Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
also Vietminh, 1945, name of the independence movement in French Indo-China 1941-50, in full Viêt Nam Dôc-Lâp Dông-Minh "Vietnamese Independence League."
Wikipedia
Việt Minh (; abbreviated from Việt Nam Độc Lập Đồng Minh Hội, English “League for the Independence of Vietnam”) was a national independence coalition formed at Pác Bó on May 19, 1941. The Việt Nam Độc Lập Đồng Minh Hội had previously formed in Nanjing, China, at some point between August 1935 and early 1936 when the non-communist Vietnamese Nationalist or other Vietnamese nationalist parties formed an anti-imperialist united front. This organization soon lapsed into inactivity, only to be revived by the Indochinese Communist Party (ICP) and Hồ Chí Minh in 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. The United States supported France. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China. After World War II, the Việt Minh opposed the re-occupation of Vietnam by France and later opposed South Vietnam and the United States in the Vietnam War.
Usage examples of "viet minh".
When the Viet Minh comes to a village, the big leaders speak to the poor people, for it is only the poor people they can cheat.
Much of the current situation derives from the Viet Minh defeat of the French forces at Dien Bien Phu in March, '54.
He walked to the body of one of the Viet Minh and emptied the magazine into his crotch.
This disaster was followed by a string of Viet Minh victories, and, in a July peace conference, the French and the Viet Minh concluded a cease-fire and agreed to divide Vietnam along the 17th parallel.
These are not your local Viet Cong in their black pyjamas and light weapons who are down at the ridgeline, it is the Viet Minh, the legendary troops of Ho Chi Minh, who whipped the best the French could muster, including the Foreign Legion, at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.
We had become very closely attached to the people we were looking over the shoulders ofthe French and the Viet Minh.
According to legend, its French-Moroccan garrison had been wiped out by the Viet Minh in the early fifties.
He guessed that an armor-piercing shell had once made a direct hit on the foot-thick rounded concrete top of the pillbox, probably during some long-forgotten engagement between the French and Viet Minh.
He said that the district was still held by the Viet Minh forces, but no fighting had taken place there ever, or was likely to do so.
But the French came back in when the Japanese were driven out, and the Viet Minh, who had been fighting the Japanese, began fighting the French.
As the last of the Viet Minh passed his position, Hans stood, quietly and carefully.
You used your joystick to move a figure called Grady Grunt through the Tunnels of Cu Chi in pursuit of a Viet Minh guerrilla named Phun Ky Cong.
Others - such as myself - had fortunes stolen from us by the Viet Minh.
He wondered if Wild Bill Donovan had made contact with Ho Chi Minh yet, with a promise to supply all the arms the Viet Minh would need to make the Japanese occupation of Indochina a grinding nightmare.
Their Withdrawal Left New Prime Minister Hun Sen To Struggle With Groups That Included The Leftist Khmer Rouge, The Rightist Khmer Bleu, The Sihanouk National Army Loyal To The Deposed Prince, Lon Nol's Khmer National Armed Forces, The Khmer Loeu, Which Was Comprised Of Ethnic Hill Tribes, And Khmer Viet Minh, Who Were Supported By Hanoi, And Nearly A Dozen Others.