US Involvement in Vietnam

• France wanted to regain its colony Vietnam
• They had been in conflict with Vietnam since 1946
• The Vietminh, led by Ho Chi Minh, wanted indepence and to be a communist country
• Fighting broke out
• South Vietnam then was controlled by France, North Vietnam was declared the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
• China became a communist country in 1949 and therefore sent supplies to the Vietminh
• The USA sent supplies to France to avoid the country turning communist
• US support was so heavy that it was covering 80 percent of costs towards France’s war with the Vietminh
• A major battle broke out at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and France had to surrender due to the strength of the Vietminh
• Eisenhower advised his soldiers not to fight as to avoid war

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The Geneva Conference (1954) attempted to restore peace

The Geneva Accords declared that Vietnam was to be split along the 17th parallel with a demilitarised zone where no soldiers were permitted

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South Vietnam was led by Bao Dai (US’s choice) until 1955, when Ngo Dinh Diem replaced him as president

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DOMINO THEORY:

• Eisenhower was worried that if Vietnam fell to communism, all the countries around it would too
• Since the USSR and China were relatively near Vietnam, this increased worry.
• USSR and China were also in support of Vietnam and therefore the USA was at a risk of starting a nuclear war with them
• Eisenhower set up the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (or SEATO) which included countries like Britain and France
• SEATO was set up to prevent the spread of communism at all costs

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GOVERNMENT:

• Ngo Dinh Diem had no public respect and was despised

• He burned Buddhists and hated them

• Most of Vietnam’s population is Buddhist and Diem was Catholic

• Military was set up and was called the ARVN and fought against the Vietminh

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Vietcong = Vietnamese Communists, Vietminh, or VC for short

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• French withdrew AUGUST 1954

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Why did France lose at Dien Bien Phu?

• Vietminh understood the country
• Local support
• Vietminh worked day and night building roads etc etc
• Underestimation
• China’s help
• Traps were obvious
• Guerrilla tactics used by Vietminh

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Guerrilla tactics - the use of hit and run tactics and things that aren’t used conventionally in war

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