Episodes

Because the previous three episodes were focused on just Vietnam, it is now time to go west and catch up on the Second Indochina War in Laos. This episode covers the history of Laos from 1954 to 1962. The communists in Laos, the Pathet Lao, would have gotten nowhere without lots of help from the communists in Vietnam. As a result, the front man for the Pathet Lao, Prince Souphanouvong, spent much of his time in North Vietnam. This picture shows him with Ho Chi Minh. Just in case you're not famil...

Because the previous three episodes were focused on just Vietnam, it is now time to go west and catch up on the Second Indochina War in Laos. This episode covers the history of Laos from 1954 to 1962. The communists in Laos, the Pathet Lao, would have gotten nowhere without lots of help from the communists in Vietnam. As a result, the front man for the Pathet Lao, Prince Souphanouvong, spent much of his time in North Vietnam. This picture shows him with Ho Chi Minh. Just in case you're not famil...

For today's episode, the narrative on the war in Vietnam continues, covering events in 1962 and 1963. We will see the Americans increase their commitment, because they are no closer to winning than they were before. Nevertheless, the Viet Cong will win the first big battle of the war, at Ap Bac. And then we will see the downfall of the South Vietnamese government, after President Ngo Dinh Diem makes one mistake too many. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here f...

For today's episode, the narrative on the war in Vietnam continues, covering events in 1962 and 1963. We will see the Americans increase their commitment, because they are no closer to winning than they were before. Nevertheless, the Viet Cong will win the first big battle of the war, at Ap Bac. And then we will see the downfall of the South Vietnamese government, after President Ngo Dinh Diem makes one mistake too many. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here f...

For today's episode, the narrative on the war in Vietnam continues, covering events in 1962 and 1963. We will see the Americans increase their commitment, because they are no closer to winning than they were before. Nevertheless, the Viet Cong will win the first big battle of the war, at Ap Bac. And then we will see the downfall of the South Vietnamese government, after President Ngo Dinh Diem makes one mistake too many. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here f...

Today's episode covers Vietnam during the early years of the Second Indochina War, from 1957 to the end of 1961. We will see communist guerrillas and their partners stage attacks, with guns and bombs, mostly against South Vietnamese officials, but sometimes even Americans become targets. At the end of 1960, they will be organized to form the Viet Cong, a major player in the conflict from now on. We will also see the response of the South Vietnamese president, Ngo Dinh Diem; he enjoyed a string o...

Today's episode covers Vietnam during the early years of the Second Indochina War, from 1957 to the end of 1961. We will see communist guerrillas and their partners stage attacks, with guns and bombs, mostly against South Vietnamese officials, but sometimes even Americans become targets. At the end of 1960, they will be organized to form the Viet Cong, a major player in the conflict from now on. We will also see the response of the South Vietnamese president, Ngo Dinh Diem; he enjoyed a string o...

Today's episode covers Vietnam during the early years of the Second Indochina War, from 1957 to the end of 1961. We will see communist guerrillas and their partners stage attacks, with guns and bombs, mostly against South Vietnamese officials, but sometimes even Americans become targets. At the end of 1960, they will be organized to form the Viet Cong, a major player in the conflict from now on. We will also see the response of the South Vietnamese president, Ngo Dinh Diem; he enjoyed a string o...

Happy New Month, if you are listening on the day this episode was uploaded! Here the podcast narrative will begin covering the Second Indochina War, or as Americans call it, the Vietnam War. This is the table-setting episode for the conflict, describing Vietnam in the mid-1950s, the events that caused the war to begin, and the motivations for the United States to get involved. The main character in today's episode is Ngo Dinh Diem, the president of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1963. Here is his p...

Happy New Month, if you are listening on the day this episode was uploaded! Here the podcast narrative will begin covering the Second Indochina War, or as Americans call it, the Vietnam War. This is the table-setting episode for the conflict, describing Vietnam in the mid-1950s, the events that caused the war to begin, and the motivations for the United States to get involved. The main character in today's episode is Ngo Dinh Diem, the president of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1963. Here is his p...

Happy New Month, if you are listening on the day this episode was uploaded! Here the podcast narrative will begin covering the Second Indochina War, or as Americans call it, the Vietnam War. This is the table-setting episode for the conflict, describing Vietnam in the mid-1950s, the events that caused the war to begin, and the motivations for the United States to get involved. The main character in today's episode is Ngo Dinh Diem, the president of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1963. Here is his p...

Today is the first day of a new month, Canada's 152nd birthday, and the third anniversary of the podcast! So naturally we have a special episode for today. This time, instead of the usual historical narrative, we will meet the hill tribes of Vietnam and Laos, also called the Degar or Montagnards. There are 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam, and 160 in Laos, but most of the time we only hear from the dominant majorities, the Vietnamese and the Lao. Therefore this episode will give equal time to the oth...

Today is the first day of a new month, Canada's 152nd birthday, and the third anniversary of the podcast! So naturally we have a special episode for today. This time, instead of the usual historical narrative, we will meet the hill tribes of Vietnam and Laos, also called the Degar or Montagnards. There are 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam, and 160 in Laos, but most of the time we only hear from the dominant majorities, the Vietnamese and the Lao. Therefore this episode will give equal time to the oth...

Today is the first day of a new month, Canada's 152nd birthday, and the third anniversary of the podcast! So naturally we have a special episode for today. This time, instead of the usual historical narrative, we will meet the hill tribes of Vietnam and Laos, also called the Degar or Montagnards. There are 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam, and 160 in Laos, but most of the time we only hear from the dominant majorities, the Vietnamese and the Lao. Therefore this episode will give equal time to the oth...

Happy Father's Day, if you are in the United States! And on this day 71 years ago, the communist revolt called "The Malayan Emergency" began. Now with today's podcast episode, we finish our coverage of the early Cold War years by looking at the Malayan Emergency, and we will follow the path the Malay peninsula took to become independent. Hint: it was different from the rest of Southeast Asia, where nationalist movements developed many years earlier. Do you think you would like to become a podca...

Happy Father's Day, if you are in the United States! And on this day 71 years ago, the communist revolt called "The Malayan Emergency" began. Now with today's podcast episode, we finish our coverage of the early Cold War years by looking at the Malayan Emergency, and we will follow the path the Malay peninsula took to become independent. Hint: it was different from the rest of Southeast Asia, where nationalist movements developed many years earlier. Do you think you would like to become a podca...

Happy Father's Day, if you are in the United States! And on this day 71 years ago, the communist revolt called "The Malayan Emergency" began. Now with today's podcast episode, we finish our coverage of the early Cold War years by looking at the Malayan Emergency, and we will follow the path the Malay peninsula took to become independent. Hint: it was different from the rest of Southeast Asia, where nationalist movements developed many years earlier. Do you think you would like to become a podca...

Today we will wrap up the First Indochina War by covering the showdown which proved to the French that they couldn't stay in Vietnam anymore -- the battle of Dien Bien Phu! Over the course of the war, the French had seven generals commanding their forces. The last of those generals was Henri Navarre, who led from May 1953 to the end of the war in mid-1954. Here he is, from a Time Magazine cover dated December 28, 1953. His job was to stabilize the situation so that France could negotiate from a ...

Today we will wrap up the First Indochina War by covering the showdown which proved to the French that they couldn't stay in Vietnam anymore -- the battle of Dien Bien Phu! Over the course of the war, the French had seven generals commanding their forces. The last of those generals was Henri Navarre, who led from May 1953 to the end of the war in mid-1954. Here he is, from a Time Magazine cover dated December 28, 1953. His job was to stabilize the situation so that France could negotiate from a ...

Today we will wrap up the First Indochina War by covering the showdown which proved to the French that they couldn't stay in Vietnam anymore -- the battle of Dien Bien Phu! Over the course of the war, the French had seven generals commanding their forces. The last of those generals was Henri Navarre, who led from May 1953 to the end of the war in mid-1954. Here he is, from a Time Magazine cover dated December 28, 1953. His job was to stabilize the situation so that France could negotiate from a ...

For Part 4 in our series on the First Indochina War, this episode covers the events of 1952 and most of 1953. We will look at the battles in northwest Vietnam, as the Viet Minh invade this area. Then we will see the opening of a second front in Laos, which will start an on-and-off civil war that will last for the next 22 years. Finally, we will learn how Laos and Cambodia achieved full independence from France. Today's map shows the campaigns in northern Vietnam (then called Tonkin) in 1952. The...

For Part 4 in our series on the First Indochina War, this episode covers the events of 1952 and most of 1953. We will look at the battles in northwest Vietnam, as the Viet Minh invade this area. Then we will see the opening of a second front in Laos, which will start an on-and-off civil war that will last for the next 22 years. Finally, we will learn how Laos and Cambodia achieved full independence from France. Today's map shows the campaigns in northern Vietnam (then called Tonkin) in 1952. The...

For Part 4 in our series on the First Indochina War, this episode covers the events of 1952 and most of 1953. We will look at the battles in northwest Vietnam, as the Viet Minh invade this area. Then we will see the opening of a second front in Laos, which will start an on-and-off civil war that will last for the next 22 years. Finally, we will learn how Laos and Cambodia achieved full independence from France. Today's map shows the campaigns in northern Vietnam (then called Tonkin) in 1952. The...

Today's episode is the third in our series about the Indochina Wars. Here we will look at the campaigns of 1951. In response to the successful Viet Minh (Vietnamese Communist) offensive of 1950, the French send in their best general, Jean de Lattre de Tassigny. It was only during the eleven months when de Lattre was in command (December 1950 - November 1951) that the French felt they had a good chance of winning. Jean de Lattre de Tassigny. The Americans called him "D.D.T.," and the French calle...