Conflict in Asia Flashcards
The Geneva conference
1954
Agreements made:
-Vietnam would be divided along the 17th parallel.
-The french forces would withdraw from the north + the nationalist forces withdraw from the south
-Elections would be held 2 years later on the reunification
Consolidation of communism
-1956 Diem refused to hold the elections
-This forced Ho Chi Minh to concentrate on consolidating communist control in the north.
-Created VWP to aid in land reform: seized privately owned land + redistributed it among the rural farming population
-Thousands were executed as a result + many were imprisoned in labour camps
-1956- the military had to put down a revolt, killing 6000 people
-Many fled from the north to the south
Revolutionary violence strategy
By 1959- the strengthening of communism was well underway
-Power of the party was well established + enabled Ho Chi Minh to consider a united communist Vietnam properly: served as a declaration of war on the south
-Aim was to use military force to overthrow Diem + his regime + imperialism that existed in the south
Diem
-A corrupt + nepotistic leader
-Focused on repression + the silence of political opponents
-Main interest was maintaining his own power which was achieved through his corruption + support from US
-Replaced many of the local councils with govt officials, many being Catholic- reminded the southeners of their former French colonisers + the majority couldn’t accept this with 70% of the country being buddhist
Formation of NLF
-Established in 1960 by the North Vietnamese leadership in the south
-It’s purpose was to free south Vietnam from American imperialism
-Aimed to create a unified, sovereign Vietnamese state
-North established a complex support network, Ho Chi Minh trail
10 Point programme
Released in 1960
1) Overthrow the camouflaged colonial regime + US imperialists + dictatorial power of Diem
2) Institute a largely liberal + democratic regime
3) Establish an independent + sovereign economy, improving living standards
4) Reduce land rent + implement agrarian reform, aim of providing land to tillers
5) Promote foreign policy of peace + neutrality
6) Re-establish normal relations between the 2 zones, peaceful reunification of the country
Kennedy’s policies towards IndoChina
-Emphasised ensuring the south remained a democracy was important in terms of securing the democratic future of SE Asia
-Foreign policy focused on the strategy of flexible response
–> believed the USA’s non-nuclear capabilities should expand= reduce threat of nuclear war + allow them to respond to a wider range of threats
-Committed to containment + domino theory
-Backed counter-insurgency measures (tactics used to defeat guerrilla or conventional warfare) used by conventional ground forces
Nov 1961
General Taylor assessed the situation in Vietnam recommending:
- increased helicopter force
- greater training support for S.V army
- increase US combat forces
- strategic bombing of N.V
- sending up to 10000 US ground troops
Kennedy chose to remain committed to counter-insurgency BUT saw the validity of strengthening S.V army
Strategic hamlet programme 1962
- Introduced in March 1962 through Operation Sunrise
- Aim was to create armed stockades which would house S.V rural peasants
- Intention was to isolate the southerners from the Viet Cong
- Programme was a way for Diem + his brother to spread their own influence
- Forced relocation- little incentives to facilitate them
- Largely ineffective + a big failure–. recruitment of peasants into the Vietcong
Significance of the strategic hamlet program
- Showed to the US their failure to ensure S.V remained democratic
Buddhist crisis 1963
- Diem was a Roman Catholic + highly favoured that religion
- Mistake Diem made was persecuting the Buddhist community when 70% of Vietnam’s population were buddhists
- Buddhists were banned from flying their flags in honour Buddha’s of bday: in contrast to Catholics who were encouraged to display papal flags in celebration for Thuc
- During the speech of the Buddhist leader, the military were used to prevent others from listening
- Buddhists protested + taught anti-govt propaganda
- Tri Quang met w US officials in secret warning them that the US must put pressure on Diem to carry out reforms, blaming them for problems as they supported Diem
- Crisis deepened when Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Doc had publicly protested by setting himself on fire in Saigon
Assassination of President Diem
- August 1963- Nhu organised a renewed assault on the Buddhists
- Henry Cabot Lodge, former US ambassador viewed Diem as a liability + was influential in bringing about a coup to remove him
- Roger Hilsman, head of state dept. far eastern bureau had sent a telegram to Lodge emphasising he should find an alternative leader
- This message was approved by Kennedy
- McNamara + General Taylor sent to the south to assess the situation + realised the war could not be won with Diem as leader
- Generals had planned a coup against him
- 1 Nov 1963 - S.V generals had activated a military coup against Diem + his regime, the following day Diem + his brother were assassinated
