‘It Was Diem That Destabilised Vietnam By 1963 As Opposed To North Vietnam’ Flashcards
Sc
Destabilised the region, heightened division and failed to de-escalate aggression
Diem
Unpopularity of diem. 1955 refused to hold elections on reunification on the grounds that the north would prevent its citizens from freely voting which would have likely stabilised the country . Corrupt, nepotistic, and neo-colonial. Francophile catholic was the cause of the 1963 Buddhist crisis led to mass protests and self immolation religious discrimination provided the incentive for conflict and rebellion. Madam nhu.
Ca- USA had propped up diem and supported his efforts to prevent reunification elections in order to contain the perceived threat of com spreading from the north.
USA
Destabilised the region by facialting diems regime, deepening hostility towards it and alienated Vietnamese population. 17th parallel Geneva . The USA were well aware of dime’s unpopularity, largely as a result of his corrupt, nepotistic and oppressive regimes but in the words of john foster Dulles,’ knew of no one better’ . SHP, Kennedy sent 11,000 military advisors and backing the controversial programme. The maintenance of the unpopular diem led to the growing strength of the nlf bc they felt that us intervention represented a new form of imperialism, deepening tensions in the region and paving the way for conflict between north and south . Nov 1963 removed us support and encouraged SV generals to overthrow diem- greatly destabilised.
Ca- mainly pressure from tri quangand quang doc horrific images circulating the us press, more interventionist, us - reactionary rather than driving force, in response to dimes failures and hcm strength. SHP was a reaction to the growth of nlf influence.
Us support was essential for the survival of diem’s regime
Fair assumption that without us support, diem’s regime may have not been so confident in acting such incendiary policies and even collapsed far earlier.
Hcm
The historian must turn their attention to the role of HCM in intensifying division, for he created a credible opposition to diem’s regime, encouraged discontent and provided the central reason for the us’ continuing intervention.
Revolutionary violence strategy 1959- declaration of war on the south as the north was willing to use military force to unify Vietnam under com and overthrow diem and his us backers. Supported anti diem groups in the south, supported the nlf via the Ho Chi Minh trails from 1960. In 1962, they successfully infiltrated the hamlets and used them to increase support.
This transformed south Vietnamese discontent into support for the north and provided the us a motive for continuing intervention massively intensifying the destabilisation in Vietnam.
Ca- exploited tension rather than creating them . HCM only resorted to RVS as a result of the us-backed diem refusing to hold reunifications in 1955 which transformed him into a combatant rather than a potential leader of unified Vietnam. Strategy was designed to capitalise of pre-existing anger at dimes regimes
Con
Far more accurate to argue that the us intensified already developing tensions which arose from the unpopularity of diem and the growing strength of HCM. The us failed to de-escalate the conflict. Nevertheless, a civil war in Vietnam was extremely likely, even without their support.
