70 Years of Geneva Agreement: A Milestone in Vietnam’s Quest for Independence
Signing the Geneva Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities in Vietnam seventy years ago, the struggle for national freedom and reunification of Vietnam underwent a turning point.
Reflecting the intellectual, artistic, and diplomatic influence of President Hồ Chí Minh, the 1954 Geneva Agreement ranks as a major turning point in Vietnam’s revolutionary diplomacy together with the 1946 Preliminary Agreement and the 1973 Paris Agreement. This event exemplifies the country’s “bamboo diplomacy,” a concept recognized by international experts.
From Điện Biên Phủ to Geneva
In late 1953, amidst significant shifts in the Indochinese battlefield, the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Hồ Chí Minh decided to advance the diplomatic front alongside the 1953-1954 Winter-Spring Offensive to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam and the broader Indochina region. Following the historic victory at Điện Biên Phủ on May 8, 1954, the Geneva Conference began to discuss Indochina’s peace restoration efforts.
The Geneva Agreement, signed on July 21, 1954, was the result of 75 days of intense debate that spanned 31 sessions. The Geneva Agreement was concluded on July 21, 1954, following 75 days of rigorous discussions that spanned 31 sessions. This accord, together with the Final Declaration on Restoring Peace in Indochina, recognised Vietnam’s independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. It also barred the deployment of military officers and personnel to Vietnam and established the temporary character of military borders, emphasising the need for future free general elections.
Following the successful Geneva Conference, President Hồ Chí Minh proclaimed on July 22, 1954, that “Vietnam’s diplomacy has achieved a great victory.” While the 1946 Preliminary Agreement only recognized Vietnam as a free state within the French Union, the Geneva Agreement marked the first time in history that Vietnam’s fundamental national rights were officially affirmed in an international treaty and recognized by countries at the Geneva Conference. This provided a critical political and legal foundation for continued efforts on political and diplomatic fronts to eventually liberate the South and reunite the country.
Together with the Điện Biên Phủ victory, the signing of the Geneva Agreement led to the successful conclusion of the Vietnamese people’s resistance against French colonial rule, ending nearly 100 years of colonialism in Vietnam. History records that the Agreement paved the way for a new strategic phase in Vietnam’s revolution, focusing on building socialism in the North and pursuing national and people’s democratic revolution in the South to achieve true national independence and reunification.
Flexible Yet Resolute Tactics in Negotiations
Phạm Văn Đồng presented an eight-point posture at the Geneva Conference asking France to acknowledge Laos and Cambodia’s sovereignty as well as Vietnam’s across all of its borders.
Handling the Indochina matter in line with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam’s stance, the Geneva Agreement guaranteed peace by respect for the three regional countries’ national unity, independence, and democracy.
Pierre Asselin, a History Professor at San Diego State University, commented on Vietnam’s negotiation tactics, noting President Hồ Chí Minh’s preparedness for both best and worst outcomes.
He praised the shrewd and sensible approach of Vietnamese diplomacy in Geneva, which strategically pursued national interests while making principled concessions. President Hồ Chí Minh had expressed a willingness to negotiate peace if the French government sincerely respected Vietnam’s true independence.
Reflecting on Vietnam’s diplomatic history, Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn highlighted that the Geneva Agreement, coupled with the Điện Biên Phủ victory, marked the end of colonial rule and paved the way for Vietnam’s new revolutionary phase. Inspired by these victories, underprivileged countries all around battled for freedom and independence, resulting in many Asian, African, and Latin American nations achieving their independence and supporting movements for peace, democracy, and social development. Showcasing the broad influence of Vietnam’s diplomatic achievements, 17 African nations gained their independence between 1954 and 1964, and by 1967 most of France’s former colonies had also been granted their freedom.
