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What did the Geneva Accords require in Vietnam?
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Vietnam War
U.S. troops wading through a marsh in the Mekong delta, South Vietnam, 1967.
The Geneva Accords of 1954 were a series of agreements intended to resolve the conflict in Indochina. Regarding Vietnam, the accords required the following:
- Cease-fire and Partition: A cease-fire was established, and the country was temporarily divided into two military zones at the 17th parallel.12
- Troop Withdrawal: Both sides were given 300 days to withdraw their forces to their respective sides of the line; Viet Minh forces were to move north, while French and South Vietnamese troops were to remain in the south.12
- Supervision: An international commission composed of representatives from India, Poland, and Canada was established to oversee the execution of the agreements.12
- Reunification: The Final Declaration stipulated that nationwide elections were to be held by July 1956 to reunify the country.12
It is important to note that these provisions were not treated as binding treaties by all parties. The United States and the South Vietnamese government did not approve or sign the Final Declaration, and the planned 1956 elections were never held.12