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History - The Cold War - Part 3 > 3 - Conflict In Asia (1955-63) > Flashcards

3 - Conflict In Asia (1955-63) Flashcards

1
Q

When was the Indochina War?

A

C.1945-1955

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2
Q

Who was the Indochina War between?

A
  • French colonialists (in South)

- Vietminh nationalists (in North)

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3
Q

What was the cause of the Indochina War?

A
  • French were controlling Indochina before WWII
  • Japan tried to take control during WWII
  • Potsdam Agreement (1945): expell Japanese, split into British Zone in South + Chinese Zone in North
  • The British allowed the French to re-access the South
  • The Chinese allowed the Vietminh to re-access the North
  • Violence broke out in Sept 1945
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4
Q

What is ‘Indochina’?

A
  • Cambodia
  • Laos
  • Vietnam (Tonkin, Annam, Cochinchine
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5
Q

What was the involvement of the Soviet Union in the Indochina War?

A

Gave recognition + aid to Ho Chi Minh against the French

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6
Q

What was the involvement of the US in the Indochina War?

A
  • Start: supported Ho Chi Minh against French colonialism
  • End: shifted support to French when Ho Chi Minh became an outward communist threat (payed $500 mill/yr - 3/4 French war effort)
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7
Q

Why did the Vietminh take a lead in the Indochina War?

A
  • Knew terrain (could hide in sage havens, then ambush)
  • Chinese advice + modern weapons (over 270,000 guns) (Chinese had captured from Chiang Kai-Shek’s nationalists who were supplied by US)
  • Stronger determination
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8
Q

What was the event that ended the Indochina War?

A

French defeat at Dien Bien Phu

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9
Q

What happened at Dien Bien Phu?

A
  • Dec 1953-March 1954: French (under General Navarre) built up strongpoints in the area
  • Vietminh (under Giap) surrounded the build up in a 56 day siege
  • 13th March 1954: Vietminh start firing at French
  • 7th May 1954: French defeated (outnumbered 5:1 as they miscalculated opponents’ abilities)
  • Official French casualties = 20,000
  • Official Vietminh casualties = just under 14,000
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10
Q

What was triggered by the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu?

A
  • End of the Indochina War

- Geneva Conference (summer 1954)

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11
Q

What was signed at the Geneva conference (summer 1954)?

A

Geneva Peace Accords
- Laos + Cambodia independent
- Vietnam split at the 17th parallel
(Vietminh in N - under Ho Chi Minh - supported by Soviets + China)
(French in S - under Ngo Dinh Diem - supported by US)
- Vietnam would be reunified in 1956 elections (2 yrs time)

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12
Q

Who opposed the Geneva Accords (summer 1954)?

A

USA + new President Diem (of S.Vietnam)

  • Refused to sign but promised not to undermine
  • Saw it placing Vietnam in too big a communist threat (if the communists won the reunification elections - would trigger domino effect in Asia)
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13
Q

Did the US undermine the Geneva Accords? How?

A

Yes

- Prevented the 1956 reunification elections for fear of a communist win

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14
Q

As a result of the 1954 Geneva Accords + then lack of 1956 reunification elections, what state was fixed in N.Vietnam?

A

Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV)

  • Under Ho Chi Minh (Vietnamese)
  • Attempt to consolidate Ho’s regime + turn Vietnam into a unified communist state
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15
Q

As a result of the 1954 Geneva Accords + then lack of 1956 reunification elections, what state was fixed in S.Vietnam?

A

Republic of Vietnam (RVN)

  • Under Ngo Dinh Diem (French)
  • Led a brutal, authoritarian, anti-communist state
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16
Q

What strategies did Ho Chi Minh complete to consolidate his communist control in N. Vietnam from 1956?

A

Strategy 1: create strong Vietnam through land reforms

Strategy 2: unite Vietnam under communism

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17
Q

How successful was Ho Chi Minh’s Strategy 1: create strong Vietnam through land reforms (to consolidate power after 1956)?

A
  • Fairly successful, the start of collectivisation increased agricultural production
  • Many landowners disliked the aggressive implementation of reforms, 1 mill fled South
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18
Q

What did Ho Chi Minh do to achieve his second aim - uniting Vietnam under communist rule?

A

Vietnam Worker’s Party (VWP) (communist party of Vietnam) implemented military force against the S by forming the NLF

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19
Q

What was the National Liberation Front (NLF)?

A
  • Also known as ‘Viet Cong’
  • Northern guerrilla force
  • Supported communism, nationalism + reunification
  • Worked towards overthrowing Diem in S to achieve these goals
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20
Q

How many members of the NLF were there?

A

300,000 by 1962 (+ a big passive following)

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21
Q

Who was the leader of the NLF?

A
  • Figurehead: Nguyen Huu Tho

- In reality: Ho Chi Minh

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22
Q

Who created the nickname ‘Viet Cong’?

A

Diem (‘Vietnamese Communists’ - branded NLF as a revolutionary army)

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23
Q

What was the relationship between the NLF + US?

A

US: Disliked NLF - seen as a communist tool to seize S
NLF: Disliked US - seen as colonialists replacing the French + not letting Vietnam be independent and make its own choices

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24
Q

When was the NLF formed?

A

Dec 1960

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25
What was the Viet Minh?
Communist-dominated nationalist movement
26
Who was the leader of the Viet Minh?
Ho Chi Minh
27
When was the Viet Minh formed?
1941
28
What was much of the Viet Minh absorbed into?
Vietnam Worker’s Party (VWP) - the official communist party
29
What was the PAVN?
People’s Army of Vietnam | Communist-dominated northern military force
30
How was the NLF different to the PAVN?
NLF - guerrilla | PAVN - regular military
31
What was the ARVN?
Army of the Republic of Vietnam | S.Vietnam’s military force
32
When did Diem become leader of S.Vietnam?
Summer 1954 (when Geneva Accords signed)
33
After 1956, which regime (N or S) was progressing more successfully?
North
34
Why did the US support Diem even when his regime was failing?
Dulles said they ‘knew of no one better’
35
What were some negative features of Diem’s regime in the S after 1954?
- Nepotism: e.g. brother as PM - Oppressive, silencing opponents despite ‘democracy’ - Corrupt: e.g. took US aid for himself - Supported the rich not the public: e.g. didn’t redistribute land like Ho - Supported Catholic minority > Buddhist majority - Rigged initial election (only had 450,000 of ‘600,000’ votes)
36
What was Eisenhower’s policy towards Indochina?
- Supported Diem after Geneva Accords (1954) | - New Look Policy (strong response against to contain communism - through aid to Diem)
37
What was Kennedy’s policy towards Indochina?
Continued to provide aid to support Diem - Believed in domino theory + containment (prevent fall of S.Vietnam - spread to Asia) - Flexible response (expanding conventional capacities to meet each challenge appropriately - sent advisors to do counterinsurgency training) BUT - Had to
38
Give some examples of aid given by Kennedy to S.Vietnam
- Money ($42 mill for expansion of ARVN) - ‘Military advisors’ (to train men in counterinsurgency) - Taylor Roscow Mission
39
What was the Taylor Roscow Mission (1961)?
- 8000 US men - Sent to ‘assist flood damage in Mekong Delta’ - Way of keeping some US men in Vietnam in case support needed against communists
40
When and what was the White Paper?
- Dec 1961 | - Kennedy’s justification + conditions of aid given to the S/Diem
41
How did Kennedy publicly justify giving aid to Diem?
Said the North breached the Geneva Accords
42
When was the Strategic Hamlet Programme?
1962
43
What was the Strategic Hamlet Programme?
Building special villages for rural peasants in S.Vietnam - surrounded by bamboo fence + barbed wire - stationing PAVN nearby
44
What was the purpose of the Strategic Hamlet Programme?
To isolate rural peasants of S.Vietnam, so they couldn’t be influenced by the VietMinh
45
Who completed the Strategic Hamlet Programme?
Diem (supported by US)
46
Did the Strategic Hamlet Programme work? Why?
No - it collapsed - Forced relocation was often disliked - NLF often targeted corrupt officials, which were still exposed
47
How many Strategic Hamlets were built?
Over 3000 (housing over 1/3 of the S.Vietnamese population)
48
When was the Buddhist Crisis?
1963
49
Summarise how Diem treated Catholics
GOOD - Welcomed northern Catholic exiles - Gave many employment - Made his brother Archbishop of Hue
50
What religion was Diem?
Catholic
51
What was the majority religion in 1960s Vietnam?
Buddhist
52
Summarise how Diem treated Buddhists
BAD - Persecuted them (but denied this) - Peaked in May 1963 (‘Buddhist Crisis’)
53
When was the Buddhist Crisis?
8th May 1963
54
What caused the Buddhist Crisis
- Diem banned flying flags to honour Buddha’s birthday | - Diem banned speech of Buddhist leader Tri Quang
55
What was the Buddhist reaction to Diem’s persecution in the Buddhist Crisis?
- Gathered in Hue to protest - Gov fired into crowd killing 9 - Protests continued over following weeks (e.g. hunger strikes, mass rallies, anti-gov propaganda, self-immolation)
56
Who was the first Buddhist monk to self-immolate in protest of Buddhist persecution?
Quang Doc
57
What did Kennedy think about Diem after the Buddhist Crisis?
Growing unsure on him - becoming unpopular + oppressive
58
Who did Kennedy send to speak to Diem after the Buddhist Crisis? What did they say
- McNamara + General Taylor | - Said Diem was unwilling to change his ways + stop the oppression
59
What conclusion did Kennedy make about Diem in autumn 1963?
Diem couldn’t be in office if the war was to be won - too harsh + unpopular Considered stopping all support/aid
60
Why did S.Vietnamese rebel generals launch a coup against Diem?
- Public disliked Diem | - US now disliked Diem + were risking removing support to S.Vietnamese (generals needed this!)
61
What were the results of the coup against Diem?
2nd Nov 1963 - Diem + Nhu (brother - PM) brutally murdered
62
Were the US involved in the coup against Diem?
Indirectly - Yes (generals motivated by threat of lost aid) Directly - Debated, but US claimed they weren’t behind it
63
Did the assassination of Diem make the US more or less involved in Vietnam?
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History - The Cold War - Part 3 (1 decks)

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