Assignment: Long Term Causes of Vietnam War

IB HIST OF AMERICAS HL YR 2-B
2023-02-12T03:04:21Z

Due: Feb 14, 2023 by 11:59pm

American involvement in Vietnam started in 1950 when the US gave aid to the French government to help resist the forces of Ho Chi Minh, a Vietnamese nationalist who had been fighting for Vietnamese independence since before World War Two. In fact, the Americans had actually given aid to Ho during World War Two to assist in his resistance against the Japanese who had taken over the region. But in the growing hostility of the Cold War after the Second World War, Ho Chi Minh's credentials as a communist were emphasized far more than his nationalist credentials and so when the French refused to relinquish its hold over its ex-colony, Truman decided to help them defeat the Vietnamese forces.

Key to explaining US actions in Vietnam are the events going on in the Cold War in Europe after 1947 and in Asia from 1949 with China's successful Communist revolution and then the invasion of South Korea by North Korea in 1950. In addition, the 'Red Scare' inside the US, which was intensified from 1950 by 'McCarthyism', meant that Communists could not be tolerated. In this situation any US President would be expected to be 'tough' on Communism overseas. Indeed, following the Korean War, all US presidents accepted the idea encapsulated in NSC 68, and also in the concept of the Domino Theory articulated by Eisenhower, that the Soviet Union was a danger and that there was a real threat of communism spreading globally. This severely limited the course of action open to the US and meant that they had to support the French against what they saw as the spread of 'imperialistic communism'. By 1954, the US was funding 80% of the French war against the Vietnamese.

Despite American aid, the French were defeated at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.

Watch the following video and make notes on the following:

1. The French aims in setting up a base in enemy territory at Dien Bien Phu

2. The ways in which the French underestimated the Vietminh

3. The ways in which the French plan went dreadfully wrong and why it went so wrong

4. The American response

5. The results of the battle

Following the defeat of the French, an international conference was held in Geneva to draw up a peace agreement. Significantly the US did not attend this conference.

Read the terms of the peace agreement below:

THE FINAL DECLARATION OF THE GENEVA CONFERENCE (1954)

The July 21st 1954 final declaration of the Geneva Conference on the problem of restoring peace in Indochina, in which the representatives of Cambodia, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, France, Laos, the People’s Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States of America took part:

“1. The Conference takes note of the agreements ending hostilities in Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam and organising international control and the supervision of the execution of the provisions of these agreements.

2. The Conference expresses satisfaction at the ending of hostilities in Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam. The Conference expresses its conviction that the execution of the provisions set out in the present declaration and in the agreements on the cessation of hostilities will permit Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam henceforth to play their part, in full independence and sovereignty, in the peaceful community of nations.

3. The Conference takes note of the declarations made by the Governments of Cambodia and of Laos of their intention to adopt measures permitting all citizens to take their place in the national community, in particular by participating in the next general elections, which, in conformity with the constitution of each of these countries, shall take place in the course of the year 1955, by secret ballot and in conditions of respect for fundamental freedoms.

4. The Conference takes note of the clauses in the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Viet-Nam prohibiting the introduction into Viet Nam of foreign troops and military personnel as well as of all kinds of arms and munitions. The Conference also takes note of the declarations made by the Governments of Cambodia and Laos of their resolution not to request foreign aid, whether in war material, in personnel, or in instructors except for the purpose of effective defence of their territory and, in the case of Laos, to the extent defined by the agreements on the cessation of hostilities in Laos.

5. The Conference takes note of the clauses in the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Viet-Nam to the effect that no military base at the disposition of a foreign state may be established in the regrouping zones of the two parties, the latter having the obligation to see that the zones allotted to them shall not constitute part of any military alliance and shall not be utilised for the resumption of hostilities or in the service of an aggressive policy. The Conference also takes note of the declarations of the Governments of Cambodia and Laos to the effect that they will not join in any agreement with other states if this agreement includes the obligation to participate in a military alliance not in conformity with the principles of the charter of the United Nations or, in the case of Laos, with the principles of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Laos or, so long as their security is not threatened, the obligation to establish bases on Cambodian or Laotian territory for the military forces of foreign powers.

6. The Conference recognises that the essential purpose of the agreement relating to Viet-Nam is to settle military questions with a view to ending hostilities and that the military demarcation line should not in any way be interpreted as constituting a political or territorial boundary. The Conference expresses its conviction that the execution of the provisions set out in the present declaration and in the agreement on the cessation of hostilities creates the necessary basis for the achievement in the near future of a political settlement in Viet-Nam.

7. The Conference declares that, so far as Viet-Nam is concerned, the settlement of political problems, effected on the basis of respect for the principles of independence, unity, and territorial integrity, shall permit the Vietnamese people to enjoy the fundamental freedoms, guaranteed by democratic institutions established as a result of free general elections by secret ballot. In order to insure that sufficient progress in the restoration of peace has been made, and that all the necessary conditions obtain for free expression of the national will, general elections shall be held in July 1956, under the supervision of an international commission composed of representatives of the member states of the International Supervisory Commission referred to in the agreement on the cessation of hostilities. Consultations will be held on this subject between the competent representative authorities of the two zones from April 20th 1955 onwards.

8. The provisions of the agreements on the cessation of hostilities intended to insure the protection of individuals and of property must be most strictly applied and must, in particular, allow every one in Viet-Nam to decide freely in which zone he wishes to live.

9. The competent representative authorities of the northern and southern zones of Viet-Nam, as well as the authorities of Laos and Cambodia, must not permit any individual or collective reprisals against persons who have collaborated in any way with one of the parties during the war, or against members of such persons’ families.

10. The Conference takes note of the declaration of the French Government to the effect that it is ready to withdraw its troops from the territory of Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam, at the request of the governments concerned and within a period which shall be fixed by agreement between the parties except in the cases where, by agreement between the two parties, a certain number of French troops shall remain at specified points and for a specified time.

11. The Conference takes note of the declaration of the French Government to the effect that for the settlement of all the problems connected with the reestablishment and consolidation of peace in Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam, the French Government will proceed from the principle of respect for the independence and sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam.

12. In their relations with Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam, each member of the Geneva Conference undertakes to respect the sovereignty, the independence, the unity, and the territorial integrity of the above-mentioned states, and to refrain from any interference in their internal affairs.

13. The members of the Conference agree to consult one another on any question which may be referred to them by the International Supervisoensuremission, in order to study such measures as may prove necessary to ensure that the agreements on the cessation of hostilities in Cambodia, Laos and Viet-Nam are respected.

What was decided about...

6. the French role in Indochina
7. the status of the 17th parallel which divided the country into two zones
8. the role of foreign intervention, foreign aid and foreign bases in Indochina
9. the status of Laos and Cambodia
10. Discuss the implications of these decisions. How likely was it that they would be adhered to?
11. How, according to the source below, did the USA undermine the Geneva Accords?

The USA did not sign the Geneva Accords. In response to the agreement, they attempted to strengthen the area south of the 17th parallel by supporting a non-Communist government led by Ngo Dinh Diem, which would be able to resist an invasion from the North. Supported by the US, Diem said that the did not feel bound by the Geneva Accords and refused to hold elections in 1956. The US also established SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization), signed by Australia, Britain, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand. Despite the Geneva Accords establishing the neutrality of Laos and Cambodia, SEATO included South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as its 'protected areas'. It thus became a legal basis for further US actions in Vietnam.

American involvement in Vietnam started in 1950 when the US gave aid to the French government to help resist the forces of Ho Chi Minh, a Vietnamese nationalist who had been fighting for Vietnamese independence since before World War Two. In fact, the Americans had actually given aid to Ho during World War Two to assist in his resistance against the Japanese who had taken over the region. But in the growing hostility of the Cold War after the Second World War, Ho Chi Minh's credentials as a communist were emphasized far more than his nationalist credentials and so when the French refused to relinquish its hold over its ex-colony, Truman decided to help them defeat the Vietnamese forces.

Key to explaining US actions in Vietnam are the events going on in the Cold War in Europe after 1947 and in Asia from 1949 with China's successful Communist revolution and then the invasion of South Korea by North Korea in 1950. In addition, the 'Red Scare' inside the US, which was intensified from 1950 by 'McCarthyism', meant that Communists could not be tolerated. In this situation any US President would be expected to be 'tough' on Communism overseas. Indeed, following the Korean War, all US presidents accepted the idea encapsulated in NSC 68, and also in the concept of the Domino Theory articulated by Eisenhower, that the Soviet Union was a danger and that there was a real threat of communism spreading globally. This severely limited the course of action open to the US and meant that they had to support the French against what they saw as the spread of 'imperialistic communism'. By 1954, the US was funding 80% of the French war against the Vietnamese.

Despite American aid, the French were defeated at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.

Watch the following video and make notes on the following:

1. The French aims in setting up a base in enemy territory at Dien Bien Phu

2. The ways in which the French underestimated the Vietminh

3. The ways in which the French plan went dreadfully wrong and why it went so wrong

4. The American response

5. The results of the battle

Following the defeat of the French, an international conference was held in Geneva to draw up a peace agreement. Significantly the US did not attend this conference.

Read the terms of the peace agreement below:

THE FINAL DECLARATION OF THE GENEVA CONFERENCE (1954)

The July 21st 1954 final declaration of the Geneva Conference on the problem of restoring peace in Indochina, in which the representatives of Cambodia, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, France, Laos, the People’s Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States of America took part:

“1. The Conference takes note of the agreements ending hostilities in Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam and organising international control and the supervision of the execution of the provisions of these agreements.

2. The Conference expresses satisfaction at the ending of hostilities in Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam. The Conference expresses its conviction that the execution of the provisions set out in the present declaration and in the agreements on the cessation of hostilities will permit Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam henceforth to play their part, in full independence and sovereignty, in the peaceful community of nations.

3. The Conference takes note of the declarations made by the Governments of Cambodia and of Laos of their intention to adopt measures permitting all citizens to take their place in the national community, in particular by participating in the next general elections, which, in conformity with the constitution of each of these countries, shall take place in the course of the year 1955, by secret ballot and in conditions of respect for fundamental freedoms.

4. The Conference takes note of the clauses in the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Viet-Nam prohibiting the introduction into Viet Nam of foreign troops and military personnel as well as of all kinds of arms and munitions. The Conference also takes note of the declarations made by the Governments of Cambodia and Laos of their resolution not to request foreign aid, whether in war material, in personnel, or in instructors except for the purpose of effective defence of their territory and, in the case of Laos, to the extent defined by the agreements on the cessation of hostilities in Laos.

5. The Conference takes note of the clauses in the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Viet-Nam to the effect that no military base at the disposition of a foreign state may be established in the regrouping zones of the two parties, the latter having the obligation to see that the zones allotted to them shall not constitute part of any military alliance and shall not be utilised for the resumption of hostilities or in the service of an aggressive policy. The Conference also takes note of the declarations of the Governments of Cambodia and Laos to the effect that they will not join in any agreement with other states if this agreement includes the obligation to participate in a military alliance not in conformity with the principles of the charter of the United Nations or, in the case of Laos, with the principles of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Laos or, so long as their security is not threatened, the obligation to establish bases on Cambodian or Laotian territory for the military forces of foreign powers.

6. The Conference recognises that the essential purpose of the agreement relating to Viet-Nam is to settle military questions with a view to ending hostilities and that the military demarcation line should not in any way be interpreted as constituting a political or territorial boundary. The Conference expresses its conviction that the execution of the provisions set out in the present declaration and in the agreement on the cessation of hostilities creates the necessary basis for the achievement in the near future of a political settlement in Viet-Nam.

7. The Conference declares that, so far as Viet-Nam is concerned, the settlement of political problems, effected on the basis of respect for the principles of independence, unity, and territorial integrity, shall permit the Vietnamese people to enjoy the fundamental freedoms, guaranteed by democratic institutions established as a result of free general elections by secret ballot. In order to insure that sufficient progress in the restoration of peace has been made, and that all the necessary conditions obtain for free expression of the national will, general elections shall be held in July 1956, under the supervision of an international commission composed of representatives of the member states of the International Supervisory Commission referred to in the agreement on the cessation of hostilities. Consultations will be held on this subject between the competent representative authorities of the two zones from April 20th 1955 onwards.

8. The provisions of the agreements on the cessation of hostilities intended to insure the protection of individuals and of property must be most strictly applied and must, in particular, allow every one in Viet-Nam to decide freely in which zone he wishes to live.

9. The competent representative authorities of the northern and southern zones of Viet-Nam, as well as the authorities of Laos and Cambodia, must not permit any individual or collective reprisals against persons who have collaborated in any way with one of the parties during the war, or against members of such persons’ families.

10. The Conference takes note of the declaration of the French Government to the effect that it is ready to withdraw its troops from the territory of Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam, at the request of the governments concerned and within a period which shall be fixed by agreement between the parties except in the cases where, by agreement between the two parties, a certain number of French troops shall remain at specified points and for a specified time.

11. The Conference takes note of the declaration of the French Government to the effect that for the settlement of all the problems connected with the reestablishment and consolidation of peace in Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam, the French Government will proceed from the principle of respect for the independence and sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam.

12. In their relations with Cambodia, Laos, and Viet-Nam, each member of the Geneva Conference undertakes to respect the sovereignty, the independence, the unity, and the territorial integrity of the above-mentioned states, and to refrain from any interference in their internal affairs.

13. The members of the Conference agree to consult one another on any question which may be referred to them by the International Supervisoensuremission, in order to study such measures as may prove necessary to ensure that the agreements on the cessation of hostilities in Cambodia, Laos and Viet-Nam are respected.

What was decided about...

6. the French role in Indochina
7. the status of the 17th parallel which divided the country into two zones
8. the role of foreign intervention, foreign aid and foreign bases in Indochina
9. the status of Laos and Cambodia
10. Discuss the implications of these decisions. How likely was it that they would be adhered to?
11. How, according to the source below, did the USA undermine the Geneva Accords?

The USA did not sign the Geneva Accords. In response to the agreement, they attempted to strengthen the area south of the 17th parallel by supporting a non-Communist government led by Ngo Dinh Diem, which would be able to resist an invasion from the North. Supported by the US, Diem said that the did not feel bound by the Geneva Accords and refused to hold elections in 1956. The US also established SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization), signed by Australia, Britain, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand. Despite the Geneva Accords establishing the neutrality of Laos and Cambodia, SEATO included South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as its 'protected areas'. It thus became a legal basis for further US actions in Vietnam.