20 Marker : Kennedy Evidence

Question 1

Kennedy’s ideology

Answer 1

Thought Vietnam was ‘cornerstone’ of Cold War in Asian+ SEA = new stage of the Cold War
Thought Vietnam was puppet of big communist powers
Believed in domino theory
Felt pressure from 1961 Bay of Pigs embarrassment

Question 2

Kennedy’s military escalation

Answer 2

16000 military advisors by Nov 1963 = more than Geneva limit
Sends helicopter + pilots but denies this

Question 3

McNamara’s role

Answer 3

Secretary of Defence - favoured escalation

Question 4

How did Kennedy deal with the collapse of Saigon?

Answer 4

Replaced Diem with American Ambassador Lodge - strengthens commitment to SV

Question 5

What does Galbraith report to Kennedy?

Answer 5

Nov 1961 - says Vietnam = political not military issue, Diem was incompetent + US looked like French colonialists but Kennedy didn’t withdraw from SV

Question 6

How did Kennedy respond to the Battle of Ap Bac?

Answer 6

VC victory over AVRN and US air crew in Jan 1961 - Kennedy still resisted ground troops, didn’t want to be overextended + get too expensively involved - doesn’t suggest escalation