La Sale Guerre: the First Indochina War (1945-1955) (DRAKE HALL)
OSHR 6182The course provides a comprehensive analysis of the First Indochina War, a conflict famously dubbed La Sale Guerre (The Dirty War) by the French public. The class will trace the transition of French Indochina from a colonial imperial jewel to a fractured Cold War battleground. The class begins with an examination of the roots of Vietnamese nationalism, grounded in village life, ancestor worship, and the revolutionary symbolism of the I Ching. From there, learners will investigate the geopolitical shifts following World War II, including the Third Republic's attempts to reestablish a colonial presence; emerging geopolitical theories such as the domino theory; the rise of Ho Chi Minh; and the strategic turning point at Dien Bien Phu and the subsequent Geneva Accords, which partitioned the nation into two distinct Vietnams. Finally, the class will evaluate how this decade of conflict fundamentally reshaped the geopolitical landscape, setting the stage for subsequent American intervention and the Second Indochina War.
William Dewey, a Vietnam-era veteran, retired after a 40-year career in international banking and management consulting. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in history, and following his naval service, he earned a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Born in Chicago, William was raised in Colorado from the age of three. During his business career, he lived in seven countries. He is married with three daughters, all of whom joined him during his various overseas assignments. A Fort Collins resident, his interests include travel, sports, and international affairs. When possible, he participates actively in the lives of his six grandsons.
Notes
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Recommendations
Graham Greene, The Quiet American
Max Boot, The Road Not Taken
Bernard Fall, Street Without Joy
Frances Fitzgerald, Fire in the Lake
Frederik Logevall, Embers of War