colony by pledging $15 million, securing U.S. as an ally to the French, and later, supporting South Vietnam. He claimed that he was preventing communist spread, which would affect U.S. economic, political, and military interests. [E] The spread of communism also “scorned democracy, violated human rights, pursued military aggression, and created closed state economies.” [G] Later, President Lyndon B. Johnson secured the U.S commitment to the Vietnam War.  In 1964, Vietnamese torpedoes bombed the U.S. ship Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin. [E] Congress later approved Johnson’s Gulf of Tonkin resolution, who allowed the U.S. to start bombing North Vietnam. In February 1965, the U.S. beings the relentless bombing of North Vietnam, and a month later, 3,500 Marines are stationed to South Vietnam. “Legal declaration or no, the United States was now at war.” [E] Once it was started, the momentum of the war could not be stopped to back out.

A Closer Look: Viet Cong

Full: Viet Nam Cong San

English: Vietnamese Communists

First used by President Diem in order to scorn the insurgents, the guerrilla force known as Viet Cong that fought against South Vietnam and the United States.  Belonging to the National Liberation Front, the Viet Cong became the “military arm” of the organization, which was a collection of groups that opposed Diem’s presidency. The goal of the organizations was to overthrow the Southern government and reunify Vietnam. They later joined with the Viet Minh, combining elements from both organizations. Majority of the organization was recruited to Southern Vietnam after North Vietnam had penetrated into its southern half.  While the Viet Cong suffered major losses during the Tet Offensive of 1968, as Britannica Online describes them, “the Viet Cong fought essentially a guerrilla war of ambush, terrorism, and sabotage.” [J]

Viet Cong flag: Click for more info!

The Geneva Conference (1954)

In April and July 1954, the French and the Viet Minh representatives signed the Geneva Accords. It called for the separation of Vietnam at the latitude 17^oN (also known as the 17^th parallel). North Vietnam was occupied by communists, headed by Ho Chi Minh, while South Vietnam was occupied by the nationalists, headed by Ngo Dinh Diem. An international coalition was brought together to execute the agreement. Neither Bao Dai, the Vietnamese emperor at the time, nor the United States recognized the agreement. [C]

Vietnamese were given one year to move from one side to the other. Ho Chi Minh had promised a Final Declaration (general election) to help re-unify the country. The elections were never held, however, due to the fear of the victory of communists. Presidents in the U.S. were afraid that if communists won the election, a “domino effect” or a contagious disease would occur and all surrounding areas would also turn communist. [E]

Road to Independence: The First Indochina War

   In March 1946, negotiations started between the French and the Viet Minh (headed by Ho Chi Minh) for Vietnamese political leeway. France was to recognize the Viet Minh government, give Vietnam “the status of a free state within the French Union,” and have French troops slowly fade out of Vietnam over the period of five years. While the French cooperated in the beginning, the plans fell out because it was difficult to please both sides of the agreement. France wanted to reestablish colonial rule while the Vietnamese wanted complete independence. [C]

The French public had strongly been against the war [E]:

1.       Resulted in loss of French soldier lives

2.       France was trying to rebuild her economy after World War II

3.       There was no justification for France in Vietnam in the first place

Timeline [C]:

Time	Event
1945	Ho Chi Minh declared national independence
November 1946	the French navy bombarded Haiphong, killing around 6,000 civilians, marking the beginning of the First Indochina War.
December 1946	the French demanded Vietnamese to hand over power and authority [F]
	The Vietnamese responded by attacking French installations around Hanoi [F]
May 1954	The final battle of Dien Bien Phu ended in Vietnamese victory

Profile: Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969)

    Born as Nguyen Tat Thanh, Ho Chi Minh became one of the most influential people that was a part of Vietnam’s road to independence. Ho had originally travelled to many different places in life, working in places from England to the Soviet Union, strongly influenced by the communism in different areas. [F] He joined the Communist Part of France in 1920, then returned to Vietnam and founded the Vietnamese Communist Party in 1930 (later known as the Indochinese Community Party, or ICP). Modeled after the Chinese revolutionist party, Kuomintang, the ICP rallied up troops from adjacent revolutionary parties (such as the Vietnamese Nationalist Party) and created giant uprisings among the near-starvation peasants. The rebellions killed many Vietnamese officials. It took the French until the spring of 1931 to contain rebellions. The ICP, however, was not deterred, and quickly recovered from the small setback. With Allies in the Soviet Union and China, it successfully exploited all opportunities when the French extended some political freedom. Ho was then thrown in jail during the period and he made his way back to the Soviet Union after his release in 1933. After the Japanese occupied Vietnam, Ho came back to expel the foreigners. Reigniting contact with ICP leaders, Ho also founded the League of Independence of Vietnam, also known as the Vietminh. Ho was appointed president of North Vietnam when the country split in 1954. Ho was eventually reduced to a ceremonial role due to his poor health. Ho Chi Minh died in 1969 due to heart failure. The Communist forces took Saigon and renamed it Ho Chi Minh City in honor of the man who stood for Vietnam’s struggle for independence. [J]  

Leader of the People: Ho Chi Minh fought for the independece of Vietnam

Vietnamese life under French rule

If there was any economic progress for Vietnam during colonial times, it was only for the French. Vietnamese peasants suffered:

·         From no access to rice, a major part of the Vietnamese food source. While rice cultivation skyrocketed from 1880 – 1930, the exportation of the rice for economic profit decreased the peasants’ consumption of rice. [C]

·         From being landless. New lands were not given to landless or peasants, but rather for the highest bidder, installing a landlord/tenant relationship between the wealthy and the poor. Peasants who did own land normally had to constantly pay off loans and debts, and ended up losing land to larger owners in the end. This resulted in half of the Vietnamese population landless before World War II. [C]

·         From high taxes and harsh labor. The French imposed taxes to fund the many new public works, and the Vietnamese were recruited as laborers as well. There were no laws against the exploitation of labor, poor working conditions, low salaries, and the absence of health care. [E]

·         From illiteracy. In 1939, only 15% schoolchildren were receiving schooling. 80% of the population was illiterate. There was only one university, with less than 700 students, and a small amount of children attended lycees, or secondary schools. [C]

The French policy dramatically changed the way of Vietnamese life. Any rebellions were suppressed and punished; the people were converted from Buddhism to Catholicism and other French customs. There was an “absence of civil liberties for the native population” and an “exclusion of Vietnamese from modern sector of the economy, especially industry and trade.” Foreign hands controlled all trade exports; therefore, capitalism became the equivalent of foreign power in the eyes of the Vietnamese. [E] 

Colonial Experience

   The French established a Western administration over the new territories, opening up the colony to economic exploitation [C]. Paul Doumer, arriving in 1897, enforced French control and left the Vietnamese bureaucracy without much power. By the 1930’s, Vietnamese officials only held low positions of order. He took advantage of Vietnam, making sure everything done in the colony would benefit the French. He started many different public transportation works, such as railroads, highways, harbors, bridges, and canals; they furthered the French exploitation of the Vietnamese trade. Doumer also taxed the Vietnamese peasants to pay and to labor for the works. He directly exported all raw materials from Vietnam, such as rice, coal, rare minerals, and rubber. Local consumption of the products was little to none, and the “aim of all investments was not the systematic economic development of the colony but the attainment of immediate high returns for investors.” [D]  

Do-more: Paul Doumer was one of the early enoforcers of French administration in the early 20th century.