The Democratic Republic of Vietnam faced a number of challenges : (i) The French tried to regain control by using Emperor Bao Dai as their puppet. The Vietminh had to fight a war with France and were after eight years able to defeat the French in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu. (ii) The peace negotiations at Geneva partitioned Vietnam into North and South Vietnam. This led to conflict as Bao Dai’s regime in the South was overthrown by Ngo Dinh Diem. His policies led to a war between North and South Vietnam. (iii) Fearing communist triumph, the USA entered the war, sending in troops and arms. A costly war, costly for both sides, lasted from 1965 to 1972. It was a brutal war. The Democratic Republic suffered bombing and use of chemical weapons. (iv) The Vietnamese were inspired to sacrifice for their country, their home and family life.They fought for independence, and their heroic resistance showed how the mighty USA had underestimated the power of this small country. They used their limited resources to great advantage. The Ho Chi Minh Trail is the biggest symbol of how they met the challenge of US intervention and finally united their country.