Vietnam Flashcards
Franco-Vietnam war (1946-1954)
How were the french defeated in the France-Vietnam war, due to the strengths of the Vietnamese nationalists and the weaknesses of the french? What areas will be studied?
Areas:
Leadership
Military tactics
Support (foreign and domestic)
How were the strengths of the Vietnamese nationalists demonstrated through leadership?
Ho Chi Minh actively wins 80% peasantry support, by establishing the Viet Minh in 1941, which aims to gain independence and redistribute wealth and power (exploits the fine h and Bao Dai’s focus on elitist policies supporting 20%).
He actively opposed the Japanese occupation in 191 through the viet minh.
How were the weaknesses of the french demonstrated started through leadership?
French continuously supported leader emperor bao dai, who supported the french before Japanese occupation, then supported the Japanese from 1940-45, then supported the french again after 1945. This shows how bao dai always supported foreign imperialists who prevented Vietnam from receiving independence (-> Ho).
How were the strengths of the Vietnamese nationalists demonstsrated through their military tactics?
General Giap allowed Ho to gain Vietnamese military support - 1944 - 5000 and by 1952 - 250,000 with a peasantry force of 2 million.
Used guerrilla warfare, to exploit the french convoy of tanks (which were n suitable for the frequently flooded dirt tracks), launched surprise attacks then retreated to jungles.
40,000 porters to supply food and ammunition - they were unmarried women, so french less expected them to be providing for the viet minh’s forces.
How were the weaknesses of the french demonstrated through their military tactics?
French used a convoy of tanks which were unsuitable for the frequently flooded dirt tracks.
Tried to enlist native Vietnamese to show that they weren’t just another imperialist power - but they never fully trusted them.
Start of the battle of Dien Bien Phu (march-may 1954) - built a fortes at Dien Bien Phu to stir a battle with the Vietnamese communists, however didn’t expect the large force of thousands of peasants to be armed and fire them from the high ground where they weren’t seen.
How were the strengths of the Vietnamese nationalists demonstrated through their support?
They were able to receive support from 80% peasantry due to promises of redistribution of wealth (2 million peasants by 1952).
Received vital support from china which helped them defeat the french at Dien Bien Phu. By April 1954, morale was low and general Giap was suspending his offensives. But then china intervened and taught the viet Minh’s forces new siege techniques and brought in reinforcements, which led to the defeat of the french in May 7 1954.
How were the weaknesses of the french demonstrated through their support?
Failed to receive support from the 80% peasantry, due to supporting emperor Bao Dai who lacked patriotism through his allowing of foreign powers to rule Vietnam.
Their support from the USA was also weak, as it ceased at the crucial battle of Dien Bien Phu. By the end of Truman’s presidency in January 1953, the USA hade been spending almost 80% of the french bill for indochina and providing them with ammunition.
But when Eisenhower rose to power in 1954, he stopped US intervention in indochina, as he claimed that it would taint the USA’s reputation of being anti-colonialist (though it was most likely due to his failure to receive Britain’s support for intervention at congress).
This is hypocritical, as the republicans would criticise Truman not intervening to contain communism.
What is the overall argument why the french were defeated in the Franco-Vietnam war?
French were defeated due to the strengths of the Vietnamese nationalist, as they were able to exploit the weaknesses of the french to gain support and resist them with effective military tactics.
Whose war was Vietnam?
What are the 3 areas studied to decide which president beared the most responsibility for the Vietnam war?
Commitment through ideology
Political commitment
Commitment through intervention (financial, advisors and military)
How was Truman committing the the Vietnam war through ideology?
Truman believed that Ho was helping the USSR spread soviet communism, as the Soviet Union encouraged china (which became communist in January 1950) to recognise the democratic republic of Vietnam as a communist alliance in January 1950.
Truman could have avoided committing to the Vietnam war, as technically Ho was originally a nationalist who gained support through communist powers, but Truman was committed to the policy of containment (as established in the may 1947 Truman doctrine speech), therefore had to prevent spread of soviet communism. START OF IDEOLOGICAL COMMITMENT TRAP
How was Truman committed to the Vietnam war politically?
He supported France and Bao Dai and was also supported by SEATO.
He used NSC68 (started in June 1950 after outbreak of Korean War) which allowed the price of military defence to increase 3 times and fight a limited war in south east Asia, to support France as well as his policy of containment.
How did Truman commit to the Vietnam war through financial, advisory and military intervention?
Financial intervention - in December 1950, Truman gave France $100 million to defeat the viet Minh. By January 1953, the USA were spending 80% of France’s billion in Vietnam.
Advisors - may 1950 - Truman established a fifteen strong US military advisory group in the capital city Saigon.
Military intervention - in dec 1950, he sent aircraft, patrol boats, bombs etc (not soldiers though).
How did Eisenhower commit to the Vietnam war through ideological commitment?
At first, he didn’t support the french at Dien Bien Phu, because he claimed that the french indochinese colonialism wasn’t in keeping with the USA’s belief in anti-colonialism (but mist likely due to his failure to receive British congressional support).
After the french defeat at Dien bien phu, he reverts back to policy of containment through his April 1954 domino theory, which continued ideological commitment trap as it claimed that if south Vietnam fell to communism neighbouring south East Asian counties would follow suit - Vietnam was a key domino.
How did Eisenhower commit to the Vietnam war politically?
Through disagreeing with the proposal of the divide of Vietnam along the 17th parallel (where north Vietnam would be governed by Ho and south Vietnam would be initially governed by Bao Dai) in the June 1954 Geneva accords.
He believed that the division would be permanent, especially when Diem was elected to be South Vietnam’s president (USA supported him despite being dictatorial/undemocratic) in October 1955. Also believed that Ho would try to unite Vietnam under communist rule.
How did Eisenhower commit to Vietnam through financial, advisory and military intervention?
Financial - gave Diem $7 billion by 1961
Advisors - Eisenhower sent 700 military and 800 political advisors to south Vietnam, which was permitted by the Geneva accords
Military - USA intervened militarily, which resulted in the deaths of 2 marines
