Theme 2

Geneva conference, included the US, GB, France, USSR, China, Vietnam, they all wanted different conclusions so no one was happy

USA did not sign the Geneva accords

Diem was selected the new leader of South Vietnam, 300 days of free movement were allowed, 1 million went south, 130,000 went north

Domino Theory, US fears

1963- Diem assassination, his government was corrupt, lots of nepotism, criticised for the handling of the Buddhist protests

Life in South Vietnam;

12,000 were executed, and 40,000 imprisoned for re-education

planned to improve infrastructure and increase agriculture production by 20-25%

His social policies for agriculture and housing only benefited those with lots of money and land, and his religious policies outlined his opposition to Buddhism

NLF set up in 1960 to remove the US, overthrow Diem and re-unite the north and south

Strategic Helmets Policy- aimed to win hearts and minds, but ended up doing the opposite

Gulf of Tonkin incident- US ships allegedly attacked the north, making a urning point. LBJ used the incident to justify the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, giving him broad powers to escalate US military movement in Vietnam.