Vietnam Flashcards
What was the situation in Vietnam before 1954?
Part of IndoChina
Rich in resources
Ruled by FraneThose who adopted Grench customs formed an elite class
What happened during ww2?
Japan invaded Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh’s Vietminh forces undertook guerilla warfare to expel them
When Japan surrendered in 1945 the Vietminh seized Hanoi the northern capital and Ho Chi Minh declared the independence of Vietnam
The French refused to pull out and battled with the Vietminh
The French were crushed in their last battle at Dien Bien Phu 1954
Who was Ho Chi Minh?
Leader of the Vietminh which he formed in 1941
Leader of N Vietnam from 1954
Attracted to communism because it was anti imperialist
From 1957 he used guerilla activities to destabilise Diems government
His supporters became known as the National Liberation Front.
What other name were the National Liberation Front known by?
Vietcong
Who was Ngo Dinh Diem?
Catholic official serving during the French administration of Vietnam
Primeminister of a US backed govt
1955 made himself President of Vietnam
How were the US involved in Vietnam?
Sent money and resources to prop up Diem
After the US involvement in Korea and Truman’s support for the defensive perimeter involvement in Vietname was inevitable
Truman felt pressurised by MacArthyism and pressure from his Secretary of State Dean Acheson who advocated a strong line against communism
After Truman died Eisenhower developed the strategy of containment. Describe this approach
Worried that if Vietnam fell to communism the neighbouring countries Phillipines and Laos would fall too
In his election campaign 1952 he pledged to roll back communism
He thought communism would block tradeand that communist countries may try to conquer capitalist countries
Eisenhower was pressured by his Sec of State John Foster Dulles a cold war warrior
Why did Kennedy become in volved in Vietnam?
Under pressure from McCarthy who was a friend of the kennedy family
Kennedy was a Catholic so opposed to communist atheism and Diem was a Catholic too
Kennedy subscribed to the domino theory and was committed to halting communism
Kennedy used cold war rhetoric during his election campaign
Kennedy was inexperienced and relied on his advisers McNamara ( Sec of Defence) and Rusk (Sec of State). They were hawks
Why did Kennedy need a win in Vietnam?
The Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba had failed
Kennedy did not manage to neutralise Laos so he neededa victory in Nam
Why did Kennedy oppose the 1954 Geneva’s agreement provision for elections in Nam?
He knew Ho would win and that was unacceptable
What was Kennedy’s policy regarding the US millitary in Nam?
He did not want to commit troops but he increased the number of millitary advisers from 800 to 16,000 with Millitary Assistance Command Vietnam to supervise them
Kennedy set up a US counter insurgency force called the Green Berets who cooperated with the ARmy of the Republic of Vietnam
US helicopters were used for transporting the ARmy of the Republic of Vietnam troops for reconnasisance, fire support and for dropiing defoliants to allow aerial observations
What were strategic hamlets?
From 1962 the Americans encouraged Diem to introduce strategic hamlets
These were fortified villages designed to isolate Vietnamese peasants from the Viet Cong
Were the Hamlets succesful?
No - they recruited more support for the VietCong and the mahority of hamlets were destroyed by 1963
What did Kennedy try to pressure Diem to do?
Enact popular reforms
When was Diem assassinated?
2 November 1963
