Which event marked the division of Vietnam into North and South?

The division of Vietnam into North and South was officially marked by the Geneva Conference in 1954. This conference was a diplomatic summit held to address issues following the First Indochina War and involved multiple nations, including France, the United States, and the Soviet Union. During the conference, it was decided to temporarily divide Vietnam at the 17th parallel, with the North being led by a communist government under Ho Chi Minh and the South governed by a regime more aligned with Western powers, particularly the United States.

The Geneva Conference was significant because it aimed to create a framework for peace and ultimately set the stage for the subsequent conflict known as the Vietnam War, as the temporary division would solidify into a more permanent strife between the two regions as tensions escalated. The outcomes of this conference had long-lasting implications for Vietnam and international relations in Southeast Asia.

The other events mentioned—such as the Tet Offensive, the Paris Peace Accords, and the Fall of Saigon—occurred later during the Vietnam War period and are associated with specific military strategies or the eventual end of the conflict rather than the initial division established at the Geneva Conference.