ABSTRACT
The First Indochinese War was brought to an end as a result of the Geneva Conference of 1954. Britain wished to see a resolution of the conflict lest any continuation spill over and affect its position in Malaya, where it was facing a local Communist-led insurgency. The government of France, facing a population increasingly disenchanted with the 'dirty war', was at the end of its electoral tether. The political provisions of the Geneva Agreements were much more ambiguous. The vital clauses setting forth details on elections, for example, were included in the unsigned Final Declaration. In the post-Geneva period most Western observers believed that the Lao Dong Party was so strong politically that it would dominate the scheduled electoral contest. The immediate policy tasks in the new period were listed in both the Nhan Dan editorial and in an Appeal by the Party on the same date. Demonstrations were organised to welcome the restoration of peace.
