America's Foreign Policy Practice Exam 2025 – Comprehensive Test Prep

The Geneva Agreement, reached in 1954, aimed to bring an end to the First Indochina War between France and the Viet Minh. One of the key outcomes of this agreement was the decision to temporarily divide Vietnam at the 17th parallel. This division created two separate regions: North Vietnam, which was under the control of the communist government led by Ho Chi Minh, and South Vietnam, which was influenced by Western ideologies and supported by the United States and other Western countries.

The agreement also included provisions for national elections to be held in 1956 to reunify the country. However, these elections never took place, partly due to disagreements over the electoral process and the political climate in South Vietnam, which led to further conflict. Thus, the division of Vietnam at the 17th parallel remains a significant and defining outcome of the Geneva Agreement.