P10 - Conflict in Vietnam 1955-63

Geneva Conference

held to talk abt the future of Vietnam after French surrender

-attended by NV (Vietminh rep), SV(Bao Dias), Cambodia, laos, Gb, ch, Fr, USSR, USA

Vietnam temp divide

• N - communist led by ho chi minh

• S - led under Ngh Dinh Diem

Laos + Cambodia independence

election after 2 years to decide who would unite it under 1 gov - never occurred

US attitude

Eisenhower in charge in 1953, with John Dulles as sec of state. Both anti-communist

USA didn’t agree with decisions of Geneva, helping SV with economic and military advisors, providing $3m between 1949-54

-1956 SV gov refused for the planned elections, with fear of communist victory, shows US, attempt to stop communist spread - used excuse of NV going to rig elections

Ngo Dinh Diem

anti-communist ruler of south - very unpopular due to corrupt gov, who had the support of the US + also nepotistic ( brother made pm)

-decided to eliminate South, believing all were Vietminh

-1962 Agroville Programme + Strategic Hamlets - idea to create fortified villages, that the Vietcong couldn’t enter moving peasants into “safe housing” - 4m ppl ,3000 hamlets

• upset Buddhists due to relocating + changed villagers siding to Vietcong, due to being made to work here with corrupt officials that pocketed money

-further upset on 1963 - refusal to allow Buddhist flags to fly in Hue, tone of Diem led to protests being stopped by the military and self immolation of Thich Quang Duc

National Liberation front (NLF)

led by Nguyen Huu Tho

NLF - formed in the south to oppose Diem + unite Vietnam

Vietcong - fighting force of the south

• used guerrilla tactics to fight civil war vs SV gov - having Ch, USSR, NV support

Vietminh - North Vietnamese communist movement

had a 10 point program in supporting the South

Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)

South Vietnam army

US Support

1961 - Kennedy president, who believed in the domino theory, so increased aid

strategy of flexible responses

-US Saigon military mission - 1960 - 1500 advisors + funding vs ARVN

• 1962 - 11,500 US troops

• 1963 - 16,000 troops

Diem assassination

NOV 1963 military coup by members of own arm

CIA knew of plans but didn’t intervene

led to 10 military govs in 2 years - didn’t establish control

Green Berets

-US saw civil war as a training opportunity, and didn’t take Vietcong seriousl

General Maxwell Taylor said - “lab of tactics”

-formed Green Berets army to train the ARVN against vietcong

initial Vietcong success

1964 - were 100,000 Vietcong guerrillas in the South + 40% control of rural land

China supplied efforts through Ho Chi Minh trail

-Kennedy aware of challenge, increasing American advisor support