Why was it said that immediately after the August Revolution in 1945, Vietnam was in a situation of "a thousand pounds hanging by a hair"?

Why was it said that immediately after the August Revolution in 1945, Vietnam was in a situation of "a thousand pounds hanging by a hair"?

Immediately after the August Revolution in 1945, the newly established Democratic Republic of Vietnam found itself in a critical situation, akin to "a thousand pounds hanging by a hair," due to the following reasons:

* Foreign aggression and internal betrayal:

- North of the 16th parallel: 200,000 Chinese Nationalist troops accompanied by reactionary organizations such as Viet Quoc and Viet Cach aimed to overthrow the revolutionary government.

- South of the 16th parallel: More than 10,000 British troops paved the way for French colonialists to return and invade our country for the second time.

- There were still 60,000 Japanese troops waiting to be disarmed.

- Domestic reactionary forces exploited this situation to rise up and sabotage.

* Domestic situation:

- Politically:

+ Lack of a strong and stable governmental system: After achieving independence, the newly formed revolutionary government was young and inexperienced in governance and lacked widespread support from the populace.

+ The armed forces were still weak.

+ Remnants of old policies still lingered.

- Economically:

+ Consequences of the 1945 famine: More than two million people died of starvation in 1945, and the famine had not been completely alleviated. The young government faced severe food shortages, putting immense pressure on the newly established state apparatus.

+ The economy was primarily agricultural, already impoverished and backward, and was further devastated by war.

+ Consecutive natural disasters: Massive flooding in August 1948 broke the dikes of nine northern provinces, followed by a prolonged drought that rendered 50% of arable land uncultivable.

- Financially:

+ The state budget was empty.

+ The revolutionary government did not yet control the Indochina Bank.

+ Chinese Nationalist forces flooded the market with devalued currency.

- Culturally and socially:

+ Over 90% of the population was illiterate.

+ Social ills such as superstition, alcoholism, gambling, and opium addiction were rampant.

- International isolation: After gaining independence, Vietnam was not recognized by major powers, especially Western countries. This left Vietnam without international support and faced significant diplomatic pressure.

These challenges placed our country in a situation of "a thousand pounds hanging by a hair."

Why was it said that immediately after the August Revolution in 1945, our country was in a situation of "a thousand pounds hanging by a hair"? (Image from Internet)

What learning outcomes are required for 9th-grade students after studying Vietnamese history from 1918 to 1945?

Under Section V of the General Education Program in History and Geography issued with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the learning outcomes required for 9th-grade students after studying Vietnamese history from 1918 to 1945 are as follows:

- Describe the main features of the national democratic movement from 1918 to 1930.

- Outline the main activities of Nguyen Ai Quoc from 1918 to 1930.

- Recognize the process and significance of the establishment of the Communist Party of Vietnam; evaluate the role of Nguyen Ai Quoc in the formation of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

- Describe the main aspects of the revolutionary movement in the periods 1930 - 1931 and 1936 - 1939.

- Describe the situation of Vietnam under the domination of France and Japan.

- Identify the preparation of the Vietnamese people leading to the uprising for power: strategic shift of the Communist Party of Indochina; the establishment of the Viet Minh Front; the anti-Japanese national salvation movement.

- Present the main developments of the August Revolution in 1945 and the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

- State the causes of victory, and historical significance of the August Revolution in 1945, and evaluate the role of the Communist Party of Indochina in the August Revolution of 1945.

What are the objectives of 9th-grade History and Geography in Vietnam?

Under Section III of the General Education Program in History and Geography issued with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the objectives of the History and Geography curriculum at the lower secondary level in general and 9th grade in particular are as follows:

- The History and Geography at the lower secondary level contributes to the formation and development of essential qualities and general competencies in students, alongside other subjects and educational activities.

- The History and Geography at the lower secondary level fosters historical and geographical competencies in students, based on fundamental and selective knowledge of world, national, and local history and geography; natural, socio-economic, and cultural processes occurring in space and time; the interaction between human society and the natural environment.

- They help students learn how to use the tools of historical science and geographical science for studying and applying them in practice.

- They contribute to the formation and development of essential qualities and general competencies in students, especially love for their homeland and country, pride in national traditions, respect for the diversity of world history and human culture, igniting in students the desire to explore the surrounding world and apply what they have learned in reality.