Chapter Eleven Flashcards
What was Ho Chi Minh’s aim regarding Vietnam?
Wanted it to be united and communist. The aim was to use military force to overthrow Diem’s regime. Emphasis on a political struggle, based on creating national unity in SV to overthrow Diem’s regime and the influence of its US backers. So North began supporting anti-Diem groupa in the South 1959. Led to formation of the National Liberation Front 1960
What was Diem like as a leader?
Corrupt and nepotistic (gave jobs and positions of responsibility to relatives e.g his brother Nhu served as PM). Large amounts of US aid were fraudulently taken by Diem’s officials and his family. Focused on repression and pol opponents silenced.
What was the NLF?
The National Liberation Front. Established by the North Vietnamese leadership, based in South Vietnam. Purpose was to free SV from ‘US Imperialism’. People joined the NLF either because they supported Communism, or were Nationalists. The NLF was a means by which the communists could infiltrate and influence groups in the South, and was seen as an agent of communism.
Who was the leader of the NLF?
Nguyen Huu Tho. But may be seen as a figurehead and real leadership lay in Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh.
What was the Ho Chi Minh Trail?
A complex support network for the NLF, providing a supply route into the South for equipment and personnel.
What was Kennedy’s attitude to Vietnam?
He revealed his view of Vietnam’s importance to the USA as early as 1956, even before he became President. Essential to ensure that South Vietnam remained a democracy, and this was fundamental for the democratic future of Southeast Asia as a whole. Kennedy was committed to containment and to the notion of the Domino theory.
What were Kennedy’s foreign policies regarding Vietnam?
Focused on the strategy of flexible response. Was convinced that the USA’s non-nuclear capabilities should be expanded, which would reduce the threat of a nuclear war and enable the USA to react to a wider range of threats. Kennedy believed Eisenhower’s massive retaliation approach had imposed constraints. The communist-led insurgency in South Vietnam threatened to spread beyond South Vietnam and this could not be dealt with through Eisenhower’s strategy because that was based on the threat of the use of nuclear weaponry.
What tactics did Kennedy back?
Counterinsurgency tactics. They were used to defeat guerrilla or unconventional warfare, and focus on intelligence gathering, targeting individual leaders and methods aimed at infiltrating enemy rather than confronting head on.
What did General Taylor and the Chair of the State Planning Department Policy Committee, Walt Roscow, when sent to Vietnam to assess the situation in 1961, recommend?
Increase in helicopter force to facilitate counterinsurgency, greater training support for SVA, increase in numbers of US combat forces and some strategic bombing of NV. Recommended sending US ground troops. Kennedy remained committed to counterinsurgency rather than ground troops, but did strengthen SVA.
What was the Strategic Hamlet Program?
March 1962. Aimed to create armed stockades, which would house South Vietnamese Rural Peasants, with the intention to isolate these people from the Vietcong. Peasants were under pressure to move into Hamlets, without clear planning or incentives. Form of forced reolcation. By the end of 1962, there were over 3000 such Hamlets.
Why was the Strategic Hamlet Program a failure?
It often led to improved recruitment of the peasants into the Vietcong. Corrupt officials fraudulently took money meant for medical aid and fertiliser and seed and irrigation projects, further alienated the peasants. Scheme was flawed because it was impossible to isolate Vietcong agents from Hamlets. Program soon collapsed.
What did Diem, as a Roman Catholic do?
He favoured his religion and the Catholic exiles from the North. Many got employed in the military or the government. He also persecuted the Buddhist community (majority of Vietnam’s population were Buddhists).
What happened May 1963?
Buddhists were banned from flying their flags in honour of the Buddha’s birthday, while Catholics, the previous week, had been encouraged to display Papal flags. Military was used to prevent Buddhists hearing speech by leader Tri Quang. Nine people kiled. Protests in the following weeks. Buddhists protests became organised and coordinated, communicated with US press. In June Quang Doc, a Buddhist monk burned himself alive in Saigon.
What did Tri Quang do?
Met with the US officials in Saigon, warned them that the USA must put pressure on Diem to carry out reforms or remove him from power.
What action did Kennedy take against Diem/
He was concious of the implications of the USA being directly involved in the removal of a sovereign state’s elected leader. Robert McNamara and General Taylor were sent to Vietnam and it was clear that Diem was not prepared to curtail the repression of this people or control Nhu (who in August 1963 launched a renewed assault on the Buddhist). View that War could not be won with Diem at the head of SV.
