Partition of Vietnam
The Partition of Vietnam refers to the establishment of the 17th parallel as the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone at the Geneva Conference on July 21, 1954. Vietnam was temporarily partitioned into northern and southern zones pending unification on the basis of internationally supervised free elections to be held in July 1956. The elections were never held. The south under Emperor Bảo Đại became the State of Vietnam, commonly known as South Vietnam. The Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the north, controlled by Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh since the August Revolution in 1945, became formally recognized in the international communities as a separate state.
Vietnam was re-united in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War. The Fall of Saigon to forces from the north on April 30 is commemorated as Reunification Day or 'Liberation Day' (Ngày Giải Phóng), now a public holiday in Vietnam.
See also
- First Indochina War which led to the Partition of Vietnam
- Background to the Vietnam War
- History of Vietnam
- Partitions of Poland
- Partition of India
- Partition of Ireland
- 1947 UN Partition Plan for Palestine
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