JFK: involvement in vietnam

Question 1

Ngo Diem Dinh Diem

Answer 1

• leader of south Vietnam
• had American support but was hated bu the people for his persecution of the Buddhist majority
• 1960: mistreatment led to the communist north to encourage a rebellion in the south in the hope of removing lien and reuniting Vietnam

Question 2

Kennedy’s response to Vietnam

Answer 2

• initially paid little attention to Vietnam
• like McNamara, he saw Vietnam as a military rather than diplomatic problem so increased aid and military advisers
• at start of JFK admin: 800 US advisers in South Vietnam
• by 1963: 23,000 US advisers in South Vietnam and 250,000 south Vietnamese fighting against Vietcong
• Kennedy adopted tactic of flexible response: used different fighting and propaganda methods

Question 3

was Kennedy’s ‘flexible response’ completely successful

Answer 3

• unsuccessful ‘Strategic hamlets’
• moved Vietnamese peasants to fortified villages to protect them from the Vietcong
• resented by peasants
• Vietcong influence still occurred

Question 4

Problems in Vietnam

Answer 4

• Diems persecution of the Buddhist majority led to the self-immolation (burning) of a Buddhist monk (Thich Quang Duc) in 1963
• brought international criticism of US’s role in supporting Diem
• CIA discovered a plot against the assassination of Diem (by his own general): failed to intervene and he was killed a few weeks before Kennedy
• General William Westmoreland (took over commander in V in Jan 1964 by advice of McNamara) stressed US involvement in Dien’s death obliged them to stay in Vietnam to sort the mess out

Question 5

International response to Vietnam

Answer 5

• Kennedy ignore British PM Harold Macmillan and Charles de Gaulle of France’s advice to not become involved in the Vietnam war
• K wanted to prove himself as a strong leader
• wanted to reassure non-communist states in Asia
• wanted to stand up to Soviet aggression
• had the advice of McNamara
• created big problems for LBJ